Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-11-06
A SANDER Endorsed.

The Free Press reads US a short lecture on
the light" style in which we treated the
charges Of the Boston Traveller in regard to
the corruption of sundry gentlemen Of this
State, in receiving fees from the Vermont
Central Railroad, while they were members
Of the Legislature.
Now we wish to inquire Of the Free Press,
how it was possible for an intelligent and self.
respecting Vermontor to treat the charges Of
the Trareiicr in any other than a cavalier
style2 It represents and charges that the
Vermont Legislature was bought like sheep in
the market And the proof it gives s, that
Eve lawyers, who happened to be members Of
the Legislature, were employed by the Cen.
trail Road, and received fifty dollars each for
their services These lawyers are all we'll
known and honorable men. Would the Free
Press, for single moment, entertain or ex-
press the notion that they were bought by the
Vermont Central in their legislative capacity,
or Office, for the sum Of fifty dollars each ?
Is not such charge, on its face, supremacy
ridiculous ? Does the Free Press feel under
the necessity TO wait for explanations from
these gentlemen before it Gao profess a mer-
tied contempt for it2 Suppose the editor Of
the Free Press sat through two sessions Of
the Legislature in the Vermont Senate with
a railroad pass in his pocket for himself and
family, would that have prevented him, 10
any respect, from wisely and fairly represent
ing the people in all legislative matters
Can he suppose that Governor Hendec in his
place in the chair, would have been warped
by his Legitimate fees as counsel sesibe- Cd.
poration any more than he, as Senator, was
biased by his pass as ediior7 When a lawyer
gives an equivalent for his fees in his legal
capacity, cannot he act fairly as legislator il
a legislative capacity
In fact the very items that the Trarelie,
publishes and tie mode in which they wer'
circulated, show that there was no bribery OIL
corruption that the payments were made fol
legal services and not for Legislative services
If the Vermont Central intended to bride the
Legislature, it would pay more than fifty dol
f lars each to five lawyers. There would hav,
been other professions represented on its list
and other men than lawyers. But there wer
none; and when the Trarelier charges tina
the Vermont Legislature is bought by tn
counsel fees Of five attorneys, who happen t
, have been elected to the General Assembly
whether is it best to treat the charge with
q " Pooh pooh or with the owl-like wisdor
q and impartiality of the Free PresS2 w
wish to ask the Free Press, in return for ID
lecture on our Hyhtne@ in this matter, whetb
or it is not possible to treat a SANDER, as thi
f evidently is, with too much courtesy and re
spect? II Mr.. Pingrey or Gov Hende
/ were bribed for fifty dollars each by the Yer
o mont Central as members Of the Legislator,
o then they certainly would deserve the censur
!. Of every honest man. Their price also, wa
b. very cheap. They might have bad ten time
a fifty times that sum. They were foolish a
well as dishonest But if they received tn
. sum alleged as counsel fees, it is nobody
4 business They have as much right to Sc
4 their legal services to the Central as had Go,
= Stewart or Col Veazey, who were not men
q bers of the Legislature. After its attempt t
. be wise and impartial and Judicial, we think til
:. Free Press will come TO the conclusion thc
it would have been quite as well to be Ii
q tie more consderate and charitable to th
gentlemen whom its article really implicate
f If the Free Press believes these gentlemen |
, be corrupt, it had better say so. If it do
not, it had better "pooh-poOh the slande'
| Of the Trarcller, a. we did.