St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-06-07

The Free Press, i'll speaking of the
services rendered i'll procuring the pas
sage of the supplemental apporti"nment
bill whereby Vermont keeps her num-
her of Congressmen good. SAYS:
The Press of our State have very
generally given cordial recognition OF
the services of Mr.. Willard. who intro
duccd the bill and took the chief labor
ing oar i'll securing its passage. Per
hapS some others of the Vermont dele
CATION. who also rendered efficient ser
vice to the same end. have hardly had
such mention us they deserved. We
have gathered from the record and 9th
er sources of information the following
facts: The plan of securing Il third
member for Vermont. by increasing by
nine the total number of members as
fixed hy the original apportionment bill,
was originally suggested hy Judge Po-
land. Mr.. Poland proposed it III the
form of an amendment To the original
bill, and supported II i'll Il five minutes
speech. which was all the time he WAS
allowed. The hearings of the amend
mcnt We're probably not all understood
10y the House. in the haSty discussion
gwen to It, and II was voted down. \
similar amendment waS offered in the
Senate by Mr.. Morrill,. and was voted
down there, although both our Senators
showed i'll clear and forciblc speeches
the injustice done to our State III the
apportionment. After the passage of
the bill. our three representatives con-
suited, together on what measures could
la. t.ll N Sill ln,
three members. and decided. upon Mr..
Nillards suggestion, to make the effort
to secure the passage of a supplemental
bill. giving an additional member to
nine States and increasing the total
number of members to 2g2 Mr.. Will
lard drew and introduced such bill.
and 1t went to the judiciary Commit
tee. which fortunately was largely com
posed of members from States which
would gain il member by the hill. 1t
thus secured attention. and eventually
Il favorable report from the committee.
But the temper of the House was averse
To opening the apportionmcnt after it
had been once settled, and it was soon
found that the only hope of the hill
was Ill getting members interested in it
by personal influence and argument.
To this end Mr.. Willard laborcd per
slstently. Mr.. Poland gave the impor-
tant assistance which his popularity
and influence among the Representa-
tlves enabled him to render. Mr.. Smith
also felt Il strong and hopeful interest
i'll the bill, and did what he could when
i'll Washington. The bill passed the
House finally, without debate. by a
strong majority. In the Senate, Mr.
Edmunds took charge of it. and gave to
1t careful management. Our Senators
did not debate it, but argued the qlles-
ton Iii conversation with, Senators, till
Il majority for it was secured. 1t was
thus the bill was finally carried. To
the result all of our Vermont delega-
ton contributed, though not all in
equal degree, and all in proportion to
their share i'll the work should share in
the credit of securing our State from
the loss of ii third of its representation.
cree has been issued at Madrid, giving
full pardon to the students who escap-
ed hutchery ut the instance of the vol
untcers i'll Havana, when charged with
the Dissertation of the graves of Castan-
ON. These youth, nearly all under tif-
teen Years of age, had been sentenced
to the chain gang, after Il perfect mock
cry of IL trial. and the entire civilized
world has exclaimed against the barba-
rous proceeding. By this rebuke to
that bloody tyrant, Nalmaseda, and his