The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-11-19
3}!lAAlrburq Rr9istrr.
MID d L j B u r Y :
The legislature,


ticular banks and private corporations
Occasionally however, topics of general
interest come before the Assembly.
The Kansas aid bill has cngrossed a
large share of attention. This bill pro.
vidcs that an appropriation of twenty
thousand dollars be made for the suffer
ing citizens of Vermont in Kansas. The
bill was reported BY Mr.. Marsh. Of Bran
don, from special committee, and he.
with a few second class members, were
the principal advocates of the measure.
The bill was opposed upon various
grounds, by Messrs Bradley, Kittredgo,
Stewart and othors. 1t was regarded by
them as an act Of doubtful legislation,
both in respect to the object aud the
method adopted to secure it, Mr.. Brad
Icy thought the relief ought to be af
forded by subscription and not by tax.
1t was charity. and as such its chcf
merit would consist 10 voluntary contri-
button rather than 10y forced tax. Mr.
Kiltredge said Information on the sub
icct was needed. He could not say from
all the knowledge the House had, that
there were half a dozen Vermont ci;i.
zeus in Kansas. lie coull not agree to
tax the people for 50 doubtful charity.
He thought besides that au act of legi''
lation on this subject, though perhaps
not strictly unconstitutional, was wholly
unwarrauted. Mr. Stewart said the doc
trine of the bill was what the Republican
party had always opposed, and was pre-
ci>ely the thing that South Carolina pol
i,cians would seize upon and use against
the northern doctrine on this subject
The South always claimed that the State
sovereignty pr j clod itself beyond The
State. and by the Constitution Of the
United States carried the Institutions IF
the States into the territories If the
United States Hence they insisted that
Slavery wa. carried Into the territories.
The Re publiclns had always denied this.
The bill proposed to extend the sovei-
eighty Of this State into the territories in
the same manner Mi. Stacy. Of Burling-
ton followed in speech in favor Of the
bill and complained that the people Of this
State had resolved aud protested long
enough. It was time material aid was
extended to prevent the aeeressions Of
Slavery. lie conceded there were
many difficulties in the way of passing
the bill, but lie wanted gentlemen on tie
other side to propose something they
could do, The House dismissed the bill
by large majority This vote was sub
scqucntly reconsdered, and Mr.. Merrill
of Montpelier, movnd nh amen mrnt to
the bill with preamble as long as his
arm. providing that the Governor should
ascertain whether any body was suffering
in Kansas or not; and having settled
that fact, he should correspond with 9th
err Governors and either in concert with
them or without them he might expeud
twenty thousand dollars if he could man.
age to do itjudiciously. The amendment
was fought vigorously on all sides and e.
nally passed the House like a whirl
wind. 1t will probably be defeated in
tho Senate.
Another discussion of great interest
was on the bill introduced by Mr. Brad
ley, to restore the old system of the Ju
dietary. Tho Judges of the Su
preme' Court to sit as presiding officers OIL
the County Courts, limiting their mum
Der to six members and abolishing the
Office of Reporter ThiA bill was advo
Gated By Mcssrs Bradley, Stacy aLG 9th
ers..The argument was. that the present
system was wrong in principle; that i
amounted to a divorce between practice
and theory, AMI led to hairsplitting re
fncments and distiuc ilns; that it hat
not worked well, aud that it was mar,
expensive than the old system. The bill
was resisted by Messrs. Powers, Kit
tredge and Spencer. 1t was deuied tina
the present system had worked badly
that it had proved itself the be stlin dis
posing Of business; that the expens
would not be materially diminished b.
the change and that all changes of thi
sort should be avoided, unless ezperienc
absolutely demanded them. The HGus
rejected this bill BY considerable ma
jority.
The discussion on the Liquor Lay
Amendments proposed. by Mr.. Powers a
meogrely reported in the Daily Journ0
we gave our readers last week The bill
passed the House by large majorir
and will probably pass the Senate.
Married women have GENE in for thei
Just share Of legislation. A law has az