OCR Interpretation


Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, December 05, 1834, Image 2

Image and text provided by Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85025007/1834-12-05/ed-1/seq-2/

What is OCR?


Thumbnail for

7tigazkttk".
Uy EDGAR SNOWDEN.
Terms.
Daily paper - - - - S3 per annum.
Country paper - - - 5 per annum.
The ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE for the coun
try is printed oa Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday.
All advertisements appear in both papers, and
are inserted at the usual rates. _
GOVERNOR TAZEWELL’S MESSSAGE
to the
GESEKAL ASSEMBLY OF VIKG/SIA.
Fellow-Citizens or the Senate,
and House or Delegates:
The constitution requires of the Governor to
“ communicate to the Legislature, at every ses
“ sion, the condition of the commonwealth; and
** to recommend to their consideration, such
“ measures as he may deem expedient.” Hence,
it becomes my duty, to exhibit to you at thi<
time, all such inform ition as I possess in regard
to any matter of importance to the Common*
we tlth; and to invite your attention to the adop
tion of such measures as seem to me necessa
ry either to remedy any known defects in the
operation of the laws, or to prevent the oc
currence of evils, which, although they may
not have yet h ippened, are so probable as to
render it prudent to guard against them even
now.
In performing this duty, although I desire to
be brief. I cannot suffer the gratification of this
wish to induce me to leave any thing unnoticed
which 1 deem important to you to know, or of
much interest to our country. It is better that l
should be tedious, than my account should be
imperfect; and the interests and relations of
Virginia are so various, and some of them so
complicated, that the report I am required to
m ike to you, cannot l fear, be compressed into
a narrow compass.
Although tne O >v. is required hy our Consti
tution, ‘*to conduct ei her in person, or in such
4k manner as shall be prescribed by law, all inter
“ course wiih ot!i**r a.id foreign States,” yet un
der the wise distribution of pow ers and duties es
ta dished by the Constitution of the U. S., (which
we are all bound to suppott.) the case will rare
ly occur, that any state of this Confederacy can
properly have direct intercourse with any other
States truly termed foreign to it. Some of the
great objects in adopting the Federal Constitu
tion were to provide for the common defence
and general welfare of all the states thereby
connec ed by a bond of more perfect union than
had existed before this Constitution received
their sanctio >. To attain these great objects
with more certainty and facility, all the external
relations of these StaVs were placed, very pro
per y. under direction and controul of the Go
vernment then created hy them; and mainly for
this very purpose. lily that Government only
can anv Treaty be entered into, can foreign
Commerce b<* regulated, War declared, Peace
made, or Piracies an I Fcl uiies committed on
the high seas, or OlFenccs against the Law of
.V*< »ns be defined or punished. In short, it
i- .Jjc'ilt if not impossible to imagine any
relation that can subsist be* ween any one of
th**se United States and any foreigh St;.t* what
- v u, which must not find its foundation and
tu h ui’y in some act of the Federal Govern
•ne <t.
\ > hmg can illustrate more truly the confi
• ice reposed 111 this Constitutional arrange
,t of powers, than the well known fact, that
• mist tin* great variety of conflicting opinions
iu regard to the legiton d«* authority of tin* Fe
deral Government, which have divided our
P-,*opie. Irom time to time, no example exists of
any doubt being entertained as to the exclusive
right of that Governm* nt to provide fir all our
foreign relations. No St. te has ever asseitrd a
riglu to interfere in such a flairs when admitted
to have that single object, and most probably,
no State ever will advance any such pretension.
However we may uiner nom eucn inner in res
pect to the right or expediency of acts touching,
our internal concerns, or asdo what Depart
ment of the Federal Government the power of
regulating our external relations properly be
longs, we all concur in regard to our actual in
tercourse with foreign States. As to this, but
one thought <s conceived, but one language held
by any: and all agree, that this! inguage must be
uttered by some Department of the Federal Go
v-Tinnent only. As this Government isofhum m
creation, administered by frail men like our
selves, it may be, and no dou'tt will sometimes
be wr rng! but be it right ot be it wrong, it is
our Government, and so far as foreign States
are concern d, it must and will be sustained by
all.
