Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-11-19

The Legislature oil NttnV'' -,
ON Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock II NA'
4 short se.sion-ten days shorter thah N'''
a week shorter than the average II mas uO"e
ssw good things in the way Of legislation anu
left good many undone. An unusu'i Hu
of bills were introduced and considered o''eu ~
much length, only to fail finally in one house u
the other. The number Of private Incorporation
.c,. n,s.ad wa, yery small, the Senate having
steadily thrown out all whose object couiu 0e
secured under the General Statutes.
The more importan. acts passed and aPpro'eu
nv the Governor were as follows
Act creating two degrees in the CRIME Oh
murder
Act amending the prohibitory law, giving a
quarter Of the fines laid to the prosecuting oflcer
or complainant; and making unlawful sellers Of
intoxicating drink, liable for damages to persons
or property committed by drunken men.
Act enabling school districts to send scholars
to academies. and draw public money for them
on the same terms as in the public schools
Providing for regimental parades and drills IN
regiments of the militia consisting Of at least FIVE
companies.
Providing for the support Of the State Gov
eminent, laying State tax Of fifty cents, aPpro-
priating $4,000 for expenses of the coming
constitutional Convention, &c.
Permitting parties in civil suits to challenge
Jurors a. Jurors are challenged in criminal cases
Providing for the employment Of ,Phono-
graphie) reporter in the County Courts.
Extending the time allowed for Teachers Ia
sttutes to five days, and allowing to the Secretary
Of the Board Of Education $50 day for the
expenses Of the same.
Putting at the disposal Of the Fish Commits
siopers $1,000 a year to sid in restoring sea-hsh
to Vermont rivers.
Act committing the sentence Of Horace K.
Plumley Of Shrewsbury, from death to imprison-
meut for life.
A number Of " Trust Companies were char
tered in various towns.
A few charters Of private corporations were
amended
A very few names Of persons were changed by
spe,i.l acts, in cases not coming under the Gen
sral Statute.
The following railroads we're chartered
The Northern Vermont * Lake Champaign
ffom Cambridge, Vt, to Essex Junction.
The Missisauoi and Clyde River.
The Barre Rsilroad.
The Manchester and Jamaica.
The Brattleboro and Pawlet River
The Wantastiquet Valley.
The Runaway Pond Railroad.
The Rutland and Bethel.
The Brattleboro and Bennington
Extension Of lamoille Valley road to McVl'u
Bay, in Swanton.
These are all short roads. Enabling acts Wer
passed, permitting towns along the routes T.
bond themselves to aid in the construction O
divers roads, as follows viz, for the
Montpelier and Wells River road.
Fairhaven and Lake Shore road.
Bratteboro and Bennington road.
Northern Vermont and Lake Champl4ln roAu
Barre. Fairfax. and West Fairiee roads.
Al these railroad bills were passed suos'an
italy without opposition.
The more prominent measures which t1i'e
we're as follows;
The interest bill, lost in the House
The bin permitting towns TO abolish schoc
districts. and place their public schools il rharg
Of commissioners elected ty the towns, passed. b.
the Senate, lost in the House.
The bill simplifying criminal p!eaiings, pAsse
BY the Senate, lost in the House,
The bill Incorporating tie wanoonsac R4i
road This is the proposed road known in Er'
vious railroad fights as the Burien r1'd ~
passed by the House. los, 10 the Senate.
The bill Incorporating the Northern Vernon
R. from Burlington TO sFantoal; lost
the House
The bill requiring an oath ct tie Listers beioT
entering on their dut.e-, AMI requiring Tow
Clerks to keep a LIST Of al mortgages, and
transfer to tie listers in other towns informs
ton Of any mortgages held IN their towns, pas
ei by the Sensta. lost ia the House.
The Newbury Seminary bill, authorizing ID
Trustees TO convey the property Of the Seminar
TO the Trustees Of the Montpelier Seminary. io'
in the Senate. A similar bil, ul-o Loot in tn
House
Bill f5T ejes,.as The present Trustees of New
bury Seminary. and in effect, creating ne
board; lost in the Senate.
Bill providing that in the election Of IoT
Representatives, plurality vote shall elect o
the second ballot; lost in the Senate.
Of these we regret most the failure Of the oi
allowing towns 20 abolish school districts.
passed the Senate unanimously, II We recollec
Alright. and was rejected in the House, upon lftI
or no discussion of it, merits, simply because ,
the late hour at which it was hrough, forward
No heavy job., or important pieces Of Ise-
tionab!e legislation, were put through under viii
and spur during the closing hours: and on tn
whole, the members may comfort themselys
in their retirement 20 private life, with the r.
Fiction, that il no very important public goo
has been secured by their five weeks work
neither has much harm been doue-ani this
more THAI can be said Of some previous Legi.
latures.