Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-11-22

We are oslonished that so respectable paper
as the Bratteboro Phoenix should attempt to
draw parallel between the unjust prescription
Ut the present General Assembly of this State
and The custom of the General Court of New
tlompshre In that State, the county officers
are elected by the people, so that there is no
chnn,e for the practice OF such ungooy pros.
crlption as is attempted by ;he Taylurltes in Yer.
mont. montpelier Patriot.
We are glad to relieve the Patriot of the dis
honesty of denouncing the Wings of Vermont
for that which his own party friends in New
Hampshire have pracliccd for years. unrebnked
and unccnsnred Though at The expense OF his
understanding and intelligence. If the Patriot
had been careful of facts rs he is bold in MS.
serion he might have saved himself the awk-
warduess of pleading ignorance of the most or
binary official proceedings of an adjoining State,
and one of the most prominent provisions of its
cons iluiun.
The election Of county officers in New Hamp-
shine, instead Of being by the people, is even fer
ther removed from them than in this State
Here the appointment of such officers is confded
10 The immediate representatives of the people
in New Hampshire they are made by The Gov
ernor and "A Council composed of five members
They appoint all Judicial officers, (ncludng of
course Justices OF the Peace Noarics, Judges
and States Attornrys,)" Attorneys General, 50.
licilors, all SherIlfs Coroters and Recisters of
Probate"
Not single county or town officer is elected
by the people IN New Hampshire, that is not
elected by the people also in Vermont,
We shall expect from the Patriot fresh burst
OF virtuous Indignation at the ungodly pro-
ss.crIpilon" of the Democracy of New HAMPSHIRE
There are several counties in that state which
send majority OF Wing representatives,, but
| lhere never was the Instance known of that whip
majority being allowed to name single whig
county or town officer. Some of tho Council
are Wings, but no such Whir member of The
Council was ever peynitied 10 appoin, u single
wing county or toNtn officer among his const-
uents. On the contrary, every county or town
officer, from the highest to the lowest. has been
democratic, without reference to The poiiiicaL ma.
jorty of that county.
Here, then, according to the elegant vocabu.
larry of he Patriot, is a case of infamous disfrhn
chsemont of the Peoples rights Where is the
thunder OF the Patriot, and the awful roar of the
lion OF Democracy As " charity be- ins at
home" let them first break, in all their terrific
violence, upon the iraNorons, disorganzing De-
mocracy OF New Hampshire, ana then it will be
time enough to lecture the wings of Vernon.
upon the rights oil the people, Bra;aeboro Phoe-
mir.
The PhoeCix goes on to lecture the Patrio, for
representation in the House OF Representatives
for supporting town corporations at the ex-
pense of the rights Of the people. We will not
undertake to answer for the consistency of the
Patriot: 1t does seem Il little odd, TO say the
least, that our neighber should so clamor about
the denial of The rights Of The people in the ap-
polntment OF certain county officers, and in the
same breath insist that these same people ought
mol to be permitted TO control the legislation of
the State IN the largest legislative branch of tlfe
Government. But we fully agree with the Pat.
riot in the latter point, and therefore do not quote
the structures of the Phoenix
1t Is great error osuppose that the people of
vermont are not quite as fully represented in
their government as, according 10 the principles
OF the wiscst statesmen Of this republican land,
is ever desirable. The Senate and Executive
ore both direct representatives of The people nu-
merically considered. True, the Senate is the
smaller body but its poi0er is equal TO that of
the House, and far more effective than that of
the House because in fewer hands. Is it desira-
BILE to hive no checks in our governnent-no
guards against the impulses of popular passion
or prejudice This Is the real question. Just
charge the basis Of representation in the House.
or subject our Constitution to the will of
mere majority of iTT people, as is proposed, and
we may soon have no such checks nay, even
no fixed constitutional principles at all, but
series of experiments in government, from ono
septenary to nn0ther, and with a pretty sure
chance Of making bad seven years bit occas-
ionaily.