Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-10-17
NJ E s s AG E.
Fsiiow Caizens Of The Senate and House Of Repr

sentatires:
TIE guardianship Of the ntetes,s of this Common
wealth, which fall within the province of its civil
government, has, by the favor of Providence been
COMMITTED to US and we together for the pur.
pose Of its execution If we would discharge in the
best manner the duties involves, shall begin and
END every thing, with recognition Of our dependence
upon Him iron whom all good counses and all
Just works proceed !; while His claims upon our Fl.
deity to Himself, will become an ever present incen-
tive 10 fidelity in the service Of the people we repre-
sent
drouth has repeatedly filled them with app
and alarm, they have finally been permitted 10 reap
an abundant harvest,-thus happily finding increased
motives 10 gratitude in deverances from impending
DANGER rendered the more impressive by strong con-
srast WITH less favored portions OF our country.
great trust has been committed to US, the con.
eatuted guardians Of the interests Of this people. IT,
IN tue struggles connected with the election which
mas sent 10 here, we have suffered unworthy passions
10 gam an aseendaney, as they too often do in po-
cal contests we cannot come here and upon the
dlsmIssing them ALL taking each other BY the hand
90 fellow citizens and brethren, and striving together
ior the faith Of our fathers, and the furtherance of
the great ends for which they established the govern.
shall we best accomplish these ends within the brief
space o. our annual session. is question to which
you will allow me briefly to invite your attention.
me institution Of civil government is designed to
u
OF force is far from being its only object Excepting
IN governments purely arbitrary, law derives it, en-
ergy rom force extraneous to sef-the force of a
deeP ana abiding sentiment Of veneralion for lava
love OF ordcr-habltual sell alton and
PURIFY OF moral feeling, and intelligence to guide it
wisely in the complicated affairs Of human life.
Cvl' government, then, accomplishes its object not
when It Furnishes crime but when il prevents it's
commlssIon,-not BY providing jails and peni,entia.
RES, but by preventing the necessity of Their eys-
tence oy training the people, as far as law can
properly an.etposs rs power, 10 intelligence and the
Iove OF virtue The fathers of our State felt this,
when, with characteristic wisdom they declared in
the constitutions that laws for the encoura OF
virtue and the prevention OF vice and immortality
ought 70 De constantly kept in force and duly exc.
cuted and competent number of schools ought to
be maintained IN each town, for the convenient in
stfuciion OF YOUTH and one more grammar schools
Dc INCORPORATED and properly supported in each coun-
virtue, the suppression Of vice, and the
OF schools, deemed SO vital 10 the welfare Of the
State as 10 demand for them special provision in its
organic law.
So large portion of my first annual message 10
the General Assembly devoted to the subject OF
education, that deem il necessary to do little mere
now, lhan 10 refer you, as most respectfully do, 10
that message for my views in regard 10 it,
The present has been truly denomnoted an age o
progress The human mind is vigorously sexinp
and carrying out 10 practical results the momenous
truths which respect the relations of men TO each
other, and the appropriate means of accomplishing
the purposes OF human society and government. Al
the foundation OF this vast movement lies the grea
work Of Edncatlon-the work of developing, and
e'Nng ight direction to mental and moral power
Ana " human government is to be regarded as on
institution designed 10 perfect the purposes Of society
and improve the condition Of man ION earth, il
needs no aoortd argument to show, that education
thus defined, Is among the highest duties of those
entrusted with lis administration.
NOT should be forgotten that there rights cor
relative 10 this duty. Every child in the Stale has
ngnl 70 oe educatedIa right as essentially reciprocal
claim 10 IN i, =. l..
TO protection: The question whether the children OF
State shall be educated is no more a question OF
mere expedency, than is the question whether The
people have q right 10 protection from foreion no.
gression and domestic violence Indeed. proiec,ion
from the effects OF ignorance and vice it, itself pro
teciion IN the highest sense. from q the dangers
wn'ch can arse within the limits of State. Would
learned in the common school, as well as n, The do
msstic hresde the duty Of sefcOntrol AMI of rever
ence Tor me law Of eternal rectitude written in The
harmonious proportions, Of their whole mind, and au
10 accomplish 10 "''eo
All The children in yermon,-e.pecially the chill.
oren OF the poor-siand in the attitude Of lust claim
ants IN respect TO education upon the FOSTERING bonn
y, and guardian care Of the State And VIVA, ia,
Vermont done to satisfy this claim We have. in
deed, declared, by law, that each Organized iowr
shall keep and supper, OF more schools orov;Jer
with competent teachers - that the towns shall h,
divided into school disiricsj that certain dis,r,c
omceIs shall be appointed that taxes shall be as
sessed and collected TO build school houses and ann
port schools and that, TO the income arising fro,r
these taxes there shall be added for the current use
schools the annually accruing ,neres, OF the ssrpI,
revenue of The United States, deposited with KIN
State. And here, with The exception Of making pro
VISION Tor certain returns Of school statistics we ~
left the matter. II school houses ere bu /, we hav
taken no care whatever for their proper location an,
construction and II teachers aie employed, we hoy
done nothing IN regard TO the al-important matter
their qualifications aside from the barren enactmen
that they shall be competent" What shall cons,i
inte competency ~ who shall iudge Of il, are matter
entirely overlooked in our legislation The result /,
"a admitted and lamentsble deficiency in the onalif
cations Of teachers great and manifest defects In M
modes Of instruction, and confusion and wan, OF uni
formity in regard 10 he books used for that purpose
wnle q large proportion Of our school houses an
iocated in highways with little regard 10 comfort
fitness in their internal structure, and 90 little TO ast
and beauty, and convenience in The grounds connec,
ri with them IL indeed, any grounds but those o
highways are connected. And yet, what an amour
Of money 10 annually expended for The use Of schools