St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-11-01
u IIIt CIItUUHI.lN.
The LegiSi0t,tre.
MONTPELIER. Get. %. 1861

NoNiFELiLf, Oct. ~, 1867.
Legislation has been going on, the past
week, at It's usual pace Though there
has not been that dispatch there was at
lie extra session, think a good weeks
work has been done The transfer of
the light on the Burden railroad from the
State house to Troy and Bennington,
drew away quite number of members
ul' made legislation more quiet than it
would otherwise have been.
o.! the invitation of the Mossrs Bur-
I,n. The Railroad committees of the sen
ate and house, on Wednesday went to
!'ruv and examined tie iron works of the
Nl>>ra Burden. and then came to BEN
uin-ton aut examined their ore beds and
he facilities they now have for getting
their ores TO Troy, and also attempted,
aJ a personal inspection, to learn some
thing how the proposed road would af-
feet other business interests in Benning-
ton The committee did not return till
Monday. In the meantime quite 4 num-
Der OF bills chartering railroads and en-
aiding towns to grant aid in their con-
,truction have been introduced, and are
awaiting the action of the committee.
The senate are more quiet than the
house. They have not engaged in any
general debate as ycs. In the house
more debating has been done than usual.
First, a bill increasing the fees of Wit
ne5'cs in the county court from one to
two dollars per day, and before justices
OF the peace from thirty-four cents to one
dollar per day, and giving them eight
cents instead Of five per mile for travel,
came up and was debated. The friends
of the measure claimed it was no more
than was fair compensation for the
services rendered. On the other hand ii
was urged, that if that was the ground
on which to base the law, as some wit
ncs.cs' time was worth very much more
than others, the fees ought to be fixed so
as 70 pay them according as their time
was worth to them, but it was insisted
that was not the rule to be adopted, and
thai the bill if passed would double the
cost of criminal procedure, and occasion
a rush of witnesses, or rather, complaints
before grand Jurors and would also
place the poor at the mercy of the rich,
by rendering litigation SO expensive that
the poor could not secure their rights in
that way. The bill was defeated.
\ bill to increase the time which lis
ters should hold their office to three
years. and providing for the election Of
one Lister each year, and also providing
that they need not subscribe the oath at
the end Of the list, but be sworn general
" to faithful performance of their du-
ties, came up and was dismissed. 1t was
claimed that the increase of the term of of:
tee would render it of more consequence
/; and lead to mere care in filling it. 1t was
e answered that towns could elect good
: listers any number of years in succession,
D and that one year was as lone as they
7, would wish to retain a poor one in Office
besides it was making that Office differ.
ent from any other i'll the state 1t was
said conscientious listers knowing they
had not appraised property in accordance
with the oath they were to subscribe
he>itated about subscribing the oath
This was said. Oh the other hand. to b'
strong reason why the oath should be
: retained, and that without it there would
be no fixed standard governing all lister:
In their appraisal. The bill was lost.