Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-02-20
The State House Question.

our own views IN the mauef, we THIS
week finish what was begun in our last
paper. We briefly alluded in our last 10
the act locating It at Montpelier, and said
that il was invested with the saeredness
Of bargain. We now assert that if
there is no other reason why it should be
rebuilt, this one of a compae: is sufii-
GENTLY potent to outweigh all arguments
that can be urged in favor Of locating it
at Burlington.
When the Legislature of Vermont in /
1905 passed the act permanently locating
the seat Of government where it now Is, /
we suppose they knew what they were
about At least the Burlington Free
Press thinks they did, for that paper il /
advocating the claims Of that place, says: i
"The Legislature of 1895 understood
what they were about and what their
powers and duties were" We do not
know what the word Is permanent means
unless it means lasting. or fxedness; but
70 satisfy those who are skeptical as to
what that body did enact, We copy the
first two sections of the location act
Read them and sec what was contempla- !
ted, then tell where would be the justice
or the manlines5 of the present Legisla-
ture in robOing her citizens oil their
rights and removing her capitol to Bur
lington. The two frss sections Of the
act read as follows
SEC, !. Il is 6ere6g enacted b. tie.
General Assembly Of tls &ass 0f Yer
mont, That Elijah Paine, Ezra Butler
and James WEiislaw be, and they are
hereby appointed 9 committee to FIX upon
place in the town Of Montpelier, foriheI
erection Of buildings for the aecommoda-
lion Of the Legislature OF the State, and
to prepare a plan for such buildings.
SEC. ?. had ii is ksrs5g further en-
acted, That il the town Of Montpelier,
or other individual persons, shall, before
the first day of September, which will be
in the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eight, erect such build
ings on the place designated by the aEore-
SAD committee, 10 their acceptance. and
shall compensate said committee for their
services, and also convey TO the State Of
Vermont, the property Of said buildings.
and the land wherein they shall stand.
and lodge the deed Of conveyance, dulv
executed, IN the secretary Of States Of
fee, then, and in that case, said buildings
shall become the permanent seat OF tie
legislature, for holding all their sessions.
There, you have read it and learned
that the citizens OF Montpelier furnished
the grounds, built the house to the entire
satisfaction Of the State, paid the con-
mittee appointed by the State for their
services, ard then conveyed It by deed as
desired.
Subsequently, the State bacaaae proud
ard ordered the erection Of . new house.
when the citizens Of Montpelier were
again bled tothe tune Of $4,000 for the
new capitol and grounds. She has bull
one State House entire, and has appropro
priated a handsome sum for another
which the sad calamity Of q ire has par
TALLY destroyed, and now the interests Q
an Old rival which boasts Of her thou
sands Of dollars and her generous heart
has the unblushing efrontery to ask th
people Of the State 70 take 1t from then
and give it to her-giving as their mai
reason for 50 asking, that she Is pretty
o, " generous people. O, powerful al
gument. and we are beth sorry an
ashamed TO proclaim l., large party i
Vermont advocate such an act Of mean
ness. This IS one Els7e illustration q
the fact, that however r,onstrous an
proposition started, it always finds its ad
herenfs.
We deprecate any attenptto rob AIont
pelier Of her eaPitoI-her rights-hz
property. We GsPrecate !, as an act
bad faith on the part Of The State. as IL
polite IN many respects. ard as unjust
all We hope tie good sense Of on
representatives viii keep it where II i
Let not our own glorious State break Il
word and follow in the wake Of benighte
Mississippi. The word of Vermonte
has hitherto passed current abroad
Then let not our State authorities set ii
example Of wholesale dishonesty. "
trust they viii not.
While We are discussing this subject
a removal Of tie capitol, We cauno. r
fran from giving one item from the E-r
Press, which 10 rs seems strangely incot
sistent with tie idea scsght 70 Re a
vaneed by that paper in It's arguments
voring a removal In defending the L
gislaiurs Of 1895, it says
For thirty years the legislature
Inc State had been migratory. shifting
place Of meeting every vear. and som
tLles twice year. This De
Petual shifting about had become . ore
and growing inconvenience. Il lei
losses Of legislative papers. and 70 i3iu7
Gus effects N many. WAYS Tn. -,...I.