The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-11
THE VERMONT CENTRAL RAIL-
ROAD.
Report of the Legislative Committee.

GONERNOR OF EhMONI
The special committee to whom was re-
ferred the following joint resolutions =
"Whereas, grave charges have been pub
licly preferred that money has been used
TO influence legislation and subvert justice
in this State, which charges seem to involve
the Trustees and Managers of the VT Cent
raj and VT. & Canada and leased lines of
Railroad, as well as several gentlemen of
high official position in the Legislature and
other branches of the Government of the
State, in A. ID. 1862 and at sundry times
before ard since that time; and whereas
certain corporations of car companies, whose
charters are under the control of the Legis-
lature to alter amend and repeal as the
public good may require, have been organ
lied and run in connection with the atore-
said railroads, and are represented by var
ious persons as involving corrupt practices
to large extent; and whereas the afOre-
said corporations and railroads and the
officers in Charge thereof, are creatures of
the Legislative and judicial branches of the
Government of the State, and as said charg-
es involve the fair fame of the State to such
an extent as to justify and demand a search
ing investigation into their character and
management; therefore.
Resotced By tie Senate anu H0Use Of Re
2)reSentdtiUes That committee of three
Senators and three members of the House
be appointed respectively by the President
of the Senate and Speaker of the House,
10 inquire whether or not it is true that in
A. ID. 1869, or at any time before or since
that time, money was paid directly or in
directly by any trustee, receiver, manager
officer or agent of any railroad or railroad
company in this State, to any member of
either House of the Legislature, for the
purpose of influencing legislation; whether
or not it is true that under any power de-
rived from either branch of the Govern
ment of this State, any person connected
with the aforesaid railroads accompanies,
has practiced frauds or pecuations; and
finally to investigate fully all and singular
to all the matters above referred to- and said
committee have power to send for persons
and papers and to employ counsel to pro-
secute the investigation to its fullest ex-
tent and to makereport to the present SEES.
sion of the Legislature.
Also to inquire whether any members or
officers of either House of this General As
sembly have written or aided in procuring
TO be published the articles in the Boston
1rdoelLer touching any measure now pend
ing before this Legislature. Also, whether
any members or officers of either House of
this General Assembly are in the pay and
employm ent of any individuals opposed to
the passage of any such pending meas
ures;" also ''to pursue their investigation
after the adjournment of the General AS
sembly, and make their report to the Gov
ernor on or before the first day of july
next, in pursuance thereof respectfully
report:
That they proceeded during the last days
of the recent session of the Legislature, to
take such testimony as they could con-
sistently with their other and ordinary du-
ties of legislation. BY referring to the pre-
amble and resolutions, it will be seen that
the charges were characterized as grave.
and of such serious nature as to demand
full and complete investigation. The
Committee were authorized to employ coun.
sci to prosecute the investigation; aud as
it was apparent that nothing short of full
investigation was demanded and expected,
and as it was equally evident that it would
be attended with considerable labor, the
committee availed themselves of the author
ity and employed Charles N. Davenport,
Esq, of Brattleboro, who with the consent
Of the committee employed a. G. Stafford,
Esq, of St. Adams, to assist him in the per-
Torrance ofhs duties.
On the Goth of April last, the Committee
NV az Phs %Aipohot anu PbiouNu ldDOTS
for several days, and all of their doings,
together with the testimony taken, are
herewith transmitted to you and made part
of this report.
LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTION.
One branch of our inquiry and the one
which more than all others Occasioned this
investigation, was in reference to legisla.
tive corruption, to which the public atten-
ton had been called by the publication of
the "Hlatch Voucher" so called in the Bos-
ton Traveller and other newspapers. This
voucher purportcd to be statement of a
special account rendered by 10 ID. Hatch
December 9, 1869, against the Trustees
and Managers of the Vermont Central and
Vermont & Canada railroads, and a receipt
for the payment of the same. The sum
charged by Hatch was one thousand dollars,
and in his account rendered he stated il
was for "expenses at Montpelier, session
of 1869, in resisting adverse legislation,
and in preparation for and opposing appli.
cation for parallel road from Burlington to
Canada line, ETC., etc;" and in his account
accompanying this general statement. it
appeared that at or near the close of the
session he had paid several prominent
memebers of the Legislature each the sum
of $50 and had also paid money to attOr-
neys not members Of the Legislature. The
balance of the one thousand dollars, being
the sum of four hundred and thirty dollars
was for his own "bill at Pavilion, and sun
dry expenses during the session of 1867"
by the terms of this voucher it will be
seen that money had been paid to members
to resist adverse legislation, and unless ex-
planned, the Legislature of Vermont for
1869, or at least certain prominent members
would rest under the implication OF having
corruptly received money to influence their
official acts, and the Trustees and Mana.
gers would stand charged in the public