Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-08
From our Special Correspondents
Letter from Montpelier.
MONTPELIER. Oct. 81,

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the legitimate work of legislation, ex-
cept the political muddle in the Third
District, which seems to be much in the
minds and upon the tongues of the
members from that district. The Repub.
lican District Committee met here on
Monday evening, and again on Tuesday,
but could not agree upon candidate or
a course Of action,and separated without
doing anything TO harmonic the discor-
dant elements. 1t is quite possible that
the legislature will adjourn over Tuesday
next to accommodate those members
who, not content with casting their own
votes, wish to do something to influence
the votes of others and it is pretty GER
tain, that, with or without such an adj
journment many members will be miss
ing from MONTPELIER next Tuesday.
Railroad projects having reference to
the North eastern part Of the State are
somewhat numerous. One of them pro-
poses to connect Montpelier and St.
Johnsbury, which it is easy enough to
do on paper, but a little announcement
when the question Of feasible grades
comes into consideration. OF course the
charter will be granted Another bill
attempts once more to sSive the time
honored problem how to develope the
resources. of Essex County. 1t will be
remembered how long and persistently
the Essex County Railroad bilI' was
pressed, how obstinately it was opposed,
and how it was carried at last only by
special political manipulations which
displaced some Of its opponents in the
Senate and supplied their places with its
friends. At last the charter was grant
ed, but survey proved that the roads
could not be built. An attempt is now
making to amend the charter, so that
while the Western terminus still remains
at St. JOhnsbury, the Eastern is left
swinging like pendulum all the way
from Island Pond to Connecticut River,
aud will stop its vibrations at any point
which it is possible to touch. There is
no opposition to this bill. A bill to in
corporate the Passumpsic and Island
fond Railroad Company has passed both
houses. The design of this is to connect
the Passumpsic and the Grand Trunk
roads, by road from some point in Lin
don or Burke to Island Pond
The subject of fees and salaries is an
interesting one, certainly to those who
have to pay and those who have to re-
ceive them, which two classes include
the larger part of the community. Ten
or dozen bills on this subject are pend
ing, in one house or the other, and they
relate to almost all the officers of the
State, from Judge Of the Supreme Court
down to witnesses before q justice of
the peace. 1t is proposed to pay the
judges of the Supreme Court salary of
twenty-five hundred dollars. This is not
dime too much to pay judge who is
fit for his place. Even then, the ablest
aud best of our lawyers cannot take the
office without great pecuniary sacrifice,
and any other than the ablest and the
best ought never to be elected to the
bench. The Senate has under considera-
ton bill red ucing the salaries of States
Attorneys, but giving them fees for
every item of business done by them,
thus making their compensation depend
upon the amount of business, as it did
in former days. There can be no cues.
ton that such law as this is necessary
to secure an efficient administration o.
the criminal laws. Murder, burglary
arson, and other high crimes will moi
fail to receive proper attention, even
though no specific fees are given to the
prosecuting officer. But the prosecution
of that much larger class of offenses
which are crimes only because they are
made so by statute, has been greatly
neglected, and will continue to be neg.
lected, unless there is money to be made
by prosecuting. There is good dea
7 Vi uuuldu ndOutC III Dbdl6 dJGOTubiS
and as long as they receive the same
compensation for doing little as for doing
much, they will neglect to prosecute vic.
lations Of laws which are not approved
by all the people upon whom they are
dependent for reelection. This has
been especially true in regard to the
laws for suppressing the traffic in intox.
icating liquors, and very wholesome
stimulus to the enforcement of those
laws would be furnished by fee for
each item of service in that regard.
Another bill proposes to pay town
superintendent of schools two dollars
day for their services. will it be be-
lieved, fifty years from now, that the
State of Vermont rich as it is, and more
than able to pay a reasonable compensa
ton for all the. services rendered to it,
actually required, in the year of our Lord
1866, some of the wisest and best Of its
citizens, lawyers, ministers, editors, and