Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-11-20
rv.E GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

His Excellency, Gov. Jacobs, yester-
day sent to the Legislature a special
message, a copy of which is published
elsewhere, and of which the following
is a summary:
He calls special attention in the be-
ginning to the fact that a large amount
OF unfinished business is before the body,
and for this reason he confines himself
to the recommendation OF only such
new legislation as seems to be OF neces-
slry Importance. Regarding certain
i,,nortant matters of unfinished bust
ness. he refers to his last message.
He then gives brief account of the
depressed condition Of trade, and the
consequent hard times arising there
from. This is done, however, not for
the purpose OF suggesting any remedy
by LEGISLATION, since such seems entirely
impracticablc; bat for the purpose Of dis
cussing the proposed passage OF stay
law. On this point the Governor takes
ground in opposition to such law,
generally speaking. He regards stay
law as having the effect OF upsetting le-
ultimate business, since neither the cred
itor would have the means to enforce
the collection of his debt, nor the labor
or the payment of his wages And
since much business is done on credit
and mutual confidence, the result OF
sucb q condition of affairs would be to
DESTROY credit and would therefore be
r,oSt disastrous, both at home and
abroad. "True," says he "there may
be times ofindividual hardship, in which
valuable property is sacrificed at an en-
forced sale; but Court of Equity has
sufficient power to prevent this result.
In any event, no stay law ought to go
bevond the extent of prohibiting for
limited time the sale of property below
a fixed proportion of its appraised or as
sessed value" This remedy should
never be resorted to except in times of
general disaster, and it will be best for
all parties to let the ordinary collection
laws remain intact He also recon-
mends no increase in the existing taxa
ton. and that the expenditures be kept
down to the lowest possible point.
Abiding to the crops in the State.
they have been good, notwithstanding
having been threatened with loss by the
constant rains; and were it not for the
general depression of business the con-
dition of the State would be very good.
As it is, she is as well off as could be
expected, having suffered FROM as few
failures upon the part Of business men
as has any other. He compliments the
energy of the citizens, and hopes that
the spirit of Improvement and progress
will receive new impetus from the
present Legislature. s-.4"- :.
The condition of the Treasury is quite
gratifying, there being balance on
.6and October the first, after meeting
the necessary disbursements, of $685.
6iS.4I, which is divided out among
the State, General School; and School
funds. The receipts however during
the year are S2S, 745. II less than the
disbursements, aud this is attributed to
the carelessness of sherifs in making
collections causing them to return larger
delinquent lists than is proper. Many
sheriffs collect closely, but they have
little encouragement to do when, care
less ones escape so easily. This evil
should be remedied, and the Governor
thinks that moderate taxation and rigid !
collections are the only means by which
nublic burdeus can be made light and
equal to ALL r.. ..l a-ls , .Iasf
According to reassessment of the
lands of the State, considering the form
or assessments for Brooke, Doddridge,
P,cabontas and Wetzel (the Commis-
soners of assessment in these counties
not having yet reported) the following
facts of interest are shown: The mum
her of acres in the State is "a, l7S,-695,
a decrease of 443, 527 when compared,
with the former assessment. Inc total
value of land. &sc.. is Sl10, 922, $50, an
increase of Sll, 23s, s27. The details
of the decrease in lands. together with
the figures, , showing the, valuation OF
property. aud how each is divided out |
among. the several counties will be found
pretty well set forth in the message II
self. -. ..,',3'-.gz - = ~. sdt n.,
The Governor mex, discusses the pnb-
lie institutions of the State, beginning
with the Hospital for the Insane at YES
ton. He gives very full and sallsiac