Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

Several lines of ocean-steamers touch at the Venezuelan ports: the Hamburg line, the French line from Saint-Nazaire and Martinique, and a branch line of the Royal Mail. There is at present no direct steam connection with the United States, and all the trade between the two countries is carried on by sailing-vessels.

The inland trade has lately been much facilitated by new cart-roads; and very soon a net of well-constructed roads will cover the whole country, while five or six years ago there were but two roads, namely, from La Guayra to Carácas, and from Puerto Cabello to Valencia. In the year 1875 more than $1,500,000 was spent in these public works. The total length of roads already finished is about 1,000 miles. Venezuela has not yet any railroads. The building of a line between Carácas and La Guayra has been resolved upon; the survey is made and the preparatory work almost concluded.

The postal-service is well organized; telegraphic lines connect the principal towns (Puerto Cabello, Valencia, La Victoria, La Guayra) with the capital, and other lines are in course of construction. The republic has postage-stamps of one, five, ten, and twenty

cents.

Periodicals printed in the country are free of postage.

VERMONT. The Republican party of this State assembled in convention at Burlington on the 29th of March, for the purpose of electing delegates to the National Republican Convention to be held at Cincinnati. As delegates at large, L. P. Poland, of St. Johnsbury; Wheelock G. Weazey, of Rutland; George Howe, of Brattleboro; and George H. Bigelow, of Burlington, were elected. The following resolutions were adopted by the convention:

Resolved, That in this centennial year we again affirm our devotion to those fundamental principles upon which the Republican party was founded. Among these are:

1. The preservation of the liberties and equal rights of all citizens throughout, and the impartial and vigorous administration of the laws in every part of the country for the protection and enforcement of public and private rights, and the punishment of

violence and crime.

2. The pure and economical administration of every department of the Government, so as to produce the greatest benefit to the people, with as little burden of taxation as may be consistent therewith.

3. The safety of the republic depends upon the intelligence as well as virtue of its citizens; and it is essential that the public-school system shall be maintained, in order that every child may receive such education as will fit him for useful citizenship; and we are unalterably opposed to any division of the public-school money for any purpose whatever.

4. We rally to the standard of the Republican party as the only one under which we can obtain an honest and effective maintenance of the Government, as well as for the defense of the Treasury against the unjust demands and expenditures growing out of the rebellion.

5. The best interests of all citizens, of every condition and pursuit, imperatively demand the speediest return to a specie basis of values and currency, and

we hail with gratification the act of the Republican Congress definitely providing for that end; and we backward in the matter. are firmly opposed to a repeal thereof, or to any step

6. We are in favor of the untiring prosecution and punishment of public frauds and crime wherever existing, and we repeat the declaration, "Let no guilty man escape.""

7. We demand that our national candidates shall be men of tried integrity, who will carry out this policy of reform, and preserve inviolate the great results of the war.

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small]

The Democrats of Vermont met in State nate their candidates for Governor and other Convention at Montpelier on June 1st, to nomiState officers; also for presidential electors, and to appoint ten delegates to the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis. With regard to the State ticket, W. H. H. Bingham, of Stow, was nominated as candidate for the office of Governor; for Lieutenant-Governor, E. B. Baldwin, of Sharon, and for State Treasurer, James B. Mattocks, of Danville, were nominated. As Democratic candidates for presidential electors, there were nominated: W. L. Rodman, of Bridgewater; Lucius Robinson, of Newport; George L. Waterman, of Hyde Park; Amos Aldrich, of Woodford; and Stephen L. Goodell, of Brandon. The delegates at large to the National Convention were: Marcus D. Gilman, of Montpelier; Bradley B. Smalley, of Burlington; Jasper Rand, of St. Albans; and Phineas S. Benjamin, of Wolcott. The following platform was adopted by the convention:

Whereas, The Democrats of Vermont, in convention assembled, recognizing the present deplorable condition of the morals and business interests of the country as the result of a departure from the fundamental principles of government as taught and praetised in the early days of the republic, and that a return to those principles, and a radical reform in the administration of the Government, are absolutely necessary for the relief of the people and for the preservation of our free institutions, cordially invite the freemen of the State, of whatever political predilections, to unite with them in the following resolutions:

1. Fidelity to all the provisions of the Constitution of the United States; thorough retrenchment and economy in Federal and State administrations; the

lessening of the burdens imposed on labor, or by the

reduction of offices and taxation.

