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©fflssmu stmdm®. HENN t ETT & SMITH, PROPRIETORS. VOX,. VII. HPi PLATFORM AND PRINCIPLES OF TIIE Ji’tocc-htfic JWi-fyioto yotyiog Party of Georgia: ADOPTED .It a H'ss Meeting, heal at the Capitol, on the : t;//( Sue ember, 18 •">.">, at which the lion. Howell t'M>, Hon. Hubert Toombs, Hon. Alfred lea - rerxonand Hon. Alex. 11. Stephens, were pres- \ cut, and made Speeches. Ist, Resolved, ‘That as a portion of the ; Democratic and Anti Know Nothing party: ol'Georgia, we declare, in the lauguage of j the Georgia Convention of 1850, *. That we ‘ hold the American Union secondary in mi* j portonee only to the rights and principles it was designed to perpetuate;” that past aso- i ciations, present fruitiou, aud future pros pects, w,ll bind us to it so long as itcontin- j lies to he the safeguard of those rights and j principles. 21. That we hereby declare our full and I unqualified adhesion to tlie following lteso- | lutiun of the Georgia Convention of 1850, ! aud our una iterable determination to main I tain it in its letter and spirit, viz : —4th 1 Resolutii n, Georgia Platform: That the j State of Georgia, in the judgment of this i Convention, will and ought to resist even (as I a last resort) to a disruption of every tie j which binds ltcr to the Union, any action of! Congress upon the subject of Slavery in the District of Columbia, or in places subject to the jurisdiction of Congress, incompatible with the safety, domestic tranquility, the ! rights aud honor of the slaveholding States; j or any act suppressing the slave trade he- ! tween the slaveho’.ding States; or any refusal j to admit as a State any Territory hereafter j applying, because of the existence of slavery j therein, or any act prohibiting the introduc- I tiou of slaves into the Territories of Utah) and New Mexico ; or any act repealing or j materially modifying the laws in torce for : tin- n-.ci s tv of fugitive slaves.” 31, That we approve and endorse the ac- j tiou of our last Congress in the passage of I the Nebraska-Kausas act, and the principles i therein established, aud in conformity with j these principles the people of Kansas, have ‘ the right, when the number of their popula tion justifies it, to form a Republican State Constitution, with ot without slavery, as they may determine, aud be admi ted iuto the Union upon an equal footing with the otlu-r States; aud that her rejection by Con gress, on aceouut of slavery, would be a just cause for the disruption ot all the ties that j hind the State of Georgia to the Union. 4th, That we adopt and approve the fol > lowing Resolution passed unanimously by i the lasi Legislature of Georgia :-- Resolv- | <d by the General Assembly of the State of j Georgia, That opposition to the principles of • the Nebraska Dili, in relation to the subject of slavery, is regarded by the people of i Georgia as hostility to the people of the ; South, aud that all persons who partake of such opposition are unfit to be recognized as component parts of any party or organiza tion not hostile to the South.” oth, That in accordance with the above Resolution, whilst we are willing to act in , party association with all sound and relia ble men in every section of the Union, we are not willing to affiliate with any party that shall not recognize, approve aud carry out the principles aud professions of the Nc- j hr ask a Kansas act. aud that the Democratic ! aud Anti-Know Nothing party of Georgia, ought to cut off all party connection with every man aud party at the North, or else where, that does not cutue up fully and fairlv to this line of action. Gth, That those sound and reliable Demo crats at the North, who have patriotically iought lor the Nebraska Kansas act, and the maintaiuauce ot the Fugitive slave law, against the combined forces of Know-Noth ingism and Abolitionism, (which seek their repeal,) and who stand pledged to support : the admission of Kausas into the Union as a slave State, should she ask it, merit the heartfelt sympathies, thanks and encourage ment of all Southern men, in their patriotic position. .. # I • th, That in the ranks of the Democratic party of the North, alone have been found G*oe patriotic men, who have stood by the rights ot the South, and. judging the luture by the past, that party only coutaius the elements of soundness upon the slavery question, upon which a national party can be constructed with which the South can consistently co-operate. iHh, that it is expedient and proper that tie Democratic aud And-Know Nothing, party of Georgia, be represented in the Na- ; tiona Cumeution of the Democratic party, whrnh is to meet in Biucinnatti next spring, j lor the purpose of nominating candidates tor ! President aud \ ice-President; that the De- 1 uiocratie and Anti-Know Nothing members ! of tbe Legislature, together with such other members of the party as may be chosen to I atteud. from their respective counties, be | and they are hereby requested to meet at 1 some couveuieut time during the present ses sion, and select twenty delegates to said Convention for this State. 