A message from the House of Representatives by Mr. Merrill, their clerk : MR. PRESIDENT: The House of Representatives concur with the Senate in passing the resolution providing for county conventions and the appointment of county officers, with proposals of amendment, in which they ask the concurrence of the Senate. The House concur with the Senate in passing the resolution for a directory. The said resolution_relating to county conventions and county officers, was taken up. The amendments proposed by the House of Representatives are, to strike out the word Friday, as the time of holding county coventions, and insert the word Saturday, and to strike out the word Saturday, as the time of meeting in joint assembly for the appointment of county officers, and insert Monday. Which amendments being read, Resolved to concur therein. On motion of Mr. Noble, the Senate proceeded to the election of the standing committees, agreeably to the rules of the Senate. The ballots having been taken, the following persons were elected members of the several standing committees: On Finance.-Mr. Pierpoint, Mr. Egerton, Mr. Adams. On the Indiciary.-Mr. Tracy, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Converse. On Education. -Mr. Swift, Mr. Edson, Mr. Eaton. On Agriculture.-Mr. Noble, Mr. Hoyt, Mr. Jenness. On Manufactures. -Mr. Bowen, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Waterman. On Elections.-Mr. Kittredge, Mr. Jones, Mr. Curtiss. On Military Affairs.-Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Townsley, Mr. Burgess. On Roads and Canals.—Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Simonds, Mr. Jenness. On Banks.-Mr. McMillan, Mr. Kittredge, Mr. Curtiss. On Land Taxes.—Mr. Marsh, Mr. Hemenway, Mr. Holmes. On motion of Mr. Lawrence, The Senate adjourned. SATURDAY, OCT. 12, 1839. The President announced the following appointments by the Sergeant at Arms, approved by the President, viz.: Henry Nutt, Door Keeper, and Martin C. Brown, Assistant DoorKeeper of the Senate. In pursuance of the order of yesterday forenoon, the following Senators were appointed a committee on the petition of the inhabitants of Derby, viz: Mr. Kittredge, Mr. Swift, Mr. McMillan, Mr. Eaton and Mr. Cobb. Mr. Robinson introduced the following resolution : Resolved, That the Treasurer be directed to report to the Senate whether the directors of the Banks in the years 1838 and 1889 executed bonds, as required by law, and at what time the same were executed and received at his office. Which was read and passed. A message from the House of Representatives by Mr. Buck, assist ant clerk : MR. PRESIDENT: The House of Representatives have passed the following resolutions, in which they ask the concurrence of the Senate, viz: A resolution for a joint assembly, for the election of Commissioners of the Deaf and Dumb, and Superintendent of the Vermont State Prison. A resolution for a joint assembly, for the election of Judges of the Supreme Court. A resolution instructing members of Congress on the subject of the claim of this State to certain public moneys. The said resolutions from the House of Representatives were severally taken up, as follows: A resolution from the House of Representatives: Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, That both houses meet in joint assembly on Tuesday next, at three o'clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of electing Commissioners of the Deaf and Dumb, and a Superintendent of the Vermont State Prison for the year ensuing. Which was read and passed in concurrence. A resolution from the House of Representatives: Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, That both houses meet in joint assembly on Tuesday next, at three o'clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of electing Judges of the Supreme Court for the year ensuing. Which was read and passed in concurrence. A resolution from the House of Representatives: WHEREAS, a large amount of the public money of the United States has been appropriated, under the authority of the general government, for the purposes of internal improvement, within the limits of the several states and territories, and whereas the State of Vermont, notwithstanding her citizens pay their proportion of the public revenue, has not derived any advantage from the expenditure of said public money-Therefore, Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, That our senators in Congress be instructed, and our representatives requested, to use their best exertions at the ensuing session of Congress, to obtain the passage of a law providing for refunding to Vermont her proportion of the money so appropriated and expended. On motion of Mr. Pierpoint, Ordered, That said resolutions be referred to the committee on claims. The following written message was received from the Governor, by Mr. Manser, Secretary of Civil and Military affairs: MESSAGE. Fellow Citizens of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives: IN obedience to the Constitution of our State we are again assembled to transact the public business. By diligent attention to our various duties, by enacting such laws as the wants of our constituents require, by electing to office such men as are capable, faithful and honest, by equalizing the public burdens and by administering the government with a due regard to frugality and economy, we give good evidence that we entertain a proper estimate of the responsibilities of our several stations. The general prevalence of health, the benignant smiles of a merciful Providence on the labors of the husbandman, and the prosperity which has attended our citizens in their varied pursuits, demand a grateful remembrance of that Being from whom are all our blessings. Circumstances, which, a few months since, in a neighboring State, threatened to disturb the friendly relations subsisting between this coun try and Great Britain, have happily, through the wisdom and moderation of the rulers of the two countries, been put in a train of amicable adjustment. This result, to a nation like ours, whose habits and pursuits make it at all times their interest to be at peace with the rest of the world, and whose inclinations correspond with their interests, is a matter of sincere congratulation. The continuance of the political disturbances in the neighboring Province of Canada, and the alledged cruelty with which the contest had been carried on, was made the apology for a system of incendiarism of the most reckless and desperate character, on the frontier between this State and Canada. The design of the perpetrators of those mutual acts of aggression, was, evidently, to provoke and exasperate the public mind, and thus bring on a state of feeling between the inhabitants of the two countries which would ultimately result in war. The continued succession of these atrocious acts from December to April, goes far to show that those engaged in them, on both sides of the