Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-12-12

| ment of private and of public honesty.
Harrassed in their individual labor by
every species of reverse, which a re-
vulsion in business, having scarce a
parallel in our history, could infiiet,
they, nevertheless, came forward IN
stantly, and without nurInaF, at the
call Of the State, and promptly and ge-
nerously, and in the midst Of distress,
| took from their own wants whatever
was necessary for the supply of ber's.
The unsullied preservation Of our pub
lie credit, by this patriotic conduct Of
the people, is an achievement worthy
of everything it has cost, and worthy
of it all, and yet more is the graceful
and noble testimony by which that con-
duct proves that our public morality is
always true to our public engagements
that whatever is contracted upon the
probity and honor of the State as the
law to enforce it, is contracted upon a
law which embarrassments andreproach
have no power to weaken, and which
will not and cannot be broken.
But the early and successful extri-
cation of these branches of public in
terests from the dangers which threat
ened them, will not afford you high
er, nor perhaps so high and exulting a
qualification as the evidence, just fur
nished, to the capacity of our political
system to stand firm under the sever
est trials which attach to its nature
You have seen it encounter, and now
see it emerge triumphanty, land without
hurt, from one of these trials, which
it may be confidently said that no gov
eminent on earth but itself could have
stood without CONFUSION and blood
shed. At no former period has any
national struggle brought the masses
into more thorough conflict than the
one through which we have passed ;
never were they more radically distin-
guished from each other by opposition
Of sympathy and opinion, or urged for
ward to the object of their wishes I'M
der deeper or more distempered in
fammation of party feeling; yet the
great result is no sooner announced,
by the will which settles it, than the
commotion is over-the excited mil
lions retire in acquiescence and peace
to their common occupations, and our
whole system goes on just as at first,
without jar, hindrance or disorder in
/ it's uncomfortable and beneicent move
ment. This result, so decisive of the
most perfect submission to the great
principles Of our admirable govern
ment, is new proof, that whatever
are the temporary and party issues in
which national contests may end, A
merican government, American instl
tutions and American liberty are safe.
Rejoicing, with you, that the recent
contest has brought into still clearer
light than before, the sound and self
supporting capacities of our system,
and has justified more than ever the
anticipations which are founded upon
it, | invoke you to employ the repose
which has followed, in building up
with diligence and vigor, the enduring
and practical interests Of that part OF
the system which rests upon you.-
There is no work which could be bet
ter commended to your hands-no one
which is more needful to be done-and
there is no time for doing it, which is
perhaps more propicious than the pre-
sent one of political relaxation. I'm
der this view of the advantages of the
moment, | deem it my duty to recon
mend nothing which is not directly
connected with the inauguration of our
domestic policy, and to that end, shall
invite your attention, chiefly, to those
leading interests whose sound condi-
ton is indispensable to every we'll
administered and well doing Common
wealth.
| Of these interests, "tbe internal I'M
provensent'' interest of the Common
wealth is one-a principal. and to some
considerable extent, suffering one
Having adverted to this subject in my
former message, though in aparticulal
connexion only, would not recur to i
now, but for the conviction, long ant
habitually entertained, that the internal
improvement of the State, by suitable
highways for market, is State neeess'-
| tn. which. however deferred, is ALSO
lutte and inevitable at last. Let the
geographical situation of large end
fertile districts beyond the Allegheny
and the many circumstances affecting
their population be considered, ana TINS
necessity becomes apparent. II I'm
provements are not to go there, thous'
ands of their people are at once subyec.
} ted to the alternative, for themselves