Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, D.C.)
December 5, 1834
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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 thiv. 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 bt 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 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 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 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.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> 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. Ir 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>.. 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 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>. 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
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