Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-01-14

in this paper two weeks ago, together with
the reioinder Of our correspondent. We had
heretofore considered Mr. Edmunds as a law.
yer of eminent ability and skill but his eff
forts. in this case, at Especial pleading and
lodging Of issues, are more characteristic OF
the third class than of a first class lawyer
Why not come square to the mark Mr.
Speaker and either acknowledge that that
buried Ratchet was exhumod at the recent
session Of the Legislature, or give us some
explanation for the remarkable course Of one
who had so deliberately and formally accepted
a Cancellation Tin the spirit he had no doubt il
had been offered; 70 Why attempt to reply tc
minor charges and charges not made at all
and leave the principal one, and the one to
which he should have especially given an ex-
PLANTATION, wholly unnoticed Montpelier is
not alone in her demand for solution of this
mysterious problem neither is it the east
side of the State. Men of marked ability
who have been and are now opposed to Mont
pelior. as the capital of the State. are free
to admit that the charge of bad faith may be
more justly made against Burlington than
Montpelier, and that Mr.. Els course was not
what the friends of Montpelier bad a right to
expect of him. We are inclined to think
that neither the reply Of Mr.. Edmunds MOI
the garbled admissions of the Free Pres,
place the matter before the people in any
better light for Burlington than it was be-
fore
But we give Mr. Els letter, merely sug-
gesting that common fairness on the part OF
the Free Press and Times would lead them to
lay before their readers the article to which
he attempts to reply.-a gun which they
seem to think he has so essentially spiked
1t seems to us that our correspondent has a
least loosened the spiking somewhat, and tina
it will require harder work than mere quib
ling and lodging to clear Burlington and hei
representatives and newspapers entirely from
the charges backed by the official record SC
successfully laid at their door.
TO the Editor the Watehman and state Journal
SIR:-My attention has been directed to
an editorial recently published in the Free
man. and to an article of the same tenor
published in your paper, touching the State
House appropriation question, and having
some reference to myself
do not propose to enter into any discus
sion of any of the matters which appropriated,
belong to this question, but merely to repe
the principal charges and insinuations which
are in those articles made against me person
ally, for in some quarters a falschood uncon-
tradicted passes for truth.
| will pass by the many errors. in what i,
said Of the session Of 1857, lin which be.
lieve am acquitted of being guilty of very
grave sins with the remark that cannot
and | hope no friend Of mine will, presume tC
dispute the preeminent and exclusive fines,
OF Mr.. Merrill, for the office Of Speaker, OF
to suggest that there was anything else thar
patriotic desire to promote the general wei
fare, which induced him at the last moment tC
withdraw; which he did without any solici
tation from me, or by my authority
am accused, in the article referred to, o
appointing majority Of the committee Of
ways and means i'm the article called com.
mittee Of inance) from localities opposed
to Montpelier; the meaning of which take
to be, that packed that committee in order
to prereat an appropriation. That committee
was composed of Mr.. Hebard of Chelsea, Mr.
Hubbard of Concord. Mr.. Hall of Swanton
Mr.. Hammond of Middlebury and Mr. West
over OF Casteton. A majority of it was no
from localities opposed to Montpelier un
less it be established that Mr.. Stewart VIII,
represented Middlebury in 1856 and 1851
misreprosented and betrayed his constituent,
in exorting, as he did, a controlling influence
in favor Of rebuilding the Capitol at Mont
pelier, ! can hardly suppose that the peopL
OF Montpelier will assent to such conclu
sion, even to put me in the wrong.
But however this may be, it is sufficient t,
say, that tioo of the three members of tn,
committee who were from the west side o
the state, were placed on that committee a
the special solicitation and request of Geo
w. Collamer, fact which | have reason t,
believe Mr.. Collamer cannot have forgotten
They were gentlemen with whom had at thu
time, no personal acquaintance, but they re
presented wealthy and intelligent constituen
cies, and their wishes or opinions upon an,
subject of Legislation neither know nor hat
any interest to know
| believe | am charged with some sin il
the appointment of the committee on Publ
Buildings. | have not the article before M
and may be in error as to this. 1t nee,
only be said that majority of that commit
tee were the stedtast friends of Montpelier Ia
their votes proved to the last but it is tru
they had sufficient honesty and courage to re
port whatever they thought was wrong in IN
progress OF the work. | confess to an ADM
ration of such men
am accused of appointing the house com
mittee of conference for The purpose of prevent
ing an agreement between the two houses
This is entirely without foundation--the be
lief of a mind, that finds it more agreeable
and more in unison with its every day life. I,
believe evil than good
The House, with a majority of nearly TWEEN
ty members, who were locally favorable t,
Montpelier, had by majority of more thai
tht'ty refused to make any appropriation GU
OF state funds. ! was in such a case, boun,
by every rule of Parliamentary practice, a
well by every principle of honor and decenc
TO make majority Of that committee (uH
represent the majority of the House. Tn
minority of that committee was composed O
gentleman. whose appointment was thinl
quite satisfactory to Montpelier. and who's
eounsels had they been followed, gould
suspect have produced different aud les
questionable plan, and it may be, result.
The President of the Senate appointed
committee which fully represented the view
of the majority of the Senate. which for augh