The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-08
rne Goxernor,s Nlessage.

The Governors Message.
That Governor HOLIDAYS last message
sbopld he devoted almost wholly TO the
s,a;e debt. and 10 questions growing out OF
his debt, will not be cause OF surprise 70
those who know how ardcDtly he has al
ways desired to preserve the honor OF Nif-
e,nia. and how much OF time, study, ana
labor he has devoted 10 the accomplish
mont Of the cherished object OF providing
for the paymcnt OF her honest debts, ana
leaving 20 his successor no legacy oil unset
tied obligations, and TO the people OF his
native state no good cause for longer di-
yiding into two parties on purely domes-
lie question. Governor HOLIDAYS name
IS ~ intimately and inseparably associated
with the public debt Of Virginia as MI
CEASES or Mr.. sHERNAS's with the PUBIC
debt OF the United States. Alas th@
..funderv I'm Virginia should be sup
poscd by anybody to be entitled 10 less
h,,or than = .,fundcrv in Washing
ton. II this last be a fact, 1t VIII moi
influence Governor HOLIDAYS conduct
He has Old Hickory's firmness, fearless
nc.s, and perseverance. II he had 10
stand BY himself, stand he would where ne
plants himself In the message before U.S.
Here lc; us say, by the way, that Governor
HoILIpAY never mentions political parties
in his official papers.
The message is so short that synopsis
OF il is scarcely needed; yet, In compll-
anoe with the requirements Of an immemo-
rial custom, we prepare a "brief y OF itS
contents.
The Governor begins with the state
debt, and comes very near ending with IT,
He declares that every dollar Of it is justly
owing, it having been contracted by VIZ
.zipia's officers, and being for money bor-
royed by them from confidinS creditors,
and being debt acknowledged as just by
all departments OF the State government.
Our people are now using the railroads
built with this borrowed money.
The Governor mentions the BARBOUR
bin and It's immediate successor. lie gives
TIC history Of the MCCULLoCu bill It's de-
feat he regards as a very serious calamity.
Il would il carried out have restored quiet
and brought prosperity TO the Common
wealth, and, we will add, would have saved
The United States Senate to the Democratic
party, and perhaps aided materially in the
election OF Democratic President in 1884,
not 10 say that if Virginia had not been
divided in 1889 General HANCOCK would
have been elected then.
The Governor next touches the RIDDLE
BERGER blu. lie grows eloquent over lis
erormities, and repeats part OF the indict-
lncnt he drew up against that bill in his
message vetoing il, Of which indictment he
declares he is not willing to recall one
word. lie tells how that bill would have
Jared in our courts and in the Supreme
Court OF the United States; and he asks
Significantly how the departments Of the
United States Government other than the
Supreme Court have acted on this subject
The Governor quotes interesting Stats
tics furnished to him by the Auditor.
These figures ought TO open the eyes OF
some people; for he proves the ability oil
tho state to meet her obligations without
any increase OF taxation, though with
statesmanlikc candor he says that il it were
necessary nc would favor an increase in the
taxes.
Al the State bonds bearing and per
cent. are now redcemable. This is n fact
worth remembering. They can be substi-
tuted by new bonds bearing lower rate OF
interest Therefore "there is no iustifca-
ton or excuse " for reputation. Virginia
has paid SlA, 272, 6574O of interest upon her
debi since 1867, and is now paying more
than a million Of dollars OF interest an
nually. And again the Governor warns
up with his subject and sounds note OF
alarm.
The Governor here recounis in graphic
style some facts in Virginia's history well
calculated to excite pride in the bosOms OF
her sons. lie also speaks encouragingly OF
her material prosperity now, and OF her
cause for bright hopes OF the future.
The Governor alludes to the interference
OF the Federal Government in our recent
tlttDouS. Ills MoluS uuSht w tNh "lVh
the northern people. But VIII they! Do
those people realize that "the empire is al
most in sight!
The Governor incidentally compliments
the Superintendent and Board OF Directors
Of The penitentiary for making it paying
institution. He also makes reference TO
the reports OF the various State officers.
Also. to some few o; his official acts.
The message closes with good word for
the Richmond and Allegheny railroad.
The ncssage is very short. Every paper
ought TO print it, and everybody ought to
read il. Governor HOLIDAY will hold the
reins Of power with a steady hand till the
1st OF January. Would that the man who
Is 10 he his successor could be induced 10
initiate MAXIM VAN BUREN, and "follow
in the footsteps of his illustrious predeces-
sor.r
The Wing may make itself easy. The
Dispatch is satisfied with its work in the
recent campaign. A hundred thousand
men voted for JOHN w. DANIEL this year
forr thousand more than voted for General
HANCOCK last year; and nearly Ill of then
We're white men. II there are any men in
Virginia who were by the Dispatch influ
eDccd TO vote the Democratic ticket thes'
were the men. At the same time, we mus
confess that our experience is that newspa