Then, in reference to the relations between
this Commonwealth and any foreign Slate
whatever, I have nothing, l ought not to have
any thing, to communicate to you. True to
the Federal Constitution which she has plighted
her sacred faith to support. Virginia never has
had. and while she continues a member of this
Confederacy never will have intercourse with
any such, except under the authority of the Go
vernment of the United States, in due season
you will learn, I presume, from another and a
better source w hat our foreign relations are; and
to such intelligence, when received, 1 must refer
you.
In regard to our relations with otir sister
States, members of our Confederacy, who we
never have considered, as l hope, never shall
consider as foreign States, I have received se
veral communications from their constituted
authorities properly authorized to make
them. All of these save one, are made in terms
indicaiing so strongly the fraternal sentiments
entertained by these States respectively towards
this Commonwealth, that 1 know not whether I
have lelt most pleasure in receiving, or in warm
ly and sincerely reciprocating such friendly and
kind greetings. In the single excepted case, the
language of which much less thah justice would
probahly regard as unmerited, as this language <
seemed to proceed from a misapprehension of
five intent of an Act passed by a former Assem
bly* l did not feel the necessity of responding to
itin thesamespirit which such misapprehension
might possibly have induced. I lamented, that
the tone ot this communication, restrained me
from giving such an explanation as 1 could and
would have furnished, readily, if it had been
asked. But the honor of Virginia, forbade me
to render to menace.what would have been yield
ed, and most willingly, to friendly expostulation.
I send herewith all the communications I have
received from any of our co-Stutes which are
of sufficient importance to claim your attention,
together with copies of the replies made to the
same. Among these documents I must call
your attention particularly to the Resolutions of
the General Assembly of the State of Maryland
upon the subject of the Western boundary of
that State, and to the determination which one
o* these Resolutions announces, to institute a
*uit against this Commonwealth, in the Court
I of the United States, for the purpose of obtain-,
ing by the compulsory process of that Tribunal,
' a partition of the Sovereignty, Jurisdiction and |
Territory of this Commonwealth.
In meeting the high responsibility which re
quires me to recommend to your consideration
such measures as I may deem expedient in re
gard to this matter. I feel constrained to advise,
that no step whatever be taken by you, at this
time, either to avert or to provide for such an
event. Reposing in confidence upon the allegi
| ance and fidelity of her People, Virginia binds
' them to her by none other than the silken cord
| of their own affections. If any of them shall
desire to forsake their brethren at any time, let
them do so, and in peace. We will still unite
in invoking prosperity and happiness upon their
! future lot. wherever this may he cast. Hut so
j long as they desire to remain what they ever
, have been, part of ourselves, no earthly power
! will divide us, while we have any means to give
effect to their pious wish.
I say this with no disti list nfoiir perfect rights,
or of the integrity or intelligence of the forum
selected to pass upon them. If we could sub
. mit questions involving matters of such high
concern to any Judiciaf Tribunal, perhaps no e
better could be selected than that before which
mi* viener u Assemuiy 01 me oi.ue ui .w.u , i.nm
desires to force us to appear. But it befits u<>t
i Sovereignty to submit tin* question of its own
existence to any Judicature whatever. The
same authority which is equal to despoil a State
of its territory is equal to annihilate the ve
ry being of the State itself. In consenting to
appear and defend our rights before any tribu
! nal not chosen by ourselves, we virtually admit
its authority to determine the matter in eontro
' versy; and as Virginia can never consent to
hold her Territory at H>e will of any other, she
never ought to give countenance to the idea
that she will abide by tbe expression of any such
; w ill.
