Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-11-25


Extracted from q letter published in Tho
Christian inrligmccr, Nov. 8:
At Bellows Falls, parted reluctantly with
Mr. Horny Carroll, the attentive and gentle
manly conductor of the Connecticut river
train, to whom ] am indebted for much infor-
nation respecting the localities through which
the road runs Here the line passes into
New-Hampshire and is known as the Sui
livan road 1t enters Vermont again at Wind
sor. the ancient capital Of the State, or, rather,
the town in which the early squatter soyer-
eigns Of the New Hampshire grants laid the
organic basis for the future State of Vermont.
1t is instructive 20 note, in reading history,
no " old questions are constantly recurring in
new forms. The topic which now has the
honor to split parties into factions, and stir
the Union into a rage--I mean, "the right of
the people of a territory to form their own
government was discussed and settled to
the satisfaction of Nermonters when that
State began to exist. The chronicles Of the
Windsor deliberations have a fresh signifc-
ance given them by the current political strife
Of our day.
Leaving the Connecticut river at White
river junction, the Vermont Central road led
me through scenery with which had a prev
ious acquaintance, but in its bold outlines and
rugged features, ropose clements of ineXhaus-
tole pleasure for lover Of mountains. The
valley OF central Vermont is beyond doubt an
old rlver bed, and gives unmistakable proof
OF having, at no very remote geological period
held the waters of a wide and deep current
The rocks ON either side Of this valley are
metamorphic, and although New Hampshire
and Vermont are separated from each other
only by narrow stream, they have no init
mate family relationship in their geological
characters While New Hampshire bares her
granite hills to the sun and strom, Vermont
displays rocks ofa more modern type, abound
ing in talckous slate, serpentine, and lime
formations This distribution Of lime over
this State contributes vastly to the fertility
OF the State and makes it the richest agricul-
tural region in NowEngland.
Montpelier is place Of about three thou
sand inhabitants, situated at the base OF an
amphitheatro of hills, which completely en-
viron it, Its most notable object of interest
is the new State House, just completed, on
the ruins of the one which was burned two or
three years since, The plan of the present
edihce is, perhaps, scarcely excelled by any
other State House in the Union ! have seen
many, and think tho Capitol of Vermont is
superior in size, symmetry, and complete
ness, to any. Its material is granite-style
Grecan Its centre is surmounted with a
dome, which, to my eye, seemed to be in har-
mony with the whole structure. passed a
day in the State House, and learned what
could of Vermont legislators They seemed
generally to be solid men, who had come to
do business for the people, and not to squan-
der their time in laying pipe for Presidential
candidates. tits not at all unlikely, however,
that there were among them some Jerry go
nimbles, who, with all of the external sedate-
ness Of village Hampden, might, neyerthe-
less, contrve magnificent projects for the
benefit Of "our party" and execute them in
tho approved political style.