9th, That our delegates to said Conven tion, ought, in our opinion, to be instructed by those who shall appoint them, to insist ! upon the adoption of a platform of principles I us the basis of a national organization, prior tto the nomination of candidates, and that said platform shall, amongst other things, i include in substance, the following proposi j tious : Ist, The recognition and adoption of j the principles established in the Nebraska | Kansas act: 2d, That neither the Missouri I Compromise, nor any other auti slavciy re striction, shall hereafter be extended over I any Territory of the United States: 3d, The ! prompt and faithful execution of the Fugi tive slave law, and its permanent continuance i upon the Statute book. 10th, That no man ought to be held and considered a member of the national Demo cratic party, who does not recognize, approve aud adopt the foregoing propositions, and that the Democratic and Anti-Know Nothing party of this State, through its said delega tion, ought not to affiliate or net in said Convention with any delegate or delegates, i who shall disapprove and vote against the same. 11th, That if said propositions shall not ! in substance be incorporated in the platform : adopted by said Convention, the delegates | from Georgia ought, iu the opinion of this ! meeting, to withdraw from the Convention, ‘ ; and take no farther part in the nominations | !or other proceedings of the same; and that: \ our delegates ought to be instructed so to ‘ : act. | 12tb, That the Democratic and Anti-Know i Nothing party of this State, ought, and will J ! support the nominees of said Convention for | President and Vice-President, provided the I platform adopted by the said Convention be j in accordance with the spirit and intent of | the foregoing propositions, and the nominees thereof, be pledged, if elected, to carry out ; the same in good faith in the administration of the government, and in appointments to, office under the administration. 13th, That we sympathize with the friends of the slavery cause, in Kansas, in their! i manly efforts to maintain their rights aud the rights and interests of the Southern peo- 1 j pie, and that we rejoice at their recent vie. , tories over the paid adventurers and Usuiti ... * j ! cal hords of northern abolitionism : that the i , I deep interest felt and taken by the people of Missouri iu the settlement of Kansas and | the decision of the slavery question iu it, is j both natural and proper, and that it is their | right and duty to extend to their Southern brethren in that Teriitory every legitimate i and honorable sympathy aud support. 14th, That we are uncompromisingly op- ; posed to the political organization commonly j called the Kuow Nothing order, or American j party, having no sympathy with their secre- • | sy. their oaths, their unconstitutional de- J signs, their religious intolerance aud their j >/> 1 itical pr useript ion. loth, That wc hail with delight the late signal triumph iu Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine aud otller States including Georgia, of the Democratic part}’, and of the patriotic Whigs, who co operated in achieving these results over the Know Nothing organization, as conclusive evidence, that in the great I practical questions involved iu that contest, I Southern men may honorably and suecess ! fully combine, without regaid to past pollt* i ical distinctions, to save the Constitution from desecration, and the South from being j prostrated before the power of Northern fa : naticism aud misrule. 10th, That the Democratic aud Anti Know j i Nothing party iu all our sister States, and j especially of the Southern States, are re ’ spectfuily and earnestly requested to take ! the foregoing Resolutions iuto their early consideration, and co operate with us in the i policy aud objects intended to be thereby ! secured. DEMOCRATIC Anti-Kaow Nothing TIOKLET. For Sheriff, JOSEPH BOGLE. For Clerk of Superior Court., JAMES WOFFORD. i For Clerk of Inferior Court, JOHN F. MILIIOLLEN. For Ordinary, J. W. WAITS. I'or lax Receiver, 1 D. 11. TEAT. For Tax Collector, JOHN C. AYCOCK. | For Coroner, RICHARD GAINES. j Take Special Notice.—We request our subscribers, living in the vicinity of Cass villc, and who wish to pay their subscrip tion in advance, to bring us bushels of Corn, for which the market price will be paid, and placed to their credit on our books. We want some 69 or 70 bushels, and by doing this it will be ai> accommoda tion to us, and an easy way for you to pay jour subscriptions. Bring us, say 1 barrel, each, and we-will give as above stated.