Inaugural address  of  Stephen Royce  As it appears in the  Journal  of the  House of Representatives  October Session  1855 Saturday, October 13, 1855 Inaugural Address   Fellow Citizens of the Senate  and House of Representatives: WE are assembled by constitutional  requirement, and with  renewed authority  from  the people,  to execute  in their  behalf  the  highest  ordinary  functions  of  State  Sovereignty.    The  duty  again  devolves  upon  us  to  consider the municipal laws and regulations under which we live, and if changes and improvements are clearly needed to secure,  enlarge  and  perpetuate  their  intended  benefits,  it  is  for  us  to  devise  and  apply  them.   Many  special  and local  interests  also,  if  within  the  proper  sphere  of  legislation,  will  doubtless  demand  investigation  and  action.  And  the  Sense  of  responsibility  to  our  constituents,  which  the  discharge  of  these  duties  must  necessarily awaken,  should  strongly  remind  us  of  our  obligations  of  adoration  and  gratitude  to  the  infinite  Creator  and Preserver  for  all  His  mercies;  and  especially  for  the  general  health  and  plenty  by  which  the  season  is distinguished. It is obvious that whatever tends to demoralize the people, to relax their industry, or to dissipate the avails of it, must also  tend  to  retard  the general prosperity, and  to diminish or destroy  the happiness of  individuals.   And whenever  the  cause  of  such  evils  can  rightfully be  removed or  controlled by  legislation,  it  should be  employed for  that purpose.   Among  the  causes  leading  to  idleness, poverty,  immorality  and  crime,  the unrestricted use of intoxicating drinks is, beyond question, the most effective in its disastrous results.  And hence I take occasion to refer  to  our  legislation  prohibiting  the  traffic  in  such  drinks,  and  again  to  recommend  its  continuance.    Should amendments  to  the  law  be  thought  expedient,  I  think  it  desirable,  but  not  with  a  view  to  forestall  or  prejudice other  improvements,  that  the  prosecution  for  each  offence  should  be  rendered  more  summary,  still  preserving the securities for an intelligent and fair trial; and that judgments and sentences, covering a great accumulation of penalties  in  the  same  prosecution,  should  generally,  be  avoided.    The  certainty  and  promptness  of  punishment are  usually  far  more  effectual  in  the  prevention  of  crime  than  extreme  severity.    I  also  think  that  positive  and open drunkenness may be properly declared a legal offence, and punished as a misdemeanor. Your special attention will probably be called to the ever important subject of popular education.  The action of the last Legislature failed to meet the expectations of many enlightened and patriotic citizens, who have long and  zealously  labored  to  advance  this  great  interest  in  the  State.    Should  their  plans  and  views  be  again presented for your acceptance, they will merit, and doubtless receive, a candid and thorough investigation.   It is not  to be  supposed  that, with  revenues  derived  chiefly  from  direct  taxation of  the people, we  should  be willing to  sustain  a  system of  education,  even  for  our  common  schools,  as  artificial  and  expensive  as  those  established in  some of  the other States, where  ample  and distinct  funds  are permanently  appropriated  to  that object.   Yet  it should  not  be  doubted  that  all  improvements  of  paramount  necessity  or  importance  are  always  within  our means;  and  I  doubt  not  that  such  as  you  may  deem  needful  and  practicable  will  be  adopted.    And  while  the interests of our primary and subordinate schools are duly fostered, the institutions of higher grade, including our colleges, should receive all the aid and encouragement that may consistently be extended to them. I think it my duty to bring to your notice that provision of our laws relating to the Grand List, which permits the respective lists of personal estate to be balanced or reduced by debts due from the owner.  The subject must, be  some  extent  have  engaged  the  attention  of  your  predecessors,  but  I  know  not  how  deliberately  and  fully  it may have been considered.  The provision was probably adopted to avoid double taxation of the same property, by treating its unpaid price in the hands of one man as a substitute for the property itself in the hands of another.  It  is  obvious,  however,  that  the  notion  of  such  a  substitution  cannot  reasonably  be  carried  to  the  extent  of  the existing  enactment;  and  that  this  provision  operates  to  protect  from  actual  taxation  a very  considerable  amount of  personal  property  through  the  state, without  securing  any  just  equivalent  in  the  taxation  of  debts.   Doubting whether  so  general  a  provision  of  this  character,  if  indeed  any  such,  can  rest  upon  the  satisfactory  grounds  of justice or policy, I commend the subject, in its various bearings, to your thorough examination.  