The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-10-30
GOVERNOR PENNINGToN's MESSAGE.
To The Legislaiive Council and General Assembly Of
the Stale of Nstc .Jerseu

oosLhNOn fENNiNOIONc MEbSAGE
To The Lsgislatipe Council and General Assembly Of
the Stale Of Nero Jersey.
GssrIsMEs:-Anolher year has rapidly passed
away with It's many anxieties and cares You are
again met as the representatives OF the people, 10
transact such business the necessities Of your
ssitnents and the general interests OF the State may
require. How much will be demanded at your
hands, OF private character Is not, OF course within
my knowledge; but am persuaded that you will find
no occasion for the passage Of many public acts.
There Is common feeling peryading the State
that lew changes in our system OF laws should be
most pressing necessity. Anticipate therefore, In
your behalf, no very prolonged detention from your
ordinary avocations and pursuits.
Whatever differences of opinion may exist among
US concerning the various obligations which rest
upon rs as citizens feel well assured that we must
all desire TO unite in devout acknowledgements TO
that experimenting Providence whose paterna care
has 50 signaliy blessed us during the past year. Al
no former period have we, as people, shared more
largely In his bountes in the abundant productions
Of the earth or 10 The enjoyment Of general health
Whiiewe are thus bound together In common bene-
hts may surely cherish the hope that we may be
duly impressed with just sense ofonr common obl-
Cations and that In the exercise VI this spirit your
impartial and undivided attention wall be given to
the promotion of the common welfare.
A course Of legislation that embraces In It's scope
all the great interests OF society, that encourages
schools and fosters improvements, cannot fail to
throw around our institutions walls Of defence that
must ever protect them from domestic discussions
foreign pressure. The three great branches Of In
dustry, Agriculture, Manufactures and Commerce,
are at all times especially entitled TO the fostering
care Of government, for their prosperity and adj
vancement include the progress and happiness Of
society With us, the farming interest must ever
be leading object OF concern; and in recurring to
the history OF the year. refer with much pleasure
centre Of the State, under favorable auspices
indication Of an increasing interest the subject.
This may, and trust, will, be productive of much
public advantage. Associations of this description
bring together the substantial men Of the country,
cultivate friendly interchange Of views, promote
wholesome emulation, encourage industry, and re-
compense useful talent and enterprise by pecuniary
and honorary rewards. With these encouragement,
agricultural Improvements may be quickened, and
husbandry maintain Its proper rank among the arts
Of life 1.-THE aid Of the Legislature in any way
promote these great ends, hope Il will be cheerfully
granted. A committee on Agriculture has been re-
Gently constituted in each house an should be con-
tinued.
could wish Il were in my power to speak in the
same encouraging tone of our manufacturing and
commercial interests These great branches Of in
dnstry, which embrace large body Of our popula-
tion, suffer, in peculiar degree from the derange
rnent OF the times and, in special manner, need the
care and protection OF the government. Exposed to
great fluctuations they should be treated kindly and
their interests guarded with sustaining hand. l
feel Il TO be the special duty Of public men every
w COuSiucI SCIIUuSIy Vi lucIT Qc-
PRESTON and 70 lend all possible aid to the for
their re- establishment. For myself despair OF any
successful enterprise in business until the facilities
for carrying II on can be rendered permanent and
uniform, and mutual confidence be restored. Some
mode must be devised by which the exchanges Of
the country can be effected with ease and economy
The government must help, or see no way in which
either commerce or manufactures can ever flourish
In other times, the government and the producing
classes had common feeling Of dependence on
each other and harmonised in action. II is, in fact
the very design of our government 10 and ad-
vance the individual prosperity Of its citizens There
ale, there can be- no separate independent inte-
rests. The whole constitution Of society is, indeed
but an exemplifcation Of the law Of mutual obiga-
tion. All branches of industry and all conditions in
iife are more or less dependent upon each Other and
hence the embarrassment Of one must sooner or later
affect every other. The merchant cannot, at this
day. sell his goods to asouthern western State or
the manufacturer the labor Of his hand without pay
ing much or more in the difference Of exchange,
than the whole amount Of his profits. To remedy
this evil, the value of money must, in some way, be
made equal in the different portions Of the Union
This was once the case in the United States; and II
Is in vain that we look for the restoration Of business
until our public men, forgetting all minor consdera-
tons, shall unite In an earnest effort to bring about
this all.important this indispensable result. | am
aware that this is subject beyond your province as
a State Legislature. Congress is alone competent To
provide remedy But il is wise and proper, at all
times, to discuss every national interest which deep
ly affects our prosperity
During the past year it became my duty give
catcs Of election to the members Of the 26th Con-
gress from this State The had been unusually
The friends Of the respective candidates had
made great exerons in their support and felt deep
interest in their and it could not, therefore,
be hoped that any decision would be satisfactory TO ALL
or escape the censurc OF those who would be disap-
pointed by the result 1t would have been agreeable 10
my feelings could the necessity for action on my part
have been dispensed with altogether The duty. how
ever, imperative, and there no choice but to
discharge il according to law The whole subject was
laid before all the members Of the Legislative Council
summoned Privy Council was discussed at large,
and resulted in recommendation by majority Of that
body, that the certificates be granted under tho
then existing laws Of the State the persons whom
they subsequently given and the whole merits Of
the controversy left to the decision Of Congress. This
result not being satisfactory to those persons who did
receive the certificates they and their friends have
taken such they thought proper do respect,
ing it, and whether that course has been well i'll
chsscn all will be permitted Judge according their
habits Of thinking and acting. Every review Of the
opinion expressed at that time, has only confirmed
in the belief that the law was faithfully declared, and
beyond that for myself, feel no In counting
the votes, the Governor and Council ministerial off,
cers, having no judicial power. The township officers
make their the clerks Of the different countless
apd those officers to the Governor The clerks base
their return exclusively upon the returns made to them
oy the township election ofncors lhey Cannot modify
or alter them in any way and the Governor and Coun-
Gil IN this respect, as counting officers OF higher
grade, rest also only the made them
by the clerks, and cannot vary depart from them So
far any difficulty is created by the ITSELF by
mistakes in addition misspeing the Of candi-
date, the omission of letter, by any other ircgu
lar,y appearing the face of the return the facts be-
ing before the Governor and his Council, may DO aud
should always be counted in such way carry out
the clear intention OF the In the prcsen, instance
every vote was given to the candidates according to
such INTENT far the could be ascertaned by
the returns before We refused 60 out Of the
returns made by the clerks, from conviction by law
that had no power so to do. Such was the advice
given by my constitutional advisers, and in their
opinion did then and do now coincide Was II ever