Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-10-27
COUNCIL OF CENSORS.
THIRD SESSION.


cumbersome, and as the legislature already
has control of the subject; in his opinion, il
would adopt such laws upon the subject il
should deem best. without the necessity Of a
constitutional Amendment Tho vote was
then reconsidered. On motion of Mr.. Ross
the article was then or dered to lie.
Mr.. Rand called up the question OF recon
sideration of the vote adopting the article of
amendment relating to biennial sessions and
elections. MIR. Cleaveland explained that he
voted for the adoption of the article with the
understanding that if any articles were sub
mitted TO the people, all should be. On the
question of reconsideration of the article,
the yeas and nays were taken, as follows
Yeas-Messrs Colburn, Field, Lane.-3.
Ndys-Messrs. Cleaveland, Dewey, French
Harmon, Hollister, Powers, X md, Red6eld.
Reed, Ross.-l0. So the reconsideration was
refused.
Mr.. Reed called up the question of the re-
consideration of the vote adopting the article
relating to woman suffrage, Mr. Lane stat
ed that he should only vote for those articles
which he deemed for the best interests of the
State. Mr.. Coburn said be would vote for
the article with the understanding that all
the articles should be submitted to the peo-
pie. He proposed to amend by prescribing
as a qualification of voter the ability to
read and write his name. Mr.. Rand sugges-
TEL IHdI IHc pTOpOscu amendments suOuIQ
/ come up separately. MIR. Powers desired
that the vote might be reconsidered, in order
TO have the vote, which was left in some
/ doubt, set right and beyond dispute before
/ the people The vote was then reconsidered
/ Mr.. French stated that he should vote for
the article in order that all the articles might
I be submitted together. Mr.. Colburn sup
ported his amendment on the ground that 1t
was perfectly german to the rest of the
. -. l.. 4
number of Ignorant voters. Mr.. Rand con-
sidered it contradictory to embrace in the
same article proposition to extend and
proposition to limit the suffrage. Mr.. Cleave-
land would be very willing to submit a sep
arate article prescribing an educational quail
ihcatiOn, but he did not wish to cucumber the
question of woman suffrage with it He
wished the question considered fairly. Mr..
Colburn, by unanimous consent, withdrew
his amendment. On the question Of adopt
ing the article, the yeas and nays were taken
as follows Yeds-Messrs. Colburn. Cleave-
land, French, Hollister, Powers, Rand Red
field, Reed, Ross. Nays-Messrs Dew
ey, Field, Harmon, LAME. So the artid.
was adopted.
The question of reconsdcring the vote
adopting the article relating to the judiciary
coming Mr.. Reed said he was one Ot
5ose who proposed to submit all the articles
Jul lC HuE1tSltQ lLldl Lllt IL rtCllOu u iit
article faulty in prescribing the number
of circuit Judges. lie suggested that this
should be left to the Legislature. Mr.. Ross
suggested that the difficulty might be remov-
ed by amending so that one third instead Of
two of the Judges shall be appointed every
two years. Mr.. Dewey stated that as orig
inally drawn the article provided as suggest
ed by Mr.. Ross, and contained no provision
70 the presiding Judges of the County
unanimous consent, the article was recon-
Initted to the committee on the judiciary.
The question of reconsidcring the vote
adopting the ar ticle relating to the mode of
amending the Constitution was taken up,
and the motion to recon -ider was lost.
Mr.. Powers called up the article relating
to corporations, and moved to amend 50 that
the article will read, Corporations 5! al not
he created nor their powers increased or
diminished by special laws, except for mu-
nicipal purposes. Mr.. Redfeld said lie
thought 1t unwise for the Legislature to spend
so much time over acts of incorporation, but
there are thousands of cases where the pub
lie good requires the restriction or extension
of the charters of large corporations like
railroads, and he did not see how the Legis-
lature could provide for such exigcncies by
general laws. The amendment was adopted
Mr.. Rand suggested that the adoption of this
article would take away all control over
large corpora tions. Mr. Ross saw no diff
Guilty in providing by general laws for cor
poratORs. If the Legislature should pass
general railroad law, for example, all exist
ing railroad corporations could obtain exten-
siOns of their powers under the general law.
The adoption Of this article would take away
from the Legislature the disgraeeful railroad
fights that come before it every year, and
would remove large lobby and large
money interest. Mr.. Rcdield said that New
York has had for years general railroad
law, but its Legislature is constantly passing
discriminating laws New exigencies are
constantly arising, which require legislation.
1t would not do to allow railroads to extend
their lines in all cases. They might run the
lines parallel with other roads in a manner
to which the people would refuse to submit
Mr.. Cleaveland suggested that the Legislature
might, by general law, give powers to the
courts to control corporations in certain cases
He saw no way of escape from all the acts of
Incorporation, which engross the time of the
Legislature, except by constitu tional pro-
journed.
AFTERNOON.
The question of adopting the amended
article relating to corporations was taken up
and the article was adopted. The committee
on the judiciary reported through Mr.. Dew
ey, recommending the amendment OF tne
article relating to the Judiciary, by provid-
ing in the I'd section for the appointment of
d" one-third" instead of - two'' of the Judg-
es for six. four and two years respectively,
and by striking out Sec. B; which amend
ments were adopted Mr.. Reed saw no
necessity for speaking of the presiding Judg-
es of the County Court, inasmuch there
/ is no prospect OF any change in the courts,
| and this Office is not now recognized by the
! Constitution. If the Legislature should de-
eide to change the law, the programme for
it in the article proposed would be very bad
one in practice. On motion of Mr.. Dewey,
the article was amended by striking out the
references in the article to the presiding
Judges of the County Court. The article as
amended was then adopted.
The question of reconsidering the vote
calling a convention was taken up. On the
question the yeas and nays were taken, as
follows Yeds-Messrs. Lane and Redheld
? Nays-Messrs. Colburn, Cleaveland,
Dewey, Field, French. Harmon, HollIster,
Powers. Rand, Reed, Ross IL. So the mo-
tion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Reed offered resolution instructing
the committee on revision and engrossment
to report to the Council an engrossed copy
of the articles of the Constitution proposed
to be abolished or altered, and of the ordi-
nance adopted by the Council, in a form to
be signed by the President and Secretary, and
officially promulgated. Adjourned.