Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/289



legislating for a Government like ours, where many of our most valuable institutions are founded on experiment, the best informed minds could not, in the earlier progress of things, determine with reasonable certainty upon the regulations and rules of action best suited to the circumstances of society, and the permanent good of the country. Experience alone can develop the fitness of measures, and the salutary or pernicious influence of particular laws. It is a duty, however, which you take pleasure in acknowledging, that you will examine with patience and great care into the nature and extent of alleged grievances and their proposed remedies. If the subject has received any light from the history of our own times, or of our own country, opinions can be formed with less difficulty, and nothing which is not in itself morally wrong is more to be deprecated in a free country than excessive legislation.

The simplicity of our laws, in connection with the certainty of their execution, is perhaps better calculated to inspire confidence in the citizen, and regard for the institutions of his country, than any other motive which can be presented to his mind. The necessity of all law grows out of the wants and interests of society, and when these are relieved or defended we may always rely with much confidence on the virtue and intelligence of the people.

In the early settlement of all parts of our country, the attention of the pioneers had been naturally and properly directed to collecting around them comforts and conveniences necessary to the sustentation of life, but with the progress of improvement great and accumulating surplus products have arisen which require artificial facilities in conveying them to market, in addition to the advantages afforded by our water-courses in theirnatural state. Hence it has been that for many years past public attention has, by my predecessors in office, been repeatedly called to the subject of internal improvements. All agree that it is a matter legitimately, if not exclusively, within the scope of separate State jurisdiction, and all are equally agreed that great and valuable improvements could be made within our State at a comparatively moderate expenditure of the public funds.

A chief obstacle to the attainment of these ends has heretofore been found in the selection of such points of commencement as would unite public opinion in their favor.

Each individual, impelled by a feeling incident to our nature, attaches an (273)