Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-12
RT1TLANp HERALD
FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1871.
Foun,iza,ion of the Grand Hist

Much discussion has taken place in the
press snd among the people relative to
the Fqnal,74tiou Of the Grand List. Sew
eral counti,- seem aggreived by the action
o. the Loei~laturr. and threaten resistance
+ thu coll, crjou Of the taxes. 1t seems to
Us there il no call for thi- movement on
the p,r, Of those who claim oppression.
T. by mt, kr sny injustice has been done,
it can be much better rectifed than to
make resistance to the laws of the State
and the action of the General Assembly.
They have the remedy of going before the
Legislature at its next session in 1872, and
each town present its claim for the amount
of taxes they have paid to the State more
than their equitable proportion. On proof
Of the fact that any town has paid the
State more than its due in comparison
with the value of its property, there can
be no doubt that it will be refunded.
Again we have been unable to perceive
how the action of the equalizing COM
mittae can be sot aside. The report has
been nude ia accordance with the statutes
of the State ia the same manner as for
tha last twenty years, and it is not be-
lieyed that it would be set aside by the
courts. We trust that wise cOunsels will
prevail among those who think that in
Justice has been done them in the equali-
tiop Of the Grand List, and withdraw
from their unpleasant position of making
resistance to the State taxes. Let them
90 to the Legislature as every party
heretofore aggrieved in a similar way
have gone with the errors of taxation,
where on proof of injustice, relief has
been granted At nearly every session
of the Legizlature some town has pre-
an error of taxation, and if the
S'n''' zen a just one the mistake has
ann n'S ., d the amount refunded.
. ,en L 'rf''''N "' reasoa why those
we n' yet see no at this time
o''m'hR 10 oe aRgrieVeu 1 gener-
should not follow the old rule. to
al Hill could easily he framed givins
eIch town specifcally just what it proved .
wa oy,rpaid into the State treasury |
Thus each town would get its just claim .
without disturbing the whole equalization .
of thu State. This would be fair and
proper course to pursue. 1t is to be hoped
that this method will be adopted rather
than an antsgonism Of one section of the
State against another should be engen-
dered by resistance to the collection of
the taxes
Some of the press of the State are de-
mandiug that an extra session of the Gen
eral Assembly DO called for the purpose of
considering this subject. What evidence
is there that the Legislature would change
its decision, or that when convened it
would not simply legalize the State tax
aud adjourn? If such a course should be
pursued, would not these who now COM
plain be ia a far worse condition than
they are ar the present time? Would it
not be far better to await the action of the
next regular session upon each claim pre-
sented by a particular town to be settled
upon its own merits We are opposed to
converting Of the Legislature in special
session for this purpose IN view of what
seems apparent would be it's action in this
case. 1t appears to us that Vermont has
seen sufficient of hasty legislation at extra
sessions for special purposes. In this case
it would he unwise for the Governor to
convene the Legislature in view OF the
fact tbot M aIxy ,1vO,,1J 10 Ia
Haste would characterize its proceedings,
and it is greatly to be feared the State
would receive detriment
The people, through the Constitutional
Convention, have declared in favor of BIZ
ennial sessions, and it il to be hoped that
the system may be given fair trial Let
us at least try it for two years, whether
the system of biennial sessions ia polite
or impolitic. If the precedent is once es-
tablished of calling extra sessi ons under
the two years rule, there will be demands
for this and that until the effort to make
a trial of it woNd prove q failure. We
believe it ia for the beat that the system
should remain undisturbed for the next
two years. We wodld bsthe last to argue
against an extra session to remedy griey-
anoes, bad not the oomplainants a remedy
At the next regular session. For these
reasons we do not think the Governor
would be justified in converting the Gen
oral Assembly in special sessiQu, and trust
ne will not be pressed to take sas4on on a
petition having that purpose in view.
A MILD CLIMATE.-The st. Alkans
Messenger says; Hon, J. Gregory Smith,
President of the Northern Pacific Rail-