Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-11-29

Granite State would like to know what their
Governor has TO say, about matters and
things" we give place to his Message
which has one merritt is brief
MESSAGE.
EelIoto citizens of the Senate and Of the HOUSE
Of Representatives.
The day has arrived to which you were
adjourned, and we are again assembled and
prepared, | trust, to proceed without delay
TO accomplish the duties incumbent upon US
Among the most important subjects which
will claim your attention is the re-apportion.
ment of public taxes. To do this with that
care and attention which its Importance de.
mands, will require laborious investigation
aud patient exercise of the judgment. All
local considerations should be laid aside and
properly, wherever it exists, should be made
10 bear its equal share of the necessary pub
die burthens of society.
During the last session of the legislature
numerous petitions were presented, praying
for various if not conflicting alterations in
our present Militia system. That the mill
tia laws might be improved, l am not dis
posed to doubt, but am clearly of opinion
that until the petitioners can agree among
themselves, or the public mind settle down
upon system equally effective and less ex-
pensive than the present, it will be best to
adhere to the one now in force.
Since the adjournment of the Legislature,
their order directing the construction of a
Chapel for the use of the prisoners at the
State Prison, has been executed, and the
old Chapel exchanged into a Hospital
Those alterations have enabled the Warden
and Physician and other officers to render
10 an unusually large number ofsick prison
ers, degree of care and attention highly
necessary to them, but which otherwise
could not have been bestowed upon them.
Although there are acknowledged defects
and imperfections in the Constitution Of the
State, yet the citizens have by their votes
declined TO order its revision, and as the
servants of the people we are bound by that
decision, and are not at liberty to set aside
or evade those clauses which are acknowl-
edged to be defective, or against the spirit
of the age in which we live.
The question as to the abolition Of Capital
Punishment has also been decided in the
negative. The reasons which induced
such decision are known only to those who
so voted. To me it is a decision of painful
regret. A fellow mortal now lies confined
in dungeon condemned to death, con-
demned at most on circumstantlal evidence,
and although that evidence was strong
enough to induce an impartial Jury to con-
vict him, yet there is possibility that he
did not do the deed for which. he is con-
demned to suffer. Guilty or not guilty
cannot forbear urging the Legislature to
commute his punishment from the penalty
of death 10 that of Imprisonment for life
Surely, if vengeance is not the object of the
law, the security of the public can be eff
fectually guarded by imprisonment.
1t would, perhaps, be out of place for me
to congratulate the Legislature on the result
of the Presidential election, yet cannot
forbear saying that It's result must go far
towards convincing political aspirants that
honest, straightforward action is far prefera-
bic to ever varying professions, corrupting
schemes of distribution, or false issues on
national policy Not many years since it
was confidently said that without National
Bank the currency would be ruined, and
exchanges from one section Of the country
to another would be disastrousy disordered
if not rendered impossible of being effected
at all. Time has proved those confident
predictions to be wholly unfounded.
A sound and wholesome trade has effect
ed that which the United States Bank failed
TO do, and has gone far towards convincing
every one, open to conviction, that trade
left to itself will regulate its own concerns
much better than any artificial power can
do it. Such also will be the fate of the
present tariff predictions. The tariff left as
it now stands, will work the destruction OF
the interests involved in its immoderate pro-
tective clauses. Protective duties have the
effect of enhancing the price Of the article
protected and in proportion to the rise OF
prices will be the profits made by the pro-
ducer or manufacturer. If those profits are
large, the inducement to capitalists is great
to extend such profitable business and this
is often done so hastily, that prudence is
lost sight Of A rush takes place, the busi-
ness is overdone, and the home market over
stocked To remedy the evil, a foreign
market must be resorted to; but this cannot
be done except nj sacrifice ruinous alike
to the business Of the manufacturer and all
other interests necessarily connected there
with. That we are fast approaching such a
crisis / cannot doubt.
Manufacturing establishments are being
erected or enlarged with such haste that
time is not given for the damp walls of the
buildings, or the paint on the machinery to
dry. Machines of all kinds, new and old,
are eagerly sought after and as eagerly set
in motion. The late land speculations were
scarcely conducted with less delberation or
Judgment than are the creation Of mills or