2. An honest civil-service reform; strict accountability of our officials, enforced by competent civil and criminal remedies; the restoration of the Democratic tests of honesty, fidelity, and capacity as qualifications for public officials.

3. Honest payment of the public debt; sacred preservation of the public faith.

4. Free schools exempt from sectarian control; no appropriation of public money for sectarian institutions. A free press, accountable for abuse to civil and criminal laws.

5. Home rule; no centralization of State or Federal power; no Federal interference in the State or municipal elections.

6. Exposure and speedy punishment of corruption and peculation in the administration of public affairs. 7. Gold and silver as the only legal tender; no currency inconvertible with coin; coin the only currency recognized by the Constitution.

8. Steady steps toward the resumption of specie

payments: no steps backward.

9. Tariff for the purpose of revenue only. 10. In the confidence that our delegates to the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis will support only those candidates who are the proper representatives of their principles, we leave them to the free exercise of their discretion in the choice of men best fitted to bring about thorough reform in the

administration of our national affairs.

Mr. Fairbanks received 44,698, Mr. Bingham, 21,038: showing a majority of 23,660 for the former over the latter.

With regard to the State Legislature, the thirty members elected for the Senate were all Republicans. In the House of Representatives there are 209 Republicans and 31 Democrats.

The Legislature assembled for the regular session at Montpelier on the 4th of October, 1876, when both Houses were promptly organized. In the Lower House, John W. Stewart, Republican, was elected Speaker by a vote of 186 to 27; the latter number having been cast for J. W. Bliss, the Democratic nominee for that office.

The two Houses successively met in joint assembly on the 16th, 21st, and 24th of November, and elected the Secretary of State, with some other officers of the Executive Department; the seven Judges of the Supreme Court, ling the management of charitable and other and a number of the principal officers controlinstitutions under State charge. For Secretary of State, George Nichols, of Northfield, the present incumbent, was reelected for two years; for Auditor of Accounts, Jedediah B. Ladd, of Alburg; for Adjutant and Inspector-General, James S. Peck, of Montpelier; for Quartermaster-General, Levi G. Kingsley, of Rutland; for Railroad Commissioner, Marion W. Bailey, of St. Albans; for Superintendent of 12. That the thanks of the people are due to Public Education, the present incumbent, Edthe House of Representatives of the United States Ward Conant, of Randolph, was reclected for for reducing appropriations and confining expendi- another two-years' term; for Chief-Justice of tures within the proper limits; also for instituting the Supreme Court, John Pierpont, of Verinvestigations, and unearthing frauds and corrup gennes; for Associate Justices: first districttions in high places; and that in this convention we commend the action of the Democrats of New York James Barret, of Woodstock; second district and Connecticut in the large reduction of State tax--Hoyt H. Wheeler, of Jamaica; third disation which they have produced, as a practical return to the economy and strict accountability which always characterized the administration of the Gov

11. In the interest of honest and pure government outraged, our free institutions periled, and to redeem the American name from the stigma cast upon it by the astounding and unparalleled corruption of the party now in power, we cordially invite the cooperation with us of all honest men, irrespective of former party affiliation.

ernment under the rule of Democrats.

The Republicans held their State Convention at Montpelier on June 27th, for the purpose of nominating their State and electoral tickets. For the office of Governor, Horace Fairbanks, of St. Johnsbury, was nominated. For the offices of Lieutenant-Governor and State Treasurer, Redfield Proctor, of Rutland, and John A. Page, of Montpelier, were nominated without opposition. As candidates for presidential electors at large, Jacob Estey, of Brattleboro, and Charles E. Houghton, of Bennington, were nominated.

As the platform of this convention, two resolutions were reported and accepted by the convention: the one adopting the platform which had been shortly before adopted by the National Republican Convention at Cincinnati; the other promising for the State ticket as large a majority of votes at the election as was ever before obtained.

The election, held on September 5th, resulted in the complete success of the Republican candidates. The aggregate number of votes polled in the State for Governor was 65,736, of which

trict-Homer E. Boyce, of St. Albans; fourth district-Timothy P. Redfield, of Montpelier; fifth district-Jonathan Ross, of St. Johnsbury; sixth district-H. Henry Powers, of Morristown. All of these judges were reelected.

