The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-11-14
TFoR THE CALEDoNIAN.1
Montpelier, w., No

tain State in my route, you should hear from me ;
and hold myself under much obligation to keep
nv promise, as if you had my Bond. arrived here
at the commencement of their annual Legislative
session. full of curiosity to observe men and man.
ners and events-and l assure you have had
Rich treat of it, 1t has been long tedious Journey
from Grand Gulf, in which have tried all modes
of ravelling-by steamboat by stage, and on f0otc,
over HILL and dale, over good roads and Dad' and
often through the Field with road at all Moth
ing but the fear oflthe New Orleans epidemic, and
strong desire to extend my acquaintance in differ
ent parts of our extended country, Hardy as am,
would have induced to undertake 1t at this time
The climate has been every thing by turns and moth
ing long; we have had the soft flyers of May sue
ceoded by sharp Northwestern that would Pierce
one through in moment, and then drizzng,
foggy course of weather, ViI-as any you ever
experienced in the Mississippi swamps. However,
these things offered no serious Barr to my progress,
for was determined not to later in my purpose till
had Fuller insight into the mysteries of Vermont
Legislation.
Arrived here, the first object of attraction to a
stranger is the new State House-built of granite,
and n splendd monument it is to the liberality
taste and judgment of the State it is not to bel
named in the same day with the miserable ill-con-
by. The General Assembly las ihey call t,compos-
ed of two branches, meet in the morning at the
ringing of the Bell at which timo White Flag is
displayed from the top of the great dome of the
State House, liz imitation, believe, of the practice
at Washington. Separate chambers are neatly and
tasefully fitted up.
There is greater variety of occupations among
the members than you would expect to find, such as
Bioon,er a Baker, a BarJer, Mjner, several
Smiths, Mason, Potter. Carpenter, Chandler,
Currier, Butler, Porter and Miller.
l have watched the course of proceeding and the
debates occasionally in both Houses. and not with
out some amusement. The style of speaking is va
rous indeed, but widely different from Many
interesting topics of discussion have been before
them. | was much amused TO observe every
and then one old Partridge, set up sort of cuch
like BanA, Bank, Bank when instantly the whole
BROOD who understood the call, would and fly
Saoif they could CO. to take shelter under her
wings, lest the great U. S. Bank hawk should dar.
down, Ketch-un, and make ono Goodrich meal of
the whole Of them.
One or two attempts made to Hutch up some
small plots the Bank sub ect, but Ho,ce they
coeded am not exactly informed Although in
some quarters one could disposition to Foster
the arts OF humbuggery, yet III general must do the
Vermonters the justice to say that in the main they
are sufficiently Steel d against them, setting their
faces like F""l against The small tricks Of small
politicians.
Party politics sometimes run.prcty high, skul
B0rmam would now and then aim poisoned arrow
at adversary, and sometimes Il Lance would be
broken in parlizan tilt; yet on the whole, think
there is less luminosity aud more dccorum than in
some of our States
There subject in which took peculiar
Interests mean the subject of Temperance. Pc
titions from all quarters, from old and Young from
male and female, from those of every Church, and
those OF no church, were poured in by the bushel,
half busnei, and Peek, urging the Legislature to
suppress the traffic in and manufacture of ardent
spirits, but in vain. Every effort in favor of the
measure seems to have failed. Why, know not,
but it is suspected that many member supposed to
be u cold Water- man. turned out to be secretly ia
vorable to moderate use Of the poison. Much to
my establishment, the House finally passed a Reso
luton that they had Constitutional power to in
termeddle with the traffic. But | have not time
room to enlarge.
Much has been said in other States of the efforts
of the Roman Catholics to extend tho influence of
that Faith in this country. 1 confess 1 have been
rather increduloas on the subject. Since the cele-
brated letter of Nj Van Buren, to our Consul
ident in the domnons of His Holiness, it was nat
ural to expect some rather decisive demonstra-
tons, and should not have felt, therefore, much
surprise to have found here Nuncio romlthe Holy
Father; but, judge of my establishment find the
Pope here in person
Being something Of a Walker, have often strolIed
about the village and Toaon. 1t is thriving, flour
ishng place, substantially built, mostly the right
bank of tho Winooskic-along whose Fair banks it
is delightful to wander in pleasant weather. There
are several good Hotels and boarding houses where
the traveller, whether with family or a Bachelor,
can find comfortable accommodations, a bountilul
table we'll stocked with the Buck, the Bullock, the
Martin, the Drake, the Robin, with Bacon and
Rice; and if you Nced-ham, you Jean be supplied
with very large chump by calling for it, besides
plenty of fish from the River, Lake, and Pond. In
dian Corn is said grow here In good snasons but