The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-11-08
VOL. Vino. 27.

The subject of altering the time Fl
holding fresmen's meeting, and the ses-
sions Of the Legislature, has been brought
to our notice by the urgent solicitations
Of individuals from various parts Of the
state. The time for holding freenen's
meeting is alledged 10 be too early in the
season, e. ESPECIALLY for the accommodation
Of 1.-THE farmer, as it most generally arrives
before he has completed his harvest, and
the early day of election not u%nfrequcnt-
ly prevents a full attendance Of the free
men at the polls.
As remedy for these Inconvenience,
we have seen fit to propose to The PEG.
pie, for their consideration, the second
Tuesday of October for the holding Ct
freemeu's meeting, and the first Thurs
day Of January following for the con-
Vening Of the Legislature. eiri~c 10
thai body the power to appoint, by law,
a different day, for the meeting OF the
Legislature, if deemed advisable
Whether this is called for, is a quest on
for your consideration AMI decision.
The manner of appointment. Of the
officers Of the county has been urged
upon the Council from varous parts Of the
state. Strong objections are made 10 the
present mode OF c'ecIing these local Of
hcefs by the Legislature. The ca d.
dates cannot be supposed to be pers NAL
ly known to bet few Of that body. Con-
s%equently, imposition and intrigus have
TOO frequently had more To do than merit
in the appointment Of these officers
The Council, therefore, have thought it
advisable to give these appointing is d.
rectly to the people, who will lie best
acquainted with the qnallfcaii ms Of lhos
who are TO serve them, an will be better
enabled 10 select, and as well inclined 10
appoint the best men TO Office, as the
body whose duty ii 20 is to make iaese
appointment.
As, in free government, all tie up
poinlments 20 ofi C, as well as all l&w<,
proceed directly or indirectly from iie
people, il cannot well be deui d tIla', as
far as is pract BILE, these powers should
be retained by them. The Counrl,
therefore recommended that the c~l,ctioi
Of sheriff and high bailiff be given to tue
ireemen Of the county. These are ex-
officers Of the county, clothed,
in the execution Of their duties. whit r
owner to control, not only the property,
but the persons Of ind ~yitiuals. Jh-rf.
authority is confined to and pervades the
county, and their appointment ought.
therefore, not 10 be taken { ON the pru-
pie of the county.
In regard u the appointment O. JUS
tees of the peace, by the freemel of
Their respective towns, although the Of
fee is for the county. yet, as their srrN-
ces are mostly confined to the town II
which they reside (; and inasmuch as. i'll
the II case, they will be personally
known to every %elector, and in the other
if elected by the county, will be known
to but few, it is the opinion the G Mncil
that the whole public interest will be
better subserved by, g wing the appoint
ment Of the justices of the peace to the
freemen OF the town in which they re-
side, than IN any other way.
We have, tn ,~refore, pr ,pos d an a.
mendmeni Of the constitution giyin! the
appointment Of this officer direc ly To
the ireemen Of the town !; and we have
likewise recommended that the numbrr
Of Justices, to be appointed for each town,
be $ mewhat IN proportion 10 The NUM-
Der Of Inhabitants of each town-no one
town being allowed more thaa twelve.
We have proposed an amendment To
the tenth section Of the second chapter
Of the constitution, altering the manntr
Of making returns Of votes given for Gov
ernor, Lieutenant Governor, and Treas
urer, author zing the several presiding
officers over the several freemen's meet
ings in this state 10 forward a cert fcaie
of the number Of votes given, without
transmitting the ballots themselves.
Under the present mode, consider able
inconvenience has been experienced,
while it is not known that any b nefr
has been derived. The Ger ificale Of :he
officer alone has been all the eyid nee
required by the canvassing committee
when ascerta'nin The number of votes
for the respective ca ,didates.
The subject Of abolishing the Coun-
Gil Of CeDsors, and giving the power to
propose amendments Of the constitution
10 one or both branches Of the Legisla-
ture, has been presented 10 the deliber-
ate consideration Of this Council. 1t has
been urged that it would be an important
Of expense TO the state, and that
the other duties of the Council, as now
prescribed, have, by the progress Of i'm
provemenl in the legislative and judic-
ial departments of the government, be-
come u~nimPortant and useless. But al
ter a full discussion of this subject we
have not Judged it expedient to recon-
mend the abolishing of that body. We
have reason to apprehend that il the pow
er to propose amendments Of the con-