Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-06-15

bt law 70 administer the same.
Mr.. Green supported his proposed amendment.
| claim, sir, that this convention is more judi
ciai than legislative in its character. and consc-
quontly that it, members arc State officers within
the meaning and intention Of this clause Of tho
constitution, and a. such should hc required 10
take the oath or affirmation Of office a. a part OF
their qualification for service
II any body of men should be expected to live
up TO the spirit as well as the letter Of the consti-
tuition, it should certainly be the members Of a
convention elected, and assembled for the express
purpose Of considering and amending that con-
stitutiOn.
For my part, sir, | am not willing to sec any
part Of the constitution madca dead letter, either
in letter or spirit by so wise and experienced @
body az this convention.
Moreover, sir, claim that there is a great i'm
propriety in approaching 80 venerable thing as
the constitution of the State, except under the
soemnty and sanctity Of an obligation.
The proposed amendment was opposed hy Mr..
llorribin Of Bennington, Mr.. Kellogg of Benson.
Mr.. Field OF ButtlchOrO, Mr.. Dillingham; 1l Wa
tefbury and Mr. Drake Of ROyaltun, on the
ground that this convention is not nm executive
body, but delegate convention, elected 70 car
ry out the instructions given them by the re-
spoctive towns and That to carry out these in
structions many delegates would hc compelled TO
act in opposition 10 their own personal oonvic-
tions, and might be compelled % resign thcir
the solomnity Of an oath, against the instructions
of their towns.
Mr.. llorribin Of Bennington moved that the
amendment Of Mr. Green of Richmond hc dis
missed which was agreed to, and the report Of
the committee on rules was adopted.
Mr.. Dillingham; Of Waterbury moved that a
committee Ot one from each county bo appointed
to make up the dcbentures Of the members OF
the convention.
Mr.. Iylord OF Warren moved to amend the mo-
ton by substituting the following resolution
which was agreed to and the resolution adopted
Resolved, That a committee Of one from each
county be appointed by the chair 10 make up, re
oeiyo and disburso the debentures of this conyen-
ton.
Mr.. Field, Of Brattlcboro', presented the me
mortal Of Miss Amelia Tyler Burnham and 230
other ladies of Bratteboro' asking the extension
of the right Of suilmgc, and asked the reading ol
the memorial, which was done By the Secretary
MIR. Field of Guillord, presented the memo
rial Of Mrs. Lucia ). g. Bayden and ~ other la
dies of Guillord, in favor of the extenton o
suffrage.
Mr.. Walton, Of Montpelier, moved that the pc
titons be laid on the table, and that the Secretary
be directed to enter the same upon the journal by
their title only and after discussion by Mr.
Walton, ofMontpeier, Mr.. Field, of Bmttleboro
Mr. Drake, of Royalton, and Mr.. Kellogg, o
Benson, it was voted that all petitions and me
MORALS be laid upon the table.
Mr.. Francis, Of Wells, offered the following re-
solution
Resolred, That committee of five be appointed
by tho chair to consider and report upon day
for final adjournment.
Which was agreed to.
Mr.. Bttinger, of llnrtand, offered romon-
STRANGE of Harriet Williams and 81 other ladies' ol
the 9th School District of llartland, out OF a e-
male population of 81, against the 9th article Of
amendment which was ordered 10 lie on the
table.
Mr.. Hyde, of Casteton, presented the petition
of Jane Eliza Foot and others of Rutland county,
in favor of female suffrage, which was ordered tc
lie
Mr.. Bailey Of DummerstOn presented the petl-
ton of Fanny NJ. Knight and 20 other ladies' OF
Dummerston. in favor of female suffrage; and
also the remonstrance of Caroline c. Harvey and
90 others, against female suffrage which wero
ordered to lie.
Mr.. Edmunds of Weston, offered the following
resolution
Rosolrcd, That this convention deems the adop-
ton of the first proposed article of amendment ex-
pedient
Which, on motion of Mr.. Powers, Of Morris
town, was ordered to lie.