line, had this object in view. In the progress of this disgraceful business, a number of the unoffending citizens of this State have been subjected to heavy losses, by the destruction of their buildings ard other property by fire. In consequence of the alarm occasioned by these repeated acts of violence, Brigadier General Nason and the civil authorities in that vicinity, deemed it necessary on three scveral occasions, to call out portions of the militia to protect the persons and property of our citizens, and quiet public apprehension. I was early apprised of the fact, and without delay assumed the responsibility of ordering the delivery of arms from the Arsenal for their use. The first detachment, called out in February, C . after remaining on duty several days, was, at my request, relieved by regular troops, mustered into the service of the United States, paid and discharged by order of Major General Scott of the Army. Application was made to the officer in command at Plattsburgh, to have the same course pursued with those subsequently called out. I have not yet been apprised of the result. In February last, one George Holmes, charged with the commission of an atrocious murder in the Province of Lower Canada, was arrested in the town of Burlington, and there detained to await the result of a demand upon the President of the United States for his surrender to the authorities of Canada as a fugitive from justice. The President, in the absence of airy conventional arrangement on the subject, between this country and Great Britain, declined interfering or complying with the application; upon which the Governor of Canada addressed me on the subject, and requested that, in accordance with the laws of nations and the comity heretofore subsisting between the State of Vermont and the Province of Canada, the said Holmes might be surrendered to the authorities of that Province that he might be tried for the crime with which he was charged. Considering the practice which had heretofore prevailed between the authorities of that Province and this State-which, so far as I could ascertain, had been in favor of surrendering, on application, persons charged with the commission of atrocious crimes--and also the corsequences which must inevitably result to the inhabitants of the respective territories from a contrary decision, I was induced to make an order for the delivery of said Holmes to the agent of the Canadian Government. The execution of this order was prevented by a writ of habeas corpus from the Supreme Court of this Siate. The authority of the Executive to make the surrender, and consequently the obligations of national law on the subject, were by some denied. The legality of the order, I understand, is now in a course of judicial investigation. This may be a proper occasion to remark, that, if the laws of nations and the comity which is supposed to subsist between countries at peace, whose territories are contiguous, do not warrant the exercise of the power necessary to make surrender of atrocious criminals escaping from one government to the other; if the foreign felon can force himself upon us, claiming protection under our laws from merited punishment, and thus make our country a refuge for the vilest offenders; and if, as is contended by some, all laws emanating from State legisiatures on the subject are unconstitutional and inoperative, it becomes our immediate duty, as a measure of self-protection, promptly to make such representations to the general government, for whom a'l power and authority on this subject are claimed, as will cause proper measures to be taken, either by legislation of Congress, or by treaty stipulations with neighboring and friendly powers, to enable the proper authorities mutually to demand and surrender persons charged with the commission of great crimes in one government and escaping into the territories of the other. The policy of despotic governments is to keep their subjects in ignorance of their rights as men, and of their physical and moral power. In this lies the foundation of their security. In a republic, all power is inherent in the people; no individual is entitled to preeminence over his fellow, except for superior moral or intellectual attainments. The happiness-and security of the people are the legitimate ends of all free government; and as legislators, we ought to inquire how these ends can be most effectually secured. The patriots, who established our government and framed the constitution of the state, evidently relied upon the dissemination of useful knowledge as the most efficient means to prevent the commission of crime and lead to the practice of virtue. Among the earliest acts of the State were those establishing, providing for, and patronizing common schools. This policy has been steadily pursued to the present time. Liberal reservations were made for their aid and encouragement in all grants of land under the State government. In addition to the income of the public lands, sequestered from time to time for this object, towns were required to raise and expend large sums of money. A further addition to these means was made by applying the income of the surplus revenue of the United States, deposited with the towns in 1836. Our whole legislation, from the foundation of the government to this time, shows the importance which has always been attached to the interests of education as a means of adding to the virtue and happiness of the people, and securing the permanency of our institutions. The intentior appears clearly to have been, to place within reach of the children of the humblest citizen the advantages of such instruction as is necessary to form their minds to virtue and morality, and fit them for usefulness. This is right; for it is plainly the duty of the State to guard the private as well as the public morals of its citizens. judicious and enlightened course of instruction is the only effectual way to accomplish this object. If any apology be necessary for urging upon the consideration of the Legislature a careful examination of the existing laws appertaining to our schools, it is to be found in my convictions of the inadequacy of their present provisions to accomplish the greatest good. A Taking it for granted that the public is under obligation to educate every child in the State, it would seem necessary that the burden of supporting our schools--or at least so much of it as is required to defray the expense of teachers' salaries, be placed upon those who have the ability to pay,--or in other words, that the deficiency, after the application of the public money, be raised by a tax on the list of all taxable property in the district. This course, has in many places, been found highly beneficial, and where a contrary practice prevails, it is to be feared, many children are deprived of the advantages which the State designed. The present mode of distributing the public money, in proportion to |