Demoine courier., 1854-12-21
GOVERNOR GRIMES
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Gentlemen of The Senate,

ueeh eieVateo by me SURFACES oil my
fellow citizens, il becomes my duty, I'M
der the Constitution, TO call your at,en-
ton to such subjects as believe demand
your consideration.
No one, however connected with leg
islation, can too highly estimate the res
possibilities of his position. He canno,
feel too deeply the delicacy OF his labors,
and his ignorance Of the complicated
3ructure and conflicting interests of so
Eety. over which he is called to exercise
-control. To legisla,e is the noblest en-
poymens in which he can be engaged,
and the most difficult of satisfactory ex-
ecution.
II is so every where, but it is peculiarly
SO in a new and growing Stale. where
the population is drawn from all parts of
the civilized globe, where the public in
slitu,ions are just being established, and
where different portions of the State are
in different conditions Of progress and
development. 1t is difficult task to
protect and advance the pioneer interests
OF our western settlements and also en-
courage, and establish on substantial
basis, the commercial and manufacturing
interests of the old counties, by general
laws. tina, snail operate equally and bene
ficen,ly upon all. 1t is not an easy mat
ter to lay strong and deep the founda-
tions of the educational institutions of a
new State, and to rear thereon super
structures, tha, shall honor the State and
bless mankind. The duty of restoring
reason to those who are bereft of it, of
giving sight to the blind and hearing to
the deaf, by the establishment and proper
endowment of charitable institutions; of
repfessing evil; of furnishing crime of
stimulating industry; of protecting pub
lie virtue, and Of mairtaing the integrity
of the State sovereignty, canno, be ex
ercised without mourning grave response
Utilities.
Government is established for the pro-
teclion of the governed. But that pro
lection does not consist merely in the
enforcement, of laws agaiEs. injury TO
The person and property. Men do not
make voluntary abnegation of their
natural rights, simply that those righp
may be protected by the body polite
II reaches more vital interests than those
of property. Its greatest object is to
elevate and ennoble the citizen. l,
would fall far short of its design if it did
not disseminate intelligence, and build
up the moral energies of the people. II
r. p.r Cd ptoh lich
mote the public welfare and secure the
blessings of liberty" 1, is designed to
foster the instincts of truth, justice and
philanthropy, that are implanted in our
very natures, and from which all consti-
tutions and all laws derive their validity
and value. Il should afford moral as
well as physical protection, by educating
the rising generation: by encouraging in
dus,ry and sobriety; by steadfastly adj
herring to the right, and by being ever
true to lie instincts of freedom and hu-
mainly.
To accomplish these high aims OF
government, the first requisite is ample
provision for the education of the youth
of the Stale. The common-schoo! fund
of the State should be scrupulousjy pre-
served, and mere efficient system Of
common schools than we now have
should be adopted. The State should
see to II tina, the elements of education,
like the elements of universal nature,
are above, around, and beneath all.
Ills agreed that the safety and per-
pelnity of our republican institutions de-
ponds upon the diffusion of intelligence
among the masses of the people. The
-stansiios of the penilenliaries and aims
houses throughout the country, abund
aniy show, that education is the best
preventive of pauperism and crime. -
They show. also, that the prevention of
those evils is much less expensive than
the punishment of the one, and the re-
lief OF the other. Education, too, is the
great equalizer Of human conditions. |,
places the poor on an equality with the
rich. II subjects the appetites and pas
sions of tho rich 10 the restraints Of rea-
son and conscience. and thus prepares
each for career of usefulness and honor.
Every Consideration, therefore, of duty
aud policy, impels US TO sustain the com.
mon schools of the State in the highest
possible efficiency.
I am convinced that the public schools
should be supported by taxation Of prop.
eriy, and that the present rate system
should be abolished. Under the present
system of per capita tax upon the
scholars, the children of the poor are in
measure excluded from the benefit of
the schools, whilst the children of the
opulent are Withdrawn from them TO be
educated in private institutions. Proper
~ is the only legitimate subject of taxa
ton. II has its duties, as well as its
rights. II needs the conservative infu-
ences OF education, and should be made
10 pay for its own protection.
! suggest the propriety Of establishing
in each school district in the State, a
district school library. ] believe that an
act appropriating to each district small
sum OF money for this purpose, provid-
cd the district would appropriate an
equal amount, would be received by the
people with the highest satisfaction. Ii
I. would establish in each district comply
ing with the provisions of the act, a