Mr.. Sherman of Dover presented the petition o.
Clarinda NJ. Cooper and six others, ladies of Do
yer in favor of female suffrage, which was laid OF
the table.
Mr., Wood of Vernon, presented the petition oi
Mrs. A. W. Cone and AZ others, Indies OF Vernon
in favor of female suffrage, which was hid on the
table.
Mr.. Butler of Windsor, offered the following
resolution:
RcsOlued That the convention now resolve it.
self into u committee of the whole for the purpose
OF considering the first article Of amendment tC
the constitution, as proposed by the council o
censors.
Mr.. Field moved TO amend 50 as 10 en-
~. Ia.
disagreed to, and the resolution was then adopt
ed
The convention then went into q committee o
the whole, Mr., Bingham Of Stowe being called t
the chair
The article is as follows
Article |. Corporations shall not be created
nor their powers increased or diminished By spc
cial laws, except for municipal purposes
| The question being, VIII the committee of th'
whole recommend TO the convention the adoption
Of the first article of amendment?
Mr.. Dillingham; of Waterbury, wished 10 know
the reasons OF the Council in proposing the artcl,
of amendment lie knew that as the present
general law relating to formation of private cor
porations was too multiIorm and exacting, par
ties are driven necessarily to the Legislature
They must go there TO get clear and exac
record Of their powers, privileges and duties
while If they are formed under the statute mucl
litigation must follow from the fact that it i
doubtful whether they comply with the uncertain
provisions of the statute The sessions of thi
| Legislature are not made longer by these acts o
incorporation This Legislation is positive ad
vantage and convenience TO the people--a neces
/ sity in many cases as with railroad corporations
IL these corporations are formed under the statut
| the Courts alone can eonstrue their powers, anC
the Legislature cannot amend their charters as I
needed. We should encourage business men L
come to the Legislature.
| Mr.. Paterson, Of Newbury, would vote in flvoi
Of the article, both from his instructions and hi
own private views. The sessions of the Legisla
ture would be greatly shortened, and the wants o
business men could still be fully met.
Mr.. Horribin, Of Bennington, said he was in
structed to vote for this amendment. Corpora
tions were not disposed to listen TO the grievance
of the people, and he proposed to giyo to the com
mittee some Of the experiences of the people o
Bennington in this matter of special legislation
The Lebanon Springs Railroad was incorporated
| by special act Of the Legislature, and the resul
was that the town Of Bennington was now con
trolled by the railroad monopoly They had NJ
relief under the present laws and Constitution
and ho asked the present Convention 10 gran
relief 10 the people of Bennington by adopting
the proposed amendment. lie nstanced the un
equal charges for freight and passengers as es
tablished by the managers Of their present rail
road, and also cited largo manufacturing firm
who had been Obliged tO 20 away from Benning
preston Of the railroad management. lie shoul,
vote for the amendment.
Mr.. Fletcher of Cayendish briefly favored thi
proposed article
Mr. Kellogg of Benson opposed theamendment
but for different reasons from the gentleman from
Waterbury. lie had been member Of the Leg
stature several times, and drew up and presontet
general law for the formation Of corporations
and upon the passage OF that law, he had uni
iormly voted against the passage of any act t
incorporate private corporations. lie thought al
should be placed upon an equal footing in rogur,
| to the formation Of corporations one man or Sc
of men should have the same right that othe
men or set of men have. IL the article relateC
only to pripate corporations, he might be moro II
favor Of IL. But it cut of all corporations. We
could not form corporations even for benevolent
purposes. We should completely tie our own
hands, and could not incorporate such bodies, and
| for such purposes as we could not provide Tor bS
general legislation. The article is not properly
| limited, and therefore he could not vote for it.
MIR. Carpenter Of Readsboro thought that n,
/ Al