The Congress of the United States, although
of late importuned so to do, have ever steadily
; refused to pass any statute prescribing the pro
cess or proceeding to be used by tbe Judiciary
of the United States, in the exercise of that Ju
dicial power granted to it by the Federal Con
stitution, and therein declared to extend “ to
controversies between two or more States.”—
Even if Congress had ever enacted any such
1 statute, it seems obvious, that the “controver
sies” mentioned in the Constitution, cannot be
j such as involve the existence *>f one of the par
ties. To retain jurisdiction over such contro
versies it is indispensable, that all the parties li
tigant should beStates.” If either erases to
be such, whether by the judgment of the forum
itself, or by any other means, the jurisdiction
will necessarily cen-e v\ ith the loss of this politi
cal character. It would be impossible, however,
to conceive tbe idea of a State without Terri
tory; and equally impossible for the Judiciary to
define, what loss of Territory might be compati
ble with the enjoy ment of sovereignty and in
dependence. Hence, to give any effect to this
grant of judicial power over *• controversies be
tween two or more States,” we shall be com
pelled to limit the jurisdiction, to such contro
veisies only as do not necessarily and directly
involve questions of Territory, of Government,
ol Allegiance, and the like, that include the ve
ry elements of a State, without which it could
not possibly exist as such.
Moreover, the Constitution itself, w hich com
municates this judicial power of «!» riding con
troversies between two or more States contains
in terms, tin* mutual and reciprocal recognitions
of each of the high contracting patties in that
instrument, that all tin* other parties ratifying
the same are States. Now. as territory is indis
pensably necessary to constitute a State, if it is
asked, what teriitory was referred to in these
solemn recognitions/ the only answer which
can be given, must be, the territory then held
by the several contracting parlies, nml claimed
by them respectively as their own. This idea
i- confii med strong'y, by the provision-of the 3d
Section of its itii Article. But it seems mani
festly absurd to suppose, that any department
of the Government cre.it d by this Constitution,
could be thereby endowed, with the power to
vacate and annul its own expressed provisions
and recognitions, which a I are sworn to support.
Especially when it is seen, that the consent of
the Legislatures of the States concerned, as
well as of tin* Consrre s. required to the forma
tion ol a new State within the jurisdiction of
any of tilt* recognized States, or by the junction |
of two or more ol these States or part of any of
them. Tiheref ire, the Judicial power cannot be
equal to Jo that act. for tin* accomplishment ol
which even the’ consent of the parties litigant
would not suffice, unless their consent was ac
companied by the assent of Congress also, to
the annihilation or partition of an existing and
recognized State.
If the Court of the United States take cogni
zance of this controversy, and affirm our un
doubted, though undefended rights, the State of
Maryland will probably be content with the
award of the Forum she has herself selected.—
It will he time enough for us inquire into the au
thority of tho Judges, when their acts threaten
to transfer the willing allegiance of our citi
zens, to deprive iis<d the proceeds of the vast
sums Virginia has expended in improving the j
Territory in question, are likely to prove pre- j
judicial to our ancient and admitted possession,
and consequently to our future resources.
It is possible that the State of Maryland may j
have adopted the course she has determined to i
pursue, from a misconception of the nature of
tire questions which tire snpposi d to exist In'- ,
tween us, or from a misapprehension of the j
terms employed by the Assembly of 18.13. in tic- |
cepting her own proposition for the amicable
settlement of them. Do that n< it may. the adop
tion of such a course has c losed the door of ex
planation upon us, for the present nor must
Virginia propose to re-open it. Dut let not the
breach between us be widened, by any act or !
expression on our part: nor let a new and per- I
petual obstacle to all future correspondence be j
interposed, by joining in the ‘’adversary pro
ceedings” she proposes.
Actuated by these considerations, I feel bound '
to recommend to you as I have done; & holding
in view the same objects, I have taken upon my- j
self, verbally to advise the Commissioners ap- j
pointed under the Act of-March, 5th. 1333. to;
postpone; for the present, the execution of the
duty with which they were charged by that net. '
in the event of Commissioners not "being ap
pointed by the State of Maryland. The perfor
mance ofthisduty, in the existing state ofthings.
would have been of advantage to none; and j
however intended, might possibly h ive been re
garded with an unfriendly eye, by our sister '
State.
1‘uring the intercourse, I have had with the !
