The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-11-05
LEGISLATURE of Vermont.

spect to the Powers Jail and Prison
Bill which passed the House and was
sent to the Senate for concurrence. This
bill provided that the Jails and Prisons
of this state should not be used by the
United States authorities for any pur.
pose in aid Of enforcing the Fugitive
Slave Law, and imposed state prison
penalty upon any jailor who should open
the prison for these purposes, aid at the
same time provided that the Jails and
Prisons might be used to shield the Flu.
gitive and protect him against capture,
under the United States Laws This
law. besides being entirely unnecessary,
if passed. would commit the state to
species OIL nullfcation as reprehensiblo
as any thing ever attempted by the State
of South Carolina and would only lead
to a system of retaliation in legislation,
which might be productive of the most
serious consequences. Upon these
grounds, ,tho bill was Itrenuously opposed
by Messrs. Pierpoiot and Underwood,
and voted again s, by large majority &c
t.a.a Senate, So obviously was its design
the manufacture Of political capital
that the Third House, christened the
bill IAN act TO elevate a member Of
Congress.
The old game Of advertising . school
book by act of Legislature, was introdu.
cod by Mr.. Flint. and promptly laid
on the table. The Legislature, i, would
appear to superficial observer, might
safely leave these advertisers to take
care of themselves, and the people to &C.
lect worn books according to their own
taste.
A bill to increase the capital stock
and extend the charter Of the Bank of
Middlcbury, was reported by the Bank
Committee, favorably to the increase of
stock and adverse to the extension of
charter, and the report was sustained by
the Senate A motion to reconsider the
vote was then made and carried. A
resolution Of inquiry into the present
situation and disposition Of the ordinance
arms and ammunition of tho Quarter
Master Generals Department was adopt.
ed.
In the HOUSE,, Bills have been intro.
ducsd for the creation Of q Bank at
Hinesburgh TO increase the capital and
extend the charter Of the Poultnej Bank;
to legalizs chatiei mortgages to repeal
the ac. extending the charter of the
Montpelier Bank to make the owners
Of dogs doing injury to others RESPONSE
Bile for double damages to permit mar
riod women to testify for or against their
husbands
Bills of tho following nature were
passed.; To enlarge the capital stock Of
the Woodstock Bank to extend the
time for taking stock in the Walioomsac
Bank a. Bennington to incorporate the
Windham County Bank at Bratteboro;
to prevent any right from occruing to
persons in consequence Of the occupancy
or possession of highways; to provide
for the compelling Of persons committed
to Jail, to hard labor during imprisoD.
ment. TIL. topic Of discussion in the
House which elected the most interest,
was in regard to the abolition of Capital
Punishment The old Quaker who rep.
reson,s East Montpelier, Friend Stevens,
reported bill in favor of the abolition
of The Death Penalty. The report was
an able document and presented the rea-
sons of that side Of the question with
great clearness and force.
The Bill wss discussed by Messrs
Spencer, Bradley, Leland, Hubbard and
others, but no decision has as yet been
made. The Clergy Of the House ar
gusd earnestly and ably, in favor Of the
law as it now sta nds, grounding themsel
yes on tho Scriptures and on the ncces-
sity of society; while tie old Quaker and
his friends planted themselves on the
phiIanthropies and progress of the age.
1t was a pretty 6ght, and a jury Of the
Third House who sat in the loGbies and
patronised the performance, were about
equally divided on the question as to
which party was ahead.
The Quidnunes have ha6 a world Of
pleasure in the developments made by
the Committee Of Claims who, sending
for persons and papers, have been, for a
week, scrutinizing the accounts of the
Sorgeant-at-Arms. 1t Appeared from
their report, which was an unsatisfactory
and bungling affair, that the Sergeant
has been dispensing foolscap, letter, vel
lum and post goose quilts, ink, mucilage
and sealing wax, among the members Of
the Legislature aud the officers of the
Government with lavish hand. Some