Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-10-17
Especial Dispatch to the nxRALD.l
Prem the Capital.
MONTPELIER, Oct. 0, 1867


Everything is busy In and about the
capital preparatory TO the opening OF the
annual session oil the General Assembly
on Thursday. Many of the offices and
rooms assigned 70 the clerks OF the
several departments have been newly
fur, shed and painted, and the Interior
OF thu State House presents fresh and
pleasant aspect Much credit is due to
the efficient aud prudent sergeant-at-
Arms, u @, Camp Esq, Not only has
the State House received furnishing,
but the town presents a new and i'm
proved appearance. A new sidewalk Of
brick has been laid the whole length of
State Street, an improvement long
needed, in order that the grave legls-
lators might not be fioundering In mud
and water in getting to the daily
session. The dwellings seem to have
received attention from the carpenter
and painter, and the hotels also are pre-
senting wholesome and agreeable ap-
pearance, and their several proprietors
and attaches have smiling faces, ready
to attend the wishes OF their guests.
There is not as large a collection of
the members as is usual the day before
the opening of the session, and it is
comparatively quiet. The members are
quietly making their way to the office of
the courteous Secretary of State to pre-
sent their credentials and deposit the
several packages committed to their
care.
At eight o'clock on Thursday morning
the members OF the House make a
selection Of their seats. The method is
fixed by a standing rule OF the House.
The clerk calls the names OF the
several towns in the State and the
member from each town so called, gives
his name and the number of his seat so
selected, which entities him to it during
the Session. This is an improvement
upon the method in former years. The
selection of seats was made on Wednes.
day afternoon, and at an early hour
members were seen hurrying to the State
House, in order to secure the desk they
desired, and would often wait many
hours, fearing some of their colleagues
might make the same selection, thus
taking up the greater part of the day
before their travels were over. Many
amusing incidents are related ~ older
legislators Of the scenes that occurred on
these occasions.
Only an hour now intervenes between
the time for choosing seats and organiz-
ing the House, thus materially relieving
members from long anxiety. The meth
cd of choosing seats in the Senate is
different, and more easily terminated,
but not always to the satisfaction of all. |
The rules of the Senate provides that at
nine O'Clock on the morning of the first
day OF the session the Sec retary shall
place in box prepared for the purpose
fourteen ballots, designating by name
the several counties, and shall draw
therefrom one ballot at q time. The
first ballot is drawn, giving the first
choice of seats to the delegation from
the county named npon the ballot. If
the Senator or Senators are not present |
personally or by proxy, the county next |
drawn has the preference. The deega.
lions from the several counties ordi. |
narlly choose seats together, but to- |
wards the close of the drawing it often
occurs that seats have been so selected |
that DELEGATE ns are divided but as |
there are three counties that have but
one Senator each, a compromise is eff.
effected.
The House is comparatively new, there
being 100 new and so old members in
the Senate IA new and Is old members.
The organization will, from present indi-
cations, be speedily effected. Hon. John
W, Stewart of Middlebury will be chosen
Speaker, and John H. Flagg, ESQ, the
competent and courteous Clerk of last
year, reelected. The officers OF the Sem
ate will also probably receive re-elec-
ton. Under this state OF affairs every
thing is comparatively quiet. The cleo
ton OF the general State officers may
not be as calm, but there is no canvass.
ing OF any amount as yet. The candi-
date for Chaplain Of the Senate will be
Rev. Daniel @. Roberts, Rector Of Christ
Montpelier.
BILLIARD CHALLBNGE.-Mr. joseph
Dion, billiard champion OF America, has
challenged John Roberts tho Ep1l;sb | ,