Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-10-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Ftliow Citizens of The Senate,


Feltow Citizens Of The Senate,
and House Of Representatives
Elected by the VOICE OF the people to the Office
of Chief Magistrate of this State, enter upon
the duties appertaiDing thereto, with a fearful
disrust Of my competency to discharge them il
an acceptable manner. But ever Gccustom I'd tc
respect that ice, regarding the confidence and
appreciation Of the people as the highest honol
to which any individual can attain, and having
in repeated instances experienced their PARTIAL.
ty and friendship. shall obey their high com.
mands, and commence the duties attached tC
the responsible situation in which their suffiages
have placed me, trusting that they will duly APP
precate an honest and conscientious endeavor Ia
perform them, and that they will with candor
veil any imperections, and unintentional errors
and mistakes which may commit.
When call to mind the distinguished indi,
vduas who have heretofore been placed in this
office and more particularly when reflect upon
the dignifed, able, and honorable manner in
which my immediate predecessor has discharged
the duties thereof, feel that | shall have ia
draw largely upon that charity aud candoI, al
can only indulge the hope, but lthout any con
tident expectation, that | shall be able TO leave
the office with the same reputation which they
have carried with them on their retirement.
The first obligation mposed on the Executive
by the constitution is to meet with the General
Ass, M q the tim and y ace, where they are
!" CURED 10 meet, by the Constitution and laws.
IL 10 win pei<ure that perform, this obligation
and meet you at this time and on this occasion
The assembling Of the representatives. of the
nenple iG their Legislative capacity, To consult
Tor the welfare and advance the happiness Of
those whom they represent, is interesting as ex
hlbltlng the beauty and unostcnthclous charac
Icr of our republican institutions, ana important
us upon the wisdom and integrity ol their meas
ures, TINT welfare in great degree Depends
Identical in interest aud feeling with the geal
body OF their constituents, it is moi to be doubt
I'd, ey will bring with them he best inteptons
that they viii be actnated bg sincere desire to
promote the interests of the whole as well as
that of every individual, so far ns the latter is
consistent with the tomer; be governed BY thu
highest primo pies ct reason, vlttne, ana Inorall.
~ and above a. that IN Consulting Tor the wei
fare OF christian people, we shall all earnestly
pndeavor to conform to the rules OF christian
morals, and look Ia Him Tor guidance. who holds
The destiny of nations IN His hands, and bv
whom kings reign and princes decree Justice
Having but little practical experience IN the bu
SnesS Of legislation, it cannnt be expected III II
in my first annual message, | should Gull your
attention to many suH jecls. which may be proper
for your con>ld raiIon. Fortunately, SO little
Legislation is necessary for the Interests of TIL.
State, aud with that interest the iefl acting men
are So familiar, that apprehrnd no Inconveni
ence from any want Of mexperience and fur
thai r,,H
whatever difference Of opinion there may be on
other SUBJECTS, great unannnlty Of sentiment
Exists, III what relates to the prosperity of his
Sale. 1t is no, to be expected, however, that
even on thus, there should be an entire concl
de- nee OF views and On other important subjects,
arising from our connection with other States,
under one general government, we know there
lis great diversity Of sentiment. Freed IN OF in
Iveslgalion " dlscusslOn which is nec4ss Try ulI-
IIder our lee Institutions, to enable men 10 under.
stand what Is required of them, unavoldably
Heads to The Formation OF parties. 1t is not in
Human nature that the minds of all, although
yllmlng to attain the same end should arrive at
Sthr sane result, or agree in the measures to be
Gadoped for Its attainment The existence oil
Epar,les, arising from difference of views hon.
Iiesty entertained, is not without its benefits as
I'Well as It's evils. If parties exercise watch
fitness over each other, and scrutnizing ieal-
ousy of the measures proposed by each, it will
lead to careful and cautious investigation Of
those proposed, before they will be adopted -
Thus far parties exercises benefcial influence
but when there is an indiscrIminate opposition
by one, TO all those proposed by the other, and
| they are influenced by ambition, and seek only
the attainment of individual emoument. they
prevent, or retard, the adoption OF such salutary
measures as The general welfare may require
endanger the principles of civil liberty and by
their excess and violence approximate to the
very verge OF civil war. At such times the
spirit of party may truly be considered as the
spirit Of discord, faction and dsunion. The les
son inculcated by this view of the nature and
effect Of parties, cannot be misunderstood. Ii
teaches US that we should investigate with calm.
ness and candor, cultivate spirit Of concIIIa
ton and charity towards those who differ frou
Us, yielding all due respect to the opinions
others, and the integrity of their motives, unless
It is PLAIN and palpable that they proceed frou
Il peIvelse disposition. But this spirit nf char
ty and Cancellation does not require either of in
dividuaIs or Suites to abandon their own inter
est, nor can they be justified in yielding an,
moral principle or in giving cOuntenlnce to AM
great political or moral evil, to sppease ihos,
Hho oppose them. In political or christian eth
les there should be no compromise with vice
and no Cancellation offered to fundamental erro
or gross nIqulty
The subject of education pointedly and forci
hly pre-, nuts itself to the consideration of ever
friend Of liberty and humanity. At no previou
period, has it SO much occup ed the attention Il
all classes of community, both in this countr,
and IN Europe. TIE wise and intelligent SCI
the Importance of giving an curly impulse t
the mind, IN fave. of virtue and religion. Tn
wild and absurd theories of nrany radical re
formers, are frequently the result Of reflection
upon evils resisting and apparent, and of mista
ken and iniudlcious attempts to reform them
They see what should be obvious to all, Lha