Daily National Intelligencer

THE GOVERNOR'S COMMUNICATION TO THE LEGISLATURE,

Fellow-Citizens of the Senate, and House of Delegates,

I beg leave to congratulate you on the honorable peace concluded by the United States and Great Britain, since the adjournment of the General Assembly, and to express my admiration of the patriotism and firmness displayed by the people of Virginia, during the extraordinary trials to which the war subjected them. The return of peace, an event so interesting to these states, was hailed by the government and people of America, with the satisfaction that must ever be felt by a nation, whose citizens bear equally the burthens of war, and whose rulers have no object in war, but the maintenance of national rights and national honor.

The memory of the heroes who fell in battle, is enshrined in the affections of their countrymen. Their glory will be immortal. Our regret for their loss finds some alleviation in the recollection of their services and their imperishable fame. Our fellow citizens, who encountered and survived the same dangers, are entitled to our warmest gratitude and affection. But, in doing justice to men, let us not forget our obligations to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, to whose beneficence we are indebted for all we possess, and for nothing more than that he permits us to be members of a society enjoying greater advantages than any other upon earth. Religious and civil liberty, the right of self government, and, in short, all the rights of man, are perfectly known and enjoyed in America alone.

The events of the last 7 years, although attended by evils inseparable from such conflicts, have likewise been productive of great and important advantages, in developing our national character. Our love of peace was manifested by long forbearance, and by the temper and moderation of our demands throughout the Contest; our talents for war, by the enterprize, fidelity and valour of our fellow citizens, which have given us confidence in ourselves, and commanded the respect of others. We cannot fail to derive advantages from experience. If there be any defects in our national or state institutions, we have discovered them without paying too dearly for the instruction. If we have relied too much on expedients, whose efficacy has not equalled our expectations they should not be trusted in future. If we have not been able to avail ourselves to the utmost of the unequalled skill and bravery of our seamen, the error may in future be avoided. The want of commerce for a season, has taught us its value; we will never abandon that element, on which we have earned so much wealth and glory. If we have heretofore so believed, that a disposition to do justice to other nations, was sufficient to insure a corresponding temper in them we have seen the failure of that calculation. and have learned that the best security for peace is a preparation for war.

With a view to this important object, the attention of the Legislature is earnestly solicited to the state of the militia, and to the mode in which the public arms should be disposed of. The value of the property is of itself an object of magnitude; but it is still more important, that the Commonwealth should possess these indispensable means of security. I need not dwell on the necessity of arming the militia. On this subject, there can be but one opinion. How to accomplish this efficiently, is the only subject for consideration. There are but two modes of effecting it; to require every militia man to provide himself with arms and accoutrements, or to put into his hands the arms of the Commonwealth. Each of these modes is attended with difficulty. Our laws required, at one time, that the militia should keep arms of their own: the laws were not obeyed, nor their penalties enforced. In the year 1804, an attempt was made to arm the militia by distributing the arms. To your knowledge of the state of the arms thus distributed in your respective counties, I appeal for the result of this experiment. The waste and destruction cannot have escaped your notice; and 11 years' experience has proved, that the militia cannot be effectually armed in this way, without some additional security for the preservation of the arms. If every militia man in the state were armed, at this day, with public arms, the utmost exertion of the armory would not be competent to keep up the number, nor even to keep them in order. I am informed, that the militia which assembled at, or passed through this city during the late war, generally brought with them arms unfit for service, and that, in every instance, they were exchanged for arms recently taken from the armory. The state, as well as I can ascertain it, ought now to possess 57,993 stand of arms:

9,670 taken from the arsenal at the Point of Fork.
4,000 purchased in Philadelphia in 1800.
7,831 purchased of Swan.
1,600 purchased of other people.
34,192 manufactured at the Armory.
57,993

By the Quarter-Master General's return, it appears there were on the 1st of October last in Armory, 14,599 muskets in order for service: and there is too much reason to fear, that these are the only arms in the State in proper condition; not one fourth of the number we ought to have. There are in Armory, likewise, 7,260 muskets in bad order, the greater part of them, in the opinion of the Superintendent, not worth repairing. The Adjutant General's last return states, that 14,031 muskets remain in the hands of the Militia, scattered over the whole State. It is feared few of these are fit for service; and that a great proportion of them will be entirely lost. If one half the 57,993 stand of arms should be lost, as there is much reason to believe, in addition to the want of so essential a requisite for defence, there will be a loss to the State, including the expence of transportation, of not much less than half a million of dollars.