Exective authorities of some of the other States
°f our Confederacy, my attention has be* n ;
drawn, particularly to the act prescribing the j
mode in which criminals fleeing hither from any ;
Mate or Territory of the United States, may be !
demanded and surrendered. The terms of this ,
act, as they appear to me, are much too vague 1
and general, to be used in the grant ofany pow- l
er a> gieat as that with w hich the Executive of >
this Commonwealth is thereby clothed. I rc-i
commend to you. therefore, a revision of this j
statute, for the purpose of defining more pre
cisely the ‘ other crimes” therein referred to,
for which a criminal demanded may be summ
ed; and of preset ibing more certainly, the means
by which the Executive of this Commonwealth
may cause the arrest of the guilty fugitive.
; The relations that subsist between this State
ami the Federal Government, which is the crea
ture, and for many purposes the representative
; of all the States, are, and ever must be, of a cha
j racter the most interesting and important to
i each of these its creators. It may weil be
! expected, therefore, that I should give you some
' account of thess relations. Should l do so. how
| ever, I could only repeat to you that of which
i ! you are already informed, through all the same
i channels that have been opened to me. 1 have
had no communication with any of the officers
■ of tin* Federal Government, ditectly or indirect
; |y, touching any matter of the least importance
to this Common wealth. No occasion inis been
i seen to exist, believed to require any such com
• | mmiication on my part; and the same cause,
i i doubtless, has induced a like silence on theirs.
■ ! I will not, therefore, detain you with the mere
i repetition of facts which you already know; but
will con'ent myself in saying that while doctrines
; I the most dangerous to our free institutions, when
i 1 asserted by the Executive head of the Federal
•j Government, have been met, controverted and
•I disproved, by the faithful representatives of the
j States in the Senate of the United State, the de
i monstration of the errors ol such doctrines, has
in no degree changed the practices they weie
designed to establish and to sustain, borne of
the fruits of such precepts and of such examples
1 have already been exhibited, in the piiuciples
: avowed and proceedings tolerated in some of
the Departments ot that Govt’i nnieiit, and in
the extravagant and partial expenditures of all
of them combined,
II it he true, as the wise have taught, “that no
“ free Government or the blessing of liberty, can
“be preserved to any People, but by a lirm ad
“ Imreiu’C to justice, moderation, temperance,
“frugality, and virtue, and by frequent re
“currency to fundamental principles,” therei
is much reason for the apprehension, that our
destinv as a free and united People is almost ful
filled. Nor can we look for any redemption from
iliis doom, except to the hope, that the citizens j
of tia; different States respect this article of their |
political creed miicn more man <i<> someoi meir
Federal servants. Whensoever the People shall
give countenance to tin* new doctrines, that in
such a Gov eminent as this of tlie United States,
the greatest good of the greater number is to be
its sole end and aim; and as a necessary conse
quence of this, that in a civil contest not con
ducted iu any spirit ol hostility, the spoils of the
vanquishcdm nority belong tot he v.ctor majority,
the Federal Government, »ie igned by its rever
ed authors to provide for the common defence
and general welfare «»f all. according to the pro
visions and limitations of the Constitution, be
comes at once a simple majority machine, and
ilie positive reservation of the rights of the
States, will be but unmeaning words. At first,
theactu il minority will be sacrificed to the ac
tual majority: but soon li e many, in their turn,
will be made to contribute to all the sinful lusts
of the favored few. An unprincipled Pretorian
cahort will then be enlisted, composed principal
ly of officers and expectants of office, ready to
deal out powers as of old, to the highest bidder;
provided sufficient largesses be distributed
among the privates, and immunity of past
crimes and continued participations in the ex
pected plunder be promised to the leaders of
this Palace Guard.