— Call at the Standard Office. S Intmillj Tfct.spapcr—Heboid) io Ifi)iioi)i)l iwd Sfafc Holiiic?, Jitchiuire, ibc lihirlieis, lohiip w) DolriVSlic yctos, &c. CASSVILLE, GA, TIIUESDAY, IsTOV. 22, 1855. | Muirs nf fjji Itute. i , ■ GOV. JOHNSON’S MESSAGE. [concluded] i EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, } j Milledgevillk, Nov. G, 1855. 5 . Fellow Citizens of the Senate I and House of Representatives: The question of the removal of the seat of ! Government has been agitated, from time to time, for many years. The last Legislature, I impressed with the importance of its final settlement, referred it to the legal voters of the State, aud required them to endorse on their tickets t. removal,” or no removal,” and iif to be removed, where.” The fol lowing is the official vote on the first Monday iu October last, according to the official re turns on file in the Executive Department: No removal, 49,781; removal to Atlanta, 29,337 ; to Macon, 3,802; to Thomasville, 1 ; to Savannah, 93; to Marietta, 4 ; to Gordon, 1; to Fort Valley, 1; to Griffin, 313; to Waynesborough, 1; to Rome, 4; to Madison, 5 ; to Stone Mountain, 4 ; to Indian Springs, 2; to Sandersvillc, 5 ; to Rarnesville, 1 ; to llootensville, 1 ; to Augusta, 1 ; to Clarks ville, 1; to St. Simon's Island, 1; to Lump- j kin, 1; removal to no place designated, 952; scattering, 14. The aggregate vote upon the I question of removal is 84,326, of which 49,- J 7SI were for <. no removal” and but 34,545 for removal to all other places. Hence, it appears that the majority for .. no removal” J over all others is 15,246. The Gubernato- ‘ rial vote, at the late election, was about 104,250, showing that there were about 19,- { 705 legal voters who did not vote on the j question of removal. Hence, if it be a fair ; construction, as it would seem to be. that | their failure to vote is expressive of their j contentment with Milledgeville as the seat ! of Government, it is evident, that the popu- j lar will is overwhelmingly opposed to its ! removal. If the Legislature should concur j in this view, then it is due to the public, as j well as to the eitizeus of Milledgeville, that ! you should, at once, by decisive action, put j a quietus to the further agitation of the , question. Not the least effectual mode of j accomplishing this object, will be to make necessary repairs and additions to your pub- j lie buildings The State House should be j repaired aud suitably enlarged. The square should be graded, cleared of the Arsenal, Magazine and the four churches, upon just compensation to the respective denoniina- j tious, set with shade trees, aud enclosed by a substantial iron fence. The Executive Mansion, also, should be thoroughly repair ed and re furnished, and the lotsunoundcd with an iron enclosure. By resolution of the last session, I was ; requested to furnish to each branch of the | Legislature, the amount of the original cost i of the public buildings at Milledgeville, ex- ! elusive o( the Penitentiary and Lunatic Asy- j lum, and what amount is necessary to so ! repair them as to make them suitable for the ! purposes for which they were intended This resolution passed just at the close of the session, and consequently could not be re sponded to before its adjournment. lam unable, even now, to give a full reply. As far as can be ascertained, the public build ings, including State House, Executive Man sion, and out houses, the Arsenal and Mag azine have cost, first and last, about S3OO,- I 000. 1 have engaged Messrs. Sholl & Fay, professional Architects, to furnish informa tion on the second branch of the resolution. They have already submitted to me a lough sketch of the additions aud improvements to the State House which are necessary ; and ; they authorize me to say that the whole can ; be completed for $.125,000 to $150,000. | They are now engaged in making the ueces- j sary drawings and estimates of the expense, ! and at an early day they will be ready lor \ transmission to the Legislature. The State Iluuse is entirely unprotected against the ravages of fire. You should au thorize the construction of a large cistern on : either side, and the purchase of a fire en- | gine. This precaution is highly important, ! and, cost what it may, it will be wise and provident economy. 1 recommend a return to annual sessions of the General Assembly. The growing and diversified interests of the State require it. The people iu a popular government should, every year, have their uiiuda specially di rected to the principles on which it is based and should be conducted, and by their rep resentatives, review its administration. — , Nothing will so effectually enforce responsi bility upon its officers of every grade, from the highest to the lowest. So far from be iug au evil, annuul elections are important, | they interest the masses in the politics of ! their country, and they become enlightened by the discussions they provoke. The exec utive term begins arid ends with the Legis ; lature, and consequently, both Governor ! and Legislature enter upon their respective ! departments without much knowledge of the j duties they require. The Legislature ad . jourus and leaves the government in the hands of the Executive ; his term expires at the assembling of the next, and no opportu -1 uity is afforJcd to review his conduct until j after he bus retired from office. The retne :dy lor * t his is a return to annual sessions. 