Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-10-18
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Fellov citizens Of The Senate,
and House of RepresentniireS


We are assembled IN the character Of Rep
resentaiives of the people, to consult upon their
interests, and to execute their will. II bncomes
us, on entering upon our duties, first OF all to
carry our minds IN to the Author of our being
to acknowledge Him as the rghful source of
our authority, and to make his will the measure
and the motive Of our duty. II, in all our ways.
we should acknowledge Him, we should espe.
cially do so upon becoming invested with pow
ers, whose appropriate exercise requires emf
nen'ly, the wisdom that comes from above. Oar
responsibility is, Immediately, to the people
whose servants we are, but ultimately, to Him
who will judge both the people and us.
We come together under circumstances Of
peculiar favor. The season has been crowned
with blessing. Our fields have yielded an
abundant harvest, and our people have been ex-
empied from wasting disease. Labor has been
protected and rewarded and peace reigns with
in our borders. We are blessed with the steady
and impartial administration of justice, and con-
tinue to enjoy the neutrality-suspicious. of select
ing, by our Tree suilrages, those who shall make
and execute our laws.
Among the first duties you will be called on
to perform, is that Of selecting men to fill the
judicial and executive Offices OF the government,
which the constitution has wisely committed 10
your hands. From among such a people as
this there can be no difficulty in selecting men
of upright minds, of pure morals, of tried ln'eg-
r'v and of sound Intelligence, 10 ill the various
Offices within your gift. The power OF Office, and
the power of personal example and influence,
can never be separated; and he bears the sword
OF justice in vain, who conntcracts by the one.
what he endeavurs to enforce bv the other.
Bat your principal labor lies in the broad field
of legislation. We arc selected and sent here,
! Grnp tho t,n,,ulo with ,yhn.o yvi-hpS
and interests we ought to be thoroughly ac-
quain'ed, and whose welfare should be the end
and aim OF our legislation. The government,
which, by their sutirages, has been committed
to US, is their government" instituted" in the
! languag' OF the bill of rights, " for the common
benefit, protection and security of the people,
and not for the particular emf lument ar advan.
tage OF any single man, family, or set of men,
The highest good of the people, and of all the
people, therefore, it is our great business TO Sc
cure.
The establishment Of justice, in the perfect
! protection OF rights, is the primary end OF gov
eminent, and, in its broad and comprehensive
bearings embraces very large portion of all
appropriate legislation Bat there is field be-
yond this. The beneticent action of govern
ment may and ought to be felt in the promotion
OF virtue, in the suppression Of vice, in the diff.
'uS'oh VI IilCi''Sth'ts III tHc tf'c'pp,uCHt VI
mind in the encouragement OF industry, and in
the drawing forth from he earth, which God has
given for our temporary habi'a'ion, its ,eemne
riches, to make them snbservient to the purpn
ses OF their gift, in the wisdom and goodness o
their great Author. In short, it is the duty %
government to perfect by wise, discreet ant
timely action, the great purposes OF the socia
organization.
Ia surveying the field Of our duties, there
would seem 10 be no subject claiming hghe
attention Than that al Education. This subjec
has been repeatedly brought to the notice of the
Legislature by my predecessors, and severa
legislative reports have been made upon il. The
result OF report iiade in the year lS4l, wa
the appointment, by the Governor, of commit
tee, who presented to the legislature, at the fol
lowing session, an elaborate and able report
containing facts and suggestions of great impor
lance. commend that report to your cous!d
Grafton
Improvement; is the great law of our individ
ua and social existence. The means of it ar
furnished, in a greater or less degree to al, an
ALL whether individuals or communities, are ac
couniabe for the right Improvement of then
| This accountability rests, with peculiar weigh
| upon us, in conneXion with the subject of edl
ca,on-vitay connected. as it is, no, only wit
our individual well being, but with the preser
walton and perpetuliy of the institutions we ar
permitted to enjoy, and reoured to transmit
our children. These institutions will, nev,a
, blv, take the character of the people, whateve
, that character nav The hest constitutions {
government can ln,crpcse but feeble barrie
to the corrupting Influences Of ignorance an
, moral debasctuer,. Their beautiful and soil
structures viii sink and crumble, when the
shall cease to rest On the foundations of publ
3 and urva,e virtue and universal intelrence.
\ This obvious truth is fall of instruction
: those upon whom rests the responsibility of ma
k'ns laws Ihe'r du'y is but nan per''rme
wheh ,hev nave MADE laws 10 "otern me pee
. pie IL is higher and more dIihcuit du'y
$ adopt system OF Legislation when shall nav
the eilec, OF making the people law ana
9 good ana safe law To themselves he mos
r efhcIent laws are those which govern not D
!, the power Oh the sword out by ,he silent INIT
! ence OF 'r'u"us ana ehi'gh'ehd pr'nc'pie' !
' educate people, then' becomes an lnd'spens'
d Die part OF legIs'a''on-an appropriate and ne
S ccssary instrument TOR executing the laws-a
instrument tar more efficient than the str nge'
q military iorce While at the same tIme' IT give
!, to state hlgh.nnded' vlr'uous' in'elI'ge'
= men, to become lis strength lis deiencei al
80 S'''!'