Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-12-10
The Legislature.


sion of near seven weeks. The princi-
pal part of its labors seem to have been,
the usual tinkering with the Compiled
Statutes, without however doing them
as great damage as was contemplated,
the changing the name of Sally Bump
and half a hundred others, the grant of
an unusual number of charters to private
companies, and the enactmentS amend
ing the school laws. The change in our
school system we think wise and where
carried into effect viii result in good
But this altering names and chartering
companies is a silly waste of time and
money. We have general laws by which
every son and daughter of Adam in the
State can change his or her name at a
small expense, and there is no reason in
the world why the Legislature should
spend annually some three or four thou
sand dollars doing work, they have provi-
ded should be done elsewhere. And if /
it be of any consequence to Bill or Sally /
to change their name, let them pay the
small sum of one dollar and fifty cents /
for it. The same rule applies to ineor-
pora,ing companies. If any OF every
village or district, want their hotels, their /
ore or muck beds, or their water compa-
MES Incorporated, there IS a general law
by which A, B, and c, can form them
selves into body polite, as well as to
apply to the Legislature, and thus afford
sn excuse for it TO prOlong the sessions to
near q couple of months. This matter
was set forth in its true light when a
member unconSciouSly said on the floor
of the House, during the last session,
ave may as well alter the names Of
these persons, for we have not much else
to do So much for what the assembled
wisdom did do. As to what they did not
do, more might be said.
The town of Huntington was visited
on the Sd of July last with shower of
rain that amounted to 4 deluge, destroy
ing their crops Of grass and grain, carry
ing away their fences, laying waste whole
fields and meadows by washing away the
soil, or heaping rubbish and stones upon
them. Every mill was carried away
every bridge was demolished. and miles
of highways were torn up and rendered
impossible. The loss to the town could
not be told by hundreds, nor thousands.
but by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The town asked the Legislature to remit
to them their State tax for three years.
The bill for their relief was ably discuss
ed, but the discussion failed to convince
the majority of the justice of the claim.
We have only to say that less worthy
claims were allowed by the votes of the
same men who refused to hear the town
of Huntington.
The bill for the relief of the St. AL
bans Bank shared the same fate. notwith-
standing the extraordinary efforts made
by its friends to secure its passage. We
hope they may have better success mex
time, not in attempts to evade the conse
quences OF Noncompliance with law, bu
in avoiding the breakers which an over
weening desire to be rich. might leaC
them into.
Some weeks were spent on the circu
bills, for there we're several of them in
troduced. We should commend th,
House for refusing to admit such nuisan
ces in the State, did We not happen t,
know that the friends of the measur,
killed it by their own mismanagement
We confess to great a5tOnishment that 81
many could be found in the House TO ia
vOr such bill. We are aware that tht
usual plea of - the wishes of our con
stituents, y the wants of the people" va
made by those who did not dare to advo
cate it on their own account; but that j
plea the people viii never endorse
If those who favored the circus bill
wished to put money in their pockets b,
advocating such measures, or to gratifi
the deprsved appetites Of their wives an,
daughters, they should be honest enouel
to say so, and not pirate about the want
Of the people" or the demands of thei
constituents.
Then there was the appropriation bi
for the completion of the State House
the bill to disgrace Hon. Thomas T
Powers, the superintendent of that WORK
and the bal previding for holding til
next session Of the Legislature at Bur
lingtou. These all failed; the first b
the two Houses disagreeing as to its pro
visions, the last by there being su4ficier
good sense in the Senate; and the bill /
effect removing DR.. Powers failed, not a
is asserted by cOiemPorary, because I'll