The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-13
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GOV. JACOB.
AT CHARLESTON,
MARCH 4. 1871.

rctt9E-t thzens OF Nest liry!Htc
BY the Constitution and laws of
the State, ] am charged with the per.
formance of duties which more or less
affect the interests and well being of
all the people. However light these
duties may seem, when compared
with those imposed upon the chief ex.
ecutive officers Of some Of our larger
sister States, with respect to the free
dom and welfare Of our people, they
are most grave and important. do
not, therefore, enter into the Office to
! which l have been elected by your
SURFACES with that confidence in nv
ability to meet successfully all itsres'
possibilities, which one with larger
experience in public affairs might
,rightfully claim; nor do l look upon
the Office itself as an empty honor
simply, to be conferred by the people
Of the State upon one of her citizens.
Though elected to office by one of
the grea: political parties Of the
country, | DO not conceive it to be
my duty to regard the rights aud in
teressS of that party alone. The
views and wishes, and, may l not also
say the prejudices, to some extent, Of
all, must be regarded and respected.
The minority as well as the majority
the few as we'll as the many-have
rights which canno. be trampled upon
without giving a shock to our whole
political system. The blind, snrea'
sOning rule Of the majority over the
minority is wholly at variance with
the spirit Of our republican institu-
tons. and if We ever lose OR boasted
freedom, it will be when NE forget
that others have rights as we'll al
ourselves. Our written Constitution,
and the laws made in pursuance
thereof, are intended to afford ample
protection t. the rights of all citizens
alike, and if it fail in this respect in
the slightest degree surely all should
csnsen. to correct the wrong by
amending it. 1t is my primary duty
to see that the Constitution be pre-.
served inviolate, and that the laws be
faithfully executed. 1t is my prov
ince neither to make laws nor to con
strue them, except 60 far as author.
lied 20 do SO. The Legislative and
Judicial Departments Of the Govern
nent have their well defined and in.
dspenden. powers and limitations, and
their appropriate functions must not
te invaded By the Executive Depart
ment.
The continued advancement Of our
DC ople in wealth, and in the arta of
civilized life, demand that as small a
proportion of their means shall be
withdrawn from the productive forms
ofindnstry in the way Of taxes as is
compatible with the requirements Of
well organized Government. The
position that heavy taxation lie ulti-
masely no loss or injury to a people,
from the fact that the money drawn
from them in this way is refunded by
it, expenditure among them, is dan
gerous fsllacy. Every dollar unnec-
cass.rily collected as tax, is the
conversion of so much productive re-,
sources into non-produc.ire sxpendi-
lures.
In view ofthe fact that honor and
our Con, titution alike requires US to
assume or pay an equitable portion of
the old debt of Virginia, and of the
probable increase Of our public bur.
dens from this cause, it will be abso.
lutely necessary that our ordinary ex-
penIitures shall be reduced to the
lowest amount that our necessities
will permit. That the State may
promptly meet all its obligations and
THE machinery of its government be
k kept in proper motion, officials har-
lay ng charge of the collection of the
ia, nblic dues must be required strictly
has as d accurately to account for all
owe Ineys with which they are charge
Va nr a..
ns5 system Of public instruction has
hptoo of Tho nol;>y O1 nearly