The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-03-08

whenever Tie SuDlecf OF the shire has been
alluded to, have always heard it said by
men IN al! sections Of the county, that the
shire must be eventually moved into the
fa>Sumrs'c valley-ihat it vas question of
time merely. and do not REMEMBER to have
heard suggestion to the contrary. II seems
TO me. that 1t must DE conceded that if the
time was ever to come. it bad fully arrived.
! The county has long needed court house
better suited to its wants, and more in accor-
dance with those Of other counties. and it can
hardly he hoped they will ever be in bet
ter condition to build one than at this time
l nave seen every court house in Vermont
ana there IS no county in the State. Of the
size and wealth of this, but has far more
suitable court house. Essex county. with
about one-fourth of our population, has one
much more suitable.
But without taking anv more time to re-
view these proceedings that have been pre-
sentet to us. or the means that have been ne.
ed to get them up. have to saw. that they
nave all wholly failed to satisfy US that the
! act OF last Fall, or the acton of the commit,
tee under 1t were not in accordance with the
best interests of large majority of the peo.
pie "f tins county. and of their wishes a,so
80 that 1t we were at liberty TO 20 behind the
law itself I" find excuses and rcasops for die.
obeying II. we have wholly failed 10 find any
Out what is II these petitions and this meet
ing ASK ns TO DO F: do they fully and seriously
comprehend the nature of their rcauest. and
to whom 1t Is addressed? Their reuuest Is
'hat We Will take II upon ourselves to nullity
cf.t, s. Z
alleged reason that thar they request it, ans!
/ 'hls request Is made TO men especially selec
TED to sc 'h.s the laws are enforced, and
obeyed. and to punish al vio!s,,on ara d;....
Incidence OF the law. aud who in all their Of
tiriai conduct are acting under the sanction
OF an oath to act according to law. Il i.
merely an invitation u lis TO commit off ial
perjury. We are not even allowed to shield
ourselves under some covert preten"r OF ohc-
dIence some mode OF Yrttin.e around the law.
but we are a>Aed to 20 beyond all urece-
dents. Even South Carolina MULTI atom
acted under ii' authority Of law. pissed hv
that State. aud :h"v nro."ssed 20 believe and
doubtless dsi believe, that III" acts of Con-
: gress vh'rh H.: r'f:,>r-i 20 ;!a..v we.a an
CONSTITUTIONAL and therefore void. But no
such TX use i devised t,r us. We mu It
swallow the naked tc2k
! by what m"ars do :ha orisinators and
movers OF this scheme sock to induce us to
override the law: Ks usirc every species
OF arr and taS-hool, and appealing to every
possible prr]n'lr'" 10 ""; up general f"elin.
ot opposition to fhr law. for anv sort of rca-
son. or TO reason at all : then calling pub
lic meeting. passing strong irnunciatory res
buttons. and then r.rd.inr themselves that
they VII! carry tins II liter into The election.
anu WI! vote 10y 70 prr>cn as our successors.
who are not ''Iri"r 80 90 for the repra! OF
the law. We have bad no such proceedings in
New E"-'2'I since Saav's rebellion 1t
rannct 'r':i.. ir-,:,t.r. nrarsr it is not
,,roocS.'; t. overthrow the law III ,,,ro. hut
Is :: not clearly con pray 70 prevent the
due execution OF the itw, aid nd,ctab,e a.
such We trust whoever our successors
may hr. III ii f..rv Will no. be men who are
either vca' enough. or ro~rnpt enough to b'
frightened! :raal III" Performance Of their Gu-
" tv such vii. mears.
For myself. desire to 5 " 10 tie gcn:ism1 n
who moved this r. -o'u,ion-t, al who voted
for Ii. and 10 al who rarv endorse it, that If
rh"v believe that shall b., moved in INV Off
cIal action one hairs breadth, or that shall
he at all inbred to Withhold my Support
from any inea>urc believe 70 be right. or
NY opposition 20 any thai | believe {, he
wrong by any such threat as this resolution
contains, thrn they have formed a lower cs-
innate o'my character. than IN my JUDGMENT;
, any act Of my wno!' lii,. will warrant can
not hol! office un'lnr lrv srrh terms
The people. without Doubt. have the RIGHT
to some extent. to control the action of those
they have elected to MAKE Jaws Tor them. for
they are l'nt the agents of the people to car
~ out their views and wishes. but does this
principle apply to officers appointed to exc
cute the l,w. "xe"n'iv" nd i"'''rrsl officers >
Lex US IT. i tv example. Thcrc is no
, branch 81 t..t Law that h,' t,-cn more hu,tu-
atinc. an, win h d,rrnlS 50 entirely iron
10 condition Of public sentiment. as that in
rc,. ~" 70 the use ard S,lc 6 ardent spirits
Wheo .rrr present proii'bi;orv law was pass
.d many ,. ',,''e in The State, and l bcl!rvc
ma;,r;t, IN ,, y "onntv. we're opposed TO it
Many then believe. it unconstitutional and
possibly some believes '"~' suppose 'ha'
petitions were to he circ~ "a CD anu eve"
signed by a m'iortv Of TIE 70 ~Fs !" 'h'
county and in tie State, saying nc. "s'e
opposed 70 the law and wiSl cd it rcpt. "
that public meetings should be held and .l.'-
liar resolutions passed. and all courts and ;
other officers Of the law should be requested
to suspend ali prosecutions and all action un-
der the law, u;tIl another Legislature should !
meet, and that some member o, the bar should
be selected 20 present item TO a court in SEES
sion. W Oud ne expect 20 escape without
punishment for a contempt OF court. and
would he not he considered fortunate if hr .
received no greater one than to have his :
name struck from the roll of attorneys of the |
court? But are not the cases precisely par /
allcl in principle, and one flaSrantIy wick /
ed as the other? Yet this seems 70 be the ;
sentiment that is publicly declared by this
meeting. Ia the address adopted by the
meeting, it is declared that 'rhey would BE- |
10th to know that any of the Judges consider /
ed a law which the tre,men OF the county
garded as having been traudulentlv obtained !
OF more consequence to them than the good
will Of their constituents. And this mon
strous doctrine was penned bv a lawyer, and
sanctioned by men who have occupied seats
on the bench Of this Court.
For ourselves, we recognize no such priv
ciple. We do not consider shat our duty to
enforce the laws at al, depends upon vino
wished it done, or vino wished it not done !:
and in the present instance we can sec no
other course for us to pursue. except to fol-
low the plain and positive requirements of
the law, and to erect county buildings at St.
Johnsbury. In doing this we shall be gov
verncd by desire to use all that prudence
and economy. that is consistent with provid-
ing county buildings that shall be suitable to
the wants OF the county, and that shall be
permanent and durable. In doing this we
10 NOT o y Meet to create a npl.esSify for hut