Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-07-09
The Council of Censors.

didates for the Council of Censors were
nominated there was a resolution intro
duced, to request the nominees to recon-
mend such change in the State constitu-
ton as shall abolish the Council Of Cen
sors. But the objection was made that
SO few had assembled in the Convention
that it would be in bad taste to give any
instructions or even suggest any course
for them to pursue, therefore the resolu
| ton was voted down.
! In Montpelier paper the great i'm
portance of the Council has been set
forth and the hope expressed that it
would be perpetuated; but from no 9TH
er part of the State have l seen any
thing said in favor of it.
But inasmuch as the resolution was
voted down at the Convention and since
then plea for its continuance has been
made in a newspaper; the inference
might be, if nothing was said or written
to the contrary, that the people were in
favor of having the Council continued.
But such | think is not the case Not
one person of the many that l have
heard speak upon the subject favors such
an idea.
1t is not strange that the people of
Montpelier should favor its continuance,
and also favor the proposition now be-
fore the Council to increase the number
to about thirty. The more conventions,
councils, and legislative sessions they can
have in their town the better it is for
them. They all understand this, and
who will find fault with them for taking
care Of themselves l do not But lust
at this time, when our State is heavily
burdened with debt and taxes, do not
think it expedient to increase the taxes
by hiring thirteen men to hold half
dozen sessions, or even less number, to
see whether the laws have been duly ex-
ecuted or not during the past seven years.
think one of the questions now be-
fore the Council is to see whether unlaw-
full interest has been taken in the State.
If they would settle that question let any
one of them go to bank to borrow
some money and if he is not stuck with
7f2o per cent. or over, he will be more
fortunate than | have been during the
last three years. Another question to
settle is whether the liquor law has been
properly enforced. What if it has not?
DO they propose to furnish bandages for
the knees, or supporters - for the backs
that are now too weak to stand up I'M
der the mighty pressure of rumseller's
influence? This they cannot do, nor
can they prosecute an officer for the nom
performance of his duty any more than
any other citizen.
Suppose they should, upon strict inqui-
ry, find that the guardians of the peo-
pie" had made too frequent and too long
adjournments during the sessions of the
Legislature and that the debentures paid
for service which was never rendered
and for mileage never travelled would 90
far towards paying our State debt =
would 1t be of any use? Not dollar
can be recovered back and it needs not
thirteen men to tell the people of Yer
mont that these swindles, or petty pilfer-
lngs upon the State treasury have been
made.
1t may be claimed that this council
has, in addition to the onerous duties of
seeing what has been done and what has
not been done, during the past seven
years, the further duty of proposing
amendments to the constitution of the
State. Now is there not better and a
cheaper way of doing this than to hire
thirteen men to meet together once in
seven years to think up some change p
DO these necessities for change in the
constitution come periodically, once in
seven years like swarms of locusts? Or
must the council fish up something pre-
maturely? Are not the people of Yer
mont generally content with the consti-
tuition as it now reads If so, what ne
cessity is there for them to remain in SEES.
sion another day after they have made
substitute section providing for the
amendment o. the constitution in some
more democratic, sensible and less ex-
pensive manner? If there are PROPOSE
tons for amendment, hope they will
be submitted separately from the one to
abolish the council of censors, and that
the latter will be submitted and left for
the people to say whether they will be
longer taxed with this unnecessary and
undemocratic organization.
4 CHESTER.
A SAD RIDE.--Among a party of
Swedish immigrants who arrival :. Q.