Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-12-02


estimate of its work and of the men who
composed that body. 1t seems to us that
the writer was exceedingly jealous Of the
Senate, and travels out of his way to
underrate the men who composed that
branch Of the General Assembly. That II
was deliberative assembly; composed Of
men Of more thpn ordinary ability, dis
Greet Judgment and conscientious in the
discharge of the duties devolving upon
them, is fact patent to all observers
Notwithstanding the opinion of the author
of the Freeman article.
There is another point which we cannot
fully understand, and it is why our rep
resentative, Col. Charles ii. Joyce, should
have been singled out for criticism and
ridicule from all the members of the
House. The attack is unmanly and
discreditable to the author, and is not 81
all in correspondence with the opinion
of Mr.. Joyce's colleagues and of the
public of his influence and ability.
We are aware that both Col. Merrill in
the Senate and Col. Joyce in the House
in forcible, earnest and telling speeches,
dealt hard blows at Montpelier's pei
project, the Newbury Seminary bill,
because they knew the facts in the case.
They saw the equity and felt that justice
was on the side of the people of Newbury
and they, as honest legislators, gave elo.
quent and forcible expression to their
views during the discussions upon that
gexed question. The writer says that he
one" but he has certainly in the eyes OF
al observers done great injustice, and to
ne agnn his own language, by "short-
-ightelnes- and jealousy failed to make a
Just resogni,ion Of true merit and public
worth That RutlAnd's representative
was among the ablest men, ready debaterS
and most useful members of the House oil
representatives, is fact that cannot and
Will not be denied by fair-minded and
unprejudiced men, and the records of the
session also bear witness to the fact, and
it is unfair for the Freeman to have sin
gled him out as y special object of depre-
native criticism
The article, as will be observed, is
j therwise we'll considered, and is just
estimate OF the ability Of the House, and
the Prudence and good Judgment and
economy with which its general legisla-
ton was carried on.
We commend the article TO the perusal
ii All our readers
We are net OF those who take pleasure
in decrying, or at least seize upon every
occasion to decry in advance, each Legis-
lature IA interior to that which preceded
IT, We believe in human progress; in
the onward march of civilization, and in
j higher type OF social and intellectual
attainment. There is such a thing az liz
ing Present. as well az dead Past; and the
reverence due the latter ought never to
stand ar grim, ghostly sentinel to bar
and beat back that honor which essays to
leap forth and crown the true, heroic yet
humble workers of to-day. II is not abb
splutsly necessary that thoughts and
leeds should have age q make them use
full or sublime He who acts well his
pirt is today az truly great and noble as
he is when his patent Of nobility comes
down bearing the dust and the impress OF
years. II is Gully tho sbort-eightednes
and jealousy of us moctsls that prevents
a just recognition OF true merit and pub
lie worth manifested in our midst We
confess u but little p,ticnee with those
few cro1kiug guides, distrustful and des-
pondent, standing by the highways of this
busting lie, with long woe-begone yis-
ayes, looking backward OYER the shoulder,
aud IN Ingn hrious tones signing for tho
good old . ys ~ yore which GIN come
no more. while all about aud around,
uunotioed by them. are lifc's busy toilers,
battling with their might, and ottentimes
with signal succ ~, that the right may
prevail, that knowledge msy increase,
that the oppressed, physically or mentally
may 20 Tree. and the wilderness be made
"a blossom ~ the rose. II were better for
the world, il has sometimes seemed to Us,
y ere tt fate which = fell Lots vile APP
#ortioued also 10 these whining croabors
Cor then would some good come out of
them The dead Past could be 30 thor
Jughly preserved and sailed that no un-
pleasant SAVIOR thereirom wonld ever
.cit4 tue uo~tiH7 ~ Wv Npbiiug SthEid a
tons
II was getvoly chronieled ere the
returns u the September election were
siir.y in type that the House would BIZ
below M iioerirY II talent and influence
that it, strong pillars were missing; that
the hope OF the State rested in the Senate
alone. During he session, fppantnews
paper correspondents were found to ring
the changes on the same Old subject, and
the House had in their modest opinion
nd y deteriorated and fallen from the high |
reno~n won for il by the Fathers. And
he Sennts--tkat honorable body 10 which
hey bad 80 vociferou-ly invited 10 10 look |
lnd behold the gods they were now con-
.ent to point cut simply as the council
'hamber of mortals. Even that immeu-
ate Senate 20 unblushingly heralded az
he superior Of the House, and a. studded
III over with cornscating stars, could not
tand tbs contact and familiarity Of these
eribblcrb aud the intellectual giants Of
he Upper House were finally written
Town as pigmien, whose main duty and
pleasure it was 10 "represp the vaRarics OF
he Lower House," and administer rebukcs
% IL wnyward members for attempting
unconstitutional onaetmcnts. Unfortu- |,
iately, however, Gov. Washburn's frat
,eto message related TO bill originating
n and passed by the Senate.
Now We have the acts the session
work Of general character, 40 far us tho
secretary has been pleased to designate ii
Tor publication in tho papers--beforo NJ,
aud the people can Judge for themselves
whether their servants have or have not
and intelligently performed
he work for which they were elected. II
night not be quite modest for the writer
Il this article, wfro claims himself to be
member OF the House, to claim any |
hyperion merit in these enaetments, nor
Ioes he press any such claim but justice
o his confreres compels him to say that he
believes these laws will be found to need
~ little revision and alteration, and as
ew Of them will call for repeal, in order
hat the rights of the people may be pro-
ectod and the ends of justice secured, as
nave the enactments of Legislature at