Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-10-26
N Z S \ A G E..
Fe'2oV Citizens Of the Senate anil orhe
H,uoo Of

H0HSP Of nepfeSentntUeS
AT our entering upon the satvcs OF the State for
new political term, it is lue to Him from whoa all
good things proceed, lhlt we gratefully acknowledge
His goodness so sign1Ily illustrated by the ample
measure OF temporal blessings Imputed to the people
OF this State in the year past With the deepest con.
scenti0usnes5, fathers, in peace aud in war in
prosperity or adversely in all their public councils,
recognized the Divine Providence: and it is I fwt
which keeps bright the hope we cherish for the De-.
nnnent welftre of orr country that the rtvelent eN
ample the departed Commended to Us has moi been, ~
yet, either forgotten or sighted. The PRAYER Of the
true patriot Is thlt it may be long before human pride
or L vtln philosophy shlll az luce u.s. as nltOn. q
deny orr dep 'nlence VI God or mike us ashamed tr
avow it, And now, while we are iute CHI ngin.! cor
g'atufh ms over tn physical gifts bestowed upon us
let rs not be nnninltul, thlt whHever of wisdom
have with which to conceive measures for the general
good, springs not from 1ursolves but, cometh down
from above. The thought of this if it attend out leI
lsltive deberatons will chlsten the feeling of sell
confidence, and, aiding in the exercise of judgment
in lecillng, and Of prudence in acting, will guide II,
the more su ely in the path Of duty.
You will MT EXPECT th,t in nAting this conn1n-
c'tlon array before you mlny topics. So simple IS
the torn and so elSY the worang of oar SITE govern
ment-so quietly do civil and political institutions
move on in their courses seldom, in our compare.
tive secluslon is the SUFFICE of popu content ruff
TINT very stringent eXgency for Legislative intuf
position rarely occIrs, Oar municipal poiy still rests
m1iny on its first principles, AMI few among US, it
believe l. disposed to disturb the fDuni zion i4
Theory H. that laws no. meu govern, AMI although the
mlxln hts been SO often utefe Is TO hive become
tn SIN, we sndI nevertheless be profel by frequently
recurring to me essential truth it confirms In po.
liticA system blsed on the unioubel right Of all ma
10 self government The mlintenace Of civil liberty de-
pendS upon the supremacy of the law. The proofs,
that government orignled by and ad nlnj5ered for
the people is prcticlbe are thicy spread on the Pr
ges Of our history: AMI are living witnesses to thu
emnen Of the experiment for the enlargement
Of the h1pone7s ofthe race, on which ancestors
hlzrle all they had. lntrinscAlly, the laws have
no force They cannot, to speak, execute their own
commas Being only the expon3nts of the reso
tons of the rep sentative boly, they require the will
an the action Of the peopet to enc gize then. Here,
therefore, where no 4cutive power exists which is
not darvative from the legislative power moral sub
mission to the law is Il positive condition ofs supre
macy, The sentiment of reverence of it Shout b.
early cultivated. No QUE who loving his children
loves also his country will ne sect to teach at his fire
side the doctrines of respect and OF obedience to the
laws of The lad.
It is a TRUTH having init nate connection with the
idel above expressed that the of obligation to-
honor the laws enforce their sanctions is lkenel by
very feqnent chlugcs III them. Th9 fast conception
of stable governn M is tint in tue ure Of thin g
us reS OF V 'ft ID De COl5 I'M, atei lO at mos,
only on imperative necessity fpr confirming with tn,
material changes that grow out Of the progress of so
ciey. 1t is i be kept in mind moreover tnat no code
can be mule to meet AM sl,fy at oaGe every ner.
gency in the affurs OF lite. The leading provisions
Of all statutes to be deemel in one view of the H.
mere principles in the alapltion Of which to cases as
tn y arise the tendencies an1 efct5 of those provi
ions will be elcted. Tine an careful study are
Indispensable to the duly adjusting with the general
In, a II Rl.i1 IA, hitr.J nd
the different sources of legt controversies can hlv
filled to discern thlt d then owe their exs1an.
