The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-01-01
Ghe Uireil,ia State cSorrnal.
THURSDAY EvEN'G, JAN. /, 1877
INAUGURAL MESSAGE.

epoch in the history oil the State, aud
invoking the favor of God for the future, |
cordially greet you at the beginning of our
Joint responsibilities and labors. af1 fls
1t is an unusual circumstance, arising
from recent changes of law, that the legis-
lature and the executive are now both
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 be expected
that tho incoming executive, at the moment
of installation, should transmit to the
general assembly detailed information,
with recommendations embracing all the
varied interests of the commonwealth which
claim your attention and care. Hereafter,
and as occasion shall from time to time
require, such further detailed and specific
recommendations will be addressed to you,
from this office, as shall be deemed useful
in facilitating the discharge of your
weighty trusts. a "a, i'Hssl
You organize at an era which is destined
to shape the fortunes of Virginia for gener-
atoms to come. Before you proceed to
exercise the law-making power, it is well
that we pause and calmly comprehend the
political situation.
.
We have devolved 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 estab--
lish enduring peace, order, justice and
prosperity, in a community composed of
two distinct races, not largely differing in
numbers, but dissmilar in intelligence,
color and other Observation-Disclosures
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
problem has not elsewhere or in any age
been peacefully or successfully solved,
although our great ancestors recorded their
opinions declaring it impossible of solu.
ton, yet l do not hesitate to affirm, so
encouraging and decisive has been the
progress of the last four years, SO clearly
developed by thep past are the obligations
of to-day, that ii we are but guided by
prudence, if we GO forward with courage,
tempered with fofbearance, and if no
federal legislation shall intervene to disturb
the relations between the races, we cannot
fail to bring our great experiment to sue
cessful and prosperous issue.
One patriotic aim, controlling our coun-
sells and impelling uspto avoid the example
of extremists of whatever section or class,
must always be to establish and perpetuate
relations of cordial cooperation and good
will between the races; and this is to be
accomplished not merely by distributing
equal burdens and benefits to each, but by
promoting such connections of kindness,
confidence and interest between them as
will, without impairing or touching the So
cial 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 I'm Virginia within the last
four years. The constitution made it oblig-
atory 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 inn
poyershed condition of the people, and re-
jeeting all arguments for delay, proceeded
IN 1870 to organize comprehensive system
OF free education, now fully operating
throughout the state, which challenges
comparison with any organized scheme of
public schools elsewhere, under which a
snm of money is being annually expended,
in impartially educating both races, not far
short of the amount required to meet all the
o.n GUY .. Suirent expenses OF tne government,
anu .uls system mas reserved the deil3erate
slno.ion VI inc Whlte race, VINO chieily
, .on.iiou'e .ie means ~ Wncn u Is mann
.a ai' ns iespGc's aii o'l'er ihterests as
WI: % 'iia' vi euuca.oii, our people are
subject to no state laws except such as
pm tVRuS eluaiiy anu allse lor poth races,
WIN WHICH. Single aiscrIm M AT no
eilne SINCE tne people OF virginia resumed
eonlrol 81 thelr domestic AFFAIRS, has the
inn.elposhion ol ihe 1ederal government
oeen occaslonea upon any complaint or
prsseAS ol inJustice OF inequality In their
eoue Oh laws, OF IN lts Application and en-
Iolcem zen between the races. Nor has our
pas1 poiicy Oh according equal justice aud
pehet,ts TO Doth races been wanting in
penencen. results. recent events prove
iioW lutlle, ana now disastrous to its
autuofs, must pe any future attempt to
array lhe coiored race as political COM
p pila.lon upon any principle or antagonlsml
oelween tne races. All such attempted
9ohoina,ions OF the past are dissolved and
dispersed: ana we are afforded golden
opp;ol.uni.i ior setting forever tne inter-
nal Jeal9usles ana oissensions which have
liiilue,eu our material progress, ana for
oonpie'lhe sne paelncation OF all the ele-
menus - Oh sne Doay politlc. 1t deyolyes
upon sne "hite race now to consummate
srch settement ana paclhcation. In view
Oh tnelr acKnoWledged superiority in edu-