The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-12-14
GOV. KEEPERS MESSAGE.
THE CONDITION OF 41sE STATE.

THE CONDITION OF YKsE STATE
TUE PUBLIC CREDIT AND DEBr--FUTURl
OF THE FUNDING ACT-RECEIpTs AM
EXPENDITURES HOW TO INCREASE TILL
REvENUE--EXPENSEs WHICH CAN BI
Observation-Disclosures SCHOOL FUND-THI
TOBACCO INSPECTION LAw-ARMED IN
TERFERENCE WITH ELECTIONS IN vIR
GINA, &c.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, \
GOVERNORS OFFICE,
RICHMOND, Dec. G, 1876.
Gentlemen Of he Senate and House Of Dele
gates
In greeting your return TO the capitol,
devoutly recognize cur renewed obligations
to Almighty God for the order peace, heaItl
and material improvement, which have mark
ed the progress OF tie Commonwealth
through another year.
While the political excitement, being fell
throughout the general country. is profound
" to be deplored, let us remember that les
causes and consequences are beyond oul
control. Any nntinlely intervention or ac-
ton on the part Of the State would tend
rather TO aggrayate than alay the evil H.
as we have Il right to exp ct, the present
struggle shall result in yindicating the will
Of the people, in the supremacy of the civil
over the military power, and in the return
peace with Justice to all sections, States and
men; then we shall enter a new era Of rec
nnciiation and enduring prosperity, and we
shall not fail to s;gnalize tile hour Of victory
with such moderation, calmness and pru-
,lence as become the immemorial character
OF Virginia. But il wrong and usurration
overcome for a time all attempts to arrest
them. this Commonwealth SO long tried by
the 1iercest ordeals OF adversely. will not
only join in every legal, peaceful and con-
-titutional effort to rescue the liberties of thu
country, but will know how to preserve its
traditional composure and fortitule through
every yicissttide Of the future. No contin-
gency can come, and Zone can be conceived,
in which Virginia will despair of the Repub-
lie.
Looking forward hopefully to peaceful
solution Of the diseord pending outside our
borders, trusting that the qnadrennial con-
test between national parties is about to re-
suit III the customary period of repose. let lis
direct resolute and united labors to the great
domestic interest which are especially COM
mitted to our responsibility and care
THE PUBLIC CREDIT, FINANCES AND DEBT.
The one duty resting upon lis with para
mount obligation at this time is, to re-estab-
fish. at the earliest possible moment, the
credit of the Commonwealth. Assuming
that the national excitement will pass away
with none but constitutional results, a more
suspicious opportunity than the present is
not to be expected for settling our financial
policy upon a stable and enduring founda-
ton. The momentary paliic, which settled
down upon tie general business of the coun-
try three years ago, has, for many months.
been visibIy receding. The revenues of the
State are sensbly and steadily Increasing,
while the general expenditures are being
corrcspondingly reduced. Afurthera and i'm
portant reduction of the latter is about to
result from recent changes in the consttu-
tion. Valuable Improvements engrafted on
the revenue system, at your last session, did
not operate in time to affect the returns of the
then current fiscal year; but already they are
developing excellent results and they guar
antee further and material increase Of re-
ceipts at the treasury in future. While our
progress is necessarily slow and laborous. it
is impossible to resist the multiplied evil
dences around us which attest q steady and
progressive improvement OF the taxable re-
sources and the permanent revenues of the
State. a cautious and we'll considered cal
culation demonstrates that with TIE retrench-
ment OF certain useless expenses, and with
further and reasonable improvement upon
the revenue system, presently to be mention
ed, our resources will he equal to all demands
upon the treasury. including interest Oh the
debt, without increasing the general taxa
.tioI. Realizing ali the cmbarrassments
which heretofore made it impossible to carry
OIL the govnrnment and at the same time sat
isfy the Just claim OF creditors, do not hes
itate TO say the time has arrived for prepar-
ing to pay full interest. upon the debt proper,
at a very early day.
As the one measure of greatest possible re-
lief TO our own people, as the most vital to
the development OF the struggling common
wealth, it is dema AIDED that all controversy
ove- the debt shall be settled and put behind
us without loss of time. The worst internal
obstacle to the relief of all classes. from the
depression of the past, i to be fouHd in the
financial policy, cotemporaEeous with the
funding act and execution, which was at
first rash and then vacilating, and which
sunk both public and private credit in dis
trust and disrepute. Public character is but
the sum of individual characters OF the
people. In the eyes Of the monetary world,
The government is financially and morally
the reflex of its constituency. That which
impairs the plighted faith of the government
destroys confidence in. the people and para
lyze individual credit and enterprise. The
effect is to alarm AMI repel capital which is
ever sensitive and tlnid. The facts could be
cited to show thar, in the course of the last
ten years, large sums OF money which sought
Investment in Virginia. in enterprises capa-
bic of adding greatly to our taxable wealth,
were driven Off by the discovery Of our in
testine agitations iii connection with the
debt and the continued default of tile State
to its creditors. In SOME cases, by reason of
the same discovery, promising enterprises
actually begun were abandoned and invest
ments wholly or partially made were with
drawn.
But other and more fearful losses are about
to be brought upon us by this vexed contro-
versy unless it is settled speedily and forever.
1t is not only repellng the capital which
seeks investment from without, but it threat
ems 10 Danish better capital from within.
Unless settled it will impair the lie OF the
Commonwealth by the depletion of its popu
lation. 1t is manifest that the gradual re-
turn OF healthy monetary conditions, which
for some time has been visible over the gen
eral country, calculated TO increase and not
to avert the danger impendingllere. Unless
the benefits of the general Improvement are
made available to our people by organizing
IL permanent and healthy financial policy Of
our own, it will serve but to increase the dis
parity and make broader the contrast be-
tween the condition of Virginia AMI that of
other more prosperous and cnterprising
States. We can not hope to share the
prosperity which is returning outside the
commonwealth, if financial disorder shall
continue to reign within it. II we fail to
keep abreast with other States in the march
Of improvement, if while business is reviving
around us. stagnation shall be the rule at
home, then our own business will more than
all else reinforce the evils which deplete our
population and drain our wealth, 1t is al
ways the case durnga prolonged period OF
local depression, arising from whatever
cause-when the avenues to profitable EN-
ployment are closed-that many of the most
valuable classes of the people. including the
more vigorous youth, starting in active life,
will not he restrained from going off i'll search
of better fortunes in more prosperous locali-
ties. These causes are now yislbly operatlli.
in some portions of the State and the res.llts
warn us to aguard against II. new exodus OF
the more embarrassed classes. An undeue
tendency to emigration has always existed
among our people and it is easily stimulated
in times like the present. AT the date OF the
last census. 02O. 93l natives of Virginia, ILL.,