Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-07-26
OF 1.-THE VAN buren,
DEMOCRACY

have taken in hand 10 accomplish, with a
unity Of purpose and recklesness of means,
which plainly indicate that the attempt is
desperate one--and that now or never
must The State be carried. They rely main
" for success, on the hope of so far delu-
ding the people as to make them believe
that the party which has been the minority
in this state is, indeed, the same party,
which was formerly the majority,-the old
republican party-and they call for our faith
in this mater-(for it must be of faith if at
\ all, since it cannot be by sight or sense) TO
believe this pretence, --altho' they can
not shew how or when or by what means
the republican party in Vermont got into
the awkward predicament in which they
have been found ever since the party claim
lug their present appreciation warmed by the
sunny influence ofthe national adminIslra-
ton, Matched out Of the Jackson crystals and
sprung into existence as the radiant and gor-
geous Democracy" of these days. The
republican party certainly had the entire as
tendency in this state after the year lSl4,-
4 indeed they made a clean sweep and car
RED every thing before them--and how and
when did they become a minority2 The
whole pretence is miserable farce,--an ar
:.
But another grand object OF the Van Bu-
rem party and one of the means. by which
great results are expected to be accomplish.
ed is the indiscrimiuate war which is waged
against banks and the doctrine that they are
of wing origin and owe their existence to
wings, and that they are grevous and Bit
ter evil, which the "Smilie & bank reform"
party will remove. In the first lesson of de-
fusion which has been put forth on this sub
ject, reference is nude to the session of 1903,
when republican House passed bill in
cooperating bank which the council rejec-
Z ted. This we noticed last week, In look.
Z ing over the pages of Legislative history, it
will be found that the year 1906. is an epoch,
I which should be marked by those, who are
hunting for the rise and progress of Banks
! IN this State, AT the session of that year,
the first bank in Vermont was granted, by a
legislature, which counted an overwhem-
ing majority of that political party. with
which The Democracy" of these times,
claims to be identical. The Vermont State
Bank was then established, with branches
at Woodstock and Middlebury and SUISSE
quent Legislature added branches at Burling-
ton and Westminster How will 1.-The
Democracy" have it Were the legisla-
lures of 1906 and 1907, which established
these banks, composed of lnajorities OF men
OF the same party now claiming TO be 1.-The
Democracy" or were they not2 If they
acre, then let the wings be acquitted of The
charge of introducing banks into the state.
If they scere not, then does the argument,
that, in this state, the V. B. party ofthese
days and the republican party Of Mr.. JEFF
erson's time are the same, fall to the ground
Another passage in the history of legisla.
.ion, which should be marked by these pc.
lilical antiquarians, occurred in 1918, when
Joans Galusha was governor, Paul Brig
! ham was lieutenant governor and Richard
Skinner was speaker Of the House Of Rep
resentatives At the session ofthat year, Mr.
Van Ness was the representative Of the town
OF Burlington and led forth in the project Of
the establishment of the first private banks
! in W. With the Bank of Burlington on
4 one arm and the Bank OF Windsor on the
other, Mr. Van Ness went the whole figure
and fairly broke ground in this state for the
planting Of those institutions OF which the
party who almost idolize the founder, pretend
TO have such horror. No nun in
the state, except Mr.. Van Ness could
have succeeded, at that time, in carrying
,hro' the Legislature an act for the incorpo
ration OF bank. The high ground he oc
& cuped, as politician and his known anc
Y devoted attachment TO the republican party
secured TO him an influence possessed BY
no other individual in the state. and he was
able to effect that which no other man coult
accomplish. Mr. Van Ness is claimed b.
1.-The Democracy" as a a consistent politi
cian,. being one of their number and having
been from his first residence in the state, al
active and influential member OF the republi
can party. Every one, who recollects thu
history Of the establishment Of the Banks o
Windsor and Burlington, will fully agree
TO the position, that to all human probability
without the strength and influence Of M
Van Ness those institutions would not hav,
been chartered. In 1921, when the Banl
of Brauleboro was incorporated ant
in 1924 when charter was granted 10 III,
Bank Of Rutland, the precedenls Of the gen
eral assembly of 1918 was cited as tn
strong argument,-lhat nasmuch as tn
i legislature had decided that it was policy Il
establish banks in Vermont, there shout,
y not be a monopoly granted to few, but tha
every portion of the state should be permit
cd 10 enjoy equal privileges.
10 this article we have not attempted L
discuss the question whether banks are al
evil, but have endeavorod merely 10 collee
facts, showing the history ofthe introduction
OF the baking system into Vermont. Tn
great point TO be established, by the mist
lahors OF the Van Buren, presses is, tina