Million* of the public Treasure, deposited
where none but the favored few can tell; guard
ed (if guai ded at all) by unknown contrivances
d< vised by the same heads; and distributed, not
incompliance with any prescribed rule of law,
hut according to*the wlemsor designs or those
w ho claim the actual control of it, have contri
buted to derange the circulation and to corrupt
the currency of the Country. The natural ef
fect of such a state of things miN lie to impair
the credit of individuals and their confidence
iu eac h other. Fmm this must result a decline
of industry and the prostration of useful enter
prize. Such a condition cannot continue long,
iu quiet. It i<, therefor**, the duty of the Go
vernment which has caused it, and which alone
possesses the means of remedying the evil, to mi
dei tak** its cin e, speedily. This task, although
probably more difficult now than formerly, yet
presents no insuperable obstacle. Comm »n in
telligence. sincerely striving to accomplish an
object required alike by the welfare of indivi
duals and tin* public good, is fully adequate to
its achievement. Then, let us still hope, that j
the imminent peril in w hich the Country is p.ac- j
ed by the ill advised acts and omissions of the
Government of the United States, will he of but
short continuance, now* that their effects have
been seen. Never!I t*!ess, il this is suffered
still to exist, let ilu* People and tin* Slates con
tinue to hear it « itli foi titude, remembei ing al
ways, that the time soon will arrive, when they
I will have an opportunity to redress themselves,in
I tlit* tegular, ordet ly and accustomed mode."
Connected closely w ith this subject of a de
i ranged currency, is a inn t«r that i> well worthy i
of your most serious consideration and prompt
action. There is much reason to believe, that i
the vacuum caused in tin-circulation of tin* ('nun- !
j try, has invited the wicked enterprise of mu-j
i nv profligate nn-n t-> supply it. by the fabrica
tion and emission of a large amount of spuri
’ ons notes and base coin, to w hich ihe ignorance
j of some and tin* necessities of others, havegiv
1 eu circulation. A gang of counterfeiters close- ■
|y connected with each other, exists in tin* I .
Slates, extending their lines of communication
from Canada to our Southern border. I*his
cordon of felons stretches, it is believed, through
several of the counties of tins Commonwealth,
1 but so artful are their contrivances to escape de- j
i tection within this State, and so extensive are
j their means of disseminating their spurious pro- i,
! ductions, that the ordinary modes prescribed hy -
I the laws are not sufficient to enable their arrest. |
} or to bringihem to the punishment their crimes
justly merit. Pretty offenders, the thoughtless
j agents, or ignorant dupes of much more wick- j
; ed principles, are sometimes detected; but our i
; laws, as they now exist, cannot reach effectual- j
ly the higher crimnals. To remedy this great
1 defect in our Penal Code, 1 recommend to you !
a careful revision of all die statutes upon the,
subject of counterfeiting: and expecially, the '
enactment of a statute, the necessity of which
j being first felt in Great Britain, has received
the sanction of its Parliament, and has since 1
met die approbation of the Legislatures of se
veral ofour sister States. I mean the statute 1 I
; George 4, chap. 92.
Turning from the exterior relations of the <
Commonwc dth. to what regards its internal af- 1
fairs, we have much cause to congratulate each s
other, and to render the sincere homage of «
grateful hearts, to Him who has been pleased j.<
to continue his blessings upon us throughout the i
past year While other portions of the United j <
States, and of some of the dominions contigu- j *•
ous to them, have been sorely afflicted during i 1
the past season, by the visitation of diseases" in
various forms, never has Virginia hurt greater
reason to rejoice, at the general good health en
joyed by her citizens, every where throughout
her domain. IS'or did we realize ihe apprehen
sions once felt, as to the effects upon our crops
of a cold and wet and unusually Jute spring, and
of a severe summer’s drought. If our harvests
hnve been somewhat less abundant in quantity
than they commonly are, the excellence of their
quality compensate the difference. Our agri
cultural products too being destined generally
for foreign markets, uninfluenced by such de
rangement as that to w hich our own currency
lias been subject, and whose increasing de
mands have not been satisfied by the diminish
ed supplies of two or three years last past, have
so been made to yield very satisfactory prices.
Owing to these causes, our farmers generally
have comparatively little at winch to repine,
whether they look to the past, to the present, or
to the future.