At the election of November 7, 1876, the Republican candidates for presidential electors were chosen; also their nominees for Congressmen generally. The popular vote for the Republican electors was 44,092; for the Democratic electors, 20,254: Republican majority, 23,838.

The vote polled for presidential electors was canvassed by the county clerks on November 21st. At the opening of their meeting, counsel for the Democratic party appeared before the Board of Canvassers, and, upon the ground which he maintained that they were vested with judicial as well as ministerial powers, he claimed and offered to prove that Henry N. Sollace, one of the Republican electors returned as elected, was ineligible to such office, because he at the time held the office of Postmaster of Bridport; that the votes cast for him, being therefore null and void, could not be counted nor he declared elected; but that the votes cast for Amos Aldrich, the Demo

cratic elector, who had received the next highest number, should be counted and he declared elected. His argument was replied to by counsel for the Republicans, who averred that in the State of Vermont this Board of Canvassers was not vested with judicial but with ministerial powers only, although similar boards in some of the other States had judicial powers also. To this the Democratic counsel made a rejoinder, after which he submitted to the board a written protest, dated Springfield, November 21st, and signed by Amos Aldrich and George M. Fisk, "requesting the board to report to the Secretary of State, and to the Governor, that H. N. Sollace, one of the candidates for electors, was on the 7th of November holding the office of Postmaster of Bridport." They "protested against the board declaring the said Sollace elected or appointed an elector, and further requested the board to declare the person having the next highest number of votes duly elected as an elector . . . . and certify the same to the Governor, with the number of votes he received."

Having heard the arguments of counsel on both sides, the board deliberated on the subject among themselves, at the end of which the following resolution was offered by one of the members, and unanimously adopted by all:

Resolved, That this Board of Canvassers are of the opinion that their powers are simply ministerial, and that their duties are clearly defined by the statute of the State. They therefore decline to receive evidence outside of the certificates of votes by the proper town authorities.

The board then canvassed the votes as officially returned, and formally informed the Governor that "Jacob Estey, Charles E. Hough ton, Henry N. Sollace, Roswell Farnham, and Alvin C. Welch, had been duly elected presi

dential electors from Vermont." The board then adjourned sine die.

The Legislature continued in session eight weeks, and closed it by final adjournment on the 28th of November, 1876.

A large number of useful laws on various subjects of general and local importance were enacted. Among them were many acts relating to public schools-common, normal, and graded-school-districts, school-directors, and other matters pertaining to education. From among the number, we here subjoin the substantial part of the one which defines what instruction is to be imparted in the coinmon schools of Vermont:

the government assesses a tax of twenty-five cents on the hundred dollars for the year 1876, to be paid into the Treasury by the 1st of June, 1877. The tax for 1877 is assessed by the same act at the rate of thirty-five cents on the hundred dollars.

The material condition of Vermont in regard to her manufactures, trade, and other interests, especially her agricultural and dairy operations, appears to be eminently prosperous.

The aggregate value of taxable property in the State assessed for 1875 was $99,493,526, made up of $81,106,760 in real estate, and $18,386,766 in personal property. For 1876 it was $99,717,533, composed of $81,198,221 in real estate, and $18,519,312 in personal property.

The total list of State taxes for 1875 amounted to $1,150,968.29; for 1876 it was $1,154,901.03: showing an excess of $3,932.74 in favor of the latter year.

Of all the New England States, Vermont has the largest number of acres of improved land. Her whole area consists at present of 3,073,257 acres of improved land, 1,386,934 of woodland, and 68,613 of waste land. Maine, the largest of those States in extent of territory, has 155,464 acres less in improved land than Vermont.

VIRGINIA. The public debt of the State of Virginia consisted on the 30th of September, the close of the fiscal year, of $18,239,600 in consols with coupons receivable for taxes, $1,997,415.80 registered bonds convertible into consols, and $9,252,310.58 registered bonds not convertible, making $29,489,326.38 as the total 834.35 of accrued interest unpaid. The annual of the State bonds. There was also $3,510,interest charge is $1,751,175.83. The principal of this debt was all incurred prior to the civil

The statewar, and funded anew in 1871. ment does not include $15,239,370.74 known

as

apart by the funding act for settlement by the "West Virginia's Third," which was set State of West Virginia. There is a libraryfund consisting of $1,430,645.25 of available stocks and $703,072.63 West Virginia certificates, which forms no part of the debt proper, The arrears of unpaid interest from the libraryand the sinking-fund contains $4,986,771.90. fund on the 1st of August were $108,816.22, and on the 30th of September there was $521,267.09 due the sinking-fund.

