Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-30
The State House.

In the debate at the recent session of the Leg
stature, and in the discussion in the newspa-
pers, many and important misstatcments have
been made, and mputations injurious to the
honor and good faith of Montpelier have been
hippantly uttered, while statements of we'll
known facts are given the lie and their proof
challenged. That honor is dear to us and t"
Montpelier; and we shall undertake to show to
the entire satisfaction of eycly candid mind that
these impurtations are slarderors. and have
their origin sometimes in defective information,
too often in grasping sefshness, reckless Of
the means it uses Those statements were
correct, and we ask the candid people repre-
sented by the Burlington Free Press, and others
who are charging Montpelier with bad faith, "
and that she - Jought the State House, to con-
slider the evidence.
The history of the extra session in 1857 de-
monstratcs the truth of the following PROPOSE.
tons, viz:
lst That the offers by other to,cns were made
in the first place for the purpose Of placing them
selrcs on an equality Nth Montpelier in order to
haze the location Of The capitol decided uoOn The
merits. and the final offer by Montpelier was for
the purpose of putting herself on an equality
with Burlington, the object being the same, that
is, to have the offers equal, and thus to enable
the Legislature to decide the location strictly
upon its merits; and that it is not true that
the location was fixed at Montpelier because OF
the offer, except as here stated.
I'd. That the Legislature, so far as any ex.
preston of their opinion was made, condemned
the policy of allowing any town to contribute
any large proportion of the expense. And that
the Legislature expected that the State would
proceed to build the House ,ohoUy ont of thar
olcn funds, and rely on the bond for indemnity !;
leaving the whole matter of the enforcement Of
the bond to the will of future Legislatures.
And the history of that session and of the two
following sessions equally demonstrates thai.
Montpelier has acted with scrupulous faith and
that it is Burlington only that now has namc
furnished by dishonored faith.
70 this history of the Extra Session we GrsS
call the attention of the candid citizens of Yer
mont
The Session commenced February 18th, and
continued to February 9th.
On the 18th, Mr.. Merrill of Montpelier stated
the history of the two State Houses, showing
that Montpelier, under the act of 1905, was at
the, whole expense of the first house, which was
! $40 900, and contributed over $4,000 towards
the second house none of which had been re-
paid. Thereupon, Judge Kittrcdge Of Fair
haven, who was one of the leaders of the oppo-
sition to Montpelier, and second in ability to
no one of them, said that other towns had prop
ositons to make.
Mr.. Stacy of Burlington, on the same day,
said:
=" lie was aware that there are cnbarrassments
in the way of this question--as to expense allu.
ded to by the gentleman from Montpelier, and
as to other offers, alluded to by the gentleman
from Fairhavcn. To remove these embarrass-
mcnts, he would say that Burlington stood
ready to furnish as good grounds, foundation
and building as the present, free Of expense to
the State. He did not do this TO bid agoinst
| Montpelier, bm 10 place Burlington on an egual-
! ay with Montpelier, and TO dires the matter of
dollars and cents. This left the question simply
,chether il is desirable TO change.'
When Mr.. Stacy used the word building in
this offer, he meant only to offer as good
grounds, foundation and building as then existed
in Montpelier in the burnt condition of the old
building the bill he introduced expressly SO
stated.
Mr.. Marsh Of Brandon then inquired whether
Burlington proposed to offer more than site.
Mr.. Stacy replied that what he proposed was
merely to place Burlington and Montpelier on
equal terms. lie would say that Burlington
would in addition respond in any amount which
the State should require"
Mr. Ktttrcdge said
Again he invited propositions from other
towns, for although he repudiated the idea that
the State should go a begging among the towns,
believing that the State should build its own
house, yet he supposed the Committee would
act in sDn9 degree in reference to tho prop,si-
tions. As the capital is located now, it will be
located forever"
Mr.. Barnes of Rutland said
. That if it is thought best on the whole to