It is for the wisdom of the Legislature to decide, whether it may not now be pronounced, that, in this way, the whole body of Militia can never be armed. To accomplish that object, and to provide a reserve to guard against accidents, are duties so imperious, that I cannot doubt of their receiving the consideration they merit. I would suggest, that the portion of arms, which the Legislature might think proper to keep in deposit, should be first provided; as it would be a resource which could always be restored to. When our fellow-Citizens took the field in 1814, with a promptitude so honourable to them, if Richmond instead of Baltimore had been the object of the enemy, it would have been found impossible to collect the arms dispersed over the State in time: and even, if that had been practicable, they were notoriously unfit for service. If the distribution be continued, I trust that measures will be adopted to preserve the arms, but I fear no other means will be found effectual, than obliging every man who receives them, to deposit a proportion of their value in money, to be returned to him when they are given up or to give security for their safe-keeping; and to subject the holder to the expence of repairing them whenever they require it, to be recovered in a summary way.

I cannot forbear further to remark, that wisdom and prudence seem to dictate, that one or more additional Arsenals be established in some more convenient and safe situations than this city. It cannot be prudent to risk all the defensive means of the State in an exposed town, which has once been, and may again be attacked with only twenty four hours notice. In proportion as our regular force is small, our supplies of the munitions of war should be large and well secured. The great importance of the subject and our recent experience, have given me feelings of anxiety regarding it, which, I hope, will be deemed a sufficient apology for the earnest manner with which I press it upon the General Assembly.

The value and importance of a well regulated Militia, are too well known to make it necessary for me to say a word to enforce that republican maxim. It is an important part of the defensive armour of every free country; it is the only security against usurpation, and the only means of avoiding large standing armies in time of peace. This object merits the most serious attention. Our present Militia system is defective in all its parts: but, the powers of the State governments over the Militia are so limited by the Constitution of the United States, that until Congress shall change the present organization, no valuable improvement is to be hoped for. The confidence we ought to feel in the Legislature of the Union must lead to a belief, that so important an interest will not be longer neglected, as, from our late experience, the defects in the present system are so fully understood.

Before the late war the Legislature of this State had taken measures to commence a System of internal improvements, by opening our rivers, cutting canals and making roads. This great and essential work was unavoidably suspended by the war; but, its utility and importance were manifested in an eminent degree by that event. It is unnecessary to state the political effects of this great object; they are too obvious to escape notice. As a bond of Union, it stands preeminent; and as a source of wealth and prosperity, it cannot be rivalled by any enterprize the State could engage in. The present state of our means of intercourse within the States, has occasioned a remark, the truth of which there is no reason to doubt; that the people of the U. S. expended more money in transportation by land, while the war lasted, than would be sufficient to effect an inland water communication from Georgia to Massachusetts. This, it may justly be said, is a national work; but the co-operation of the states is perhaps indispensable; it would certainly greatly facilitate its accomplishment. To Virginia, more particularly, belongs the improvement of her own rivers and roads I will take the liberty of asking your attention to those which I consider of primary importance; and to the funds which might be appropriated to the undertaking. By enumerating some improvements, I am very far from wishing to exclude others; on the contrary, I think this great work should be entered upon, with a determination to extend its advantages to every part of the state.