1 But the duration of the session should be i limited by the Constitution. Our political system is based upon the : maxim, that the people are capable of self government This presupposes intelligence, to know how to govern, and virtue, to give that intelligence proper direction. Hence the importance of a system of pmblto educa tion to culighten the intelligent and moral ize the hearts of the masses The importunoe : of this subject is paramount, and should “ PRINCIPLES—NOT MEN.” J bring into requisition all the wisdom of the ‘.Legislature; whilst the thousands of poor I children within the State, too indigent to • provide for themselves the blessings of edu ! cation, but who must have it, ns an indis | peusable qualification for good citizenship, should awaken an enlarged and benevolent • liberality. The returns for 1854 show that to participate in the pittance of $23,3§8, provided for their benefit. The considera tions which should prompt to efficient action are apparent to every reflecting mind. They are such as challenge the attention of the . highest statesmanship. We see them not ’ only in the necessity of education to the ; perpetuity of popular liberty, but in the j thousand social blessings which it confers It promotes public peace, gives security to property, diminishes crime, lighteus the ex pense of administering the laws, stimulates . enterprise, directs industry and capital and hastens the march of civilization. The dif ficulty is, not to determine what ought to be done, but how it shall be done. The sub ject becomes more and more embarrassing, each successive year, because the increase of poor children, renders the amount of mo- ; ney adequate to the emergency, more diffi cult to be raised. Hence, if the Legislature ■ ever intend to come up fully and fairly to ! the high mark of enlightened duty, it would ; seem, that the time has arrived, when they should initiate a system capable of gradual expansion and self sustentation. I shall ‘ J venture no specific recommendation. I pre- j ! fer rather to submit the great subject to j your wisdom, animated as it must be, by . I patriotic desire, to promote the happiness | and prosperity of the State. But if I could ! ; command the power to awaken the proper ! spirit and excite the proper liberality, 1 would make the appeal with an urgency j which should be overwhelming, that the Geucral Assembly will not rise, until it shall have redeemed the high obligations of the present, to future generations. Georgia is in advance, iu material prosperity aud im- j provemeut; she is iu the rear, on the subject of common sciiool education. The ship, driven before the wind, may sail rapidly, for a time, without helmsman, but she will | be wrecked at last. Education is to State | progress, what the helmsman is to the ship; the more rapid her career, without it, the sooner she will be stranded. In this connection, the State University is earnestly commended to your fostering care. By reference to the act of 1785, .. for the more full and complete establishment of a public scat of learning iu this State,” it is , quite evident (hat our fore fathers designed I to erect a University of the highest ciiarac- 1 ter. It is apparent,'from the preamble to • the bill, and from liberal endow ment for which they provided. In view of the paramount importance which they at tached to liberal education as n menus of sustaining and perpetuating free govern ment, they felt that it was a humiliating j acknowledgement of the ignorance or inferi- ! ority of our own State, to send our youth ‘ abroad to others, for its acquisition. If this were true in 1785, the policy which they | then deplored is still more to be deprecated ; now, when, by sending them to other States, they are surrounded by predjudiccs and in- : tluences against our domestic iustitutious, calculated to give an unwholesome direction I to their sentiments. The original design of the founders of our State University ought j therefore to be completed and perfected. It! should be so endowed, and furnished with all the facilities for the prosecution of sci entific research, as to enable the devotees of learning to reach the highest attainments. Several other professorships should he crea ted, and ample appropriations made for such compensation as will command the highest