Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-12-30

tnAt thou mast sayei our innocent ciilzens from
- the ignomny and disgrace of adopting Char
, ter tha would create city resembling name
less animal six miles long.
I approach the matter ofexpense as connected
with City Government besihtnely. have
seen 10 figures yet which approximate the foot
incs in my estimation. There viii he no eri 70
the cost. The Mayor must, Of course, be lib.r-
orally sustained And in addition to his salary,
in order to maintain the dignity OF the Office,
ani enable him TO give proper reception ar sl.
times TO the Mayors Of other cities-New ork,
Philadelphia, Boston. Chicago, London, Ne.. TO
say nothing about diguirarics from Cauada, and
other foreign nations. many Of whom would
doubtless spend portion Of their time here ar
our expcnse, large appropriations must be made
by the City Council, apartments furnished
in handsome style. warmei vatered
and lighted" must De- m1i1e'uei.
costly Furniture, Pictures. Carpets. Pianos
Equpages. Stationery. Servants IN profu-.ou
must be provided. aai we the people wiz
have the bills to pay for our snare Of The
entertainment One item 90. expense seems
TO have been entirely oyerlo.lal. a, least have
rot seen It stated yet. it WI, COST. "a my Union.
$4,000 TO qualify the number of men ro.uIrei
for Ailermcn-r mean TO f,t them s1 that they
would not disgrace the fraternity.
It i reasonable To assume ilat the Ci.y C5ua-
cl. when elected, VIII De conn. =-I of mea WHO.
hayirc DO interests IN common with the rest of
their citizens. VIII anus ,hsm-el,,- ty imposing
onerous take, upon us out-iiers-tha, ,aey wl
scatter our Lari-elruel a,,gmuiataa- with
lavi>hl.-- and re,sles-nes- ,alt VIII soon h.s.
"a, all to grief Each Ward VIII, as 20 ma-,.r ..
course. elect TO the Council i,- mos. uur.ll..
men. This point ], SO ciear that far DO a,a.4.
of g., ,-l,h This Council. Indifferent to tIe
expense af Improvements proposed wiz prose-.
p. -.lse -he expenditures set forth il the a....
a.l convincing article in Suurllys Ts,
--n,i q. v and not only these but many others
ae ds.> not state. Now what 10 wc uceI 0-a .
House Of Carr,.,ian2 Isit our business 90 4,- .
tempt the reformation Of the offender, whether
young 10 years or iu crime. Certainly not; and
this is The principal les-u of such institutions
am aware that other places have. %; large e1- .
peuse, provided these asy ium-, hoping thereby
TO snatch brand from tine burning occasionally,
bu, that Is no reason why we SHOULD DO it.
Economy is our motto. and e vcare taxed for .
such institutions. and our money taken from u-
for their maintenance. We leave this worll tae
poorer by just the amount Of our tax-a4i y,..., .
excuse shall we have 20 offer t.r the deficit
The erection Of a market, admit. wou'i Pc .
convenient 90 ali clas-as-the poor especially,
but with one would disappear that ie.. -lttul uu-
certainty we nov enjoy %: not knowing IN what .
direction TO shape our course when certain ar,i-
cles Of daily necessity are 10 be eprocureI-wooi.
hay, straw, country produce generally. sc. IS
it is now, there ir au excitement about It which
is pleasant, and an exercise which is healthy
Upon the general grounds 4 economy, the buHi-
ing of a market requiring che expenditure ot
money, I am opposed TO it.
Streets in good repair, l-htaI a, night, s.ie-
walks clean and safe am Not particularly or-
posed to in other localities where ;he poor.c ar,
foolish enough TO allow themselves 60 De taxed
for luxuries of this Sind. But permit me 60 ask.
Is 1t right that men in Burlington, who have
toiled for years, early and late, and have su,-
ceedel in aocumulating large properties, as the
result either Of their own industry, or that of
their fathers from whom they inherited their
wealth. should be taxed for streets they SEE
dom if ever have occasion Co use-sill-walss
their feet seldom If ever press street lights which
would never benefit them, because in the words .
Of one who expresses my opinion in better ha-
guage than I can DO it myself. "if they have oc-
casion to be ont after dark. Jet them take "a
lantern, or wait until some night when the
moon shines am aware that strangers occa- +
sionally visit Us from other places where the luz-
urie= have referred to abound, aud that they
sometimes indulge in comparisons not altogether
complimentary, but that don't trouble me amy. .
Who asks them to come here If they don't like 4
our independent way of regulating our own mat- /
tors let them 60 somewhere else.
Would City Council prove more efficient or .
more economical than our present board Of Sc .
lectmen2 answer emphatieally,u5. The work .
ing Of our present town machinery is wonderful, .
so quietly and tremendously are great effects .
produced that We hardly recognize the existence .
Of Law, Law officers, Statutes revised, and an .
that sort Of thing among US. How simple too
the whole thing IS, If the public convenience .
demands the opening Of new street or the
extension Of an Old, all t1at is necessary to be .
done is to circulate petition and send it with .
its signatures to the Selectmen, who immediate .
" proceed to consider 1t and act upon It if they .
can agree to DO so. Ifa cemetery is required .
and the citizens in town meeting assembled ap- .
propriate a sum of money for the purpose to be .
expended under the direction Of the Selectmen, f
how judiciously and satisfactorily do they per- .
form their duty in the premises But our town .
authorities need no eulogy at my hands, and .
must hasten to a close
Let me briefly hint at one or two additional
reasons why the City Charter should be refused
and am done.
1t is we'll established fact that capitalists
avoid the cities. They are only found in count
ry places, consequently Ii we remain country as
we now are, We may catch capitalist some time
or otLer. This point however 1 care nothing
about, believing that We are great people now
and not in want Of any thing We are not already
in possession Of 1t has been stated, with how
much truth know not, that certain capitalists
now residents Of Burlington, venerable men
some of them, have been heard to dealare that
in the event of the adoption Of the City Charter
they would emigrate to other parts VIII not
this fact. if fact it be, influence the votes Of
many, 1t will most assuredly mine; for although
am aware that the persons referred to havr
made their investments elsewhere for reasons
which do NOT concern me- and are pecunarily