Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-08-20
a model Executive Message.

Our own is APPLY denomnaed an cage Of
Progress and perhaps in nothing is the spirit
and temper Of that progress which is not i'm
provemont more clearly seen than in the in
creased lcngh of all manner of Executive Mes-
sagos. Since the beginning of the evil DAYS
when Locofocosm became predominant in the
country, ideas have seemed 10 require more and
more an cxnbcrant and extravagant dres. of
words--as little children. in our modern times.
are bonounced and befnrbelowed and bepanta.
lcttcd till they sometimes look like walking tow
shops. 1t was not so in the old times Words
were understood, then. to be the instruments for
EXPRESSING not, as Tacyrand said, for conceal
ing thoughts, and the f>wer The words. it was
sensibly supposed, the palmer The thought. Now.
as a general thing. Executive Messages. from
the Presidents to the Governors are an endless
verhosity. an ocean Of words to float a small
skiff of ideas. Van Buren, and Slas Wright.
especially, are distinguished for the suilocatinp
boundles.ness of their method of expressing
themselves. No man ever looked at one of their
messages, or public documents. without being
dismayed and COMPOUNDED at the outset! He
hardly dared trust himself on the unknown
sea- without pilot-and if he did he was very
apt to get lost. 1t was the Mediterranean with
ont its Archipelago--a main shore and broad
waters, but no islands
The truth is it is a much easier thing to write
a long message, or essay. than n short one and
the spirit Of the age is averse to idJOr. This is
one reason why public men spin ont like spiders.
Another is that they frequently aim to impart an
equ,rocal meaning to their paragraphs, and this
cannot be done with brevi'y and conciseness.
They frequently ciSh to write the English Ian
guage so that it will require an Interpreter, an
official dragoman, to explain its meaning, and
this cannot be done without verbal straiagems
and indirections. As we have before remarked,
there was nothing Of this in the old times, when
men said what they meant and meant what they
said. And as an Illustration of this we lay be-
fore our readers Message, or Executive Speech,
made BY Governor THOMAS CHlTrENDEy to the
Legislature of this State, as the record hath it
" on Tuesday the 18Th October, 1896, s o'ciock
A. NJ" We call it a model Message. Here
it is -
Tuesday. Ish October 1896, 8 o'clock L. " The
Hols. met pursuant 10 adjournment,
The Council and llouse OF Representatives being
present, his Egcellency addressed Them in the follow
ing Speech, VIZ.
! Gentlemen Of the Council and assembly.
You are so well knowing TO the manifold favors
and blessings bestowed on us people, by the great
Ruler OF the Universe that il would be unnecessary Ol
,ls.t..t RI |
serve, that but few years since we were without
Constitution, Inv or Government, in state Of anar-
chy and confusion, at war with potent foreign power
opposed 10y powerful neGhboring State-Iiscuunte,
na0""d V 'tH tunHr"ss-- .17- NN '....0 sell
siuns--ui landed properly IN inmiuen, danger
and without the means OF defence.
| Now your eyes behold the happy day when we are
in the full and uninterrupted enjoyment OF n well reu-
lated Government, suited to the situation and genius
OF the people, acknowledged by all the powers Of the
earth supported by the Congress, AT peace with oui
/ sister States, among ourselves, and all the world,
! From whence did these great blessings come From
/ God Are they not worth enjoying They surely
are. Does it not become us us people TO improve
them, that we may have reason to hope they may be
continued to US and transmitted TO posienty! 1t GER
tainly does.
What are the most likely measures to be taken by
US people To obtain this great end To be iaiih
ul, vlrtuous, industrious and II moral people. Does u
not become Us as the Legislature TO take every method
in power 10 encourage virtue, industry, morality
religion and learning | think it does. Is there any
better method that can be taken by us to answer tins
purpose, than, by our own example and having sa
cred regard to virtue, industry integrity and moralit,
in all our appointments OF executive and Judicial OH
GERS This is The day We have appointed To nominate
all our subordinate executive and judicial oiiicer
| throughout the State Tor the present year
The people by their free suiIages have given the
power aud in us they have placed their confidence
and To God, TO them, and our conscience are W.
accountable,
Suffer me. sir as a leader, father, as friend
and lover OF this people and whose voice can
not be much longer heard here, to instruct you in al
your appointments 10 have regard TO none but thos,
rity, and distinguished Tor wisdom and abilities. II
doing this you viii encourage virtue which is the glory
| of people and dscounenance and discourage vic,
and proaneneSs, which are repfoach to any people