Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-10-25
From our Special Correspondent ]
Letter from Montpelier.
MONTPELIER, Oct. l.


MONTPELIER, Oct. Is.
The business of the session proceeds
very slowly. Yesterday afternoon, nei-
Their house remained in session an hour,
and while they were in session newspa-
per reading constituted the principal
part of the business. A week Of the
session has now been completed, and
upon posting up the books it appears
that forty-nne bills have been introduced
in the House and twenty-seven in the
Senate. 1t will not be possible to take
hold heartily Of the work of legislation
till after the election of United States
Senators. The present Senators and
Representatives have been invited, by
joint resolution, to address the legisla-
ture upon political subjects; doubtless
it previous to the Senatorial election,
but they decline to be put through their
PAGES in that way. Senator Edmunds
has announced his willingness to speak
on the evening of the Oath, after the ell
ection has taken place.
Several bills in the House relate to the
| important subject of common schools.
| One of these provides that no town su-
| perintendent shall receive compensation
while visiting schools for number of
! days greater than twice the number of
| schools. Another requires that the an
nual examination of teachers shall take
place in April or May, and October or
November. A third, and much the most
| important of the three directs the Board
of Education to re-examine the school
books now in use, and to examine other
books of the same classes, and select
list of books to be hereafter used. 1t is
to be hoped that this bill will become a
law. The books now used have been the
standard for eight years. within which
period it is quite certain that much bet
ter books, in some departments, have
been published.
Several bills in the Senate seem de-
signed when taken together, to release
married women from the usual disad-
vantages of their condition, and make
them single again, in all things except
! in name One Of these bills provides
that when any husband and wife shall
live apart without any fault Of the wife,
she shall be entitled to all her own
earnings, and may maintain an action
! for them in her own name as if she were
unmarried Another bill provides that
a married woman having separate pro-
perty may be sued for any cause of
action which originated against her be-
fore marriage, and makes her property
| liable to attachment and execution. 1t
also exempts any husband hereafter
married from any liability for the debts
OF his wife contracted before marriage.
Let these bills become laws, and there
will be but short step to take to &C
complish an entire pecuniary divorce
between husband and wife, and establish,
OF rather, unsettle marriage upon the
! French basis.
The 54th anniversary Of the Vermont
Bible Society was observed yesterday.
This is the Oldest of all the State Bible
Societies, older, indeed, than the Ameri-
can Bible Society. 1t appeared from the
treasurer's report that the contributions
during the past year were $7,316, be-
sides which, $2066 were transmitted
directly to the parent society, making
the entire amount S9,383. This is the
largest amount contributed in Vermont
for many years, and lacks but little of
being three times as much as was con-
tributed last year. OF the sum, Addison
county contributed $187, Bennington
county Sl72, and Rutland county 1915.
Nor is this increase of contributions the
only encouraging thing in the history of
the Society. Vigorous efforts have been
made, and are still making, to visit every
| family in the State, and make sure that
all have the Bible, either by purchase or
gift. .....
| This increased prosperity Of the Socie-
ty is owing, in no small degree, to the
energetic and well directed efforts of
its agent, Rev. William II. Gilbert
of Brattleboro, who has not only labored
untiringly himself, but has enlisted
many co-laborers and inspired them
with some measure of his own enthu-
siasm. He has travelled 1852 miles, de-
livered 134 sermons and addresses, issued
about $50 letters and circulars, and col
lected, directly or indirectly, more than
! $1,000.