talcut to fill them. By the liberality of the late Dr. William i Terrell, an agricultural chair has been es tablished, and $20,000 donated ; the interest of which is to be applied to the support of J its Professor in the State University. But ; this is inadequate. To render the depart- j ment efficient and useful, the Legislature! should not only increase the sum to the ex tent of an ample endowment, but also make i a suitable appropriation for fitting it up with | ample means of instruction, illustration aud | experiment. The appeal, upon this score, will not be in vain. It is the first movement in Georgia in favor of Agricultural educa tion, hitherto more neglected, although more important, than any other branch. The Ptofessor may produce annually liis course of Lectures, aud delight his class with the theory of Agriculture, hut he must have the means of illustration and experiment to un fold its relations to, and dependence upon, Mineralogy, Geology, Botany, Chemistry, Natural History and Mechanics. Agricul ture is the most important, because it is the foundation of all other pursuits. It supplies Commerce and Manufactures in all their , various aud multiplied departments, with whatever imparts to them activity, prosper ity and vitality. Hence the indispensability ot its being directed and dignified by the light of scieuco and the devotion of educated mind. The promotion of Agriculture and tlfe de velopment of our Mineral resources should engage the earnest attention of the Legisla- ! turo. In the older region of the State, much , of the lauds have been exhausted by tillage, J and planters are turning their atteution Io j the reclamation of swauips, by ditching and embanking. The latter process, in many ! instances, is prevented by tbe fact that cm- : bunkiucuts throw buck water over the lands of adjacent owners. When this is the case, the apprehension of an injunction arrests the enterprise. I recommend the passage of a law to authorize any persou owning swamp i laud on one side of a stream or creek, to ! embank the same, although it should have J ‘lie effect to increase the water over the swamp of the other side owned by another. | Such an act will greatly promote such enter ! prises, and lead to the reclamation of thou sands of acres of the most productive lands, j which are otherwise valueless. Asa further means of encouraging Agri -1 culture and the development of the mineral | wealth ol the State. I recommend that pro vision be made by the Legislature for the appointment, with a suitable salary, of a State Geologist, Mineralogist and Agricul tural Chemist. His office should be located at the Capitol, and his general duty should be to make a Ceological survey of the State,! direct the mode of testing for ores, analyze soils and point out the various kinds of rneas ; ures for their fertilization. To make the I organization of such a department efficient and useful, it would require the State to be divided iuto Geological Districts, and the employment of assistants. Its details, how -1 ever, will readily suggest themselves to the Legislature, and the policy once adopted in ’ good earnest, time and experience will soon perfect >t. A similar appointment, in other States, has been attended with beneficial ; results. It is more easy to adduce than to select illustrations of its advantages. In Georgia, but little atteution lias been devo ted to Agricultural education ; and without disparagement to our planters, it must be confessed, that their success is mainly the result of fertility of soil and unconquerable energy and industry. They owe but little to the application of scientific principles to the multiplied details of the plantation. But as the lands become exhausted by such a sys- ! tern of cultivation, they will refuse their wonted yield, until science shall come to their rescue, bj- showing the means of their rt suscitation. The office under consideration will to a considerable extent remedy this wide spread evil. By his analysis of speci mens of soils furnished’ to him, he will explain to the owners the character, compo nents and quantity of the manures required to fertilise them. Bj’ delivering public lec tures as often, and at as many points as he may be able, he will instruct- the inhabit ants of whole Agricultural districts as to the qua.ities of their lands, and the fertili zers best calculated to confer upon them the j highest capacity for production. This will j soon awaken the proper spirit among the people, and lead, as an ultimate result, to a just appreciation of the importance of Agri cultural education. The aggregate of ad vantage could be ascertained only, by know ing fully the loss to the country, from the absence of, aud the amount gained bj T ANARUS, the application of science to the operations of I the plantation. And how shall we estimate the thrift aud activity which