The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-02-15
To the Editor of the Peoples Press.

L o The Editor oil the feople'5 fress.
SR,-I have heretofore shown that all
the provisions contained in the last article in
our Constitution, except the last clause provi-
ding for its amendment, are utterly useless.
And | think have shown, too, that the mode
of amending the constitution is the most in
convenient mode that has been provided in
any of the states. l have also stated that it
is attended with a useless expense. But
could not state the amount of the expense, of
electng the present council of censors, and
of their two sessions one in June and the other
in October.
The expense of the two sessions is S563, 80.
The expense of delivering the votes by the
constables to the county clerks have compu-
ted at S467,04. To ascertain this, | put down
the number of miles which each constable in
the county of Addison travelled to deliver the
votes and found The aggregate number of miles
to be 275. have multiplied this number of
miles by IL, as the constable has six cents per
mile each way-making 1896 for the county
of Addison. And taking this as the average
expense in all the other counties-the whole
expense of returning the votes is S467, O4.-
The expense of counting the votes by the
county clerks | could ascertain more accurate
ly. If they spent two days in counting the
votes, the amount of the expense is Sl55,7O,
making the whole of the expense which has
already accrued Sl,136,04. Add the expense
of the adjourned session of the council, to be
holden the present month, and the whole a.
mount will not be far from 81 100000.
1t may be said that this is a small sum for
the whole people of the state 10 pay-and, to
complain of it, savors TOO much of the radical.
But what is termed radical in the concerns of
the government, we dignity with the name of
economy in our individual concerns. If far
mer becomes wealthy it is by small savings of
time and expense. and he is sure 10 be poor if
he has never learned the value of time nor re-
garded the useless expenditure of small sums.
In this case the whole amount is dead loss
TO the community. If those individuals who
have received the money, had made anything
bv it, so far it would be saved to the communi-
tv. But it is not so, the members of the coun-
ell. would have done much better in their own
business at home, than they have done in the
public service. OF course the whole amount
of the expense, is dead loss to the commu-
nity And after this expense we are only
where all the other states are when they take
the first step for amending their constitutions,
EXCEPT that, if convention be called, they
can only work in trammels, as have before
shown. DANIEL CHIPMAN.
From TExAs.-There are accounts to
the 18th inst. The Santa Fe captives had
arrived at Mexico and were well treated,
the charges of the crueliies, &C., being all
untrue. They were TO undergo trial at
Mexico.
Ewo Mexican steamers of war, noun
ting Paixham guns, and built in England at
an expense of $4,000. were daily ex-
pected at Vera Cruz. full manned and equi-
pped. and were forthwith, on their arrival
destined to blockade the port of Galveston.
An army of $4,000, men was also being
raised, of which 10000 were toco-oper-
ate with the navy in the conquest of Tex
as.
As the Sabine, which brings the news,
left the port of Vera Cruz, she fell IN with
two armed briggs ane one schooner on their
wav to blockade that port supposed to be
a part off the Yucatan and Texas navy
There are two other French slooPs OF
w.r and one schooner cruising OF the
coast It is, however expected that the
J;a;culties with France will be amicably ar
ranged. Tribune