St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-11-05
JIohnpetier Correspondence.
MONTPELIER, Oct. 80, 1869.


''side shows generally having glvel
place to the real work of the session, ant
members have appeared to be intent OF
completing what was for them TO do, anc
bringing the session to As speedy close
a possible | suspect that most OF them
are anticipating that Governor Wash
bum will appoint the 18th day OF No
vember rs a day of public thank giving,
and are anxious to be 1T home with their
families on that day and SO have gone
TO work with more of the energy of Job
hers" instead OF dragging along at the
snail pace OF per diem laborers not car,
ing TO bring down upon their heads the
odium of their constituents by adjourning
over three or four working days at thai
time, to allow themselves the pleas ureE
they So much court Unless | mistake
the wishes of most of the members, W,
shall find the session abruptly cut off 10y
November 18th at furthest, and perhaps
sooner. | say "abruptly cut off, toi
were they to stay here for the next three
months, there would be no end TO til,
''acts in amendment Of" which would
crowd upon the speakers table, until the
general statutes would become piece OF
general patchwork. a large proper
ton of the bills introduced in both
/ houses thus far have been for additions
! to, or in amendment of, existing laws
and these bills for the most part are re-
! terrcd to the committee on the judiciary,
until that committee has become a sort
of slop-bowl into which all the grev-
ances of the people are thrown promis-
cuously, and it will be strange indeed ii
i'll some cases the committee do not .'slop
over
Vermont is pre-emincntly an agricul-
tural state and if the true interests OF
the people were sought to be promoted.
we should be able to add also that she is
a manufacturing state. Yet it is a la
mcntable fact that in the consideration of
matters for the advancement of the in
tcreet7 Of the state by the present legsla-
ture, (and the same has been true of past
1t "l>laturrs,) the two committees on ar
riculture and manufactures have had
little or nothing to do. The LAWYERS.
tindiIg II impossible to bend or break
through any particular statute SO that it
shall favor the suit of some tlyorite eli
ont, rush TO the legislature with IAN act
In amendment of that statute, which i
referred 10 the Judiciary committee, com
posed OF brother lawyers, who, svmpa-
thlzmg with the profession in their griev-
anccs, report tayorabIy on the bill, which
i at once passed by the egi>lature-per-
CHARGE moi one in ten of the members
Knowing or caring, sufficiently Of the
merits Of the bill IL vote either for or
Against it. And 20 our legislature has
come TO be sort OF general curt to
pave the way for successful lit, 1ation.
The medical profession, and even the
.lergy, have not been ind .ftIent oh-crv-
r. OF tine success Of the LEGAL profession.
and occasionally present their bills
also 20 the legislature, which the people
Ire compelled 20 pay. And thus The
lime of the legislature. and til, money of
the people, is squandclcd, while not
dollar is appropriated for the agricultu-
raj and manufacturing industries of tie
state. The wonder is that the farmer,
and mechanics 50 tanciy submit to such
4 state of things, when they have it in
their power to work complete revolu-
ton. But there will be no change for
the better 50 lon- as party discipline COM
pcls them to ''votc the rc"ular ticket"
rather than seek to send their best men
to enact laws for them: or until they
shall find out that theirs is not merely an
occupation, but Il profession, in which not
ouly skill, but science and the fostering
care of the legislature are essential to
their success. \ community composed
of an intelligent and thoroughly educated
ycomanry, can not fail to be prosperous,
and would very soon send to the poor
house or the work shops, instead of the
legislature, those who, under the present
re4imc. are but mere lceches upon their
industry. In this respect | fear that the
agricultural interests of the state have
not yet discovered wherein their true
strength lies. but have been far too par
sluonious in their cndeavors to promote
their educational, and thereby thci-' III
duS:rial, welfare. If they will demand
of the legislature more LIBERAL promises
Tor the education of the masses Of tn
people, and will contribute of their take,
more freely for that end, they will find
their reward in the diminution of pau
pcrl-r., aud crime il the state, and in the
diminution of the number OF
those who subsist upon that portion of
their industries which is now wrenched
from their ignorance. Let the people
take these matters out of the hands of the
protr>sed politicians, and manage them
with view TO the greatest good to the
rrcateSt number, and we shall soon ,,o.n