Philanthropy also, if not blinded by Fanati
cism, must have discerned, during the late sea
son of distress that pervaded the whole country,
at least one blessing attending the peculiar na
ture of our population. Our laboring class have
not felt the pressure of want. The privations of
this have here fallen upon those only who could
best sustain fliem. While the indigent, though
industrious, laboring clu>s in many other States
have necessarily borne much more than a just
proportion of this artificial calamity, labor here
lias continued to enjoy ail its accustomed com
forts. The diminution of the profits of capital
has in no degree diminished the enjoyments of
labor. Hence the comparative quiet and hap
py tranquility throughout Virginia, amidst the
scenes of tumult and disorder which hnve agi
tated some portions of ihe neighboring States.
In examining the domestic concerns of Ihe
Commonwealth, the subject whose importance
will first claim your consideration, is the condi
tion of its Finances. The receipts info the Trea
sury during thi* fiscal year ending with the 30th
of September last, have been somewhat less
than the amount at which they were estimated
by the Comm fee of Finance of the last Assem
bly. The difference between the two sums has
not been caused however, by an overrating the
amount of Revenue expected. The reverse of
this is the fact. In almost every case, theamount
of the Revenue has actually exceeded the esti
mate made of it by this Committee; and in the
few instances where this amount is less, the ng
gregate of deficiencies is much more than equal
led by the aggregate of excesses. Hence, the
reduced amount of receipts into the Treasury
cannot be ascribed to any deficiency of the Re
venue, but the cause of the difference must be
sought for in something else.
The mode in which the estimate of fiscal
receipts lias usually been made. is. to consider
the supposed amount of the revenue of any
year, as a sum which will be paid into the Trea
sury during that year. In point of fact, howe
ver, a portion of this revenue lias been actually
received into the Treasury, and constitutes a
part of the balance found there, at the end of
the past fiscal ye ir. Thus, a sum no longer due
is computed us one still payable. This, although
an obvious error of calculation, will not pro
duce any material di fieri nee of result, general
ly; because, while :1k* same system of taxation
continues, it may lie estimated, very properly, i
that, whatever portion of the revenue of a cur
rent year may have been received into the Trea
sury during the fiscal year preceding, a like
amount of the revenue of the succeeding year
will come into the Treasury during the current
fiscal year. So that, whether these equal sums
he both included or excluded, the result will re- ’
main the same.
This resuit will vary materially only when a j
change takes place in the system of taxation, or |
in the circumstances that influence the collec- i
tion of the same taxes. The latter was the
case during the past fiscal year. The distress |
of the country, caused by the derangement of
its circulation consequent upon the measures of I
the Federal Government, necessarily occasion
ed the payment of the taxes to be made less
promptly, and the collection of them more diffi
cult. than has usually happened. Hence, a
much less amount of the revenue of the present j
year has been received into the Treasury dur- |
ing the Inst fi cal year, than that of the last i
year, which was received din ing the year pre- |
ceding it. Thus it has happened, that although
the sources of supply are actually multiplied ,
and augmented beyond what was expected,
they have not produced, as yet, an amount
equal to w hat was anticipated.
This effect, however alarming in its first ap- '
pearance, is of little consequence at present, :
when the cause of it is ascertained. The funds j
in the Treasury, although diminished, have ]
been found ample to satisfy promptly every
charge to which they were subject; and the mi* j
paid expected balance w ill swell the receipts of
the current fiscal year. Although this is the 1
case now. however, no calculation, to be relied
upon, can ! e made as to the future, should the
existing state of things continue. The diminu
tion like the accumulation of capital acts with I
a force by no means 'iroportioned to the mere j
difference. I lie redii tioii in the amount of re- j
venue paid into the Tr*a-mv annually here-|
after, must greatly exceed the reduction o! the '
ability of tax payers to satisfy the demands up
on them, il t|n» same cause which has occasion
' d their diminished ability continues to act in
the same way. A ml. as over this cau-e the Go
vernmerit of this Common wealth has no con
trol. its effects can neither lie foreseen ur conn- !
lervailed by it.