The following is a statement of the receipts and disbursements of the Treasurer for the year:

Balance on hand October 1, 1875. .

Amount received on all accounts during the year, including $1,111.450.13 in renewals of notes in bank, and which constitute no part of the revenue proper.

An Act relating to Studies in Common Schools.— SECTION 1. Section 19, chapter 22, of the General Statutes, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Each organized town in the State shall keep and support one or more schools, provided with competent teachers of good morals, for the instruction of the young in orthography, reading, writing, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, free-hand drawing, history and Constitution of the United States, and good behavior; and special instruction shall be given in the geography, history, constitution, and prin- Balance on hand October 1, 1876, as per books ciples of government of the State of Vermont.""

An act making provision for the support of

Total.

Total disbursements during the same period, including $1,111,450.13 in renewals of notes, as stated above..

of this office...

$25,417 9

8,790,519 79 $3,816,287 73

8,778,501 60

$42,786 09

The principal expenses were as follows:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][subsumed]

Old Dominion Granite Company, 57 on the railroad, and 729 were in the male department of the prison, and 111 in the female department. The average number of inmates during the year was 1,021, maintained at a total cost of $26,265.44, or $25.72 per capita. The institution was greatly overcrowded, 171 cells being occupied on the 30th of September by 729 men.

The Fish Commissioners of the State have been engaged in stocking the James and Roanoke Rivers with California salmon, and placing other varieties of salmon, bass, and trout, in different ponds and streams of the State. About 800,000 shad were also hatched and turned into the Rappahannock, and a large amount of herring-spawn was deposited in streams near tide-water.

There was no election for State officers this year. The Republicans held a convention at Lynchburg on the 12th of April for the purpose of selecting delegates to the National Convention of the party, at which the following platform was adopted:

[merged small][graphic]
[graphic]

STATE SEAL OF VIRGINIA.

The Republicans of Virginia, reaffirming their allegiance to the national Republican party in this centennial year as an event which calls for the expression of gratitude to Almighty God that our civil and religious liberties have been preserved through all the vicissitudes of the country, that the American people have successfully maintained before the world their capacity for self-government, and that the Union remains unbroken either by foreign aggression, civil discord, or domestic violence. The past of our national history is seen, but its future depends upon the preservation of the great fundamental principles which the past has consecrated, and which are expressed in the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution of the United States with its several amendments. To these the Republican party has always been devoted and faithful. It has carried the Government forward into the front rank among the nations; it has granted amnesty with unexampled liberality; it has gradually diminished the public debt; it has furnished the country with a national currency. It has maintained an economical standard of public expenditures. It has required a faithful collection and disbursement of the public revenues, and it has de

veloped the material resources of the country by increasing the facilities of intercommunication between the different sections of the country: Therefore,

Resolved, 1. That we will remain faithful to the principles of the national Republican party in things concerning the administration of the national affairs, until every right guaranteed by the Constitution shall be fully secured and enjoyed, and all existing laws faithfully executed.

2. We favor honesty and economy in the administration of the Government, and recommend such retrenchment in the civil service as can be made without impairing the efficiency of the different departments of public business; and at the same time favor liberality, just compensation in the pay of public servants, believing it to be the means to secure the honest and faithful discharge of duty, private or public.

3. We are in favor of the quick and condign punishment of all dishonest and corrupt officers of the Government, no matter what their station, and pledge our support to secure that result.

4. That the honor and credit of this nation must be maintained inviolate; and, to put this beyond dis

pute, specie payments should be resumed at the earfiest practicable moment.

5. We believe free schools to be the palladium of civil liberty, and that they should be supported by the general taxation of the people; and we are opposed to any division of the school-money for the benefit of any sect or denomination whatever, or to any interference with the schools by any sect or denomination. We denounce the action of the Democratic authorities of this State, by whom the money raised for free-school purposes has been taken for other purposes, thus robbing the children of the State of that which will best fit them for becoming good citizens.

6. We believe the safety of free institutions depends upon the purity of the ballot; and we ask the Congress of the United States to pass a law for the protection of its citizens in the right of the elective franchise, by which they may obtain the benefit thereof, and be certain that the ballot deposited for the candidate of their choice will be counted for him and them, and not substituted by a stuffed

ballot.

