The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-10-24
MESSAGE.


At our entering upon The service OF me S'ale
for new political term, 1t Is dne 10 i.Im
whom all good things proceed, thnt we gIA'eI1
acknowledge His goodness so signally Hiustraleu
hy the ample measure Of temporal blessings I'M
p5rted TO ito reople Of this State: IN the year
mas, With the deepest censcientlousness, our
fathers in peace and in war, in prosperity OF au
vcrsiiy, il, all their public counciis, recoshLeu
the Divine Providence and 1t Is iact WHICH Aee'
bright the hope we cherish for the permanent "ei-
fare OF, orr country, that the reverent example
the departed commend 10 US has not been, as yer,
either forgotten or sighted. The prayer oil me
Irue patriot is that it may be long before human
pride or a vain philosophy shall seduce Us, as
nation. 10 DENY our dependence on GOD, or make
r, ashamed TO nvow it. And now, while we are
iu.erchanging congratul! tons over Inc physlcsi
lifts bestowed upon us, let us not be unmindiui,
that whatever Of wisdom we have with which TO
conceive measures for the general good, springs
not from ourselves but, coIneth down from above.
The thought of this if it attend our Legislative
deliberations will chasten the feeling OF selfcon-
fdcncc and aiding US in the exercise OF Judg-
ment in deciding. and Of prudence IN aciine,
will guide us the more surely IN the pain OF
duty.
You will not expect that, in making this com
inunication, array before you many topics. 90
simple is the form and so sasy the working OF
our State Governmental quietly do our civil
and political institutions move on in their course
50 seldom. in our comparative seclusion, Is the
surface of popular content ruflied-that very
stringent exigency for Legislative interpositIon
rarely occurs. Our municipal policy still rests,
,nainlv, on its first principles, and few among us,
i is believed are disposed to disturb the founda-
ron. Its theory is, that laws, not men, govern
and although the maxim has been so often utter
I'd as TO have become truism, we shall neVertne-
less be proted by frequently recurring 10 the es-
scptial truth it contains. In a political system
basel on the undoubted right of all men to self
government, the maintenance Of civil liberty de-
pends upon the supremacy Of the law. The
proofs, that a government originated by and ad-
ministered for the people is practicable, are thick
~ spread on the pages Of our history; and we
orc living witnesses to the eminent success OF tho
experiment for he enlargement OF the happiness
Of the race on which or ancestors hazarded all
they mad. Intrinsically, the laws have no force.
They cannot, so to speak, execute their own com
Inands Being only the opponents of the resolu-
tio;s OF the representative body they require the
will al the action of the people 10 energize them
Here therefore where no executive power exists
which is not derivative from the legislative pow
CT moral submission 10 the law IS positive con
diiOn ofits supremacy. The sentiment OF rever-
enc Of it should be early cultivated. No one,
WHO Loving his children, loves also his country,
v
Of respect and Of obedience 10 the laws Of the
land.
It's truth, having intimate connection with
the idea above expressed, and the sense of obi
CATION TO honor the laws and enforce their sane
tions is weakened by very frequent changes in
them. The first conception of a stable govern
mcnt IS that in the nature Of things, its rules of
duiy are to be constant, alterable, ut most, only
on imperative necessity for conforming with the
material changes that grow out of progress OF So
ciety 1t il to be kept in mind, moreover, that no
code can be made 10 meet and satisfy at once ev-
cry emergency in the affairs OF life. The leading
provisions of all statutes TO be deemed, in one
view Of them, nero principles. in the adaptation
nj which 20 cases as they arise, the tendencies
and effects of those provisions will be elected
Time apd careful study are indispensable to the
duly adjusting. with the general law new stat
ute. Besides no habitual observer of the differ
ent sources OF legal controversies can have failed
10 discern, that some Of them owe their existence
TO the uncertainty which wells the construction of
some recent act not yet judicialIy expounded.
Yielding to the force of the considerations thus
lriefv stated. and others CT much weight omitted.
] submit the proposition, which, think, should
have continual presence and authority in every
lawmakng body, that ne enactment be passed
nntil it shall have been clearly shown that the
harmony of the general law of the main subject
"Oulu uOk NC liltIcl'N bIOAch HC AisAhoiSA -
pericnce of others sustains my confidence in the
opinion. that were tho rule intimated adhered to,
eonjectural cancellations of the statutes would
less frequently be tried, and so our legal system
would obtain time for consolidation.
The subject Of Popular Education is one that
must NOT pass unnoticed. While / would not
consciously invade the province Of the accom-
plished State Superintendent Of Common Schools
whose report il is assumed, will soon be laid be-
fore you, | should feel that part Of my duty re-
manned unperformed if / omitted 10 pay my trib-
ute Of respect TO cause so manifestly deserving
high consideration. In this State, much to its
honor, an ardent desire TO widen the scope and
multiply the means of mental instruction, has E.
WINGED its resoluteness in persevering efforts on
the part of the Legislative authorities for the at
tainment of those objects and 10 these endcavors
the people, moved by an impulse too disintercst
cd fer jea ousy, have given generous support
In this cause no party victories may be won
Education for all, is now demanded. Inquis
tive men long since found ont, that there is M
such thing that which literary fops have called
the vulgar mind The artificial distinctions o
the past are Welding to the claims of common
sense and common justice, and it is forcshadowct
that, in orr country, if not elsewhere, man is Il
take rank by the measure Of his intellectual abil
ity and the degree of his moral worth.
Looming up from AL parts OF our common
wealth, you have ample information of the opera
lions and auspices of the system of Common
Schools. That it is the best that can be devised
is not yet demonstrated. Results in some of it
provisions, remain to be developed. These, as
certaincd, may show that it las intrinsic defects
As it might have been expected, there arc confic
ting opinions pronounced in respect of its utility
There are those who insist that it is encumbere,
with too many officers, and is, therefore, distract
eddy administered. Others urge. that it does no
insure the requisite competency of those who ar
to decide upon the qualifications Of teachers
holding THAT, a consequence, the standard of fiji
ness to instruct is widely varied by different ex
aminers. Upon these suggestions l make n
comment. In my view, however, there rests up
on MS a weighty obligation TO create and maintain
legal scheme for Common Schools, which shall
in due time become permanent. The honor @
the State and the welfare Of It's people exact il
And if there is ever required stout resistance t
frequent radical innovations, it would seem to
emphatically demanded in behalf of every genera
educational policy; such an one always pleadin
with cogent reason, for lime is the main criterie
OF its merits. II We bear in mind the fact tina
the character Of each generation is, substantial,
formed by the one that precedes IT, we shall NO
inconsideratcly vary the course of public nctio