Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-01-23

at Sucn Time OF times as may pe fSquT-
ed by law. By the adoption of this
system you would avoid all delinqnents
would dispense with considerable
machinery and many officers, and save
a very large item of expense to the
State. [See message of December 6,
1871
In brief, would remit to the coun-
ties and corporations to be borne by
them, all criminal charges, the levy and
collections of taxes and the expense
thereof, all expenses Of assessments,
elections, registration of voters, and all
other matters of local administration !;
and for the very cogent among other
reasons that theys.gwin be far more
efficiently, econolnss hid equitably
executed by the local than by the State
authorities. The nearer these subjects
can he brought home to the attention
of the people, who ultimately bear, the
burdens and reap the benefits of them,
the more careful will they be admins
1 tered
BY the adoption of the foregoing
suggestions the annual expenses of the
State government may be reduced to
the following amounts : Judiciary, $780,
900; charitable Observation-Disclosures
Lunatic Asylum, $4,000; Western,
$3.50 Central, $4,000 and Institute
for BEST, Dumb and Blind, $4o,0o0-
total. $200,000. Richmond Medical
College, 81, 500; University Of Virginia,
$4,000; Virginia Military Institute,
sl5,OOO-t total, 1000 Civil contin-
gent fund, $4,000; military, $1,000;
auditors, second auditors, and treas
urer's contingent fund, $1,000; expenses
attorney generals Office, $l,00o-total
1925, 900. Offices Of government, $780,
90; public printing, $25,0o0;. registra-
| ton of births, &c, So, 50o-total, $685.
800. Add for other and special ex-
penses $4,000 Grand total, $3.50, 900.
And this sum will be ample to meet
all the ordinary current expenses Of the
| Government, except Legislative expen
ses. These amounted last year to
| S167, 529,53, but the extraordinary Cir
cumstances which necessitated the call
of special session Of the General As
sembly by the Governor are not likely
to again occur, and hence the expenses
of future sessions will be much less 1t
appears to me that no future session of
the General Assembly, under our pres
ent Constitution, ought to cost more
than $15G,OOD. Add this to this
amount above named, and it makes the
sum CT IS 20, 9o3 as the total amount
necessary to be annually raised to de
fray the current expenses Of the State
Government Legislative, and
judicial And it is probable that even
this sum might be reduced fully $780,,
Uoo. But taking it as a basis, and
adding to it the 81, 100000 required to
meet the interest on the public debt, land
we find that the total sum necessary to
be raised by taxtioh for both the pur-
poses named in the resolution will be
50, 10000. ... ...
In the estimates already given, no
mention has been made OF the amount
necessary to be raised for the support
and maintenance of schools, for | prefer
to treat Of that subject separately. For
the current year the amount required by
the Constitution must be levied and
collected, but if the amendment to the
Constitution recommended in my two
last messages be adopted-viz., CAPT
tation tax of two dollars, to be devoted
exclusively to the support of schools, no
State tax upon property for this pur-
pose will be required. More money
will be realized from this tax than we
now secure from both the capitation
and property tax. This amendment
may be proposed at your present SEES
sion, and if concured in by the next
General Assembly, may be submitted to
and ratified by the people IN ample time
to meet the requirements of our school
system for next year.
The next, and perhaps most impor-
tant, proposition to be discussed is how
to raise the amount of $2,16),00o, re-
quired, as above stated, to meet the in
terests on the public debt and the cur
rent expenses of the government after
the year 1873, as well as what provision
odH US ludCS W ,lutt lIiftt 1utS1eso anu
the current expenses Of the present
year, including that Of our school sys-
tenn and the accumulated interest. due
and unpaid And first let us accurate
ly ascertain how much will be required
for these purposes. | cannot think
that it is the intention of the General
Assembly to make up any disclimina-
ton among our public creditors, but
rather that it will treat all alike, and
place all on the same equal footing, so
far as that may be possible Prior to
the passage Of the act of March 7, 1872
which the late decision Of the Court of
Appeals pronounced unconstitutional
and void, over two thirds of the old
deut had been funded under act of
March, 80, 1871. $20,278,730,07 of
bonds were issued under this last
mentioned act, the interest upon which
must be met, as the coupons represent
ing that interest at and after maturity
are legal-tender for all taxes, debts, dues
and demands due the State.
| 1t is always best to look the facts and
circumstances with which we have to
deal squarely and honestly in the face,
so that we shall neither be deceived
ourselves nor lead others into error.
The interest upon the bonds funded
under the act Of March 3Qth, 1871,
must be paid, and no mode of avoiding
it can be devised, even if we desire it.
It has grown to be maxim of the law
of almost universal affection: "Quaasdo
| aliqeid prohibetasr, proh5betar ct onaaae
per qaeod deoi,.eter G0 ilud" whatever
is prohibited by law to be done directly,
cannot legally be effected by an indirect
and circuitous continuance.