Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-06-17
The Constitutional Con, enlion OF 1879.

The Constitutional Convention OF 1879.
Ten Constitutional Conventions lave been
held in Vermont, since it became State.
The tenth, and one of the ablest and mos.
notable, closed its la5ors yesterday after an
earnest, industrious and effective session of
six DAYS As was said of II soon after the
election Of delegates comprising it, and as
it proved in its deliberations and action. 1t
represented strongly the legislative ezpe-
rience, legal ability, education, honesty ami
common sense Of the State. 1t showed at the
outset the earnest determination Of the ma
iority Of its members to DO promptly, tno--
oughly and well the business before them;
and its work viii make it ever memorable IN
the history of the State.
The Convention assembled 20 act upon Qr
amendments submitted by the Council of Cen
sors. Is action upon them was Us follows
The first article Of amendment. providing
that " corporations shall not be created nor
their powers increased or diminished by
special laws, Was rejected, by vote of C3
to l6S. 1t would nave Jared better had it not
been 50 woried that it took from the legi-a-
ture all control over existing corporations
but it was also doubtless the sentiment of the
Convention that the creation of corporations
is a power wisely vested IN the Legislature
and which should not be taken from it.
The second article, changing annual to
biennial sessions Of the Legislature, and an
nual to biennial elections of State and Coun- F.
ty officers, was adopted, after prolonged and I.
sometimes heated discussion, by a vote Of /.
lis to rs. 1t will make greater change .
in the customs Of the people than any pre-
vious change in the Constitution has done
Its adoption was unexpected by Us, and by
many Of the most intelligent citizens Of tie .
State; but we believe that it was the result
of strong though quiet popular demand
There was, as the debate in the Convention
showed, a powerful unlercurrenJ of feel
ing among the yeomanry Of the State, that
annual sessions conduced to useless leg:sia-
ton and unnecessary expense and the resul:
will commend itself, We doubt not, to the
favor of majority of the frcemen. How it
will work in practice remains to be seen.
valuable no doubt viii be gained
in stability of legislation. We think the
sessions will be longer, legislation more DELHI
,rate, and we trust better advised. Towns
where the annual elections have been the oc-
,ssion Of annual and bitter personal contests q
and there have been too many such,-will I
,e the gamers by a change which viii re-
luce by half the opportunities for such dis y
days There will he some Obvious disld- I
antages The annual convocations Of rep !
esentatives Of the people in the Legislature d.
ave, we believe, been wholesome and yaiu- q
bic in a social, civil and educational aspect
We should have been content had the amend ..
lent been rejected. We are also content to
&c the biennial experiment fairly tried, and at
re hopeful, on the whole, of good results. N
Had the third article been worded 60 as to
xpress the intent Of it's trainers. 1t would 2.
reliably have Leen adopted, though not OF
Of immense consequence one way :,
r the other. 1t was intended to give the DC
,gislature power to provide by d general law. @
II the filling OF vacancies in the Offices Of -
enator and town representative. As word an
I, however, viz - Whenever the Office Of es
cnator or Town Representative shall become ~ ~
.cant from any cause, the legislature nav
-ovide by law for filling such vacancy. it
lly gave the legislature power to fll speci- G.
vacancies as they may occur The fact IN
at it was unrestricted in it, terms so that IA
lder it the legislature nigh. direct the p
lvernor for instance, To ELL vacancies BY ap- tn
'ntment, was urged against it and it being of
rtber shown that the power to order cleo rc
DIS to fill vacancies already existed in tie Zee
institution, the article was rejected Is To o.
g. ci
The fourth article was tine important one Ii
lating to the Judiciary, making the Su- l.
-eme Court judges appolntlye by the bow Oh
nor with the advice Of the Senate, and ex- IA
nding the term to six years. However cor TO
ct this change might be on abstract prin- ga
pies, it was the clear sentiment Of the State "
at it was rot advisable in Vermont, as long oil
elections by the legislature continue to
We US as pure and able a bench as they
i've hitherto done and the Convention re- 81
cted it with substantial unanimity, after al
ief debate. Having adopted the second artl- W
e the Convention adopted also the article en-
tending the term Of the Judges to two a
ans, to correspond with the biennial ar be
ngement of sessions and State elections ev,
The fifth article, extending suffrage to wo- of.
en-, was rejected without debate, and with La
It single vote in its favor. ar,
The sixth article, abolishing the Council of
Censors and providing new method of ito