Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-12-04
. We very cheerfully give place in our


columns this week. for the communication
(Which we received from "A Voter" ad
dressed to the people of the Lamoille Val
ley, relating to the Act of the Legislature
enabling certain towns to aid in construct
ing the Ia. Va R. R not because We
think our correspondent is correct in his
views, or sound in his reasonings, but be-
b. cause the great enterprise which the PEG
pie of this section Of the state are about
to be called upon to discuss, consider
and aid, will be very much benefited
when they fully understand its impor.
tance and the good results that may be de-
rived from its speedy csm pletion. If We
are about to call upon the people to aid in
cause that will not bear discussion and
Investigation, and which when fully under
stood the better judgment of intelligent
and patriotic men will not sustain,--w
most certainly hope it will not succeed.
But VIC have no fears as to The results, if
the people will fully inform themselves
before they act thence VIC invite discus
sion and give notice that the friends of
the enterprise are in favor Of, and prob
ably will call public meetings for the very
purpose Of discussing the subject with
you, Mr.. Voter, or any one else who de,
sires to be heard in open town meeting"
..u Our correspondent in substance says,
, when town votes to accept of the act
as is provided in the first section, they
will not have any right to say zone word
r. about the mature conditions" and
& 'amount" in which they are to be bond
ed, and that virtually there ends their
voice or authority in the matter aud that
here the R, R. Go. steps in and takes con-
troll, and will have said, all the law al
lows, viz twelve times the grand list, y
"that the r. R. Co. prepare the instru-
ment containing the conditions of bond
ing" "the magistrate is their appointed"
etc, and says "thus the law has destroyed
their ballot protection" Great!y3-yCs, !
Mr.. "Voter," we think you do mi under
stand the matter" and that no fair and |
reasonable construction Of the act will !
justify any such couclusions-nnless it is
true, as you seem to intimate, that the
people in this valley are 1.-THE unfortunate
victims of strong drink" "moro or less
in penury,' "atrocious," "unscrupulous,"
"artful, and willing, reeklGssly to sub
ject themselves without regard to their
own Or their childrens' welfare, to "ealam
itous liabilities" .I n.s.. .'irr
We have better views of the honest IN
tention Of our legislature. and the friends
of this enterprise We have more conf
dence in the people of this valley and in
the integrity of our town officials OF
The LIST section Of the act provides that
certain towns in this valley (naming
them "or such of them as shall first in
town meeting vote to accept of this act
and give their assent as is hereinafter
provided. are hereby authorized and en-
powered" &c. The object of this section
was first to give the town an opportunity
at meeting legally warned for that pur-
pose. not only to consider the "ortful" act
itself, but to discuss and consider the
merits and dement's of the whole project,
in "open town meeting and then vote
upon the matter, as they do every other
question that comes before the town
Does this then destroy the "ballot protec-
ton? ?" No. On the contrary, it pro-
tects and preserves that sacred right;
hence VIC say our correspondent greatly
misunderstands" the true intent and
meaning of the act in this respect But
this is not all Suppose the town vote
against accepting the act; that defeats
The whole matter, and puts an end to the
bonding question, so far as the town is
,oncered buff they vote to accept Of
The act, that alone creates no liability on
the part Of the town or any one else. Our
correspondent says, as soon as the town
votes to accept Of the act, "the sum" that
is. twelve times the grand list, "becomes
an immediate liability, and may be col
|ected after thirty days from the making
IF the demand, by the most summary
process" Certainly nothing in the act
usti6es any such statement or conclusion
but on the contrary, after the towns have
irst determined in open meeting, by a
majority Of its legal votes, to accept of the
let, before any liability is creatad, the I'd
section provides that they must next OBJ
ain "the assent in writing of majority
If the persons paying taxes, both in num-
Der and amount Of grand list" &c. there
BY giving women and foreigners a right
% vote on this subject--a privilege aud
ballot protection that is denied to them
IN all other questions that come before ]