To improve James River to its source, and connect it with the waters of Greenbrier and Kanawha rivers by a turnpike road, would confer incalculable benefits, political and commercial. I am in daily expectation of receiving from Philadelphia the report of the commissioners with the map of James and Kanawha rivers, and hope to have the honor of laying them before the general assembly. Roanoke, including a communication with some of the waters of the Chesapeake, presents the next great object, and is perhaps of inferior value to James River, from the single circumstance of its not being entirely within the state. What remains to be done on the Potomac and its tributary streams, particularly Shenandoah; and to remove the obstructions of the Rappahannock, merit the attention of the Legislature.

With regard to roads, I would recommend a revision of the laws, in order to embrace the improvement of all the market roads of the state. Those of chief utility should be turnpiked; and where all the funds could not be obtained by individual enterprize, a proportion to be contributed by the state. The roads, that demand our earliest attention are, the mail route from north to south, passing through our towns at the head of tide water; the road from Abingdon to the Potomac, west of the Blue Ridge; the great roads leading from the westward to our market towns; and a road from the north-western part of the state of Rockfish or Swift Run Gaps; so as to give direct communication between the seat of government and that section of the state. It is believed, that few of these roads, in the present state of our population, would require to be paved or gravelled, and that, excepting the vicinity of the large towns, it would be sufficient to straighten, graduate and shape them; and to have sufficient bridges and causeways. In this way it is presumed adventurers would be found to make the necessary improvements, for reasonable tolls, if the state lent assistance by taking a part of the stock. The great impediment to such improvements is the difficulty of commanding funds. It is in the power of the state to draw money from several sources. First, the stock owned by the state, of the various companies for improving rivers, in cases where such stock will sell at or above par: as the stock of the state in the James River Company: the stock of the state in the Bank of Virginia, and in the Farmers' Bank, or at least the dividends arising from that stock: and the interest upon the debt due by the United States. These various sources afford ample means for the accomplishment of all these great objects.

There is still another subject to which I earnestly solicit the attention of the legislature; the education of our youth. In a Republic where every member of the society is called upon to discharge public duties, and may aspire to the highest employments, it is of indispensable importance, to place the means of instruction within the reach of all. Self-government, our dearest privilege, cannot be exercised without intelligence; which can only be attained by means of schools widely and equally distributed through the country. That we are lamentably deficient in seminaries of learning, is evinced by the fact, that many of our citizens find it expedient to send their sons to other states for instruction. This reproach to our public spirit will, I hope, be removed by the wisdom of the legislature.

On the day that the "Act authorising a regular force for the defence of the Commonwealth" was signed, it was put into the Post Office, under cover to the Secretary of War, with an assurance that every thing in my power should be done to give the utmost despatch to the execution of the law. The papers enclosed in No. 1, are copies of the correspondence with the Secretary upon that subject, and my General Orders of the 20th of February last. Happily, the restoration of peace superseded the necessity of executing the law. I suspended it until further orders, believing the good of the State required me to take that step, and that I had authority to do it, under the power to fix the time for the Courts to proceed to execute the law In consequence of the peace, immediate measures were taken, by disbanding the militia that were in service, and by every other means in the power of the Executive, to stop the expenditures of public money. Notwithstanding which, I have been under the necessity of borrowing of the Farmers' Bank 200,000 dollars, under the powers given to the Executive by the Act of the 10th of January, 1815. The proposition to make a loan was made to the President of the Farmer's Bank, when the payment of the loan of 800,000 dollars was completed. He offered whatever sum should be wanted at the rate of six per cent per annum, but required that it should be repaid out of the revenue of 1816. I informed him, I was not authorised to promise payment in any other way than that mentioned in the law. He then agreed: the advance should be made at the rate of interest above stated, trusting entirely to the Legislature, as to the time of reimbursement. I am sure it is unnecessary for me to recommend that this confidence, so honorable to the State, and to the President and Directors of the Bank, should be met by a corresponding disposition on the part of the General Assembly.

Although I did not feel myself authorised to stipulate for payment at a time not provided for in the law, yet I gave every assurance that the convenience and wishes of the Bank would be attended to, as far as was practicable. The peace, occurring so soon after the adjournment of the Legislature, makes it certain that the war expenses subsequent to that event, could not have been considerable, so that the arrear must have been greater than they were supposed to be. The claims upon the State are nearly all adjusted and paid; all of them would have been discharged prior to this, if the accounts had been brought forward and properly authenticated.

