Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-11-27

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We have appropriated forty thousand dollars
to build this house, and the Superintendent,
OF construction informs us that he has nearly
completed or has under contract for comple.
ton, the entire walls and roof of the build
ing so that they will be fully protected from
storms or the action Of the weather at all sen
sons Of the year With leave of the House.
VIII read an extract from the seventh page
Of this report
"conrac have been made with dir rent initidnai. f .
3 a. ~ ts .as 40 m1tera' oi The ola building thc
iheeempq.n hs FAM rois % ihc 70 oapoi. aa dome
q gi1er ard ioi IA neear for al Il th- ssms
asdsi,,@y 81 s ss assai ~ g,Ss , Ss' ne rails
nearly & fnl ,nd tsri AREA y made AND Witch viii
rg "lnw ~ y tramar raHr and temporarily ~
al, tor the sam- are as illoT '' "i''''
Then follows detailed statement, in items.
of the expenditure for all the foregoing pur-
poses, including roofs and walls, and footing
up as S38,570 S6--lcaying balance of over
sli0O Of the $4,000 appropriated yet uncx-
pended.
Again, the Superintendent says, on page
eleven:
enas y 's5fs s sai % '5S is p, cS @ @ .
w.,th.r ,fn fan Az a m ,{ay M lf'@ ihs 'e on Of " aier
ene az h r9oi lhe fr'mng eud rant of which is nner
the .ai De mon,ntt6ey ar. eompetcs6 WI" ' '''' Tor
Thus VIC see, Mr.. Speaker, that all the
/ work necessary to protect the walls or the
/ roof Is completed, or under contract to be
completed immediately, and paid for, and that
Of the $4,000 appropriated at the extra ses-
sion, there is over SllOO left. How, then. is
/ the State, or any interest Of the State. going
to suffer if this building stands, as it now is
safe from the action Of the weather, until
next March, or until our next annual session
I Who Is going to suffer any inconvenience
10y it? VIII the people of the State, or any
of their property, suffer inconvenience if it is
not completed at particular day; viii the
legislature suffer Inconvenience Sir this
house and these seats are convenient and COM
Portable. Our committee rooms arc easy Of
access But there are many other places in
the State equally comfortable and convenient
20 which we should be freely invited to hold
Our sessions, without cost TO the State, if we
desired 90 go. The now Town Hall at Bur
lington, with its well arranged seats. is
one OF these; and will guarantee that Bran
don will furnish a house in oyery respect as
comfortable and convenient as this, if YOU will
favor ms with your sessions; and it shall not
cost the State a cent for repairing or cleaning
before commencing or at the close of the ses-
sion On behalf Of Brandon would cordi-
ally invite you to give us a call
But before dismissing the report of the
Superintendent desire to call the attention
Of the House to one OF two paragraphs very
singular and extraordinary in their character
It will be remembered that the Superinten-
dent, Thomas Z. Powers. was appointed by
the Governor, in pursuance of the act of the
9th Of last February and. although he is
not required by the act to make AIRY report to
the Governor or to the Legislature. yet he
does make a report to the Governor "of the
progress and expenditures made. and of the
manner of construction"
In that report he undertakes, through the
Governor to tell the legislature what its duty
is in regard to making an appropriation. On
the 18th page of that document he this
language
suranoe , had AZ mi, lime d.eharsd the f duty which
tne Alpe n COM ns 3 your Lho7lsy inp,-
ag g Do % rake ne gaearg ePprp-ahaa o. tae further
he requisite nfmaon 20 enable them 70 act under ind n-y
Now would ask the members Of this House
how it happens that Mr.. Powers, who is APP
pointed by the Governor, merely " to super
intend the work agrecably to the plan adopt
ed by the committee and for no other pur-
pose ,cbaierer. should undertake to lecture us
as to what our legislative duties are in regard
to making appropriation of the peoples
money What business has he, in a report
to the Governor, printed 2nd circulated a
mong the members, to dictate 20 us, or TO in
struct us in our legislative duties Who of
us are ready to obey instructions; But this
is not ALL Mr.. Speaker. Not content with
lecturing us as to our duties, the Suporintcn-
dent undertakes to advise with and instruct
the Governor also, as to what he should do.
| will read what he says on the 18th page:
In conc ion, allow m 90 express th' hne ~ we'll a. ih'
a y2s % W. l II ne g eS sg
ss, them The imp rt'nes Of s's e''r H'ss''aSg fay
This report is dated the 18th of October,
after the Legislature had been in session
week. Here we see, then, that Mr.. Powers
has the " assurance" to urge the Governor to
send an extra message TO the Legislature,
fraught with arguments, to induce us TO make
an appropriation for the Governor could
not call the attention of the Legislature to
the subject nor urge us to - afford every
necessary facility, without transmitting an cx-
ira message. No extra message has yet been
sent us in obedience to these instructions
aud deny the proposition altogether that
Mr.. Powers was appointed Superintendent
for the purpose Of instructing us in our duty
as legislators, or Of urging the Governor to
send us extra messages
Mr. Speaker, it is well known to those who
attended the extra session in February last,
that it was universally maintained by all those
who favored the present location of the State
Capitol, that there was not the least nccoss-
ity for taking down the walls and rebuilding
the State House from its foundations. ltwas
maintained that the walls were mostly as good
as when first built, and nearly all sound and
in good condition. lie who expressed diff
ferent opinion was branded as destitute of
reason---a sort of fanatic who was entirely
unacquanted with the facts in the case, 1t
was claimed that $4,000 would make the
building good as new and Montpelier offer
ed. time and again. for the sum Of SIS 800 to
make the building as perfect and durable as
il was before the fire, with the addition of all
necessary improvements The present arehi-
teot employed by the State on tho new build
ing was engaged by the citizens of Montpe-
lier to come here last winter and make a criti-
cal examination of the building after the fire
and beg leave to read the conclusion Of his
report, as found on page 1903 of " Debates OF
the Extra Session" as follows
Amer somewhat extended consideration n the natter
have cd Of sti 1S5 oil make fAe bud a. Hed
unless nt present unknown ~ cl fh
exist, why the repairs may not be mat WIN W %
statement transmt u YOU seieinl ~ ,e
/ fr all Ia