Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-11-23
Correspondence Of the Free Press.
FROM MONTPELIER.
MONTPELIER, Nov. 1G, 1865.
-nessrs. Editors

Although both houses adopted resolution
that no bills should he introduced after Monla,
last, except by unanimous consent. or from
committees, the influx of bills has been bu
slightly checked. A Senator asks unanimou
consent to introduce bill, the President say
unanimous consent will be presumed unless 90
lection be made, and in gees the bill. Tha
thing, however has at last come 10 an end. Yes
terdsy afternoon, bill was offered but Seua
tor objected The mover Of the bill requisite.
that it might be read for the information Of th,
Senate, which being done. the objection WI!
Withdrawn, but another Senator renewed th,
objection, and the bill vas rejected Uuluekiy
it was one of the very best bills Of the session
requiring that the applicant Tor private act
OF incorporation should deposit with the Treas
urer the sum Of fifty dollars before making his
application. Had such bill been in force at
the opening Of the session the State would b,
richer to-day by thousands Of dollars; MT, IL
deed. by having received ehartees fees, but by
having saved many days OF valuable time that
has been spent in granting charters, many Of
which are not worth fifty dollars to the grantee.
or any body else.
The House had lively time yesterday after
noon, considering bin which proposed to in
crease the per diem Of the members to three
dollars and reduce their mileage to four GEMS.
The first contest related to the mileage. Mr..
Ross Of St. Johnsbury moved to amend by sub
stituiing ten for four, arguing that four cents
would not pay the real cost Of travel. In the
case Of members who are obliged to spend part
Of two days in coming to the capital Mr.
Hubbard proposed to fix the mileage at six
cents, but the House was not in compromise
mood, and, rejecting his proposition adopted SIr.
Ross. So the mileage remains unchanged.
ten cents being the long established rate. Then
cane a smart skirmish over the per dieu. Mr..
Rounds took the position that the services of
the members were not worth more to the State
thau two dollars day. Tat Is certainly true
Of great many Of their days, hut they have
done some days works Of which thcughtful
nan would net Ike to take the responsibility
Nr several times two dollars. Mr.. Bal Of
Springfield moved to strike out the section max
ing the act take effect. from its passage, and
substitute another SO that the act should take
effect on the first Of January. This vas opposed
by Messrs. Ross sud Brigham, and by a great
majority Of the House, who were as DESTROYS 10
DO justice to themselves as to the next Legisla-
'ure- Mr. Rounds moved to amend SO ;hat
members should be paid only for each DAYS ac-
'uaI service, but this was opposed by Nr. Bal
lard Of New Haven, who complained that long
aijournmen's were sometimes carried by mere
maj critics, while many members ofthe miaori-
'y remained at Montpelier. willing 10 work. but
unable TO DO 20. So that amendment vas lost.
Ia short all amendments tending to iuiure tie
bill were promptly rejected and the third reading
was ordered by yea aud nay vote of IL to ol.
Had 1t not been tor the yeas aad nays. there
would not have been a score Of votes against
The bill
The report Of the committee on claims usual
y settles the fate Of every claim. Buta bin 10
pay Giles NJ. Carpenter certain sum. upon
which the committee reported favorably. occa-
sionei considerable debate. Carpenter was a
member # a company Of cavalry in the State
military seryice, and while in the way Of his dg-
t7 was thrown from his horse, and seriously.
perhaps permanently, injured. The bill pro.
posed TO pay h,m hundred and twenty i've
d'llsrs annually ior two years, as temporary
relief 1t was objected that this would be a
dangerous rrecedeut, ani would prepare the way
Tor a maay similsr claims But it appeared that
there were good rre,odents for paying annuit,es
to persons injured in the service Of the State. 4
Ierson who was permanently injured while at
work upoa th= old State House, received a rer-
sion from the Stale as long as be lived. an
other, who lost his arms by the premature ex-
p.osion OF a cannon with which he and other
members Of military company we're cclebrat-
ing he Fourth OF July, had received a pension
from the State for the last fifteen or eighteen
years These precedents were thought fully
to justify he passsgs Of the present bill. and it
was finally passed With hut few opposing votes
An attempt was made yesterday to oyer-rule
a report Of the committee on claims rejecting
claim, and as the principle established is of
some Importance, it S well to put the facts on
record. The claim was one Of those that are
frequently male, for pursuing aud apprehendiug
a felcn. 1t was rejected by the committee, be-
cause the universal precedent for the last fifteen
years has been not to allow sny such claim till
after the trial and conviction Of the offender,
which in this instance hal not taken place
Senator skinner made an earnest. persistent,
and protrscted effort to induce the Senate to
break over this precedent, but he succeeded in
getting it established more firmly than before
A few bills haze been introduced for the laud-
able purpose Of encouraging manufactures in
Vermont Perhaps the mes, important of these
is cne relating to the right Of fowage, and pro-
yiiing that VIXEN any person shall desire to
erect dam for the use Of any mill, and cannot
agree with the owner Of lands liable to be flowed
by 1t, as to the damages to he paid, he may ap-
ply to the County Court by petition in writing,
setting forth tie Circumstances; and, due notice
being given to the other party, three commits
sioners shall be appointed to make investigation.
and, if they fit, to establish the hight Of the
dam, and assess the damages to be paid for
flowing. A spirited debate upon tins bill took
place in the House yesterday. 1t was insisted,
on the ohe hand, that it would be dangerous to
give any man the right to flow his neighbor's
lands, and perhaps ruin his farm, by merely
paying assessible damages, and, On the other
hand, that mill site might be rendered utter
ly worthless, by the refusal of some mean man
owning worthless piece Of land, to sell it except
at an exorbitant price. To which it was replied
that agriculture was the leading interest Of the
State, and ought not to be jeopardzed for the
benefit Of manufactures. But the farmers. who
are the large majority in the House, concluded
they would the risk, and ordered the bill to a