Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-11-20
Matters at Montpelier.

least grist in the hopper. This simle, if APP
piled to the Legislative mill at the capital as it
run last week, is neither inapt nor untrue in
point Of fact. In both branches Of the General
Assembly the speaking has been constant, per-
sistent, and, to use Westernism, immense,
while a portion, at least, of the matters under
under consideration have not in the minds of
some people, been reckoned in the first class of
objects that should engage the attention of de-
Lucrative assemblies; nor have even these been
at all times advocated and calculated by argu-
ments and illustrations more notable for sense
than sound.
In the lower House $50 distinguished we sup
pose from the circumstance that the members
occupy the first floor while the honorables con-
tent themselves with chamber,) the prime
subjects for discourse, debate and legislative
action, have been the bill for the relief of the
town of Huntington, and the democratic Mon
key bill" Both of these bills were debated
pro and con by the best legal and ministerial
talent in the House, but with different results.
for, while one was killed outright the other has
been "made away with" as many times as was
Marryatt's famous dog "Snarleyow," and each
time with about the same success.
The discussion on the bill for the relief of the
town of huntington was as interesting as the
circumstances leading to this call for relief were
peculiar. 1t appears that, last July, in the town
of Huntington, situated on the western slope of
the Green Mountains in Chittcnden County,
was visited by mighty freshet, the like of
which had not been known in that locality since
the launching of Captain Noah's famous vessel
known as the Ark, if, indeed there was any
freshet in the town of Huntington, (Which, by
the way, is quite doubtful.) This freshet caused
very great and extended damage, and rendered
the raising of a tax, to repair the wavs and
bridges, of over one hundred per cent on the
Grand List necessary. AS even this large sum
will be insufficient to repair the public, to say
nothing of the private, damage done, the citi-
zens of Huntington asked the Legislature to
remit their State taxes for three years. The
bill was favored by Messrs CRANE of the suffer-
ing town, FERRIN of Hinesburgh DEANE of
Cavendish, OLMsTEAD of Bridport RANDALL,
of Roxbury and Speaker EDMUNDs, and as
ably opposed by LINsLEY of Rutland, ROUNDS
of Chester, COOPER of Canaan, MATTIEwsoN
of .Iendon, and WEBER of Rochester. The
chief argument urged in favor of the ILL was
the equity Of granting relief under such circum-
stances of peculiar hardship; while the oppo-
nents of the bill based their opposition on the
injustice of voting away the peoples money for
charitable purposes and the dangerous prece-
dent the passage of the bill would establish
The opposition triumphed and the relief was re-
fused by the significant vote of 1SS, to 2S.
Next IN importance, as one may reasonably
infer from the amount of time spent and talent
employed in its discussion, to this bill for the
relief Of one torn, was the bill for the relief of
the entire State from the ban placed by vrtu-
GUS regard for public morals on one of the most
popular amusemcnts of the present day,--the
democratic Monkey bill, as it was facetiousy
denominated by one of its most orthodox OPP
ponents, in contra distinction from the "aristo-
cratic Monkey bill' which, the previous week
met with an untimely end, greatly to the grief
Of sympathizing relatives and an extended cir
Gle of admiring friends. This democratic"
bill, (of the peclliarities of which you were in
formed last week. was advocated by Messrs
WooDBRIDGE of Nergennes, LINsLEY of Rut-
land HEBARD of Chelsea, RANDALL of Rox-
bury, KELLOGG of Brattleboro, and others, and
opposed by Rey'ds OLMsTEAD of Bridport,
PRINDLE of Waitsfeld, MYERS of Jamaica, and
FERRIN of Hnesburgh, and Messrs MARSH of
Brandon, and BILL of Walden. The discus
sion occupied all the spare time for two days,
and ended in the dismission of the bill bv vote
of 1lj to 100. The next day this vote was re-
considered to give the friends Of the measure
another chance to amend and improve, if pos
sible, their darling scheme by a vote of 100 to
81, and thereupon the bill was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary In what form it
will next appear is not distinctly foreshadowed,
but it is evident that the 'clack' of the mill is
not yet fully exhausted.
1t was somewhat amusing to an unimpassion-
ed listener, to hear the eloquence that was law
ished SO profusely in describing in burning
words, and in painting in glowing tints, the
beneficial and modifying influences of innocent
amusements and recreations upon the human
heart; nor was it less suggestive of mirth to
listen to the more ornate but equally forcible
sketching of the innumerable evils attending in
the train of an exhibition, the most prominent
features of which are the attractions presented
by seeing monkey climb creased pole"
and "woman encased in tights, dancing on a
slack wire" From the illustrations used on
both sides one could hardly tell which was most
familiar with the taking cards of democratic
monkey show"
Notwithstanding the fact that the two meas
ures alluded to above, are the only ones which
have been fully discussed during the past week
in the House. much other business has been
transacted. Bills to alter the names of persons
to change Town and County Lines to Pay
small claims; to incorporate Manufacturing and
Distillery Companies, Hotels, Academies, Insti-
stitutes, Medical Societies, and petitions, me-
MORALS and rpmonStrances for and oOoinst all