Executive  Speech of  Jonas Galusha  As it appears in the  RECORDS  OF THE  GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL  OF THE  STATE OF VERMONT.  Volume VI.  1816      October, 11, 1816. SPEECH OF GOV. GALUSHA– 18161.  Gentlemen  of  the  Council,  and  Gentlemen  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  –  We  have,  through  the interposition  of  an  indulgent  Providence,  the  pleasure  to  meet  under  the  most  agreeable  circumstances,  at  this annual  session  of  the  General  Assembly,  to  transact  the  ordinary  business  of  legislation,  and  deliberate  on  the most  prudent means  to  secure  and  advance  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  our  constituents.   Our  country  is  at peace  with  all  nations,  as  also  with  our  savage  neighbors;  and  no  appearances  of  hostility,  or  internal disturbances,  threaten  our  repose.    Let  us,  therefore,  with  hearts  of  gratitude  for  past  and  present  favors,  still look to Him who holds the destinies of all men in his hands, for future blessings, and for wisdom to guide us in all our transactions. A  time of peace  is a  fit  time  to correct our errors,  to cement our union,  to make  the necessary  reform  in our laws,  and  to  recur  to,  and  cherish  the  fundamental  principles  of  our  government.    The  fall  of  all  former republics, or  their existing  in name only, ought  to be a  sufficient caution  to us  to be watchful of our  rights, and guard against every innovation dangerous to liberty. It  is  a  correct  maxim,  that  virtue  is  the  basis  of  a  republican  government;  and  where  vice  predominates, tyranny,  in  some  shape, ensues.   Virtue,  therefore, ought  to be  the pole  star  to guide us  in all our deliberations; and  the  whole  system  of  law  should  be  adapted  to  promote  that  vital  principle.    I  entertain  the  highest confidence  in  you,  gentlemen,  that  in  all  the  appointments  of  officers,  of  which  you  are  the  electors,  you  will have  regard  to  men  of  integrity  and  virtue  as  well  as  of  information  and  talents.    Did  we  possess  the  best possible system of human  laws, yet, should  they be disregarded, and remain unenforced by  the civil magistrate, it  would  avail  us  nothing;  vice  would  soon  tyrannize  over  moral  virtue,  and  destroy  the  best  of  human governments. Education  is  among  the  first  objects  of  a  free  people;  for  a  people  who  lose  the  knowledge  of  their  rights will not long enjoy the fruits of liberty.  A republican government is a government of the people; and the virtue and  intelligence  of  the  people  are  its  security  and  its  strength.    It  is,  therefore,  highly  necessary  that  the  great body of the people should be well informed, and that each individual should attain to such a degree of literature, as to be able, with proper attention, to secure his property, understand and guard his rights, and, if called to fill a public  station,  or  practice  in  any  professional business, with due  attention  to  his  particular  calling,  to  discharge his  duty  with  advantage  to  himself,  and  satisfaction  to  the  public,  in  order  that  genius  and  talents  be  not smothered  in  ignorance,  and  their  brightness  and  utility  obscured  by  poverty.  Notwithstanding  a  Franklin,  and other,  through  indefatigable  industry,  and  the  peculiar  favor  of  Providence,  have  risen  from  obscurity  to eminence,  yet, who  can  say  how many men  of  vigorous  talents,  and  natural  capacities,  have  struggled  in  vain, and, leaving no testimony of usefulness, their names have passed into oblivion. The great improvement in the education of youth in this state within a few years past, is truly gratifying.  In our common schools, we experience the benefit of instructors from the colleges and academies, by which means numbers of good English scholars are daily emerging from our town schools. If  any  further  aid  to  science  should  be  deemed  necessary,  I  doubt  not  that  it  will  receive  all  the encouragement that the present circumstances of the state will admit. Encomiums  on  the  government  of  our  country,  at  this  time  are  unnecessary,  since  its  benefits  are  so generally  experienced  and  acknowledged  by  every  prudent  and  virtuous  citizen,  and  its  strength  and  liberality, so  recently  tested.    The  constant  emigration  to  this  country  from  under  the  governments  of  Europe,  is  an evidence  that  we  possess  privileges  and  blessings,  superior  to  the  other  nations  of  the  earth.    It,  therefore, becomes us  to pursue  such measures as will  tend  to strengthen our union  increase harmony and  friendship, and perpetuate the blessings of our free, liberal, and happy government. The cheerfulness with which  the citizens of  this State have paid  their  taxes,  laid by  the general government, in  consequence  of  the  expenses  of  the  late  war,  which  has  so  gloriously  terminated  in  the  exaltation  of  our                                                  1 From printed Assembly Journal of 1816, p. 15.  national  character,  is  a  source  of  peculiar  satisfaction.   The diminution of  taxes  at  the  last  session  of Congress, and  the  present  prospect  of  the  continuance  of  peace,  give  us  strong  reason  to  hope  that  the  direct  tax  will wholly  cease  after  the  present  year;  an  object  very  desirable,  considering  the  extreme  scarcity  of  a  circulating medium  in  this part of  the union – but  this we must  submit  to  the  sound discretion of  the national government, while we manage with suitable economy the pecuniary affairs of our own State. The depressed situation of our infant manufactories, since the return of peace, is a matter of serious concern.  