Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-01-22
Yours resp.


lOHta resp " Ia l pST
REMAEKs-We took occasion. Inst week to make
some structures upon the pursuciby those who
instigacl the prosecution Of Nlr. Ross without know
ing or caring to know who tho,e persons were. It
now appears that responsible person has come for
ward and contesses to participation in this trarsac
ton. For good and substantial reasons we shall as
sumo. rs this individual is chairman Of the board of
bais Of the Village Of Brattlcboro that he has acted
not in his Individual capacity but rs a balm. that the
bai's effected the prosecution, and that the above
communication is the defence they have to offer for
thi exercise Of their official authority
1t may be proper to observe in the outset that the
baiills Of this village have no more authority or LEGAL
power to instigate such prosecution than have the
selectmen of Marlboro or OF stratton They were
elected for the simple purpose Of executing the bv
laws Of the village, not Of which applies to anv
one of the crimes enumerated in the above comrnuul-
cation Their whole range of duties is expressed in
%. tue vlIagc cnarter:
SECTION IL. 1t shall be the duty Of the haiifls to
make out and deliver to the collector IN asses,cn. or
rate bill Of all taxes which shall be laid bv said cor
poraon, To that all the bv-laws Of said corput-
tion duty executed and TO direct all prosecution,
for NIL breaches Of them, and generally to take care Of
all the prudential concerns Of said corporation an NIL
power by this act vested in said bals may be cxer-
ci.ed by majority If them They shall perform al
duties which shall be legally cnjomcd them by said
corporation"
The duties enjoincd them by the corporation are
confined to the Of the common street, sidewalks.
crossings, bury.ug ground, &c. Nowhere, neither in
tie charter byaws, Is it made their duty, nor arc
they authorized bais 10 enforce obedience to any
statute requirement. For them to do it is work Of
Supererogation. For the gentlemen comprising the
board Of baiils We have the highest respect. They
are among our best citizens. As individuals it is I'M
doubleday within their province, equally with every
other citizen, and part Of their individual duty to
sec that all the laws Of State are properly and i'm
partially administered. But, acting as baifs they
entirely transcribed their authority, and rendered
themselves unnecessarily onicious in the aforesaid
prosecution.
1t appears further from the above communication
that very large and exceedingly black catalogue of
crimes perpetratcd in this village but we have vet
to learn that any of these crminas notwith,tand
ing full knowledge OF their evil practices is not want
ing, has been prosecuted except Mr. Ross, who was
stranger and therefore taken in If Mr.. Ross was
guilty of violation of the law, and after being warr-
ed would not dcsst, let him suffer the penalty. But
where is the justice or the proprety of making him
scapegoat to bear away the sins of the people and of
allowing the very time these confessedly gross
err sinners to go "unwhpt of ustice?" 1, it because
the public morals will be satisfied and their purity
preserved by this minor sacrifice or because it re-
qulres less moral courage to pounce upon man away
from home and from friends, than to beard the lion in
his denr' 'What is sauce for the goose" stoaa be
"sauce for the gander." Now the ice is broken we
shall look with some impotence to see if those who
have voluntarily assumed the duties of public prose-
cutors and 'conservaors of the public morals" will
persevere in the work of reform they have so anspic
ously commenced and put stop to those other gar.
ing sins, of the existence and commission of which
they seem to know much. If we see them pursue
their work uncompromising'y and dispense justice
that looks to the crime and its attendant evils rather
than to the station influence and outward conditions Of
the criminal, we will commend their zeal however
much we may think they have mistaken their calling
they do no more than they have done their past ac
ton will be invdous and oderous of personal consid
erations.
1t is very easy way of escape from dilemma, to
denounce those as le'cd fcoCS and apoogsts for evil
doors, who think unjust action even if perpetrated
IN the name Of law, not right nor polite. Such de-
nunciaons sound very WELL and with the unthinking
often atone for very great delinquencies But long
ago there those who cried out "Great is Diana
OF the Ephesiansl" and none so loud as those who
made great gains by manufacturing shrines for the
tickle goddess. consistent course of conduct is
much the best criterion by which to judge of mans
character and estimate his worth
TEMPERANCE CoNvENrIoN.-In compliance with
call numerously signed and published in the County,
a meeting Of the friends of Temperance convened in
the chapel Of the Methodist Church in Bratteboro, on
Tuesday, Jan, 18th, 1859.
There were present delegates from Bratteboro, East
and West, Putney, Westminster West, Bellows Falls,
Wilmington and Wardsboro.
The convention chose Rev. Geo. p. Tyler, Chair
man, and j. Chandler, Secretary.
Much of the time was occupied with verbal reports
of the members upon the sale and use of intoxicating
drinks in the several towns represented and the efforts
OF the friends Of Temperance to check the same In
most of tho towns, the sale in open and unrestricted