The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-11-30
The Work OF the Legislature.

Among The important changes in the
laws made by the last LEGISLATURE. We
note the following:
y law was passed materially changin"
the distribution of the public school funds
The public money has hitherto been d-
Nldcd oac.topIH equally between ,hr com
mon school districts and tine remainder IN
proportion to he ore,wge d'iy attendance
OF scholars The new net divides one
tHN OF the MONEY equally. and the re-
mandcr III proportion 10 the ugptg,te AZ
trnIancr. - apparently Il taircr and better
plan OF distribution.
The act. alloHin" criminals To testify in
their own behalf. l. an important one. \
similar rule prevails in Massachusetts,
and Connecticut. and is highly approved
in those States. OF course. the testimony
OF Il criminal will always be taken with
some grains of allowance but that he
should be allowed TO tell hi story and lei
it lave such wciyht rs it i entitled to
from it> character and intrinsic probabili-
ty. Is simply justice To the accused.
An act was passed cXcmptin@ two
horses, not exceeding 800 in value. from
attachment, and providing that the ten
sheep heretofore exempt from attachment.
shall he 20 on Y when their value does not
exceed 500. Withuot this last provi~-
ion. the owner OF ten fancy" sheep
might have $4,000 or 5000 exempt
from levy.
An act was passed limiting the liability
of our State Banks, now being closed I'M
der the operation Of the national laws
for the redemption of their currency. to
the period OF one year, commencing from
the publication OF due notice. which pub
LEGATION must continue through the wear.
The fees of the Probate Court, (which
90 TO the States were made proportional to
the value of the estates to some decree and
in the case OF large estates, and small fees
were added sor certain hearings, &C..
which We're before unpaid
dollar.
The change in the Board of Educa-
ton, makes it TO consist of six members
(ln-tead OF fire, as bet"rc) appointed by the
Governor annually. distributed two to
each Congressional District and three of
the number TO be practical teachers. OF
the Board is now constituted. McsSrS.
Clark, of Poultncy, and Rev. Plnv H.
White, were highly esteemed members of
the old Board. Mr. Ross. of ST. Johns
bury, Is an excellent selection, and MesSrS
Gorham and Conant are teachers of HIGH
standing and capacity But we see moth
INC likely TO be gained by the change On
the contrary. II always seemed TO lis well
TO connect the Governor and Lieut.. Gov
ernor closely with this most important
Board, by making them members of if.
1t was all well enough certainly before.
and we fear that the process of tinkering.
thus begun, may end in making the Board
a political machine, and destroy whatever
Of permanence and efficiency there is in
it.
The salaries of the judges of the Su-
preme Court were increased by S4O0.
making them $500, which is all r1"lt /;
and the pay Of the members was increas-
ed to three dollars Il day, 10 which there
would have been much less objection on
the part Of the people, if the session had
been made one of three weeks. instead of
ar.
All efforts TO increase the efficiency of
the Militia We're unavailing. Even the
act requiring the commandments of Compa-
MES to collect and care for the arms at the
expense Of the State. failed.
HE bill to provide for statues of
Ethan Allen and Jacob Collamer. for the
National Gallery Of Sculpture, also, we
are sorry to say, failed
The dog bill did not become law.
! The total number of bills introduced in
both Houses, must have been about 400 -
a hundred more than last year Over 100
OF them were to create private corpora