The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-12-01
this law are increased.

been received without consideration.
10. Any intoxicated person, in such a
state as to disturb the public or domes-
tic tranquility, may be arrested and de-
aimed in Jail until, in the opinion of the
officer arresting him, he is capable of
iestifying where "the liquor so producing
intoxicaton was obtained" and on his
neglect so to disclose he may be confined
in Jail until he shall disclose, or shall be
discharged by the justice before whom
he is brought.
Ia. Officers refusing or ncglecting to
act, under this law, on the proper appli-
cation being made to them, shall be fined
not more than five hundred dollars, nor
less than three hundred dollars
10. 1t is made the duty of grand ju-
rors to inquire into and present all vio-
lations Of this act not otherwise prosccu-
ted.
l6 Any states attorney who shall
settle with or release an offender against
this act, while his trial is pending, shall
be fined not more than FIVE hundred dol
lars nor less than three hundred dollars.
The act is to be voted on by the PEG.
pie, on III: second T~ssday Of Esbrua-
ry and if a majority of the votes are
:" ycS," the law is to take effect the first
of May If no" on the first of De-
cembcr following.
Whatever may be thought of the cx-
pcdiency of thus submitting the qucs-
tion to the people, (and as a general
rule, we are certainly opposed to lcgis-
lating in this manner) we believe the
form adopted in this instance is liable
to no constitutional objection. Besides,
the special friends of the law should re.
member that its passage in any other
manner was impossiblc-a similar bill
withoW this proviso having been dis
missed by the House.
The law requiring the appointment of
State Superintendent of Common
Schools was again null6ed by majority
of the Houso-though this feature of
our school system was much stronger in
the House than last year. We have
list of the yeas and nays on this qucs-
ton, which we reserve for another time.
Projects for railroads from Essex
Junction to some point on the Rutland
and Burlington road at or near Whiting
from Castleton to Vergcnncs, along the
shore of Lake Champlain for extend
ing the Rutland and Whitehall road
from Castleton to Rutland and for ex-
tending the Hydcville branch railroad
to Whiting were scvcrally defeated,
by large majoritcs. The charter of the
Bennington and Brattlcboro railro ad
was (for the second timc) revived
Several amendments were proposed
to the general banking law, but all with
one or two unimportant exccptions) were
defeated An act was passed removing
the Franklin County bank from st. Al
bans Bay to the Village. A bin
exempting negotiable paper from the
tru5tes process. under ertan c;rcums
tances, was passed.
The time of holding the county court
i'll this county was changed-to take eff
feet after the next term--from the sec
ond to the first Tuesday in June and
December
We have already spoken-in former
numbcr-of the act making a division
of the remnant Of the school fund among
the colleges of the state This shows
an increasing liberality among our leg
islators which deserves particular COM
mendation And here we should men,
ton, that perhaps the finest and most
eloquent speech of the session, in either
House, was that of Hon. EDWARD SEy-
MoUR, of this county, when this bill was
under consideration, in the Senate. 1t
passed that body by very large major
ity. Mr.. SEYMoUR's position in the Sen
ate, as President pro tcmpore, chairman
of the Judiciary committee, and leader
on the Wing side of the house. was main
tanned with great credit to himself and
his constituents, and has given him
prominent place among the public men
of the State
Various new projects for improving
our school system were introduced and
urged none of which, however, promis-
ed greater efficiency or economy than
the present system which, from being
so unreasonably viliied and abused, is
likely to become, at no distant day quite
popular. 1t certainly has merits very
decidedly superior to those of any other
system yet proposed, and those who have
Illegally set it aside, for another year,
should be held to due accountability.
The investigation into the affairs of
the Brattleboro Asylum for the Insane
was patient and thorough. Every OPP
portunity was afforded the complainants
that they could desire, and prejudice, if
any existed. was enlisted on their side.
The examination, however, has resulted
in n decisive vindicotion of tho institu-