such an ap pointment will impart to the Mining inter est of the State : Her mountains aud hills are rich in embedded mines of ore. As j r et, we have made but little progress in their discovery. Vast sums arc expended, in blind experiments to ascertain their location, re- j suiting often iu the hopeless ruin of the’ zealous seeker after hidden wealth. The large amount saved, iu the work of testing for ores, is the least of the advantages of the appoiutment under consideration. The ac tual wealth which would he developed by the scientific direction of these operations, is incalculable, whilst it would, at the same time, open new channels for capital and in dustry, and furnish employment for thou sands of laborers. I may not dwell at greater { length upon this interesting topic. I trust it will engage the serious deliberations of the Legislature, and that they will act as become enlightened statesmen. By an act of the last General Assembly, approved February 9th, 1854, the Governor was directed to cause to be procured iu some i cheap and economical way, fifty standards ! of weights and measures, each to correspond j in weight ami measure with those now iu tlie : Executive office, for the use of the new and such old counties as have not been supplied ; under the act of the 23d of December, 1839 | Upon proper investigation it was ascertained j that it would require about $3,500; and as ( the Legislature made no provision lor the payment, tho act has not been carried into, execution. The object is important, and ! j’ou should make tli3 requisite appropria j tiou. A case Las been brought to n y notico by j the enlightened courtesy of the Hon. W. B. ! Fleming, Judge of the Eastern Circuit,, which suggests the propriety of legislative remedy. A mau by the name of McCullough killed a uogto, the property of Robert Habersham, Esq ,at Fort Jackson. That place being uuder the exclusive control of the United States, although within the county of Clrat bmu, he was indicted before the Circuit Oourt of the Uuitcd States, aud uuder the charge of Judge Nicoll, was acquitted, on the grouud that the Court had uo jurisdic tion. He was subsequent!}’ indicted in the Superior Court of Chatham, and was ac quitted upon the plea of the forwer acquit tal. The negro was shuA at Fort J auk son, , but died beyoud it. lienee the Circuit ; Court had uo jurisdiction. If he had beeu prosecuted in Hm first iustunoe in Chatham Superior Court, then the plea to the juris* ! diotioa, sustained by the proof that the not. was committed at Fort Jackson, whiuti be longs to tho Uuitod States, would have pro duced his acquittal. Hence the Legislature should provide that, iu such a case, the prosecution may be had, aud the offender tried iu the county in which the death takes place. Tho objeet of puuishmont is to prevent orirno. To be effectual, it must be sufficient ly severe, to operate us a terror to ovil, TWO DOLLARS A-YEAR, IN ADVANCE. l doel's, and sufficiently certain, to cut i.ff the hope of impunity. If it be too uiihl, the of fender will rather endure it than forego the gratification of his vicious passions and un lawful designs. If more than commensurate with the turpitude of the crime, it shocks the sense of public justice, ami, consequent ly, the transgressor escapes. These remarks are suggested by the act of the last session, approved 20th February, 1854, imposing I Penitentiary punishment on Faro dealing aud gaming of that character. The evii in tended to he prevented is great, but the law fails to answer the purpose. There has not been a single conviction under it. The of fence goes entirely unpun shed —even uit prosecuted. It abounds it all our cities and at our fashionable watering places. It. is bold; it scarcely seeks to conceal itself from public gaze. Why is this: It, is be cause the penalty is too severe. Public opinion does not demand that it shall Ik* vis ited with Penitentiary imprisonment, lienee, the law goes unexecuted, and instead of pre venting, it has incieased the evil it designed to suppress. I tlierelore recommend its re peal, or such modification as will adjust the penalty to the nature of the offence. The law organizing the Supreme Court for the Correction of Errors, requires that tri bunal to hold its sessions at nine different points in the State, to wit: Columbus, A-j mericus, Macon, Decatur, Milledgeville, Au gusta, Gainesville, Cassville and Savannah, ! and to deliver their opinions upon each case, during the respective Terms This imposes so much travel upon the Judges, jind such haste in the formation of opinions, as not 1 j only to make their labors almost intolera ble, but deprives them of the time for deliberation and patient research, so indis 1 pensable for the correct determination of | important legal questions. This is a glar ing defect, and disqualifies the Court from being as useful to to