South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-12-19
Governors Message.
Fellow Citizens of the Senate,

and House of Delegates
Since the last adjournment of tn,
General Assembly, matters offs mucl
interest to this commonwealth have oc
Cured, that when they first attracted
my attention, doubted whether m,
duty did not require of me TO exert III 9
authority given by the constitution ano
TO convene you al a much earlier peri
cd than that to which you had been
adjourned. But after mos, careful
examination OF all our laws applicable
TO the then existing state of .things,
found the powers with which the ordi.
nary functionaries of the common
wealth were thereby endowed, amply
sufficient to prevent or punish any
threatened disturbance OF the public
peace that might occur within our lin.
lis and that even your powers would
not suffice TO repress such designs
when conceived or attempted beyond
our confines.
To effect an object so desirable, the
cooperation of other governments v as
requisite. Such cooperation could
neither be asked or expected, however,
until the several Legislatures Of these
governments should assemble and as
this would not happen until after the
time Of your own regular meeting, /
thought it better TO take no notice of
what was then going on, than to add
10 the prevailing excitement by any
Sficial act Of mine or TO expose you
:, 10 the great Inconvenience which would
probably be occasionsd by sudden
and unexpected call Of the General
Assembly, especially at such season.
That many Of the citizens of the
northern and eastern states, aided by
a few foreigners sojourning within their
limits, have devised system, 10 which
they still persevere, TO produce direct
interference with the slave property Of
The southern and south estern states,
is now matter Of such notoriety, 90
to need no reference to any particular
evidence to establish its truth. To
effect this purpose, they have organic.
ed numerous societies, have subscribed
large sums Of money, and have estab-
|ished presses to print and disseminate
The disorgaDizing, seditious and incen-
diary doctrines of the members of
these associations. All this has been
done, and is still doing, for the undis.
guised purpose of efecting the imme-
diale emancipation of our slaves. The
authors Of such schemes abide with
out our limits and are SO beyond
the reach ofour municipal laws. They
are thus enabled, with immunity, to
scatter amongst US, materials, obvious
Iy designed and well calculated to lead
10 instruction, rapine and murder.
The post Offices under the direction
and control Of the Federal govern
ment, furnish a ready mode of trans
uniting & spreading their mischievous
productions.
These fanatics do not stop here.
They assert right 10 the Congress oil
the United States, to interfere with our
property, in various other modes
They contend that Congress is endow.
ed by the federal constitution, with
plenary authority TO emancipate every
slave in the District of Columbia
that it may inhibit the transportation
Of slaves, as such, from one state tc
another-that it may emancipate all
slaves. within the territories of the U.
nited States, and interdict the future
introduction Of any into the same, as
precedent condition TO the admission o
such Territories into the Union, al
component members of the u. States
and they boldly announce their pur
pose ofexhibislng these several propo
si,ions before the Congress, now abou
to convene, and 10 claim their decision
of the same.
Undfr this aspect OF our affairs, tw,
Questions demand your consideration
abe prompt decision Of which is requir
ed not less by the rights of the State
than by the security and interest o
those you represent. The first Of thes,
questions refers TO the condition 0
innings now existing, 81 expects Of yo'
10 determine whether such state shall
longer be borne. The second regard
she proposed change in our present re
la,ions, which relations have so lon
brought happiness and tranquility Il
all. This demands OF you to decid
upon the course most proper to b
puysued in the emergency OF the threat
ened change. Its in vain TO turn Q
way our eyes from the state Of thing
iha. now exists. We have to meet
IN some form or other, and it belong
properly 10 you to decide as TO th