Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-10-23
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
FslioO Citizens Of the Senate
and House of ReDreseufofirss

and House Of Representatives.:
The guardianship of the interests of this Com
monwealth, which fall within the province Of its
civil government, has, by the favor of Providence
been committed to us; and we come together for
the purpose of its execution. If we would dis
charge, IN the best manner. tho duties 1t involves,
we shall begin and end every thing, with recog-
milton OF our dependence upon Him from whom
all good counsels and all just works proceed :"
while his claims upon fidelity to Himself, will
become an ever present incentive to fidelity in the
service of the people we represent.
The year which is drawing towards close has
been one of prosperity to our people. Though
threatened drouth has repeatedly filled them with
apprehension and alarm they have finally been per-
mitted to reap an abundant harvest-thus happily
finding increased motives to gratitude, In deliver
ances from impending danger, rendered the more
impressive by strong contrast with less favored por-
tons OF our country.
great trust has been committed to us, as the
constituted guardians of the interests of this peo-
pie. If, in the struggles connected with the cleo
ton which has sent US here, we have suffered I'M
worthy passions to gain ascendancy, as they too
often do in political contests, we cannot come here
and enter upon the sober work Of surveying our
responsibilities without dismissing them all, taxi
ing each other by the hand fellow citizens and
brethren, and striving together for the faith OF our
fathers, and the furtherance of the great ends for
WINCH tHeJ estdpllsneu tnt government VIC huFc
been appointed TO administer. How shall we best
accomplish these ends, within the brief space Of
our annual session is question TO which you will
allow me briefly TO invite your attention.
The institution of civil government is designed
TO become an actively benefcent agency. The re-
straint of force is far from being its only object.
Excepting in governments purely arbitrary, law de-
riyes its energy from force to itself
the force of deep and abiding sentiment of yen-
laxv--a 1--we Of nFdpr--hahiiuaI galf-rq-
Standardization and purity of moral feeling, and
intelligence to guide it wisely in the complicated
affairs of human life
Civil government, then, accompshes its object,
not when il Furnishes crime, but when it prevents
IFS commissions not by providing lails aud peniten-
hares, but by preventing the necessity OF their ex-
istence; by training the people, as far as law can
properly interpose its power TO intelligence and the
love Of virtue The fathers Of our State felt this,
when, with characteristic wisdom, they declared in
the constitution, that laws for the encouragement
oil virtue and the prevention Of vice and immortality
ought to be constantly kept in force and duly exc
cnted; and a competent number Of schools ought
to be maintained in each town, for the convenient
instruction Of youth, and one or more grammar
schools be Incorporated and properly supported in
each county in the State" Thus were the encour.
agement of virtue, the suppression Of vice, and the
maintenance of schools, deemed so vital 10 the wei
fare Of the State as to demand for them a special
provision in IFS organic law.
So large portion of my first annual message to
the General Assembly was devoted to the subject
of education, that deem it necessary do little
more now than to refer you, as | most respectfully
do, to that message for my views in regard to it.
The present has been truly denomnated an age
of progress The human mind is vigorously seiz
ing and carrying out to practical results, the mo
mentous truths which respect the relations of mel
to each other, and the appropriate means of accom-
pllshing the purposes of human society and gov
eminent. AT the foundation of this vast moyemen
lies the great work Of Education--tbe work of de
veloPng and giving right direction to mental AM
moral power And ii human government is to b.
regarded as an institution designed to perfect tn
purposes Of society, and improve the condition o
man upon earth, it needs no labored argument Il
show that education, thus defined, is among tn
highest duties Of those entrusted with its admins
tralion.
Nor should il be forgotten that there are right
co-relatiye to this duty. Every child in the Stat
has a right TO be educated-a right as essential
reciprocal to the claim of the State TO allegiance
as is the right to protection The question whetf
er the children of a State shall be educated, is n
more question of mere expediency, than is III