7. We indorse the Administration of the President as distinguished throughout by measures that will preeminently redound to the honor and credit of this nation, and mark a new era in the history of our republic; and especially do we commend the determination expressed by the President to ferret out the guilty and dishonest officials, in the memorable saying, "Let no guilty man escape."

8. We cordially invite all citizens of Virginia, who are in favor of making this centennial year 1876 a year of peace and good-will, to help us in electing the candidate that will be nominated by the National Republican Convention to be held in Cincinnati in June next.

The Democratic Convention took place in Richmond on the 31st of May.

Delegates to the National Convention at St. Louis were chosen, an electoral ticket was nominated, and a State Central Committee appointed. Several speeches were made, expressing the sentiments of prominent delegates, but no platform was adopted. Some resolutions relating to finance and reform were tabled, the majority opposing any declarations whatever. Later in the canvass, on the 31st of August, the State Conservative Committee issued an address defining the position of the party, and discussing the issues of the day.

The total vote for presidential electors in November was 235,228, of which the Democratic candidates received 139,670, and the Republicans 95,558; Democratic majority, 44,112. The total vote on the Constitutional amendments was 227,732, of which 129,373 were in favor of ratification, and 98,559 against it. The amendments were very generally favored by the Conservatives, and opposed by the Republicans. Of eleven members of Congress chosen, all but one are Democrats. The Legislature of 1876-'77 is composed of 37 Democrats and 6 Republicans in the Senate, and 101 Democrats, 25 Republicans, and 6 Independents in the House of Representatives. This makes the Democratic majority 31 in the Senate and 70 in the House, or 101 on joint ballot.

One of the constitutional amendments ratified requires that all persons, before voting,

shall pay a capitation-tax, and disfranchises all who have been convicted of bribery at any election, embezzlement of public funds, treason, felony, or petit larceny. The registration provision of the constitution was struck out. Another amendment authorizes the Legislature by a two-thirds vote to enfranchise persons who have been disfranchised for engaging in duels. Another restores to the Legislature its authority to restrict the debt and taxation of cities and towns, and to limit the exercise of municipal powers generally.

Some excitement was occasioned by the sending of a detachment of Federal troops to Petersburg just prior to the election, and keeping it there until the 13th of November. On hearing of this action the Governor of the State issued the following proclamation:

To the People of Virginia: Information has just been received, from authentic sources, that a detachment of the United States Army was this day quartered at Petersburg, with orders to remain until after the elections, and to be under the sole direction of Federal officials. The voting-places at Petersburg are being surrounded with a cordon of bayonets on the eve of the elections.

It is provided by the Constitution of the United States that the Government thereof shall protect each of the States, on the application of the Legislature (or the Executive, when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic violence.

No domestic violence, no breach of the peace, no molestation of any citizen in the exercise of any right, exists, or is threatened, or apprehended, or likely to arise, in this Commonwealth. Perfect peace, order, and security, reign throughout all our borders. Every citizen, of whatever race, color, or condition, is protected, can be protected, and will privileges, and immunities, by all the authorities of be protected, in all his personal and political rights,

this State.

Never

No application, by the Legislature or by the Executive, has been made to the President for protection against domestic or other violence. of any citizen are assailed or threatened. No complaint is made, anywhere, that the rights theless, in the midst of profound peace, and without a constitutional requisition from any quarter, the President of the United States has stationed troops in a city of this Commonwealth, with the design, as cannot be doubted, of intimidating the partisan purposes. people, and controlling the pending elections for

And, whereas, so flagrant a usurpation of ungranted authority endangers the liberties of the people, and the integrity of the government, imperils the freedom of the elective franchise, and is well calculated, as it is doubtless designed, to incite and foment the domestic violence which is falsely pretended to be threatened:

Now, therefore, I, James L. Kemper, Governor of the Union, and in the name of the Constitution, Virginia, solemnly protesting before the States of against this despotic invasion of our guaranteed rights, do call upon the good people of this Commonwealth, and I command the authorities and officers thereof, to keep the peace at any cost, and to persevere in abstaining from every act and manifestation which might be made a pretext for the employment of armed force in our midst and I enjoin upon all such moderation and self-denying forbearance, such patience and composure, as will prevent the possibility of any disturbance of the publie order.

Done at Richmond, this fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »