Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-01-27
Vermont Legislation.
For the Freeman,

TOT Me freeman,
Mr.. EDIToR:-In looking over the laws passed at
the last session of the Vermont Legislature l notice the
following;
No freeman of this state who has heretofore remov-
ed, or shall hereafter remove from the limits thereof
and reside in any other state for the space of one wear.
shall on his return therefrom, be permitted to vote in
any election of Governor, Lieut.. Governor. Treasurer
of the state, Senators, Representatives to CONGRESS.
electors of President and Vice President of the Uni
ted States, or town representative, until he shall have
again resided in this state for the term of one full wear
next preceding any such election.
Approved Nov. 6, 1847.
Now, as | am tone of 'em" for whose especial be.
neit this luminous specimen of Legislation was intend
ed, / wish to raise a few queries in reference to it.
| want to know first, the object OF this law, second,
its ~wisdom-third its justice-fourth its benefits fifth,
the necessity for it, sixth ,cho is to be benefited by it
seventh tcho has suffered aud tOhose rights have been
curtailed heretofore for the want of it, and eighth-did
the people suggest the law, or was it an emanation
from the brains of demagogues. | confess that after
some six or eight weeks study of this great question, |
am as far as ever from divining the motives of those
who originated it, or the least shadow of plausibility
for its passage.
This law makes 1t a crime to remain out Of the state
"for The space NJ one year." the punishment for which
is complete Acknowledgement "for the term OF one fll
year." Note, that, for an absence of any term less
than a year, there is no penalty. 1.-THE return is one
day, ore hour, or even one minute before the expira-
ton of the year, the bacon is saved, for laws must be
construed according to the letter aud therefore cannot
be stretched hard enough to cover even that one mi
mute. The crime then consists in remaining out of the
safe the last minute of the year. All the rest goes fo
nothing. Why not adopt a graduated scale so that the
term of a mans Acknowledgement shall be proportions
ed to the time of his absence; day for day, month fol
month and year for year. This would have the merit
of appearing to aim at reason, however wide of the
mark it might be.
mo freeman."-A young man who has resided years
out of the state and has never taken the freeman's oath
may come into the state just before election, take the
oath and vote as heretofore, for all this law. Why
single out "freemen" and infict upon them this penal
ty? Are these youth better qualified to vote than ar
old freeman, even though he may have committed the
magnificent crime of residing out of the state one year
"Of this state % course freemen Of other state:
coming into this state must go by the old law-hel
not requiring a new law for their especial benefit
"Who has heretofore removed" This is looking back.
Oard with a vengeance. Where is the constitutions
authority for an expost facto law?
"Onef full year"-Couldn't some of the "knowing
uns" explain the difference between a "GN year, ant
and an empty one, or one half "full?"
What constitutes a residence in the meaning of law:
she shall have again res,ded,"-How long an absence
from the state during the years disfranchisement woulC
it take to make it appear to the %quibbling politicians
who often constitute a "board," to decide such ques
tons, that he had not"reSided"m the state a "faN year.
ifthe person wishing to vote didn't happen to be O.
their partR
Such laws, and they are plenty, are a disgrace t
any statute book, and a disgrace to any people VIII
will suffer them quietly to remain in force. Bette
keep the Legislators at home and pay them for staying
there, than to send them to Montpelier where they 81
as grave as old apple women and enact laws, which, fo
stupidity, would shame a jackass.
Vow long did it take "the assembled wisdom" of Vt
to get through the entire process of e%nacting this lawi
How many brains became added in the operation?-
How much did it cost the state? Truly the mountain
has been in labor and brought forth a most glorious
Mouse. Yours &c. A.. H. b.
Boston, Jan. 1S.