Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-06-30
Town Representation in the Legis.
lature.

other power in The STATE would try educate the poo
pie to tt-Cli,donirn ST. JohHsbHrg.
The Hfes has often urged the essential fairness
and proproty Of representation by population In the
general assembly OF our STATE in opposition 10 the pros
ont SYSTEM but not with any yoryastrong expectation
Of seeing such change adopted IL Is indeed pos
blo undor the present system Of amending tho Const
tuition Of that should he continued that Constitutional
= Convention may some time be called on tho basis Of
u population, which would adopt amendment, chang
N Ing the basis OF representation 10 ftiror But
with a convention consisting Of member from each
Of Censors should be abolished and the power Of origin
n Legislature there bo prospect Of change.
" The smaller towns, which aro the majority viii mover
willingly abandon their present equality with the larger
AZ to biennial sessions we are not a. clear as We once
mont has metropolis commercial centre many
stacs have, 70 which her citizens often called and
4 great and positive incidental advantage we ho-
nj g y9a IN he opp %9@ iS l y'
anniversary meetings, and other means Of maintaining
friendly and pleasant relations between citizens Of the
State thus afforded. Whether the benefit b enough to
oountorbalanoc the cost Of annual sessions and the
Is indeed question easy 90 he determined and
on which we confess ourselves undecided.-Briagfoa
: Thanks to the gentlemen Of the Coledonian and
Free Press for their irankness. Were other adyo-
5 Gates for the abolition Of the present consttu-
h tional mode of amendments to be equally frank,
, we should probably find that the zeal for abolish
ing the Council Of Censors and constitutional
c Convention is founded in desire to secure
/ ol,o,,os =, a. .,,o,o 81 ,,.o-,,,,o,,, -. 49,,
-. r. A.. L. .,,;,.i.,' = -. 81 e.. a.
Lonog, Of ,ho ce,, L. oros or thu ola,,,,o.
} LII -. ...... l. - - a. -,
-
y i'o'e VI "'"o"u'"o'''' III Vonsiuo'a"V" VI ,i''s
s. rank coniossioh we are dsposeu 70 DC as oirlta
> oe as possible 70 'ne errors OF our friends Inc
:, editor OIL the Cd'edo"'aH was hurtureu III New
= hampshire anu moreover u"eN9 III now large
ana sun thrNlhg vermont town. so that carly
) productions Tor the New Hampshire fashion,
where the members oil the House OF representa-
tVes arc 80 mum erous TINT they have to be packed
IN their capitol like herring in box (the biggest
, always at the top and the present and prospec
tive political interests OF st. Johnsbury all con-
spire to make him jealous for an enlargement of
the privileges OF the large towns-of course at the
expense Of all the rest Our friend of the Free
I Press cannot plead carly education or habits in
eAtenuatioh' put Dy JUST 80 much as burlington
is i"tser 'l'i' o. yohnspury ana ulgnineu by inc
n'oio ',''S"'noen' ''"e u o'iS' we "i' "ning 10
e.lu IL ~ - -. .+''...',..
=, H.. 49,, .,a. Il 81
,o ,,r,c,,,,,, ,,.,,,,,,,, 80 Io,, nj rt;at' h
Tho adi,or Of ,ba ~, pc, o.rt,in -, - n
I,o.d M cS, o.. ,,;,,, II
4. ,.o.,, sn,all ,r,,o ,,;,,
,;u,,o,, IA TO- t,r,.,,, hn,,arod so,ors IA {
+. -, 49,, ,r,,,,a ~ a.naatea :, no,e the
,,,o,ra,;o,,i ,;e,~o,oo no.. ,r,o,, Won cope 70
the core OF AZ. mn,,er-,he heart of the question
Tho figures Of population sink fhr beneath the
figures of Lewis speech Said he, the members
of the large towns need not put on majestic airs
and crack their whips in this hall, for can tell
them that the town Of St. George is MS big up and
dopn as any of their big towns. 1t was re-
mark conceived in the spirit of fun, and yet it re-
yealed the truth that the terrestrial and higher
interests Of all the towns are equal in value to
them, and should he equally respected and guard
cd. ltwould therefore be as unjust and absurd
to insist upon giving towns representation in pro-
portion to population AZ it would to give a man
votes in proportion to his weight So much fer |
the equality of to,oas in rights Now we are
ready to confess that uofes are and should he
also equal IN rights. But the two equal rights
of towns and voters not compatible, and there
fore compromise must be made to secure to each
{ their rights as far rs possible. Such a compro-
mise we have in our constitution, by one legisla-
tive branch based on population and the other on
, towns each having edual mowers while in tho
election or both ond 81 ox,o,,;,,o g., -.
oioOuoh vi polh, anu Oh executive Olhcers, every
| n ri oh Iba onla
and provides for both aggregate or corporate and
lnui'iuuhi rights ana interests-Just as does the
Constitution of the United States. thougb the
-, =, - '"V"s" '"o
bodies IN which these different interests are rep
, reSen'ed are u'nereht,-in the Federal Govern |
ment 'he states being represented in the Senate
ana population in the House, while in Vermont
the towns are represented in the House and popu-
0 laton IN the Senate Both schemes are identical
IN principle
Y Ana now we ask the advocates for a change of
'ne pass oil representation in the Vermont House,
, ~ 'no expense Oh the small towns Areyon ready
lor similar change oil the rule OF representation
~ '"o on''ou ouuS senate al the expense OF
vermont anu Tue o.her smaller StatesT II not,
3 why NOT iou WIZ say-the states have inter
t eSs =" w guarueu' ~ Is Wen batso have towns
+ e' Us "sieo W iee'e ooth as they are
inerc Is sun aho'ner view oil TINS question to
WIN 'lo 'eseou ana ihdeieasible right OF the
!, 'o"ns oequai representation Our Constitution
was anu oompact or contract between The
Y''''' - '"e S''''' "nu Ill TWO PARTICULARS the
- III ''''''' '''''''non' anu uncnahgeaDie'
''9s . No ~
tho benodt Of election as equally as may be- each Town
W si WI sh, u1. v1ssS w s' or may consist
ssve ysars ne At asr nc esahlishina Ill "
may hold elections therein and choose, each, two rep
sist nn an Sash other Inhabited town in this
70 represent them in general asembl dS ln be ivy.
tensTy OF seven years THAT - tl 7s5 iads1e al,
o s ea0 Csc, Gns ,gf'"a' FOREVER rnEREArrSR-
The SECOND comnoc, il th,t ., C,...;,,,;.
hi, - sVr'e' '''"' ''o CONSTITUTION
1uNi remain IN 'orce Joreoe' HHaHaed,' ex-
oept as II shall be altered or improved as This
frame Of 0Oreyntaetf dircris''-thot l. Ia, 49,,
sails from the Council or Cersors aa,3.5 IT,
lCa.,.,,,',.,. " "uop'cu oy
oO"s'''u'ionn Ooh'ehtion' ms compact is in