Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-12-12
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Ge"ilsmen Of the Senate.
=. and House Of Represenfatires.

"~s 70 ~ tuts time, NJ the
ss"t o. eovernment, occurs urder cir
eumssanccs which calls for cur grateful
Acknowledgements to ii:m. who controls
the desiinies OF mankind, Tor ths numer>
Gus blessings we have received, aud sill
continue to receive, al his hands. Du-
ring the past season, our citizens have
generally been blessed With their usual
health. with liberal crops, AMI all the
comforts Of life calculated to render them
happy. IN our civil and political reIa
tions, we have peace without, and tran
guilty within, our borders intellectual
Improvement and moral culture still con
unue rspidly 10 advance under our
wise and enlightened system OF educa
tlon. We arc, as people, increasing
IN population and wealth in n ratio thai
hss no parallel in TIE history orany
oil our sister States, and but few exam
pies in the history of the human family
The numerous blessings we have been
permitted to cnjpy, and our prosperous
condition as a people, place US under re
newed obligations To the Giver Of all good
his I" De hoped that these blessings will
not % showered upon US in vain, but
that theJ will be received with grateful
hearts, and applied TO the advancement
cfthc general good.
Coming as you do from every section
Of The state, and having recently mingled
with your constituents, aud learned their
wants and wishes in relation 10 ali loo al
matters, you will be able 10 fulfil the
great objects of your trust, and meet the
just expectations Of your constituents, in
reference to all subjects Of this kind with
dience TO the obligations imposed upon
me by the Constitution, will proceed 10
caii your attention to several subjects O.
general interest. and lay before you the
condition Of our public institutions.
Our common school systsm has taken
strong, and. trust pc rm nent hold
on the puqlic mind. It's advantages and
blessings are beginning to be early APP
Preciated by all our citiz ems. Opposi
ton to u has, in great measure, ceased
Time has given 10 il form and perma
nency, and its existence. as a part OF the
settled policy Of the STATE, we confident.
iy delieve. will continue so long as our
republican Institutions are cherished and
upheld by free people.
Is.not however, all we should desire
It to be. We should aim to improve our
common schools, ani give to them the
capacity of impsrtin3 a more ENLARGED a.
liberal education; we should seek to ele
vale the grade of pablic instruction. so
as TO be IN unison with the progressive
spirit which is now animating the civil
ized world. The education ofthe rising
youth OF our country. thus qualifying
them Tor self. government, and the main,
tenance OF free Institutions, is an object
which commeuds itself to the fostering
care OF every American statesman and
patriot.
! would beg leave to call your atlen.
ton to the subject Of the amendment Of
me Constitution of the State, with the
view OF remedling our judicial system so
as to enable II to meet the wants and ext
gencies o. the people. am fully aware
tnat loo frequent changes of the fInda
mental law Of the State, might tend 10
unsettle the great principles on which
the Constitution itself is founded. Blu,
If II can be shown that any portion oil
That instrument is entirely unsuited 10
our present condition, and the wants oil
the people, we should not hesitate to
seek = remedy, The trainers Of the Con
siitution contemplated future amend-
ments, and have provided in the instrus
inent itself the mode & man ner in which
u may be altered or amended, The 6fih
section OF the seventh article provides
that whenever two thirds OF the General
assembly shall think il necessary to A.
mend or change the Constitution, they
shall recommend TO the electors, at the
next election for members Of the Gener
al Assembly, to vote for or against Con,
vention, and IL It shall appear that a ma
Jority OF the citizens Of the State, voting
Tor Representatives, have voted for
Convention. the General A. .embIv shall
al their next session, call Convention.
70 consist OF as many members as there
be ia the General Assembly. 10 De chosen
IN the same manner, at the same place,
and by the same electors th1t choose the
General assembly. who shall meet with.
IN three ats after the said election, for
the purpose Of revising, amending, or
changing the Constitution. II il further
provided m the same section, that no all
tsraiioo OF the Constitution shall ever
take place so as to Introduce slavery or
Involuntary servitUde into this State.
ttlwill be seen, then that, the trainers
OF the Constitution contemplated the ne
csssity - some futore period, Of chang
log Or etnending its provisions. j. was
not expected By patriotic citizens who
composed tbs Convention that adopted
sAs Constitutes, that II would conlinue
% answer, in All respects, the changing
condition OF the country.
Our voneration for the organic law of
The Stale, or our respect for those Who