The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-10-22
Governors FHcssa &c.
FeLLo,c aizen's Of The Senate
and of the House of REPRESENTATIVE

we again assembled to transact the public
business. by diligent attention TO our various
duties, by euactng such laws as the wants OF
our constituents require, by eecting to office
such men as are capable, faithful and honest, by
eqIialiZing the public burdens and by admins
terinS the government with due regard to fri
Ghity and economy, we give good evidence that
we entertain proper estimate of the RESPONSE
hties Of our several stations.
The general prevalence Of health the being
nant smiles OF II merclul Providence on the Ia
bors OF the huSbandman, and the prosp erity
which has attended our citizens in :heir varied
| pursuits, demand grateful remembrance of that
| Being from whom ne nj! our blessings.
Circumstances. which, few months since,
in ncighhoring State, threatened to disturb the
| friendly relations suhsisting between this cOun.
try and Great Britain, have happily, through
The wisdom aud moderation Of the rulers of the
two countries. been put in n train of aInicabIe
adjustment, This result, TO n nation like ours,
whose habits and pursuits make it at all times
their interest to he ut peace with the rest Of the
world, and whose inclinnlious correspond with
their interests, isa matter of sincere congratu-
| latiOn.
The continuance OF the political disturbances
in the neighboring Province of Canada, and
tue aledged cruelty with which the contest had
been carried on, was made the apology for sys
TEN of incendiari~m Of the most reckless and
desperate cIlnrarter,on tie frontier between this
State and CaTa,ln. The design of the perpe
traitors of those mutual acts of aggression, was,
evidently, to provoke and cXasperate the public
mind, and thus bring state of feeling be-
tween the inhabitants of the two countries
which would ultimately result in war. The
continued succession of these atrocious Gets
! from December to April goes far to show that
those engaged in them, on both sides of the
! line, had this object in view. In the progress
of this disgrac,lu business, number of the
unoflendng citizens Of this state have been sub.
| bt "a a.,
buildings and other property by fire.
In consequence of the alarm oCcasioncd by
these repeated acts Of violence, Drieadcr Cen
ernl Mason and the civil autEoriliCs in that vi
clnity deemed it necessary, on three several &C.
casions, to call out portions Of the militia to pro-
tect dIe persons and property ofonr citizens and
quet public apprehension. ] was early appris
ed Of the fact and without delay assumed the
responsibility OF ordering the delivery Of arms
from the Arsenal for their use. The frs, de-
tachnCnt, cned OUT n~February after rcmainng
! on duty several days, was, ut my request, re-
/ liered Ivy regular troops, mustered into the ser
vice ot lhe United States, paid and discharged
by ORDER of Major General Scott OF the Army.
Application was made tn the officer in command
at Plnttsbursli, TO have The same course pursued
with those subsequently called OUT. I have
not yet been appraised Of The result.
! In February last, one George Holmes, charn.
! cd Hith The commission Of an aIsocious murder
IN the Province of Lower Canada, was arrested
III the town Of Burlington, and there detained
TO await the result ct a demand upon the Pres
| idtut of the Unilcd States for his surrender To
| The authorities of Canada ~ ii fugitive from is-
| lice. The President, in the nlserce ufanY con
veniIonal arrangement on the SUBJECT between
! this country and Great Bri,ian, declined inter.
4erng or complying with the application upon
! which the Governor of Canada addressed me
on the subject, and requested hiatt n accordance
with the laws OF nations and the comfy hereto.
|
and the Province of Canada, the said Holmes
might be surrendered 10 the authorities of that
| Province that he might lie tried for the crime
with which he WAS hargrd
| Considering the practice Which had her, ,ofore
prevailed between The authorities of that Prov
ince and this Siate-whi:h, ST. far as / could
| ascertain, had been in favor OF slirren!ering,
on application, persons charged with the com
mission of atrorious crmes-and also the con-
sequences which must inevitably result to the
inhabitants OF the respective territories from IL
contrary DECISION, was induced to make an or,
der for the delivery of said Holmes TO the Agent
of the Canadian Government. The execution
OF this order was prevented 10y n writ of lla-
bcas Corpus from the Supreme Court of this
STATE; The authority of they Execu-
tive to make the surrender. and conse-
queDtly the obligations of national Jaw on The
subject, were 10y some denied. Tie legality of
the order understand. is now III acourse of
| Judicial investigation.
this may he proper occasion TO remark, that
if the laws OF nations and the comfy which is
supposed TO sul,sist between countries ut peace,
whose territories are contiguous, do not warrant
the exercise OF the power necessary TO make
surrender Of arorious criminals escaping from
one gov eminent TO the other if lie foreign Eel
on can force himself upon us, claiming prolec-
ton under our laws from merted Punishment,
and thus make our country refuge for The vi
lest Offenders; and il, us is commended by some
al! laws emunaiing from State Legislatures on
the suhecI are unconstitutional and inopernliye
It heeorles our immediate duty, ms measure OF
self projections, promptly TO make such represen-
ta'ion to the general Government, for whom all
power and authority OH this subject are claimed,
as will cause proper measures to be taken, either
by Legislation of Congress, or Ivy treaty slip
ulaIon with neighborng and friendly powers,
to enable the proper authorities mutually to de-
mnnd and surrender persons charged with the
commission of great crimes in one government
and escaping into the territories of the other.