Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-12-11

gates.
FELLOW Citizens of the Senate
and Of the House Of Delegates:
I am gratifed to say in this annual
communication, that nothing has occurred
since the time of your adjournment to
affect, in any wise, the internal quiet,
good order and security of the State, or
TO disturb for single moment the custo-
mary and lawful pursuits of the citizen.
All has been tranquil and all safe-the
duties and obligations of the government
fulfilled without embarrassment and the
objects Of private industry pursued with
out oppression from public burthens or
prejudice from business disorders. On
all sides we have been free from any I'M
usual disaster, affection or wrong; have
maintained inviolate the laws and credit
of the State; have suffered in nothing
from which sound condition of public
justice and private morals could project
us; have been blessed generally by aklnd
Providence, with our usual health, and,
if in particular places the profits of our
husbandry have been lost from the sever
ity of the season, our general means of
subsistence are quite equal, it is believed,
for our general wants.
| And here, in further enumeration of
advantages, | will add, that our tempora-
ry debt, which amounted TO three hum
dred and fifty thousand dollars three years
ago, has been entirely extinguished, that
our State stock is at premium, and that
our revenue for the present calender year
will be more than adequate to the ordina-
ry wants government, results which have
been accomplished under two successive
reductions in the rate of tax, and under a
system of taxation by far more satisfacto-
ry and more equitable than the one it has
so recently succeeded.
In all these respects-and they COM
prehend large and important aggregate
of general good-the condition of the
State is highly satisfactory, and furnishes.
TO certain extent, the evidence of we'll
doing aud well-ordered Commonwealth.
But, in other respects, and those INSOFAR
ably connected with every form of pub
lie and private welfare, that condition is
much less satisfactory, and is such, in
deed, that no wise and provident people,
having the control of il in their own
hands, should permit TO continue. This
is true, especially of the labor and edu-
cation of our people-those parental inte-
rests which lie at the foundation of all
others, and whose improvement and I'M
ion form together SO essential part of the
refinement, vigor and prosperity of a
State. Instead of cherishing these inte-
rests with the anxiety and care which
it was the clear duty of the government
TO have done, we have aided neither of
them by any effectual system of public
means, and have very generally minister
ed TO the wants of both with as reluctant
and backward spirit as if the welfare
and efficiency OF State consisted in
something else than in the number of
hands and minds that were freely, intel
ligently and usefully employed. No COM
munity. flee and able as ours is, TO pro-
vide for lis welfare as it pleased, and pres
sed as ours is by the growing necessities
of suffering and critical situation TO
make that provision boldly and complete
| ly, has ever, perhaps, permitted so en-
rching an amount of its intellect and in
dustry to be given up to so much improv-
idence and waste. The humiliating ex-
tent TO which the very alphabet of knowl-
edge is unknown amongst US, tells how
deeply our intelligence has suffered, and
is still suffering from neglect, whilst the
no less humiliating amount of our inter-
nal and exporttrade, when compared with
the size and fertility Of the State, tells
how effectually part of our private labor
has been destroyed by the overpowering
difficulties which attend the transporta-
tien and exchange Of its products. But
this is not all. Another, and probably a
worse effect of this neglect, is the dis
turbing and unhappy influence which it
exerts over the internal relations and har-
mony of the State. The great loss TO the
productiveness of labor which it has oc-
casioned, having fallen with more severi-
ty upon certain geographical portions Of
the State than upon others, it has excited
an impotence and sense Of wrong a.
mongst them, which is foreign TO the in
terest of common people, and which is
daily superadding TO its other causes Of
mischief strong and bitter one Of Sec
tional disafection.
Such being the condition Of these in
terests, submit them TO the Legislature,
with an earnest recommendation 10 pro-
vide for them both as speedily and as eff
GENTLY as their importance and as the
power of the State will Justify. In this,
the Legislature will perceive the renewed
recommendation Of policy which | have
heretofore, on several occasions, urged up
on its adoption, and which ! urge upon it
again. certainly in no spirit Of idle impor-
tunity, but from the most solemn convic-
ton that il is not only just, wise and
benefcent policy, indispensable to the
good government of the State. but one
which the Legislature cannot continue to
postpone without irreparable evil, and
which, sooner OF later, it will be compel
led to adopt upon principles Of self-de-
fence. II Virginia would retain the mas.
cas- If haY yenols uhn ara rrnwdin0 iuto