Any encouragement that can, consistently be given them, I trust, will not be withheld. In  compliance  with  a  resolution  of  the  General  Assembly,  passed  at  their  last  session,  I  lost  no  time  in preparing,  and  sending,  by Major  Seth  Cushman,  who  was  appointed  an  agent  for  that  purpose,  an  address  to His Excellency Sir Gordon Drummond,  then governor of  the Province of Lower Canada,  requesting  the pardon and release of Samuel Hugh, a citizen of  this State, who was  then suffering punishment  in one of  the prisons  in said  Province,  under  a  sentence  of  the  hon.  court  of King’s  Bench,  for  the  crime  of man-slaughter;  and  I  have the pleasure  to  inform you  that his  excellency,  in  a prompt  and honorable manner, granted  a pardon  to  the  said Samuel Hugh, and caused him  to be  immediately released from his confinement, and restored  to his family and friends.2It  becomes  necessary  for  the  legislature  to make  provision  for,  and  direct  in what manner,  electors  shall  be chosen, on  the part of  this  state  to vote  for  a President  and Vice President of  the United States,  to  serve  for  the term of four years from and after the third day of March next. By  a  law  of  the  United  States,  approved  April  20th,  1816,  entitled  “an  act  concerning  field  officers  of  the militia,”  it  is  provided,  that  from  and  after  the  first  day  of  May  then  next,  instead  of  one  lieutenant  colonel commandant  to  each  regiment,  and  one  major  to  each  battalion,  there  shall  be  one  colonel,  one  lieutenant colonel, and one major to each regiment of militia, consisting of two battalions; and when there shall be but one battalion  it  shall  be  commanded  by  a  major.    It,  therefore,  becomes  necessary  to  pass  a  law  of  this  state correspondent  to  the  law  of  the  United  State,  and  that  the  field  officers  of  the  militia  be  commissioned accordingly.   Any  further  improvement  that  you may  deem  expedient  in  the militia  system, will meet with my warmest  support;  as  I  have  ever  considered  a  well  disciplined  and  well  furnished  militia  an  object  of  the  first importance in a free government. I avail myself of this opportunity to inform you, that I have received a deed, executed by the Treasure of this State,  in  compliance  with  an  act  of  the  legislature,  to  Capt.  Thomas  McDonough,  of  the  navy  of  the  United States, of a  tract of  land  lying at Cumberland Head,  in Plattsburgh, State of New York.    I have addressed Capt. McDonough on the subject, but have not yet received his answer. Several  communications  have  been made  to me  by  the  executives  of  our  sister  States,  relative  to  proposals of amendment to the constitution of the United States. I  have  also  received  a  letter  from  the  Hon.  DE  WITT  CLINTON,  president  of  a  board  of  commissioners, appointed  by  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  ground  between  Lake Champlain  and  Hudson  river,  and  reporting  on  the  practicability  of  uniting  those  important  waters  by  a  canal navigation: —  an object which,  if practicable, would be very  interesting  to  a great portion of  the  inhabitants of this State. These communications I shall seasonably submit to your consideration by a special message. The  uncommon  failure  of  some  of  the most  important  articles  of  produce,  on which  the  sustenance  of man and beast depends, is so alarming, that I take the liberty to recommend to you, and through you, to the people of                                                  2 Huge was a citizen of Canaan, who,  in 1815, on a charge of murdering David Morrill, a citizen of Canada, had been found guilty of man-slaughter,  and  sentenced  to  be  branded  in  the  hand  and  to  suffer  imprisonment  for  six months.    It  is  apparent  that  he must  have suffered  the sentence  to a  large degree.   A committee of  the General Assembly of 1815 reported  that Hugh had been “wrongfully and unjustly convicted,” and consequently  lost most of his personal property, where upon an act was passed granting Mrs. Hugh $10000, and a resolution adopted asking for a pardon to Hugh. – See printed Assembly Journal of 1815, pp. 110, 142: and Laws of 1815, p. 24. this State,  the most  rigid economy  in  the early expenditure of  those articles of provision most deficient,  that by peculiar precaution we may avoid, as far as possible, the foreboded evil of this unparalleled season.3On  your  wisdom  and  integrity,  gentlemen,  I  shall  firmly  rely,  for  the  judicious  management  of  those weighty concerns, in which the interest of our constituents is deeply involved.  Collected from the several towns throughout  this State, you bring with you all  the  information necessary  to  legislate  for  the  free  and  enlightened people  you  represent.    Suffer  me  to  solicit  your  kind  support,  while  I  cheerfully  engage,  on  my  part  to  co-operate  with  you  in  all  your  endeavors  to  promote  the  best  good  of  this  state,  and  the  general  happiness  of mankind.  And may our join efforts be attended with success. JONAS GALUSHA                                                  3 For a brief account of this remarkable season, see Thompson’s Vermont, Part I, p. 20.