Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-10-27
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

whom OIL good things proceed, that VIC RinWiuF
~ acknowledge His g(Rlncss 50 signnlly iilus'in-
ted by the ample measure Of temporal bless'ngs
impaired to the people Of this State, in the year
past With the deepest conscieniiousncss, our
fathers, in peace and in war, in prosperity or
adversely, in all their public councils recognized
the Divine Providence; and Il is fact which
keeps bright the hope we cherish for the perma-
nent welfare Of our country, that the revcrent
example the departed commended 10 us has not
been, as yet, either forgotten or sighted. HE
prayer Of the true patriot is, that Il may be long
before human pride or u vain philosophy shall
seduce US, as a nation, 10 deny our dependence
on God, or make us ashamed 10 nNow u. Ana
now, while VIC are inicrchanging congratulations
over the physical gifts bestowed upon US, let us
not he unmindiul that whatever OF wisdom We
have with which to conceive measures for the
general good springs bot from Ourselves but
cometh down from above. The thought Of this,
il Il attend our legislative deliberations, will
chasten the feeling Of self.conGdenrc, and, aid
ing us in the exercise Of Judgment in deciding,
and Of prudence in acting, will guide us the
more surely in the path Of duty.
You will not expect that, IN making this com
municalion, array before you many topics. So
simple is the form aud so easy the working e
our State goycrnment--so quietly do our ciyil
and political institutions move on in their cours-
ESQ seldom, in our comparative seclusion, is
the suriaec Of pol ular content ruflicd-tbat a
very stringent eNigeIcy for legislative intcrpo-
sitiou rarely occuis. Our municipal loliiy still
rests, mainly, on its iirst rinciplcs, aud few
among us, il Is believed, are disposed 10 disturb
the foundation. Its theory is, that laws, not men,
govern, and although the maxim has been 80 Of.
ten uttered as TO have become a truism, We shall
nevertheless be pro6lcd by frequently recurring
10 the essential truth il contains. In political
system basc, on the undoubtcd right Of all men
TO enlightenment, the maintenance of civil lib
erty depends upon the supremacy Of the law
The proofs, That government originated by and
administered for the people is practicable, are
ihickly spread on the pages Of cur history aud
we are living witnesses 10 the eminent success Of
the cxperimcn, for the enlargement Of The hap-
pincss Of the race, ON which our ancestors haz-
arded all they hud Ininnieally, the laws have
no force. They cannot, 20 10 speak, execute
iheiro own commands Being only the cxponenis
Of the resolutions Of the representative body,
they require the will and the action Of the pco-
pie 10 cnergize them. Here, therefore, where
no executive power exists which is not dcriya.
tive from the legislative power, moral submission
TO the law is positive condition Of is suprcma.
cy. The sentiment OF reverence OF It should be
early cultivated No one, Who loving his elil.
drcn loves also his country, will neglect to teach
ct his fre-sidc the doctrines Of respect aud IL
obedience to the laws Of The land.
II Is a truth, having intimate connection with
the idea above expressed, that the sense Of obi
cation to honor the laws and enforce their ssnc-
tons y weakened by very frequent changes In
them. The iirst conception 81 a stable govern
ment Is thai in the nature Of things, its rules d
duty are 10 be constant, alicrsble, At most. only
on imperative necessity for conforming with the
he
OF society. Ii Is 10 be kept 10 mind. moreover,
that no code can be made 10 meet and satisfy ni
once every emergency in the affairs OF life
The leading provisions Of all statutes are to be
deemed, in one view Of theni, nere principles,
in the adaptation Of which 10 cases rs they arisc,
the tendencies aud effects of those provisions
will be elected. Time aud careful study are in
dispcnsablc 10 the duly adjusting with the gen
eral law new statute. BESIDES, no hsbituaf OBJ
server Of the different sources Of legal contrO-
vorsies can have failed TO discern, that some Of
them one ilcir existence TO the uncertainty
which wells the construction Of some recent act
not yet lndicially cxpounded. Yielding TO the
force Of the considerations thus briefly stated,
and Others Of much weight omitted, submit the
proposition, which, ! think, should have toniin-
ual presence and authority 10 every law.InHking
have been eiesiis shss . s .s nns seIi.
general law oi the mail subject vonld not be-
thereby broken. Tho Ihniured experience Of
others susiains my confidence in the opinion,
that were the rule inliniaicd adhered To, oonjec-
iural cmenda,icns Of the statutes would less ire
quently be tired, and 20 our legal system would
obtain time for consolidation.
The subject Of Popular Education IS one that
must not pass unnoticed. While | would not
invade the province Of the accomplish
ed State Superintendent of Common S, fools,
whose report, it Is assumed, will soon be laid be-
fore you, should feel that part Of my duty re-
NAMED unperiormed If ! omitted to pay my trib-
ute OF respect TO a cause 80 maniiestly deserving
Of high consideration. In this State, much to lis
honor. an ardent desire TO widen the scope and
multiply the means of mental instruction, has
evineed its Tesouiebess in perseveTing efforts on
The part OF the Legislative authorities for the al
iainment OF those objects, and TO these cndrsv-
ors the people, moved by an imrulse too disin-
leresicd tor Jealousy, have gwen generous sup
port In tins cause no party victories may he
won. na
Education for all, is now demanded. lnqus-
tive men long since found out, that there is no
such thing as that which literary fops have called
The vulgar mind" The artificial distinctions Of
The past are yielding 10 The claims of common
sense and common justice and it is forc.ladowcd
That, IN our country, II not elsewhere, mhn is TO
lake rank ny the measure Of his Intellectual ab-
iy and the degree OF his moral worth.
Coming up frnm all ,parts oftur common !
wealth, you have ample information of the ope- !
raiions and auspices Of the system OF Common /
Schools, That il The best that can be devised,
Is not yet demonstrated. Results IN some Of It's /
pfetensions, renaln 10 be developed These,
lsccrtained, may show That Il has intrinsic de. 4
ccis As Il might have been expected, there
ire conflicting opinions pronounced in respect
of lis utility. There are those who insist that |
/ is encountered with too many officers, and is,
therefore, distraciedly administered. Others
irgc, that il does not insure the requisite compe-
ency Of those who ara to decide upon the oual.
ncaiions Of teachers; holding that, rs a consc-
Iucncc the standard Of fitness TO instinct Is
widely varied by different examiners. Upon
hcse suggestions mako no comment. In INV
Jew, however, there rests upon us n weiebty
obligation to create and mnintaip n legal scheme
or Common Schools, which shall, in due time.
become permanent. The honor Of thc State
md the welfare Of its people exact Il. And IL
here is ever required n stout resistance 10 fire.
luent radical innovations, il would seem 10 be
demanded in behalf of every gen
raj educational policy such an one always
pleading, with cogent reason, for time as the
main criterion of its merits IL VIC bear in
mind the fact, that the character Of each rencr- L
ton is, substantially, formed by the one that
'recedes il, we shall not inconsideraiely vary
he course of public action upon any Of The