enre 10 the uncetHinty which wells the construction Of
s0Me recent act n)I y4- in lcily exp)ulled, Yield
lng to the force Of the considerations thn9 briefly sta
ted an Others Of mach weight omitted, submit tn
propo4ition, which. think, should hive continual pres
ence ani authority IN every law making body, that NJ
eltctnent be plss,l unh it shtll have BEEN clearly
shawn thlt the hrnonY IF the gen 4ra law oftha man
subject void ut be thereby btoken. The m,tnre |
experience Of Others sn3tlns my cDnil9nca in the
pinnn, that were the rule nn ltel ldiarad TO- con,
jecural e,nandlons of thu statutes woul less FIRE
openly b. tired, anlso our legal system would obtain
time oc conSi lerlcion.
The inject Of PopI'lr Elrc ition is one that mus
not pass unnot'cel. While would not consciously
invade the province Of the lcco nDsh,d ;Stlte Sup min
teniant Of Cam non Schools, wh)so report it is assul
ed will soon be laid before you shDul feethlt part
OF my ddjy zen anel unpsfforns1 If oattal to ply
my tribute OF resp ,ct to cause mlnitestly dessrv
ing Of high cnIi 9;Ito1 III this Suite, mu;h To its
honIr, ar elt ,sre to widen ths sco1e an nnIti
p the mems Of mental Instruction, has evlncel It's
resouteness in parsevarlng etfts on the part of thu
Legislative auhorte; fjr the nttlnn4ns o. thlse Oh
9ct3: AMI to these IN lelvoB the people, moved by an
npise too disintere 'ted for A,on4y, have given
generous support. lii this cause no purity victories
may he won.
E,Iucatlon far all, is now denlnlel. Tn1uisltivn
men long since found out, tllt there is I'D such thin
MS that which literary tops hive called the gar
mind" The artificial distinctions Of the pls are yield
ing the claims OF .on n1n sense an common lscg
and it is foreshadowed that in country if MT else
where, man is to ttke rank by the in assure of his IN.
tellectull ability and The degree of his moral worth
Coming up from all ptrtS Of our nonweath
you have ample intormaton OF The operations aud aus,
spices of the systsn Of Common Schools. Tint it Is
the best that can be DEVISED is not vet demon 'trate
Re ults in some Of its provisions yet elnan to be dc
veloped. These, a'cerained, my show that it has
intrinsic defects. AS it might have been expected
tho are conflicting opinions pronounced in respect
OF It's utility. There those who insist tht it Is
cncunbe cred with too many officers nul is, therefore
d3tract'dly administered. Others urge, that it does
not insure the requisite competency Of those who are
to decide upon the qualifications of telchers holding
that, as consequence, the standard Of fitness 10 in
st"uct is widely varied b. different examiners Upon
LleSe SUGGESTIONS Illtk6 III my NleW
however, there rests upon us weghty obligation to
create and maintain legal scheme for Common
Schools, which shall, in due time become permanent
The honor of the State and the welfare Of the PEG
pie exact it. And if there required stout re
sistunce to frequent dical Innovations it would seem
to be emphltically demanded in behalf of every gen
eral educational policy: such an one always pleading,
with cogent reason for time the main criterion Of
its merits. If we bear nmnd the fact that the char
acter of each generation is, substantially, formed BY
the one that precedes it, shlll not nc0nsidcately
vary the course OF public action upon any of the lead
ing measures TINT bear upon that character. In this
day of ardent rivalry pervadng all departments Of
scierce, art and trading economy, we may not deal
out scholastic knowledge 10 the youth in set portions
Nor will uny amount Of human leurning suffice foi
them unless they are also, trained in the disciplinary
exercises that educate while they inform the mind -
in which SENSE only, is knowledge power. We shall
not trust, be satisfied with any advance towards the
acquisition of a sound literature for all classes until
| hall 81 Sc Lao