And should you see  fit  to  enlarge  the  basis  of  taxation,  by  subjecting  to  it  the  property  now  practically  exempted  under  the provision  aforesaid,  I would  advise  that  another  effort be made  to  revive  and  sustain  the Uniform Militia.   The necessity  may  at  any  time  occur,  of  seeking  protection  from  an  organized  and  efficient  military  force,  against sudden danger  from  abroad, or domestic violence.   And  the only  such  force which  should or can be  invoked at such times is that of the militia;— a force identified with the people and always accessible. A  deep  feeling  of  compassionate  regret  and  apprehension  is  not  unfrequently  experience,  at  the  sight  of children and tender youth imprisoned in the common jails as criminal offenders.  There is reason to fear that this mode of dealing with  such young persons has by no means  the most  salutary or  reforming  influence.   When  in that  condition,  they  generally  find  little  or  no  kind  and  active  sympathy  surrounding  them,  and  soon  come  to view  themselves  as  being  stamped  with  the  mark  of  permanent  exclusion  from  good  society,  and  from  the honorable  pursuits  of  life.   And  if  to  this  be  added  the  association  in  confinement with  hackneyed  and  callous malefactors,  the  work  of  effectual  depravation  may  but  to  soon  be  consummated.    These  considerations  have induced  me  to  recommend  that  Houses  of  Correction  be  provided  for  juvenile  offenders.    Such  a  mode  of punishment  would,  of  course,  extend  to  all  those  minor  and  petty  offenses,  which  are  commonly  the  incipient steps  in  the  path  of  crime.    I  forbear  to  enter  into  details,  or  to  suggest whether  such  establishments  should  be the work  of  the  state,  or  of  counties,  towns,  or  other  associations;  having  entire  confidence  that  all  this will  be wisely settled, if the main proposition shall meet your approbation. By a resolution of  the Legislature, passed at  the session of A.D. 1853,  the Executive was requested  to make examination  as  to  the  expenses  incurred  by  this  State  during  the  Revolutionary  War;  with  a  view  to  the presentation  to  Congress  of  a  claim  for  remuneration,  if  that  course  should  be  thought  advisable.    Finding  this resolution  in  force  when  I  came  into  office,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  proceed  under  it.    The  examination  has accordingly  been made  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  I  hope  to  be  able,  during  the  present  session,  to  have  the claim in condition to be presented, if deemed expedient. In pursuance of a  resolution passed at  the  last session,  I appointed a Board of Commissioners, consisting of the Hon. Jacob Collamer, the Hon. Daniel Kellogg, and the Hon. Hiland Hall, to revise the present laws relating to Railroad Corporations; and their very able Report is herewith transmitted for your consideration. By another resolution, at the last session, the Governor was directed to appoint a Commissioner to treat with the  Iroquois  Indians  for  the  settlement  of  their  claim  to  certain  lands  in  this  State.    The  Hon.  James  M. Hotchkiss,  of  Lamoille  County,  was  appointed  such  Commissioner.    His  negotiations,  as  I  learn,  are  not  yet brought to a satisfactory conclusion. Nothing  has  occurred  during  the  last  year,  to  allay  our  just  apprehensions  of  danger  to  most  of  the  vital interests of the free States, from the determined purpose of a part of the nation to extend the limits and influence of  slavery.    That  purpose  is  understood  to  have  been  manifested  in  the  territory  of  Kansas,  by  a  course  of successful menace  and violence  equally defiant of  law  and  the  rights of opponents.   A design  is  also  indicated, to  break  down  that  great  principle  of  the  common  law,  heretofore  universally  admitted  and  affirmed,  -  that  a slave  becomes  free,  when  he  enters  a  free  state  by  consent  of  his  master.    The  experiment  has  been  tried,  of purposely  bringing  slaves  into  a  free  state,  and  there  claiming  a  continued  property  in  them.    And  all  these events  would  seem  to  have  passed  with  and  acquiescence,  to  say  the  least,  on  the  part  of  national  authorities, executive  and  judicial, which  the  true  friends  of  freedom  can  scarcely  contemplate with  composure.    The  time has  evidently  arrived, when  all who would  oppose  the  further  encroachments  of  slavery,  should  combine  their vigorous and persevering efforts for that purposed Suggestions  of  frugality  in  the  public  expenditures  may  be  spared;  as  I  doubt  not  you  are  already  self-committed  to  a  course  of  the  strictest  economy,  which  you  shall  think  consistent  with  a  just  administration  of the government in its various interests and departments. You will accept  the assurance of all  that aid  in your  labors, which  it appertains  to my office  to afford.   And trusting  that we may  act  under  the  favoring  auspices  of Divine  Providence,  I  venture  to  anticipate  a  session  of signal benefit to the people of the State.                Montpelier Oct. 13, 1855.  STEPHEN ROYCE.