Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-04
Prom Montpelier.
OPENING OF THE sEssIoN-oRGANlZATioN VI
THE TWO HOUSES.
Novrpr1IER. Oct. I'd, 1872.

1t was known that Lleut--OoN' b"''
having accepted position in the Gus
toms Department, would not be pre-
sent to preside at the opening oil
the Senate, and that it would be necessary
to elect a President pro ten at once 10
this position Hon. Heman Carpenter, OF
Washington county, was considered by MS
friends to be entitled by reason OF his years
and experience: but there was also strong
party among the new Senator's, who iaVoreu
Hon. Lyman G. Hinckley, OF Orange county.
The latter, though new Senator, Is an ola
legislator. having repeatedly represented his
town. Chelsea, in the House, and having
been always prominent and leading mem
ber The choice fell on Mr. Hinckley. lie
took the chair with entire self-posseSsion'
and will fill it capably whenever called to IT.
Over the Secretaryship of the Senate there
was no contest. Col Knapp, of Middlebury'
withdrew his name as candidate last even
inr. leaving the field clear to Assistant Sec
retary Mason B. Carpenter. \ lew
Senators urged the value OF the
long experience of Secretary Henry
Clark. and gave him few votes when the
ballot was taken but in view OF his aDso-
Int withdrawal from the candidacy, an
nounced a wear ago, and still adhered to by
him. he eould not of course be pressed, ana
Mr.. Carpenter was elected with substantial
nnanimitv. There was a little three-cor-
nered contest over the Assistant Secretary
shin of the Senate, which required n second
ballot to settle. The successful candidate,
Mr.. Baldwin. has been a law student in the
Office of Hon. H. II. Powers, of MorriStown,
and j, well spoken Of
The House did not organize quite 50
smoothly. The somewhat raw character OF
that body became apparent in the prellmi-
nary drawing for seats There seemed to
be little difficulty in making some OF the
new conner, understand the rule under
which tie choice of seats i deter
mined. and the drawing was con-
seauentlv not concluded till twenty
minutes after the hour fixed for the opening.
1t was little unusual, also, to hear teller
announce from the counting table. the result
of the first ballot for Speaker. But these
were matters of little Importance.
The Secretary of State, Hon. George
Nichols. presided during his brief occupancy
Of the chair with his usual dignity, preci-
sion and courtesy. In the vote for Speaker,
Mr.. Fairbanks led on the first ballot, as it
had been predicted in your columns that he
would. Mr. Henry. Of Chester, then with
drew his name and undertook TO transfer hi
strength To- Mr.. IIaskins, whose name stood
second on the ballot This kind Of move
ment. which Of course commonly Indicate
an arrangement between two candidates Il
kill of third. is sometimes success
full. a. il was. for instance in the
Republicar State Convention at Mont
pelier this wear: bat it needs to be success
full to be pleasant to look back upon, Tor the
movers. In this case it failed. About bal
of Mr.. Henry's s. votes went over To Mr.
| Haskins. and the rest to Mr.. Fairbanks, wh'
was elected by &c majority. The vote ioi
Mr.. HaSkin-. considering the fact that be L
an absolutely new member, was certainly
very complimentary one.
The result of the election of Clerk will be
a surprise to many of your readers, who ha'
hoped the choice would fall on Mr.. Newell
His name was effectively presented by Mr.
Ballou. Of Burlington, and handsomely sec
ont ed bv Mr.. Ormsbee Of Brandon and Mr.
smith. Of ST Adams. The facts that b.
had acceptably performed the duties Of tn
Office during the illness Of Mr.. Camp tina
the east side of the State having the Speaker
the clerkship should 60 TO the west side, an
that the State had this year pretty general.
adopted the one term principle IN Stat
offices, were duly urged in his favor. Mr.
Camps hackers on the other hand, urged hi
experience as Clerk. and his excellence As
reader. and denied that the question Of local
itv was material one Mr.. Butterield, on
of his seconders. alluded to the facts tina
Speaker and Clerk had both been from tn
same county. in the recent history of tn
House. and that one clerk, Mr.. Flagg, Ia
had five elections to the Office, and anothe
twelve. in succession. In the voting goo
part Of Addison County, for reasons not nj
ceSsary now to mention, % went back y o
! Newell. and | have heard il intimated, ais
that the unsuccessful candidates for Speake
were very willing to repay Chittenden Cour
" for such support as it gave to Fairbanks
bv defeating the candidate for Clerk froI
that County. How that may be, do nc
know Bat Mr.. Camp Is Clerk by larg
majority. and he will be very competen
and efficient one, a. everybody owns, an
as his competitor would have been had
been elected. Mr. Camp has appointed Col. |
f. Knapp Of Middlebury, as his first ASST
tant
So the House was organized before dii
+ ner.
1t is, on the whole, very good lookin
House. Though there are many quite youn
: men. the presence of such veterans a Judg
Marsh IF iliae-burgh. Hon. VIM. llebar
of Chelsea. and Mr.. Field of Guiliort
whose white hairs look like three score an
ten. though he is bat little over three scor'
gives a staii appearance to the body an
; shows that it has cold men for counsel
Judge Marsh, now %, is the oldest men
Der here. and it Is of interest to recall ii
fact that f6rty-one years ago he was men
Der here, and had for fellow member il
lius Converse. now here again rs Goyernc
of the State. Gov. Converse, by the way
) has handsome and comfortable quarters Z
; the residence of Col II. d. Hopkins, and
) looking very fresh and hearty.
The Third House " is here in force, an
stands ready to organize and run the whol
E concern, whenever the other two Houst
feel unequal to the emergency.
Outside of the State House there has bee
less than the customary stir over =" electio
day, - as the opening day of the session
still called here. There are few ginger
bread booths and peddler's carts on tn
streets, and some swapping of horses acros
the river but - the dear people are nc
here in the crowds of olden time. 1t look
as if the day was losing its observance as
general holiday for the region around tn
Capitol.
hear some growing over an unexpecte
advance in the price of board in Montpelie
over the rates of former years. The men
bers were threatening last evening, in COL
sequence, that the first business this morn
ing should be the passage of a joint resolu
ton adjourning the session to Burlington
) They should remember that the boarding
house keepers here must make hay Will
the sun Shines" and that the sun shine
nowadays for them but once in two year
: Yours, G..