Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-08
THE STATE DEBT.
TAR MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR.

fe60iuGl0O, SQOpteU Wy tue Oeuoto,
"Whereas the 5th section of the 4th article
of the Constitution provides that the Cover
nor shall communicate to the General Assem-
bly, at every session, the condition OF the
Commonwealth and recommend to their COD
sideratiou such measures as ne may deem ex-
pedient;' and whereas no suoh communication
or recommendation has been made, therefore,,
"Resolved. That it is the earnest desire OF
this body to have the same, and the Governor
is hereby respectfully aud earnestly called
upon to respond to these constitutional require
ments,
Governor Holiday, yesterday, sent the fol.
lowing message to that body:
To the Honorable, The Senate:
The foregoing resolution OF the Senate has
been received.
lanai loss to know exactly what is meant
bv your honorable body at this late day of the
session, especially as my predecessor, alter
four wears experience, In his message Just
thirty days before took my seat as Governor,
covered the entire ground, and laid before you
10 paper OF ability and With great mlnuteness
of detail, the condition of the Commonwealth;
and, for Two months, you have been most dill.
gent, night and day, in the investigation OF that
very subject.
1t seems to me that to attempt to instruct
you on the condition OF the Commonwealth, i"
after the most laborious and elaborate lnvestl-
cations and reports Of your various committees
upon every question of interest and Importance,
would, just now, not only be very futile, but
very presumptuous task. And it would have
been equally futile and presumptuous, if not
worse, after my predecessor had thus done bis
duty at the beginning of the session, to have
lnterferred With your Investigations By throw
lug out n.y. it may be, 10 comparison, crude
ideas | am sure it would have met with your
disapproval, if not reproof.
Nor do I think that if l had recommended
any measures to your consideration, alter your
committees had boen formed of your best and
ablest men, who had como to work with great
Industry upon every subject that the outgoing
Governor had deemed it proper to bring to
YOUR attention, or that your own wisdom sug
gesed was necessary for the good of the Com.
mouwealth, it would have met with any more
favor. You would have been apt to have re
garded it as an interference with your legisla.
ton, aud 40 insnuation that you were neglect.
ing your dutes--the former of which | have
most carefully avoided ;'the latter Of which,
with my knowledge OF your honorable body.
would have been most unjust to you, and most
diecreditable to me.
Am | not right 10 saying then, that am
rather at a loss to know what is meant by the
resolution ? Surely can throw no light upon
subjects which have engaged your committees
so laboriously, and to which you. as body,
have given snch diligent attention. 1t cannot
be expected that | can have any knowledge
which is not already before you.
If the Senate wishes my Vows or opinions
upon any particular matter Of legislation. most
cheertuy am ready to comply, according to
my knowledge aud ability. For whilst would
| not pretend to dictate, or thrust those views
upon you, who have opportunities and reasons
for being 80 much better informed than my.
self, | am not averse to giving them. such as
they are, whenever desired | am quite Ger.
tain We all have one common aim-the good OF
| the Commonwealth.
The object Of your resolution, then. is left
solely 10 inference, and presume, is meant to
refer to the settlement Of the State debt.
Around this all other Inquiries custer-towards
it all legislation tends.
About it have never had any doubts, nor
have my uttersuoes been open to any question
to those who chose to take the trouble to read
them when, from time to time, given to the
public. Before my nomination Tor tho office l
now fill, IHpoke in language not to be msun.
derstood, and said that the road TO Virginia
| prosperity was not through the door of repudi
atiou-hat was the road TO her DOOM and
| that II would not beckon her 10 that direo
| ton for all the honor any Office she may have
can CONFER" aud that IF the people of the
| State we're resolved to 60 back upon q repown
| hitherto uutarDished, by tho reputation OF hel
plgEted faith. they must find some other than
myself to do their bidding"
With THO lotfor hofnra the oonVantInn | "a
ceived the nomination, and was elevated By
| the electors to the office of Governor without
opposition. | have right to presume that
| both the convention and the people approx.
| ed it.
have not changed my mind since. 10 all
| my public utteranoes. and 10 my inaugural ad.
dress, | express the same yiews-that State
| is 10 freer than an Individual from the obliga-
| ton to pay it's Just debts-thst it has DO right
| TO enjoy the benefits Of the consideration and
deny 10 whole or 10 part tho contract through
which the benefits accrue.
/, in the beginning, and have always said,
| and now say, that tho settlement of the debt
is matter belonging properly to the Legisls-
ture." It borrowed the money, it is tho pro-
per body to provide for its payment. Indeed,
[ may state it more strongly: it is the only bo-
dy that can. But l need not say to your hon
orable body, that it must DO dono within the
bounds of it's constitutional limitations; other.
wise might as we'll say that the Individual
can perform his daily work in neglect of those
laws on which the tenure of bis life hangs.
Nothing that l have ever uttered conflicts
with these statements. | have seen no ocoa-
sion to change No new light has dawned up
on nae to turn me from that limo along which
lie the credit and prosperity of Virginia.
Pursuing it, can find no excuse for her in
the denial of the debt-in the means of its Gre
alton, nor in war. nor 10 Providential vista,
tious-save as simply affecting her ability. |
do not now, and never could see. any use 10
urging its non payment on any other ground,
either 10 whole or part. Any other is sustain.
ed neither by morals nor law. IF Virginia is
able 10 pay the debt the Legislature ought at
once to provide the means to do it. The de-.
cIaration of the platform that announced the
principles which guide the people of the State
that they would soorn to repudiate her just
obligations, and are resolved to preserve invio.
late the public faith and credit" only confirms
these views. 1t is no disregard of them that