the State as ic might i and would be, if it were cured. It is doubt less, the true cause of the dissatisfaction with the Court, which obtains in some sec- ; tions of the State, aud threatens its abolition ; This would be a retrogade movement, and , the idea is not to 6e tolerated for a moment, j i The most enlightened Courts sometimes err, ! even under circumstances most favorable for ! the investigation of truth. Organized as is : j our Supreme Court, the wonder is that it! | docs not err oftener, and instead of this fur- ! j uishing a ground for dispensing with, it! ought to preseut enlightened men with the! strongest reasou for remedying its imperfeo- j ! tions. I therefore recommend, that the j Constitution he so altered as to confine its session to one point iu the State; ami as the : State is collecting a valuable Law Library | at the Capitol, it is the proper point for its permanent location. They should also be : ‘ permitted, when the Judges may desire, t•) hold up cases for further deliberation and investigation. This will correct the proud- ; neut defects in its organization an.l lender | it more efficient. it is painful to the patriot and Christian ! 1 to witness tbe ravages of intemperance Like , ; war nnd pestilence, it leaves in its pathway its millions of victims slain, lamentation and wo. It pours desecration and contempt up : on all that is hallowed in domestic life, and j all that is sacred iu the rites of our holy re ligion. The good man naturally enquires for a remedy. He looks back upon the past —eloquence and argument have grappled 1 with it, social organization has exerted its . combined instrumentality, Christianity has: wept and prayed over it—aud yet the evil continues. Losing sight of the potency of moral suasion, losing faith in the ultimate triumph of truth aud virtue, and impatient for summary relief, he feels that legislation must come to the rescue, by prohibiting the ; sale of intoxicating liquors This leads us to scatxh for the delicate line which defines the legitimate sphere of the civil power The Legislature is the guardian of the general welfare. It is its duty to secure public | peace and tranquility, and to protect per- ! sons, character and property. But why : Not because religion enjoins, but because the interest ot tiie body social demands it. Hence,social and civil necessity only cliouid both prompt nnd limit legislative action;! the promotion of the morality wt.icli rolig : ion inculcates must be an incidental result, not the primary object. This is the true criterion to guide tlie law making power To transcend it is fanaticism, because it is the recognition of a principle, which would justify the civil authority in taking charge ! ot the consciences of men aud enforcing mor al reforms by law, which onu only le legit j iiuatoly done by appeals to reason, lienee, the danger and impolicy of attempting to j aid the temperance cause by legislative pro- : hibition of the traffic in ardeu spirits. It is not only wrong as a principle of legislation, but the public sentiincut being adverse to it, ‘ tho law wou.d not bo enforced, intemper ance would not be uudiuiiuished, nud the so cial evils pggravated, which it would design to suppress. It does not follow, howevur, that there are uotubuses connected with our rotuil li couso law, which are witliiu the legitimate roach of the Legislative aria Whoever will i examine the criminal dockets of our Courts, will sco abuudnut proof, that the system needs tho restraint of a more rigid and whole- j some policy. It is the fruitful sotu’ue of ; crime against life, person, property and the : public peace; and therefore it is-the duty of \ the Legislature to apply a remedy. 1 have J given this subject much reflection, and am 1 satisfied that, if the existing laws could be sternly enforced, most of the evils connected 1 with our license system would cease. Why i are they not enforced ? Is it because public sentiment is opposed to them ? Is it becauso good citizens do not approve them ? la it NO. 41. J because the penalties are too severe ? By !no means But it is because their violation I is covered in secrecy and darkness, so that | they escape discovery aud detection The ; grand defect therefore is apparent. It lies j in the fact, that the existing law requires I the Clerk of the Inferior Court of each coun* j ty, to grant, ns a matter of course, a license to every Ilian who complies with its prece dent conditions. Hence, in too many in stances, bad and unprincipled men obtain | permission to retail, who defy the restraints of law, if they can conceal its violation.