I regret extremely the necessity I am under of informing, the General Assembly, that no progress has been made in the settlement of our claims upon the U. States. The time required to prepare the vouchers and accounts was much longer than was expected, although I believe due diligence has been used by the Auditor. The current business of his office, and some other additional duties performed in the course of the year, having unavoidably occupied a great proportion of his time. Mr. Chew, the Military Accountant, was in the month of November appointed by the Executive, a Commissioner to adjust the claims of the State on the U. States. Early in the month of August, (as soon as the vouchers were ready.) Mr. Chew went to the City of Washington for the purpose of settling these accounts. When there, he found the vouchers formerly transmitted had been burnt by the enemy; in consequence of this, loss and the want of other documents, then for the first time required, he could not enter upon the business. The utmost exertion on the part of the Executive has since been made to prepare for a settlement of these accounts, which, I hope, will be effected in the course of the winter. It has been repeatedly stated that claims to a considerable amount cannot be admitted under the existing laws of the U. States Respect for that Government forbids the belief, now that there is time to attend to the subject, that there can be any hesitation, in authorising the payment of claims so just.

Soon after the passage of the law for the Conditional assumption of this State's quota of the direct tax of the United States, I addressed a letter to our Senators in Congress, covering the law, and requested them to make the arrangements wished by the General Assembly A copy of my letter, (No. 2)and of the reply (No 3) is enclosed; from the latter, it will be seen, "that no discount of the kind proposed was admissible."

At the close of the war, the State was in possession of Quarter Masters' stores, and other articles of a perishable nature, to a considerable amount. If these stores had all been of a quality to make them worth preserving, the quantity was unnecessarily large, but many of them were made of improper materials, and were very much injured. The Quarter Master General was directed to select of the best a sufficiency for an army of twelve thousand men. This was done: the tents washed and baled at the Penitentiary, and with the other articles are now stored in the upper part of the Capitol. Every thing else was sold. The accounts will be submitted to the Legislature, as soon as the former Quarter Master makes his report.

It was very much the wish of the Executive to have a considerable number of cannon mounted, but upon enquiry, it was found impossible to procure seasoned timber from individuals. Application was then made to the Secretary of the Navy, for a supply from the navy yard at Norfolk, which was at once consented to, and the necessary measures taken to effect the object. After the peace, it was thought best not to divert that timber from the use to which it was originally destined. Permit me to suggest the propriety of immediately contracting for suitable timber for carriages for 100 cannon, of different calibre, to be lodged in the armory, and to be used as occasion may require, after the timber is seasoned. I am satisfied that in this way the State will be better served and at less expense, than in any other.

Moses Green, Esq. Adjutant General, having resigned his appointment, Claiborne W. Gooch, Esquire, who had for a considerable time discharged the duties of Deputy Adjutant General, in a satisfactory manner, was appointed to fill that office, "until the expiration of the present session of the Assembly, or until an appointment shall be made by the General Assembly " I submit to the Assembly the expediency of uniting, in time of peace, in one person, the various duties of Adjutant General, Quarter-Master General, and Commissary of Ordnance. It is believed one person can perform the duties of the different departments, except in time of war. Reports will be made at a subsequent period of the session, of the state of the Armory, Penitentiary, and from the President & Directors of the Literary Fund

I cannot close this communication, without calling upon you, and the good people of Virginia, to unite with me in expressing our profound gratitude to the Supreme Being, for the prosperity of our country. With a national character unsullied; with a government so mild, that the hand of power is scarcely seen or felt, our laws are executed and obeyed in an unexampled manner. In the enjoyment of the most perfect liberty, and the blessings of Peace and Plenty, what more can be asked of an Omnipotent and kind Providence, than the continuance of the happiness we now possess? May it be the inheritance of our children's children, to the latest posterity

W. C. NICHOLAS