Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-01-11
Special Correspondence of the Free Press.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

Special Correspondence of the Free Press.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. |
Montpelier, Jan. 8, 1850.
GLS. CLARKE:
Dear Si,-You will remember that with the
close of my communication yesterday, left the
Convention in committee upon the second of the
series of resolution offered by Mr.. Williams
which provides for the adoption of the second
article of amendment, limiting the time for bal
loting to IL o'clock midnight of the first Tues
day of September. Messrs. SARGENT and
HILL of Craftsbury spoke in favor ofthe amend
ment; they claimed that there was great need
Of some limitation. Mossrs. CLARK of Mid
dletown, and CUSHMAN of Rochester opposed
= strongly-the first on the ground that the pro-
posal failed to reach the evil which it was de-
signed to remove; the latter on the ground of
a general dislike to medding with the consttu-
ton. 1t was voted to report against the pass
age of the resolution, which report being made
and accepted, the convention adjourned.
This morning, upon the question of the pass
age of the resolution, spirited remarks were
submitted in favor of it, by Mcssrs. HUNT,
( PINGRY, HALE, COOLIDGE and Villas.
They urged the necessity of settling question
of long contention and dispute, decided in Town
Meetings and Legislatures, sometimes one way
and sometimes another Midnight elections
should be avoidcd-they were pcrniciou5 both
morally and politically, and all elections made
after that time were rather misrepresentation
than representation of towns where such
elections were made.
The resolution vas opposed BY Mc6srs.
FIELD, STODDARD, KELLOGG, NEED
HAM, BOTTOM and CARPENTER. They
assumed the position that the constitution should
not be mcddlcd with, unless there were abso-
lutte evils existing. which would he removed by
the amendments proposed; and in the case be-
fore them, though they saw an evil arising from
the want Of proper limit to the first Tuesday
Of September" yet they could not perceive a
remedy in the adoption Of the amendment under
consideration. The question was debated un-
til noon, and being submitted for final action,
and the yeas and nays demanded it was decid-
ed in the negative ;-ycag 1l2, nays 10. So
the resolution was lost.
You see the vote is a close one so was the
debate. You will also notice another happy
circumstance, viz. the debate was not party
one; nor was the vote. 1t is thought that Il
motion will be made to reconsider, but | pre-
sumo no change in the vote will be effected.
After converting this afternoon, the Conven-
ton, on motion of Mr. HUNT, again went into
committee upon the resolutions of Mr.. Williams
Mr.. DEANE of Cavendsh in the chair-and
took up the consideration of the third of the sc-
rics of resolutions, adopting the article OF a.
mendment giving the election of 4 ASSISTANT JuJg
es ofthe County Court to the people.
Mr.. BARTLETT opened the discussion
with truly cOgent and powerful speech in its
favor, This he said he did for three reasons
1t as matter of principle, End matter of
policy and 3rd as a matter Of right He award
ed TO the people the capebIIity of selfgovern
mcnt to the fullest degree and advocating this
principle, lie WAS not only willing, bat perfectly
confident in trusting them with their own coun-
Iy appointments. lie argued that the business
Of the Legislature was the enactment of laws,
and not the election Of ofiicers-espceially the
el ,ction OF officers Of the Counties. lie was Of
! o, inion that the adoption of the amendment
proposed would result in the election of better
men TO the various oiiices.
Mr.. FIELD took tine same ground with Mr..
Bartlett, with reference to the duty and power
Of the Legislature and said " he would never
trust TO gents what he could do himself
Mr.. ROBERTS of Townshend made brief
remarks against the amendment. The same
thing, or something very similar, had been sub
mitted to each of Unconstitutional Conventions
in the last fourteen years, and occasionally TO
the Legislatures, and had as often been rejected.
lie was Of opinion that nop, were this given to
The people to vote upon, it would be rejected
again.
Debate was here suspended by a motion to
inc Jude in the consideration. all the articles of
amendment, giving County appointment TO the
people, and confusion of motions and propo
sails succeeded. The motion, bo%eyer, pre-
vailed, and while write Dir. SMITH of Wes-
ton !" has the floor, and is speaking, of course,
in favor of the amendment.
will add, as perhaps you may Geslre to
know, that those voting fora representation ac-
cordng TO number of inhabitants yesterday,
were Nrssrs. ATKINSON Of Newbury ,BLAN-
CIlARD Of Pownal, HUNT of St. Adams,
POMEROY of Burlington, SEYMOUR of
MiddlebGry, TOWNSLEY of Bratteboro,
WHITNEY of Springfield, WILLIAMS of
Woodstock, and WOODWARD Of Bradford
Hastily, am your
ComMUSICAIoR,