The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-10-20
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

We have come together in obedience 10
the directions of the constitution to con.
suit upon the condition Of the state aud
to adopt such measures Of Legislation, with
IN the limits of the peoples charter under
which we are TO act. as their waits and
interests may seem to require. In the
performance Of this duty the labor as well
as the responsibility devoves almost ex
clusively upon you. Our state govern
ment is emphatically peoples govern.
ment, being more purely democratic in its
character than any other in America, aud
probably in the world. To the mmedia'e
representatives Of the people, of the sew
eral towns and counties in the state,is COM
mitted the absolute power of annually
choosing all the officers, both executive
and Judicial, who are not annually elected
by the PEOPLE, and of enacting such laws
az to the majority OF them, assembled in
their respective houses, shall seen meet
10 this power Of legislation the GOV.
ernor has not, as in most oil cur sister
states, even qualified negative. His All.
thorty is Of an advisory character merely.
by lnterposing objections to proposed
measure he may cause a reconsideration
Of it, but if a majority of the two houses
remain favorable to the measure, it be-
comes law without the app oval Of the
executive. The successful operation of
the popular features Of our system is a
subject OF just congratulation, furnishing
the strongest evidence of the wisdom and
foresight Of its trainers, as well us of the
virtue and intelligence of those by whom
it has been administered.
The past year has been one of unusual
depression in the business Of the country,
in which the people Of this state have
shared to considerable extent, though it
is believed in Il less degree than in many
others. Although an immediate restola.
tion of business to its former active and
successful condition is not perhaps to be
anticipated, We have still no occasion for
dependency. The productions of our soil
during the past season have been unusual
ly abundant; our people have been blessed
with an ordinary degree Of health are
in the full enjoyment OF civil and relig-
ions liberty, and the means of intellectual
culture, as well as Of comfor able bodily
subsistence, are believed to be within the
reach of all our citizens With all these
and numerous other blessings so bount.
fully showered upon us by a kind aud
bene6cent Providence, we have abundant
cause for thankiulness and rejoicing for
the past, and also for hope and confidence
iu the future.
Coming newly into Office and having
had little recent experien &C in state egis-
lation, l make this Introductory commu-
nioation rather in compliance with estab.
lished usage, than in any very confident
expectation Of furnishing you with essen
tial aid in the discharge Of your various
important duties. l shall however make
such suggestions as occur to me on some
subjects which deem worthy of your no.
tice, commencing them to your candid
consideration.
The report of the auditor of accounts,
which, in conformity to the provisions Of
law, has just been published, shows the
receipts and expenditures Of the state,
during the past poitica, year, and the
present condition of our state finances.
From this report it appears that the bal
ance in the treasury on the first Of Sep
TENDER, 1858, was s30,643 II, and that
the amount of taxes uncollectcd was
t6O,259 26, making together the sum q,
s9O,S9l 81 as the immediate available
resources Of the state, and that the III
debtedness OF the state, including order.
unpresented, the bank surplus fund and
th.a 10
surplus money. was SAB 04 o., exceed
ing the current available resources by the
sum Of $53,012 10. 1t is to be observed
that there has been expended in the con-
struction Of the new state house the sum
OF 861, l27 20, and but for this extraor.
binary expenditure, made necessary by the
accidental destruction Of the old cdihce,
the sum in the treasury and the assessed
taxes would exceed the state Indebtedness
by about the sum of $1,000. The poll
oy of the state from its first organization
has been against the creation OF perma-
nent state debt. Extraordinary and IN.
expected calls upon the treasury. ike that
now requiring the construction of II new
capitol, have occasionally been provided
for by temporary loans, but provision for
their speedy payment has always hereto
fore been made. This policy has had ii
strong tendency to produce iudiciou4
economy in our expenditures, and trust
is not to be departed from
The report Of the auditor Of accounts
also embraces the reports of the several
officers having the charge and inspection
respectively, of the Vermont Asylum for
the Insane, and Of the state prison, aud
also the bank commissioners report.
The report Of the commissioner of the
insane is highly complimentary to the con-
duct and management of the asylum, which
under the direction Of its experienced su-
perintendent and board Of trustees, APP
pears to be in very successful operation.
The reports of the directors of the Yer
mont state prison and its superintendent,
are also of favorable character. | would
respectfully call your attention to the rec
ommendation of the directors for recon-
structing the cells of the prison. which
the comfort as well as the preservation OF
the health of the inmates would seem to
demand