At present, it most be a source of great gra
tification to know. that, although the amount of
receipts into the Tir.i-.ury during the la-t fiscal
fear has diminished, the amount of revenue it- ■
*e!f has increased. As this increaseof the re- j
venue has not been cuiKed by any augmenta • j
tion of taxes, it can only be ascribed to the in
crease in tin* number m value of the same sub
jects of taxation: that is to say. to the augment- i
•d population and wealth of theComiiionw e.ilth. i
But as no accidental or temporary cause can be
assigned, as that to which this augmentiUion
may be attributed, it may be estimated veiy
safely, that at the same rates of taxation now
■‘xhting. the amount of the revenue of the cur
rent year will fully equal that of the year last
past. Therefore, unless some charge, not now
existing, shall he imposed upon the Treasury
his year, there will be no necessity for altering
he present scheme of taxation, 'in any way
whatever.
Although the disbursements of tin* Treasury,
luring the fiscal year ending with the 30th of
September last, have exceeded the estimate of
lenses tor that year made tty the Committee of
* inance of the last Assembly, the obvious cause
if the difference is the under rating by that
’ommittee. in their estimate of the amounts of
several heads of expenditures, which were then
'ntirely contingent in their nature. This ex
tessof the disbursements of th» Tr^hsury, dur
ng the last year, ought not, however, to pro- t
luce any material effect upon the estimate of I
he present year. No reason is known to me, , '
vh:ch will require any material augmentation ,
of the amount of any clr. or, yprr .
this time. Nay, so far hom this {.,»(, „ ,,!rr* n‘
some of tin* expenses of the last v •• ~ ,e c<n
he very properly curtailed; iwol .ij',,„V,a-v no*;
necessardy cease, the diminution T* *il!
ments so produced will very entai ! • Ir>>
their amount within the pres em limi ts I
some unforeseen event shall occur i,n,' n1^
increased expenditure. Should anv',,rin?aa
this kind unexpectedly happen, the ,,,,2? *
ready in the treasury will, in au nr ,p . ai
suffice to provide for it.
i Among the expenditures of the Q,,.
; which may now be very properly leduol01'1^
think, are all those attendant upon th* as*
j lion of the several Resolutions am! Act • * V(*■
General Assembly which regard the -.i t' ,f*
of bounties in land to the officers, sf*|(f !'>ant'
seamen of the war of the revolution ",r'3n,i
lation to the adjustment of other claims tl"
against the State, concerning matterwa' a0tl
: ed with that war. More than fifty voarT11'
: now elapsed since the origin of all such -t •
; During the whole of this long nori.wi n ailB5t
I ral ..ii.unabcl.arp-l with U.cTnSi^f'•
them have been constantly open toeverv i f
mant. Not a year has elapsed but some i
been acted upon; and if the number d ;s.)0 ‘a,“
in past time bears any proportion to that i",'
I have been called upon to decide durir1"
short period 1 have been in office, the;m»r,V *
would very far exceed the total number of?''’
claims of this sort, which, by any ivwihtijlt'
could ever have existed against the C»mn ’’
wealth. Moreover, the proceeding in „‘°nh
cases, from its very nature, invites to the com
mission of numerous frauds, which it uni t
impossible to prevent: because, their detect,!!
must ever he a work of the greatest difficult*”
and because, the detection when made drat1
down no punishment upon the perpetrators /
the Legislature have not thought proper i„V
( litre such nanus 10 or comes.
Under such circumstances, every consider#
tion of justice and t f prudence, seems to rem.j’
that a speedy termination should he put to n,»
investigation of all such application, in I'utu^
1 recommend to you, therefore, the repeal of a
the Resolutions and Acts now in force that ar
p!y to these parlicul ir subjects, alter a certain
day soon to arrive. Should it |,»>
Iiended, that injustice to any may result lion
such a course, it may easily he prever ted by v*.
cial legislation. It is much better to provide m
this way for a few particular cases, than to cop.
I tinue general rules, which, as experience teach,
i es, are. and ever must he, productive of mudi
demoralization and of great Mauds.
Hot should the absolute repeal of t!ie«»*
and Resolutions not he approved by you, I mud
earnestly recommend to you a careful revision
of them. I<>r tin* purpose of attaining their objects
more effectually, by affixing just punishments
to all the various misdeeds which may he perpr.
