Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-10-19
MESSAGE.
FsHow Citizens of the Senate,

honest faithful and wise discharge of them. All legislation
having in view the virtue and permanent happiness of the
people, will ultimately result in the common welfare.
Under our happy form of government the rights OF the
humbst citizen sacredy secured as those OF the most
favored and every act which SHALL unnecessarily limit or
abrdge those rights positive conravcnlion o the eer o
constitution and in direct violation of the spirit OF our CIV
il institutions. To encourage the practice OF virtue TO pre-
the commission of crime 10 foster the interests OF educa
on promote the industry and improvement OF inc couh
try and to project the personal liberty and rights OF our
citizens among legitimate and proper duties as legs
laors.
In popular governments law depends for its efficacy
mainly upon the of the people OF It's necessity and
expedency Without public opinion in its favor, legislative
enactment becomes dead letter upon statute book ana
is not only disregarded of Itself but measure weakens
the force of saulary and necessary laws, and consequently
lessons the respect paid to them We ought therefore, 10
pause examine with great Caution before adopting pro
positions for altering the principles details OF laws winch
have received judicial construction and with whose oVs
ions the people have become familiar.
The very careful revision of laws at the last session
of the General Assembly, brought under examination mos
of the important provisions of statute law lime has
scarcely been afforded, since IFS promulgaon to test
the operation of the various notifications and amendments
therein introduced and the necessity of any immediate alter
alton will doubtless be obvious and plain, before you will feel
called upon to make it.
Our revenue, derived almost entirely from direct tax
the people, presents constant admonlton to irugaity
and economy in expenditure and should lead to frequent
enquiry into the operation of system of taxation. This
system is based mainly income and is due TO those
who deay the expenses of government that all productive
property and profitable pursuits should bear their relative
proportion of the public burdens.
From frequent applications for the remission OF small
fines imposed by the County Courts for assault and battery
and other breaches of the peace have been led to the in
quy whether alteration in the law that sub Jet might
considerable to the State, without weakening
the claims of Justice essening public security Judging
of the character of the offence by the of fine mpos
ed the presumption strong that respondents in
have been bound the County Court by Justices OF
the Peace account of the inability of the offender to
pay fine and costs, where the town in which the offence
,oIn NV oil
the enomiy of the offence. In majority of cases. present
ed for the exercise Of Executive cemency the fine has been
five dollars, with varying from fifteen to sixty
Nor the payment of bills of cost the whole
charge to the State. Respondents IN cases OF this char
acter being usually irresponsible and unable to procure
ball. consequently confined in jail and the State charged
with their support, State prisoners. On convction
sentence pay fine of few dollars and costs of prosecu
ton, operates severely sentence of perpetual lnprls
onment the offender and perpetual charge the State
for his support unless relieved by interference lf
other alteration should be deemed expedcnt, it would
better accord with the humane spirit of laws to provide
that the sentence in such should be in the alternative
either fine, Imprisonment for limited tme when the fine
paid But would respectfully suggest worthy of
inquiry whether remedy might not be found by providing
that conviction of certain inferior offences and misde
the fine should be paid into the town treasury and
whether might not be expedent to enlarge the jurisdiction
of Justices of the Peace for their trial.
BY saluary provision in the constitution of the United
States, any person. committing crime state and
Gaping into another SHALL demand of the Executive of
the State having jurisdiction of the be removed there
for trial. This provision should be carried into effect in
good faith Some of the States have made the of pro-
curing goods under false pretences ndctabe offence
Gases are believed TO have occurred where smarng
under the loss of property have been led make oath
facts parie hearing which fully justified the COM
of public prosecution for crime, where the real
object was evidently, to effect compromise with debtor
eXtor money from his friends satisfaction of precarioV
debt The executive warrant, when obtained is used
TO bring public offender to Justice but for individual bene
fit The evil complained of might perhaps be prevented,
lndICable O
permit to go at large, person arrested executive
warrant issued at the request of the Governor of the State
where the crime is charged to have been committed.
The condition OF schools and scmnarie of
learning always deserving your careful attention. In my
last annual message urged the application of the income
of the State school fund purposes of educaon and beg
leave respectfully to refer to the suggestions there made
we are practically agricultural people, To the
ful prosecution OF this pursuit. citizens principally
debted, for the necessare and many of the lxues of cvz
ed life Although interest of such vast importance the
prosperity of the State has heretofore received but little
couagement from the action of the government Great inn
proVements have been made within the last half century,
this important brancho industry owing mainly
full application of science the development of the properties
of various sos and consequent adaptation of the
the different products of agriculture This is NATTER inter
estng, only to the philosopher in his inquiries into
and effect but also furnishes object of intense interest thu
legislator and political economist feel justified in agar
urging upon the favorable consideration of the General As
semby the propriey Of geological survey of the State
Much valuable information this subject may be founc
embodied the reports made to the three last session
of the Legislature.
The difficulties which have bese the business transaction
of the country since 1886, are by large majority of thu
people of this State considered having