Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-15
From our Special Correspondent. ]
Letter from Montpelier.
MONTPELIER, Nov. 7.

adjourned, proved failure, as everybody
supposed it would. Only three senators
and twenty.six representatives came TO
time. This morning, however, both
houses were full and large amount OF
business was transacted. Among the
bills which passed the Senate, without
dissenting voice or vote, were one to
pay the Judges of the Supreme Court
salary of twenty Ave hundred dollars
and one to pay the Commissioner of ln-
sane three dollars day for time, and
eight cents mile for travel, necessary
in the performance OF his duties, but
limiting the whole amount of his receipts |
to two hundred and fifty dollars.
Committees have been appointed in |
both houses to fix upon day for final
adjournment, but it is not yet possible |
to make even respectable guess at the !
day, though the expectation of seeing 1t
some time next week has pretty much |
abated. Would you like to know,
"gentle reader" Tor simple as the case
may be- why this legislature will sit
full five weeks, and, quite possibly, six
There are two chief reasons, to say
nothing if the minor. One is the fire.
quent and long adjournments. These do
not appear on the record as long as they
really are. For example, the resolu-
ton for this last adjournment contem-
plated two sessions on Friday, and one
| on Tuesday afternoon; but in point of
fact there was only one session on Fri
| day, and that very short one, and no
session at all on Tuesday. The legisla-
ture has nominally been in existence for
twenty four worl ilg days but full
seven days, nearly third Of the time,
have been used up in vacations 1t is,
doubtless, very pleasant for legislators
to 90 home two or three times during
the session to see their wives and little
ones, but it admits Of serious question
whether he can be called faithful ser
want of the State, who is unable or un-
willing to make his domestic eDjoyments
and concerns subordinate, for few
weeks, to his public duties
Another and hardly less potent reason
is that great deal OF the time Of the
Legislature is wasted in legislating upon
individual cases, to which general laws
are applicable, or for which general laws
NAV be enacted. OF the two hundred
and sixty seven bills with which one
house or the other has had to do, nearly
a third are such as the legislature ought
not to be troubled with at all Not less
than firty-four Of them are acts OF
incorporation, and they incorporate
men for all imaginable and unim-
aginable purposes, to blow comets,
to make shoes, to build hotels, to lay
aqueducts, &c, &c, &c. The great ma
iority Of these can be incorporated under
the general law, without any application
to the legislature, and if the general law
is not broad enough to cover every case
it can be made broad enough by adding
half a dozen lines. Eight bills are tc
: change the names of certain persons
, who are not satisfied with the names
their parents gave them. There is s
8 general law which meets every suppose
BILE case of this kind. If John O'Brier
wants his name changed to John Whea
, ton, the Probate Court will attend II
: him, any day in the year, Sundays ex
= cepted. If Melinda Wood prefers to b
e called Melinda Potter, and no agreeabl
= young gentleman by the name of Potte
= will volunteer to give her that privilege
q the same Probate Court will do tn
/ needtul. Why should these person
g bother the State of Vermont, or tn
e State allow itself to be bothered b
them?
Y Eight laws are for the protection {
l. fish in sundry ponds and brooks. Ca
e any man give good reason why tis
Il should be caught out Of Halls pom
g only with hook and line, which is NJ
S just as good why they should be caugt
e only In the same way, out Of every oth'
II pond, lake, stream and brook in tt
D State? If not, why should not som
fe skillful draughtsman prepare q genert
pr fish law? Thirteen bills are to legall2
tie grand lists, in which there are son
technical defects. Bills of this class a.
becoming SO frequent that general la
nc has been devised and introduced, pr
e. viding that no grand list shall be re-
~ dered invalid by any failure on the pa
ID of the listers to take and subscribe the T
t. quired oath, or to return the lists with
the time required by law, provided t
~ oath be taken and the list be return
before the tax is assessed. If the legi
~ lature will but enact general laws SUI
,is as are needful, refuse to enact speci
laws where they are not absolutely ne
essary, and work six days 10 the we
and eight hours in day, it can not pc
he sibly remain in session more than thr
at ! xyppkS aUunallU