(rated, by the principals or their accessories, m
the wicked scheme of violating the generous
provisions of the law s themselves. Such a re
vision is the more necessary at this time, in or
der to reconcile more certainly the provisions of
some of these Acts, with the general schemeof
Executive duties it has been thought wise iocs
tnblish, wi'h which scheme they areby some
supposed to lie in cot flict.
It is impossible to form any correct opinion of
the Financial condition of the Commonwealth,
without taking into view teat of the several great
Corporations which it Ini'- created and endowed:
for very different pm poses, it is true, but which
in their operation, ha\ e produced, and must con
tinue to produce, most important effects upon
the credit, resources and expenditures ol the
.State. For this reason. I will call your attention
to the situation of these Corporations, so far as
this is connected with our fiscal concerns. The
special reports that will be made to you breach
of them hereafter, will exhibit their actual con
dition in other respects, and will give you ade
lailed account of their past operations and future
prospects. [COXCI.CDKD TO-MORROW.]
ICy' Oui- advertising customers are request
ed during the session of Congress to send in
their advertisements at as early an hour in (lie
day as practicable.__
tit!. FI I S TOM (i It I! < > If
Virginia State Lottery,
Tor I hr Benefit of the Tmn of \liteilin?.
Class .\<>. 1 •!.
Will he drawn at West End. Va. on Saturday,
December 6. at 3 o'clock. I’. M.
HIGHEST PRIZE
Twenty of $1,000, one of $0,000, Ac. Ac.
Tickers £.'> 00, halves 2 f>0, quarters I 25.
To he had in a variety of numbers of
J. «. VIOI-KTT,
Eottkhv ami E>.< Hanoi: l!H"Kiu.
\eur the corner of hint mol Tinjeltt blreelt,
Alexandria. I>. C. _
BROWN’S CHEWING TOBACCO. j
boxes pound lumps superior
*3 5 do do do extra
30 do 12 to the pound
Just received and for sale by
dec 2—eo3t W. II. MILLER*
FOIt HIRE.
\ COLORED ROY about la years old,of:t’00"
. character, and capable of being a H"iiu
Servant, having acted in that capacity f<»rsr\<
ral years. Wages low—apply at t!ii>
rmv 29—e«>3t _
GROCERIES, A.C.
rglHE subscribers have, am! const.'in'iy Jj^P
I on hand, a geneial assortment of bile
HIES; consisting of Frown and I>o;d NJ?ar»;
CSunpow dcr, Imperial, and Young U)'"M !
• 'oflee; Molasses and Spices; I'isli tol I 1
barrels; Family and Common I'‘'l;
and Timothy Seed. (fn It aid fii"*)? * 1'''‘
and Corkwood, suitable fer seine-: Seir.»*1 *'
and Cotton Yarn; Salt, in sacks or'"‘"i
and Paints—In quantities to suit pur< baser-**
('ash. Ii. WHEAT A M>>.
S7.\ U'l.o wLh to rent the IIOl SE and sP*
iliiaLeioiis LOTS now occupied by them* .
ated on Pitt streets, opposite St. Paul's < h'«rtn>
for terms of which please apply immediate y
dec 1 — eoGt 13. W. A M'V .
f 'n ht able Fn ins and M> reliant Mills Fn I
fjFI.VC desirous to remove to ^lf‘
M3 subscriber oilers for sale the I* AI •
which he lives, Oil Apple Pie Uidge, f"»r ^
north of Winchester, containing 25d °cr'it
The improvement- con-i-l of a two M<»*> ' _
* \ dwelling house, barn, stable, nml aii a**
i.:i i sary out -houses. A never lading "11 * '*
water runs through it, and the fences are
good order. ,1,.
Also—A farm of 140 acres 'ying ,1*‘ar.
mountain, (> miles front Winchester, a t-'1"'1
vern stand, and now occupied as sue i
Patrick Molnn. ,,...
Also, the STOVE MILL lying on Babb
within half a mile of the la-t farm, a1*1' ,
idles of th“ first, with between 70 or 80 acre:’
and. All communications by mail (post pa1'
vill be attended to. JoEl LI.TT()V
Frederick county, n<*v i S —»*otf

xml | txt