Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-10-17

Grarc questions in regard to Glastonbury
and Isle la Mot; Organisation Of The SEN
ate; Report Of the CanrdSsing Committee;
Hhir Strength in the t,co Houses Tile
Hrbcas Corpus Act, Sc, &c.
MONTPELIER; Oct. Q, 1851.
ELECTION Day. has again come aud passed
away. Nothing remains of it but the prelimi-
nary acts of its Legislators and the odor of its
pedlcrs.--the iiist, about usual the last,
diminishing. 1t is manifest that our Lcgsla- |
tnrc is re,ing to be substantial fact, that can
be neither augmented nor reduced by Pedlers.
The reign Of Pedlcrsm,-t Vermont Satur-
nalia,--is evidently drawing to IA close. The
race was feebler in numbers and feeber in wit,
to-day. than it has been for twelve years past.
The tin horns squ1dkcd their customary call,
bat the People were not here, nor the Pedlcrs.
The race of back-woods Yankees is dyin g out.
Those who sell and those who buy, in the do
main of ltinerant Pellerism, are gradually dis
appearing, like the doomed Aboriglncs Of the
country, before a progressive civilization. 1t
has come to be more generally understood,
since the days ofthc good Vicar Of Wakefield,
that roods bought at auction are not neccssari-
" bought at bargain, and that the actual pre-
scnce of the Supreme Legislative Authority OF
the State is no guaranty against sovereign
iake-in Of the sovereign people!
pedlcrs and people do not so much rejoice,
therefore, at the annual occurrence of Election
Day as they have done in times past. Pedlers
ago their ways" among the outside settlements,
and the people stay at home and mind their
business so that Election Day is growing
more an more to be monopollzed by the Lee
rislature, whose Members are growing more
and more independent of both. am sorry to
sly it, but it cannot be denied that a new or
der of things is dawnng upon Vermont The
simplicity of legislation is giving way to its
completely. The good old times, when the
People came up to Montpelier, at the COM
lnenccment of their General Assembly, and en-
couragrd the Representatives to make short
Laws and short Sessions, are forever passed
away Patriotism is quoted at discount, and
scltishncss at premium. The Legislature has
forgotten the days when the Governor was cs-
corted to the Capitol by the armed and equip
ped veomanrv of the vicinagc, and the people
tnronGed the public avenues to greet him, and
when those who embarked in extensive "com-
lncrcial transactions involving the transfer of
pelts and rags for an equivalent in pins and put
t., (famarly known as 'tln-pedlers') were
among the respected constitutions" of the
State. Banks and Railroads, Silyer-greyism
and Woolcy -hcadlsm, Old.Linery and Free
Soilcry. are making the Legislature tolcrably
serious and complicated dcberative body, and
producing combinations and coalitions equally
unknown to the constitution of the State and
unanticipatcd by its trainers. Pedlers are get
ting to be emphatically "minus quantity" in
the modern estimate of influences. Even the
unknown "Membcr from Glastonbury" has
Stopped buying wooden combs at vendue, and
goes home, uncombed as he came, but heavy
laden with ponderous doubts on some question
of State Policy which the eleven votes Of his
town hardly help him to solve. And, more
than this, the presence and eloqucnce Of the
veritablc New England Soap man." the hope
tul and ready -wtted Gardner has failed to in
fuse anything like enthusiasm into the decirna-
ted crowd that have lounged about the streets
of Montpelier, to-day brimful of tears and
gingerbread, and oppressed by the anxious and
care-worn countenunces of their Representa-
tives in the General Assembly. Alas, and
alackaday! The glory of Montpelier is utter
ly departed. Those who visit her are back
ed in" on her spur of railroad, and depart
with sorrowng consciousness of her uniortu.
nate position! The Pedlcrs are forsaking hei
streets,-the people are wondering why she es.
tabshed herself so far above the mouth Of
Dog River, and the Legislature begins sobcrly
to contemplate the approaching necessity o.
moving ont into 1.-The settlements" What the
upshot of all these changes will be and how
long the Representatives of the people vii
submit to this gradual withdrawal of human
sympathy and comfort, it is scarcely possible t;
tOresce.
The House Of Representatives was called tc
order, this morning, at 10 O'Clock, by the ex
celent and competent Secretary of State, Mr.
MERRILL, and the great majority of the mem
bcrs sworn into office. Two or three cases
however the judicious Secretary reserved 70
the combined "wlsdon and virtue" of tn,
House.
From the town of Glastonbury, in Benning
ton County, for instance, tlvo Representative
appeared, each presenting uneXceptionab
credentials, and each, Of course, claiming
scat in the House. Glastonbury is in the habi
of casting somewhere between eleven an
twelve votes, annually, and is accustomed t
be represented in the Legislature by Governo
IIewes or some other equally patriotic gentle
man, who esteems the honor equivalent to tn
State Taxes. This year, however, it appear
that there was trouble in the camp. Their
are but two Wings in Glastonbury, and {
course they were unoiiending citizens. b.
there are eleven democratic voters, and the
f,ot into n gnnpI Part of tbau, ~ 10 ,unnoeof