The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-25
Address Of the Council Of Censors to the
People Of the State.

Below we print the Address, prepared by Mr..
Dorr, of the Council Of Ccnsors
TO The People of the State of Vermont:
The Council OF Censors, elected on the last
Wednesday of March, 1862, having closed their
labors, nave deemed it proper to address you on
the subject Of the performance OF the duties
that have devolved upon them.
AT the time provided by the Constitution for
the selection OF this body, the people of this
State, in common with others, were Fastening
to put on their armOr and rush to the contest
which is to determine the existence and perpe-
tuity OF our Union or its destruction.
Toyou who had so long pursued the paths of
peace, 1t was a new and ieart appearance and
50 startling and absorbing was the thought of civil
strife, SO entirely did 1t engross the hands and
hearts OF all classes 10 community, that this
body, without any opposition, ana yet with a
comparatively small vote, was elected to the po-
sitiun OF responsibility whcn they now occupy
Since that period there has been no abatement
OF the interest aud excitement growing out of
the fact Of the war. This state Of feeling has
been so intense and universal as to oTgrshadow
and absorb the interest in most questions Of
State policy and constitutional luW. The inQi-
casions OF Wnal the people demanded or expec-
discharge OF our constitutional duties, have,
from tn3 cause, been somcwhlt limited We
ARE convinced ot tuI3 great and controlling fact,
and have endeayoGei 70 keep this N mind in our
iberailons, that amendments or alterations Oh
the Contribution sA0ul4 be clearly and coucu-
siyely what the people demand, anu No other.
" c have hal tue most iuI and elaborate dis
cutsions Of TIC various questions which prop
eriy presented themselves Tor our consideration.
lie conclusion VI cur celebrations has been
That IL Was lnexYeIi0Gt to propose to yo4 any
amendments or alterations IN the present organ.
&c law Of our State
1t dtVolved upon US to enquire whether tie
legislation and executive branches of the roy
ernment have performed tEelr dutes as guard
lans OF the people, and as FAR az We have been
able to discover, we are satisfied that their in.
lentlon has been to discharge with fidelity TO
the people, the trusts that have, from tim0 to
time, been reposcd IN them. Ii is further made
our duty to enquire, whether the public taxes
have been justly lail and collected IN all parts
OF the commonwealth \ thorough inyc8tiga-
ton OF this branch Of our duty would require
Il large range OF interrogation and more time
than we could properly devote 10 it, in So short
session as we have deemed 1t advisable to
have.
an UNJUST Distribution or collection 81 taxes
would be immediately felt by those on whom
such unequal burthens were imposed, and, as
we have been unable on inquiry or investigation
to learn OF any such occurrence, We thiuk our
serves JUSTIFIED IN saying that no expressions Of
TINS KIND have been Imposed upon or borne by
any portion Of the people except in individual
instances which have been brought to the AZ
toT ton of the Legislature and have been Or are
III process Of correction.
70 tue people Of this commonwealth who
have commissioned us to act for them we hand
back our truss, with the most earnest desire that
the HGehy prosperity and h9ppiass Of the peo-
pie may b. forever preserved and the URioa, noo
daptl@ef o"e'o IN thu b'ood If its pa14ot dycad-
erS, be as caduin9 rs hne.
SLNlcA W. DoEE,
Chairman Of Committee.
Montpelier, Oct. p, 1862.