Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-01-08
eovEauoG's INAUGURAL MESSAGE.
Thursday Morning, January 8, 1874.


GOVERNORS INAUGURAL MESSAGE.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. }
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, list Jany. 1874.
Gentlemen of tie Senate
and House ct Delegates:
Assuming the Executive Office at a
grave epoch in the history OF the State,
aud invoking tie favor Of God for the
future, cordially greet you at the
beginning OF oul joint responsibilities
and labors.
1t is an unusual circumstance, arising
from recent changes OF law, that the
Legislature and the Executive are now
10th inaugurated at the same time. My
Official relations and my access to official
sources Of information begin as this
message is communicated; and it is not
to he expected that the incoming Ex
ecu;ve, at the moment Of Installation,
should transmit to the General Assep
bly, detailed information, with recon-
mendations embracing I'LL the varied
interests of the Commonwealth which
claim your attention aud care Here
after, and as occasion shall from time
to time require, such further detailed
and specific recommendation will be
addressed to you from this Office as
shall be deemed useful in facilitating
the discharge Of your weighty trusts.
Yon organize at an era which is
destined to shape the fortunes Of Viz
einia for generations to come. Before
you proceed to exercise the law making
power it is we'll that we pause and
calmly comprehend the political situa
ton.
THE GOVERNMENT or THE RACES.
We have devolecd upon us to-day
the solution Of this great problem;
How TO make and administer laws SO
as to secure life, liberty, and property
so as to establish enduring peace, order
justice and. prosperity, in community
composed OF two distinct races, not
largely differing in numbers, but dis
similar il training, Intelligence, color,
and other charaeteristics-race hitherto
standing toward each other in the
relation of master and slave, but now
suddenly and by inviolable organic law
clothed with equal rights Although
such a problem has not elsewhere or in
any age been peacefully or successfully
solved; although our great ancestors
recorded their opinions declaring ii
impossible of solution, yet | do not
hesitate to affirm, SO encouraging and
decisive has been the progress Of the
last four years, SO clearly developed by
the past are the obligations of to day,
that if we are but guided by prudence,
if we go toward with courage tempered
with torbearance, and if no Federal
legislation shall intervene to disturb
the relations between the races, we
cannot fail to bring our great expert
ment to a successful and prosperous
issue
One patriotic aim, controlling our
counsels and impellmg us to avoid the
example Of extremists of whatever
section or class, must always be to
establish and perpetuate relations of
cordial co operation and good will
between the races; and this is to be
accomplished not merely by distributing
equal burthens and benefits to each,
but by promoting such connections OF
kindness, confidence, and interest be
tween them as will. without impairing
or touching the social independence Of
either, enlist each in Increasing the
prosperity OF the other, and both in
advancing common veal In this
direction instructive and significant
progress has been made III Virginia
within the last four years. The Con
stitution made it obligatory upon the
General Assembly to provide for the
gradual, equal, and full introduction OF
Uniform system of free schools into
all the counties of the State by the year
1876. Our predecessors, undismayed
by the impoverished condition of the
people and rejecting all arguments for
delay, PR ceeded in 1870 to organize a
= comprehensive system Of free education
now fully operating throughout the
State, which challenges comparison
with any organized scheme of public
schools elsewhere, ander which sum
of money is being annually expended.
lmpartially educating both races, not
Tar short OF the amount required to
meet all the other current expenses OF
the Government, and this system has
received the deliberate sanction of the
white race, who chiefly contribute the
means BY which it is maintained. AS
respects al other interests as well as
that Of education, our people are sub
Ject to no State laws except such as
provide equal and alike for both races,
without Il single discrimination ct
no time since the people of Virginia
resumed the control of their domestic
affairs has the interposttion of the
Federal Government been occasioned
np.in any complaint or pretext of in
justice or inequality in their code of
laws, or in its application and enforce
ment between the races. Nor has our
p,o' p'Hoy oi dccoiiiiiB ciual Justlce
and benefits to both races been wantiny
in beneficent results Recent events
prove how futile, and how disastrous to
It's Authors, must be any future attempt
to ary the colored race as political
combination upon any princi'le OF
antagonlsm between the races All
such attempted combinations of the
past are dissolved and dispersed, and
We are afforded the golden opportunity
for settling forever the internal jeal
ouses and discussions which have
hindered our material progress, and for
completing the pacitication Of all the
elements Of the body polite 1t de
wolves upon the white race now to
consnmmate such settlement and