Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1861-01-10
MESSAGE
GOVERNOR ROBERT M. STEWART
TO THE
TwEETY-FIRsT GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Rep
resenidficeS:
The closing day Of another year-a yeal
filed with interesting events, and foreshad
owing others of still graver importance
called you together as the legal represen.
tatives OF the people, TO constitute The
Twenty-First General Assembly of Mis-.
souri,.
As The Chief Executive of the State, il
is made my duty 10 communicate with you
upon such subjects OF present and pressing
interests as should commend themselves 10
your immediate attention and careful delib-
Grafton. First of all, l would unite with
you IN sentiments Of profound gratitude 10
the Giver of all good Tor His manifold bles-
sings conferred upon us as people, and in
deprecating HIS wrath against our State
and Nation.
Inasmuch as our Government is both
general and local in IFS charac erisiics and
jurisdiction, the Federal Constitution form
ing quasi Constitution OF each individual
State, being openly and formally sworn tc
by all State officers, and the obligations tc
support ii tacitIy acknowledged by all The
people, ii is proper that our Federal Rea-
tions, including our rights as sovereign
State, anG Our obligations 10 the General
Government, should be carefully consid-
cred and wisely acted upon. The very
idea of an organized community implies
that portion Of the individual rights must
be surrendered for the common good. A
man entirely isolated from his fellows,
night possess an indefeasible right 10 all
his property; but the moment he became
subject OF civil government, portion oil
his acquired wealth must be used 10 sup-
port system of domestic police. as well as
other legitimate means Of promoting the
COED order, happiness and prosperity Of the
community TO which he belongs. On the
same principle, has been framed the league
which binds together The States of the great
American Republic, which, whatever may
be its faults, is doubtless the noblest polili-
cal fabric ever reared by human hands
The first stones of this glorious temple
were laid in wisdom and cemented by the
blood of The truest patriots the world has
ever known.
Even at the frs! il was seen that q vast
extent OF territory, embracing within IFS
bounds every variety Of soil, climate, pro-
duclion and resource, would require almost
as great variety in the local laws and ill.,
stitu,ions of the different districts. Hence
the Federal Constitution was the child Of
compromise ana concession. Ii gave 10 the
General Government only such powers as
should enable ii 10 act for the general de-
tense, and for the common coed; whilst all
such matters as related TO the local interests
and institutions were left as the just pre-
negatives Of the several States.
So long as these compromises were OBJ
served in good faith, and their conditions
executed in just and friendly spirit, their
natural fruits appeared in the steady and
rapid increase OF population, wealth, and
general prosperity, in every section of the
Republic. The very diversity Of interests
seemed to produce stronger political unity;
the larger the bundle Of sticks the harder
to break, SO long as they remained bound
together. Our country, in the vastness Of
its extent, and The variety Of IFS interests,
resources and productions, seemed 10 pos
sess the elements Of lasting union and in
dependence. Each individual looked for 9
supply ofihe necessaries, comforts ard lux
riries of life TO every section OF the Repub-
lie. His manufactured goods must come
from the East and North; his wheat and
corn from the Middle and West; his rice
from the Carolinas; his cotton from the
South; his sugar from The Southwest; his
furs and peltries from the Rocky Noun.
tains: and, through the golden gate Of Cali
f,rnia, the richer treasures Of the new Ell
Dorado. This condition Of mutual depend
ence appeared 10 be the true element Of a
lasting fraternity of States. This idea was
strenolhened by the rapid increase of facil-