Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-10-20
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Fellov Citizens Of the Senate and
of the House Of Representatives.


First of all, as it becomes the agents oil a
religious people, let MS publicly acknowledge
the Divine goodness in continuing unto us
our liberties, as a state, and as nation for
the good measure Of health enjoyed by the
people of this commonwealth, and for the
abundant productions Of the earth and ask
wisdom from above, that we may fifty per
form the duties for which we are assembled
The legislation of this state has generally
been characterized by so much prudence
and intelligence, that any advice or caution
by me, Of general nature, would be quite
super6uous.
The condition OF the inhabitants of this
state is, upon the whole, probably as good as
that of any other people. We are an intel
ligent, moral and law-abiding people; we
have institutions, securing the liberty and
rights ofthe citizens we have fertile soil,
healthfnl and invigorating climate, and in
dnstrious habits, which enable us to surpass
any other state in the Union, according to
our population, in the value of our agrlcul-
tural productions.
The subject of Education, in all its BRAN
ches, is Of such vital importance to free
people, so intimately connected with the in
diydual welfare of the members of a state,
aud so indispensable to the very existence of
the blessings flowing from free institutions
and representative governments, that IT is
not surprising that ii should annually have
attracted the attention of both the Legisla-
tive and Executive departments
Common school education is perhaps as
generally diTused, among all classes Of peo-
a. ofhpr
munity, in the United States or elsewhere
vet the system now in operation is far from
realizing all the advantages which ought to
be expected from it. 1t is doubtless suscep-
tible of great improvements and the efforts
which have been made in several of our sis
Ter states, within few years, TO investigate
and obviate numerous evils, and to introduce
a greater degree Of uniformity and more ef-
6cency in common school instruction, have
not been without their beneficial influence.
Let US profit by the example of others.
Valuable suggestions on this subject are
contained in successive reports, made by le-
gislatiye committees, during the two past
years. Our higher institutions Of learning,
connected intimately, as they are, with our
common schools, and exerting an immense
influence upon the intellectual condition of
our citizens, ought also to receive the fos-
tering care of the Legislature. No system
would be perfect which should exclude these |
from consideration. Whether the creation
Of Board of Education, with the powers
and duties contemplated in the legislative |
report Of last year. will not prepare the way
for the Introduction Of great Improvements,
is submitted for your mature consideration.
The Militia, without which there would be
no safety to our government or country, are
too apt TO receive an annual compliment and /
then be neglected. Whether the law for the !
improvement of their condition, which had I
been prepared with great care, and passed at
the last session, will prove useful and salts
factory to that numerous and patriotic body 1
of citizen soldiers, for whose regulation and
benefit it was made, am not able at pres
ent to determine and perhaps there has not
been sufficient time, since the passage Of
the act, to test its utility.
By an act passed at the last session, rela-
ting to Capital Punishment, it is directed
that il any person shall commit any crime,
which by the law of this state is punishable
with death, such person shall be sentenced
to solitary confinement in the states prison,
until the punishment Of death shall be in
flcted and also, if any person shall hereaf
Ter be convicted OF any crime, punishable
by death, such person shall in like manner
he sentenced TO solitary confinement, until
the sentence of death shall be inflicted. By
the act it is further provided, that no SEN
tence of death shall be executed until after
one year from the time of passing of such
NATL bo III 4 Il
proceedings in such case shall be certified
TO the Governor nor until warrant shall
be issued by the Governor, under the seal of
the state, with the record annexed thereto,
directed TO the Sheriff of the county where
the states prison is situated, commanding
said Sheriff to cause execution to be done
upon the person, upon whom sentence had
been passed. 1t is understood that there
has been one conviction and sentence under
this law, which it will be my reluctant duty
to pass upon, as the law appears TO me to be
cannot believe for moment that il was
the intention of the Legislature, by this act,
TO prepare the way for the total adjustment
of capital punishment, even in cases of muir
der; for such a measure, in my opinion,
would be fraught with evils Of a most dire
ful kind but this law, which changes in
some measure our long established mode of
criminal justice. may give oc-
caslon for belief in the public mind that
after conviction there will be less certainty
of punishment
Although this statute may be open to
some other objections, that part of it which
relates to the issuing of a death-warrant by
the Governor, is perhaps the most so. 1t is
not sufficiently explicit, to show distinctly,
whether it is mere discretionary power,
that he may or may not exercise, after exam