Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-25

stituted body. 1t owes allegiance to the
people as well as the Judges. Standing be
tween the two, its duty is to mete out Jus
tice to both. We think the Legislator,
should be just before it is generous. On'
of the definitions Of generous, according to
I W ebster, is munifcence. A munifcent gen
erosity to the Judges at the expense of jus
tice to the people would hardly accord with
the principles Of our civil polity The Con
stitutiOn is opposed to - establishing Offices
of profit. the usual effects OF which are de
peudence and seryility, but it says - if any
man is called into public service, to the
prejudice of his private affairs, he has a
right to reasonable compensation By
this compact believe the people of Vermont
are willing to abide And we believe the
yearly income of 81, 800 is not only compe-
tent, but even generous, compared with
the income of the great laboring masses: of
( the people. In awarding benefits to the few
do mt let us forget the necessities of the
many.
For very shame,'' says tho Hatcitnla1
" out of decent self-respect, the Governor
ought to have enough to bear his expenses.
with a small allowance to maintain his dig
nifty but Vermont does not hold to remuner-
Ating her executive officer" The Wdtciraan
trusts that the time will come when in
matters of State pride and honor we shall
not be behind our sister States. SO ar as
the true dignity Of our Governor is concerned
that cannot be estimated by material consid-
erations. No am cunt of salary, however ex-
travagant, would add anything to the dignity
of a worthless, incompetent Governor
Would it add anything to the dignity of
Vermont to ape the extravagancies and trap
pings of royalty? Take the royal regalia Of
England at cost Of seven millions of dol
lars, put this aboard the Queens State car
riage, which cost the loyal people over S3S,-
600, and $4,000 for the horses to draw it
on state occasions, and then S25 900 more,
annually, for grOoms, drivers, coachmen and
boys, and then lay these specimens Of 90 State
pride y alongside of the starving thousands
in the streets of London then say if it adds
anything to the dignity of the British gov
ernment? 1t is the depths Of her disgrace
Any deviation from the line of justice be-
tween the ruler and ruled, in favor of the
Governor, is step, however imperceptible
it may be, in the direction Of a foolish
'' State pride " that leads on to these royaI
trappings. Suppose we attempt to vie with
our sister State, New York. and in our State
pride - raise the salary Of our Governor to
s. ,OO0 would not she with population ten
times greater than ours, with corresponding
resources, laugh in her sleeve at our aping
folly? Heaven preserve our " honor and
/" dignity" and save US from State pride
that e" goeth before destruction.
Let Vermont be content to be what she
really IS, little inland agricultural State,
with her happy homes, Of measurable and
commendable equality, nesting among her
green hills, and then she will stand in her
own true native dignity. Let her laws be SO
made and administered as TO fall, in the Ian
guage Of old Hickory, ike the dews Of
heaven on all classes alike" Then we will
have State pride worthy OF emulation
Our judges and governors will stand on the
same platform with the people, serred and
seyciHg one another with mutual interest
We are not prepared to admit that the peo-
pie Of Vermont, through their Legislature are
unwilling to - remunerate their executive
officer" Does the Governor complain? If
it can be shown that the compensation is not
a reasonable - one, then | believe the
people of Vermont will be willing to mako
it so. 1t is clear that the salary Of our Gov
ernor, small as It is, is much more liberal
according to our population and resources
than that of New York.
Small and meager as the salaries Of
our Judges and Governor are claimed to be,
We never lack candidates to fill these import
ant Offices. believe at the last election Of
Governor quite number of candidates had
TIE - wind taken out OF their sails Nor
l. it claimed, to my knowledge, that we can
not command the best talent of the State to
fill these offices with our present salaries.
Whenever these high positions are refused in
of the inadequacy Of the salary,
it Will be powerful argument in favor of
raising them B.R