Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-05
PUBLISHED DAILY AND TREwHEK.LY 81
EDGAR SNOwDEN.
"WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER s.
Phe message Of Governor Ksmper, seot to

w 6UN 6SuA d V LN Inv, oHSNN" ANA' "
Phe message of Governor Kemper, scot to
the two houses OF the General Assembly to
day, and which We present to our readers 10
supplement to this evenings Gazette, IS Sd
able State paper. and, barring bis condemua
ton of the funding bill-wbich, We still be-
lievs, was The bes. measure that could have
been adopted at the time it passed, ADD would
if it and its ancillary acts bad not been obstruct
ed By subsequent adverse legislation. have &C.
complished Its desired object-one that will re
4 cot honor upon himself and credit upon the
State. The entire debt of the State ls but
thirty.three and a. half millions, and be COD
graduates the Legislature upon the unansWer
able fact that if 90 adverse action shall either
increase the volume of expenses or diminish
the supply of revenues. the interest Oh every
clsss of debt will be paid, aod the fnsocia! res
toration of Virginia is already assured and vir-
tually consummated. Although he deplores
the passage of the funding bill, be says it is
tho bouuden duty of all to stand to the decision
of the highest State court affirming it's validity,
and that any further agitation for the purpose
of validating it is a wrong to the good name
of Virginia and 40 Injury to every interest OF
the people; aud that if those who seek to over
throw it fall short in any reasonable effort to
meet the Just demands of creditors; if they fail
to provide all the means properly available for
that purpose; if they refuse to remedy the &C.
kuowledged defects of the present revenue
system, then their ioaction will be taken for
reputation. and all the worse because it will
be negative, Indirect, aud iusidious. 10 the
same connection he continues: TO say that a
State may thus retrsct its plighted faith and
revoke its contract is to destroy the sanctity OF
oil contracts, to put 40 end to all confidence be-
tween man aud man, to overturn the fouuda
tons of public and private credit, aud to render
the Government powerless to raise loans and
maintain its existence 10 aoy time of emer
gepcy. The establishment of doctrine go
monstrous would be the virtual dissolution of
oiviliz ed society. IF the debt proper Of each
State be aggregated with its municipal aud
local Indebtedness, mparisou on that basis
will show that, relatively to population and re
sources, the people of Virginia owe less than
those of macy of the States. 1t will be found
that the rate of taxation 10 this State is less
than in almost all others. 1t will be found that
the State taxes are lttls as compared with the
direct and Indirect taxes which Virginia pays to
the National Government. Even if the new
method Of taxing liquors should yield 90 TO-
crease of revenue, still the deficiency 10 the
treasury would be covered by sum equal to q
tax Of ten cents 90 the huodred dollars, or of
thirty cents % each iohsbitant of the Com
moDwealth. The allegation that the State
cannot maintain its existence and carry its debt
10 not only wholly unsupported, but coucu-
sively contradicted ~ the facts. No matter
how onerous the obligation, ye. justice. duty,
right, and faith demand it's ful6lment. We
will pay the debt because it is right, as we'll
because the reputation of the least part of it
would blight the historic virtue Of the people
aud the Inherited glory of the Commonwealth.
He recommends a curtaiment of expenses
in every department of the State govern
nent, and says the accounting business
has run into needless enlargement and COM
plicstion. and the Capitol is overorowded
With unnecessary officials and employees.
He adopts the suggestion Of the Superintend
ent Of the Eastern Insane Asylum, and recon.
mends that seoile lunstics be removed from
the asylums and taken care of at their own
homes. He also calls attention to the excessive
charges imposed upon the State for transport
ing luoatics to ssyIums and criminsls to the pen
itsotiary, and says that the criminal expenses of
the State now are one hundred and twelve
thousand dollars more than they we're in
1850, when the State was third larger.
He recommends the aboshment of the
present County Caurt system and a return
to the ancient and bonored system OF JUS
tees. originally appointed and commissioned by
the Executive. themselves filing vacancies in
their owo body, and serving without pay. He
recommends more careful assessment of per.
sonal property, the appointment Of State
Board for the assessment of lands, 40 adherence
to the Moffett register bill with certain modifca.
tions, and tax on Don resident oyster dredgers.
While 10 favor of supporting the public school
system he says:-''But if is to override all 9th.
or interests, however momentous or sacred; if
the claims of the school department upon the
funds 10 the general treasury constitute lien
paramount to every other; if the existence of
The government, 10 40 emergency. is to be de
pendent upon the lenieney of that department,
;heo the sooner it is shorn of its dangerous su
oremscy the better" He concludes a. follows |
The necessity for returning to the ancient and
looored mode of voting at elections by the liv
ng voice; for readiustiug the means of support
ug the public schools so as. without impairipe |
hem, to quiet the increasing conflict between
property and public education; for prohibiting
pecisl legislation 10 every case where geueraI
aw is possible to be framed; for cuttiug down
be oVergrown proportions and expenses of both