— I Now, suppose the retail traffic were confined to men who would respect and faithfully ; obey the laws lor its regulation, is it not evident that the great mass of existing evils that afflict society would cease ? The reme dy then, is to confine the granting of licenses to such men. How can you effect this? Withdraw the granting power from the ; Clerk, and vest it iu the sound discretion of the Inferior Court of each county. As the I guardians of the general welfare, they will exclude the vicious aud corrupt men from the traffic, aud coufiue it to those whose known fidelity to the laws of the land will i he a guarantee for well regulated and or derly houses. 1 feel confident that this change in the license luw, would vindicate itself, by the benefits it would diffuse, and meet a sustaining response iu the public seutiu ent. ! Our militia system requires entire re organization It might be well to substitute a commutation tax iu lieu of the present on erous requisition of personal service, at the ! option of the mi'itiaman. The State should encourage the organiza tion of volunteer companies. The judicious application of the fund arising from the commutation would be well devoted to that object. i Previous to the last Cougress the State lost l.rgely iu the quota of arms to which she was entitled fiom the Federal govern ment under the law’ of 1808, on accouut of the imperfect returns of our militia strength. We have lost not less than $30,000, equal to ; 3.846 muskets. But the law is now so j amended as to distribute the quotas of arms i to the several States, according to their rep -1 resentation in Congress. Still, however, it j is important for you to adopt some pluu to i a certain the numerical streugth of our mi : litia. It may be done by requiring the j Receiver of tax returns in the several couu ’ ties, to make a list of all male citizens he ! tween the ages of 18 and 45 years. This | list could be tabulated among their respec tive regiments, brigades nnd diisious under 1 the direction of the Governor. This would enable the commander-in chief in case of a call for troops by the general government, if j the number were greater than could be rais • ed by volunteers, to equalize the draft among the several military divisions. The State will in a fe.v years be supp'ied | by a well educated, scientific aud efficient | corps of young men to officer her troops, ! should necessity require, iu the graduates of the Georgia Military Institute, capable to | discharge the duties of any post in any dt p l tment of military service. Two classes, one of six aud the other of fifteen members, i have already been graduated; their scien tific skill aud military knowledge can read : ilv be made available, and the volunteer organization of the State be placed upon a permanent footing. L'liere are in tho arsenal at Savannah thirty pieces of siege and field artillery. Must of them have been condemned as use less They should be sold. Tbe small arms in both of our arsenals are of obsolete mod el. These, also, with the exception of tho Tower muskets in the arsenal at Milledgc viile, should be exchanged for new aud i flic lent weapons. I commend to your fostering care the Georgia Military Institute. It is destiuud to supply a great and iinprtaut desideratum —military education and a nurture of it proper military spirit Having enjoyed peace so long, we permit both to be neglect ed The character of our civil institutions and tho pursuits of our people are uot calcu lated to stimulate the arts of war. It is well to be so; but we ought to,profit by the lesson of history, tb it no people ever pre served their freedom who were not both wil ling and prepared to fight for it. 1 transmit the third Annual Report of the Georgia Academy for the Ll ud, aud restect fully refer you thereto, for information as to its progress nnd financial operations.— The sightless objects of its care are entitled to the sympathy aud aid of every patriot ami philanthropist. The successions of day and night—the changes of the seasons, cloth ing Nature in the loveliuess of iutinitely va riegated colors, arc all uucujoyed, unappre ciated by the blind To them earthly exis tence is one long, dark, monotonous night, w i t bout a g li mmering star to relieve i ts gloom, Let the Legislature lake them under its fos iering care, nnd uurse this infant school in to vigorous maturity and efficicut useful ness. Tho Georg a Asylum for the Deaf and ! Dumb presents similar claims upon your [ favorabiaconsideration. Its sixth Auuual Report, herewith transmitted, shows that it is gradually advancing iu usefulness. The iustitutiou needs more extended accommoda tions in the way of buildings. Tho Report represents that about SB,OOO will h suffici ent for the purpose, and asks the Legislature for tho appropriation. It would be well al so, that provisiou should be made for the employment of an agent to devote his whole time.in seekiug out and bringing to the in stitution the uufortuuato objects whom it in designed^tq benefit. The same individual might also be tho agent of the Academy for) the Blind, and thus ptrform the service for