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


opponents ofMontpelier argued and claimed that
this estimate was delusive being altogether too
low. And for the purpose of removing all
doubt upon this @ sr q on the Dist of Febru
airy Mr. Merrill s ,s.aIiIIl behalf Of Montpeli-r'
to rebuild the TN |a.y all the expense
800.
Mr.. Howard of DNnville, said, Vermont
should build her own house; it should he the
property of the people, in which every tax-pay-
or should have an interest"
February 23d, Mr.. Wentworth, of Rocking
ham, introduced u bill to locate the State House
at Bellows Falls, conditioned that the town
furnish the grounds and prepare the same.
Mr.. Stacy, of Burlington, repeated, " that
Burlington did not come to bid against Mont
pclier, especially at this stage she only wished
to be considered without prejudice as to dollars
and cents He then repeated his proposition,
which was, as he said to make Burlington
equal with Montpelier.
Mr.. Stoddard, of Waterford, said " Now, |
ask, gentlemen, dignity these offers with any
language we will, if the hateful intent to pur-
chase our support is not APPARENT If this
sort of thing is to 60 on, and to control legsla-
ton, the time will come when the only morning
sautation will be, what is the price of stocks 2
These offers are injurious to the small towns,
and tend to monopoize and centraize all the
favors of the State in u few largo towns"
Mr.. Spencer, of Cdstleton, Il leading opponent
of Montpelier, said " True, Vermont has got
property at Montpelier, fit to go into new
structure, and he thought it right for Burling-
ton or Rutland to contribute in offset to thai
property; and while he said this he protested
from his heart against the State s depending up
ON either of the towns for State House liz
would not accepta dollar beyond the value o
the property at Montpelier. II voud be {
stigma upon the legislature and The State"
MIR. Bradley, Of Brattleboro', said '.Thi,
is not an auction Neithor of the three prom
nent towns regard it as such, or expect tn,
Capital to be struck off to the highest bidder
1t is perfectly obvious that the State, il ,cii ing
10 do so; crn ~ tallnost any sum it please,
from either one w6ich 1t shall select for its Cap
tal. But |, for one, do not feel like raising ;
revenue from the loan of our insttutons-ta
ing a town in our grasp, as | would take q hal
of lemon, squeezing it dry, and then throwing
away the rind and trying another"
February 25th, Mr.. Underwood, OF IIardwick
said :. Even if the citizens of Burlington Offer
to reimburse the amount, it would be wrong
for US to allow them to do it,
On the samsaay, Wednesday, it was generally
conceded that the prospect was dark Tor Bur
lington, and as the last resort, Mr. Stacy Of
iered, Tor Burlington, to build II State House
free Of expense to the State, as good as the on
consumed by tire.
Mr. Powers OF Woodstock said:
Why, it is said that Burlington proposes t.
give IL house Does any body believe that the
people OF Burlington, or any other town, vii
Dulld suitable house ut their own expenst
and present 1t as a gratuity to the State? liz
would caution gentlemen against laying any
such ilattering junction. to their souls. Ii they
did, they might be assured that time will moi
only disclose To them their mistake, but theil
peculiar Uerdancy. For one, he did not believe
IA f,,.l,.
their representatives might do, IN their zeal tt
crafty their preferences or their prejudices. !,
were yet prepared to render themselves supreme
ly RIDICULOUS in the eyes Of the world, as they
would be sure to, by even u manifestation .
Willingness On their part to accept Of such /
gift ut the hand OF any town OF community. =
AS one uf the representatives OF IL magnanimuu
people, he would here wash has hands of any
sdcD nggardly penuriousness as such an ac
would be sure to Indicate
After Burlington had made its last bid, Mont
peler was appiet to by friends from all parts 0
the State, t. make an equal offer, they saying
that this game of - brag" was all for "Bun
combe," and that the State would make j
right, but tAatnslIontpolier must make the otfel
in order, tacy said in making his frs
offer, tq question settled upon it
merits. Ta IT purpose and IN oOmpli
ance with 'tions thus presented, at th'
evening session Of February 25th, Mr. Merrill
of Montpelier said
II hat bidding was distasteful to him; bu
If the Capitol is 10 be put up ut auction, Their
Montpelier wished to DO heard. Darlington
has made another bid to-day, and | would
therefore SAY Islil Mr., NJ. that am author
lied by the Committee of the cltiz MS Of Mont
peier to say to the House, distinctly and en-
phatically, that Montpelier nov makes an otfcl
IN every respect equal to that oil Burlington.
And upon another point be added
"Mr. Chairman, | regret that gentlemen
have said upon the door that Montpelier il
begging OF the Legislature. Ideny it, EN-
phatically. When and how has she taken th
positionl Who has in her behalf asked YOU
mercy? All that she asks is that the StAt'
should consider the whole matter a; it is, il
view OF the past action of the State. And j
you say to her that such is the call made upon
her, she is willing to make the sacrifice OF he
interest upon the altar of our noblt Common
wealth. And while so Offering herself as
sacrifice, she will only lament that she has beer
leaning upon broken reed,' bat will gathe
up the resources that remain to her, and hop
to be sustained by those elcyating sentiment
that always attend and bless patriotic sacrifices
All that she objects to is, to be made sacrIlic
to the interests of any one town--or to tn
pride of any prouder rival. y
On the afternoon of February 10Th, the fina
ballot was taken, and majority was found i
fav,r Of Montpelier. Therenpun, the bill 70
rebuilding ut Montpelier was taken up and u
ferred to committee Of five, composed q
Messrs. Merrill of Montpelier, Stacy of Bar
lngton, Barnes of Rutland Powers of Wood
stock, and Stewart of Middlcbury; and at til