Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-07


public display Of the military, and with
throngs of the people. But now il is as quiet
as an ordinary occasion, and attracts but
slight popular interest. There is no doubt
that the change in the mode Of the obser-
vance of the day indicates a change in pub
lie sentiment with respect to the dignity and
importance of executive, legislative and other
officials. Legislative assemblies are at dis
count in all the states. They have lost |
prestige and honor in the general estimation, |
and are not, therefore, treated with the
ancient reverence that once ushered in their
sessions. The tendency and drift of repub
lican institutions is always toward an in
creased disregard Of dignities. The people
are the creators Of legislatures, and they do
not always cherish the highest respect for
the work Of their own hands. They do not
honor wise and noble men less but they
have lost the sense of official sanctity which
once belonged TO their rulers. They have
made and mmade them too often to exag
gerate their official and conventional value.
A representative, a senator, secretary, OF
even governor, is nothing at all. And
these official positions are honorable only ac-
cording TO the character and nobility of the
men who fill them. The man is more than
the officer, and the officer is nothing unless
he is prudent, honest, sagacious, honorable
man.
1t is the glory of republican institutions
that they make more Of the man than they
do Of the artificial. But the Legislature is
a good school for manhood. II tries mems
souls, and they are sometimes found wanting.
At other times they are found unto praise,
and honor, and virtue.
The Legislature of Vermont has always
been an assembly of more than average men.
II is difficult for mean man TO be elected !;
though, perhaps, not impossible. Our rep
resentatives come from communities who are
self-respecting and intelligent. Our towns
are for the most part small, and are not LA
BILE to be swept off their feet in an election
by intrigue and corruption, and their repre-
sentatives are quite likely TO be sober, self
reliant, discreet and conservative men. They
are not wont to go extensively into the work
of revolutionizing and upsetting the social
order, or to do anything novel and brilliant
and sensational in the way Of legislation
We have always been behind the times in
this matter Of novelty, corruption, and revo-
lutionism. The legislature is likely to stick
to the old usages and customs, to change
laws reluctantly and partially, and to make
haste very slowly in the path of radical re-
form. 1t holds on to all It gains, but is TEN
perate and moderate in relation to funda.
mental changes. II is this characteristic
that has made the state of Vermont so repu.
table and honorable in its executive, legisla-
tive, and Judicial departments and given il
in the political world the name of "the star
that never sets"
There seems not to be very many subjects
of special Importance TO come before the
General Assembly at the present session
1t may be that more legislation will be asked
on the subject of temperance and that new
experiments will be proposed, to eradicate
the evils Of intemperance. But it is so diff.
cult to harmonic men in legislating on moral
subjects that 1t is not likely any very radical
changes in the present law will be effected.
There will he large and active minority in
the House in favor of the repeal of the pro-
hibitory laws. But that cannot be effected
unless the friends Of extreme measures should
force conflict by unusual projects which
they would hardly be willing to do.
There are those who think that the Board
of Education is utterly useless. Its chief
labor has been TO change our school books
from good to bad, and from bad to worse
Its intermeddling with the school system has
not been favorable to the best education OF
the people. II the board should disappear
during the present session, we are confident
that it would have few mourners that wer,
not hired. To overthrow an useless system
and put in its place an efficient and com
petent one, that shall elevate the standard o
popular education, as well as make it com
pulsory on all the children of the state, woul,
seem to be fundamental duty of the leg
islature.
Our prison system should at once be over
hauled. IL has long been the opinion o
those best informed that our present Jail an,
prison system is barbarous and disgrace Il
our civilization. The reform school is onl
step in the right direction. The prison
of the counties, as well as that of the state
under our present arrangement, are only s.
many schools Of vice and crime, where GRIN
inals Of all ages and degrees are graduate
to hopeless infamy and social ostracism
Human penalties should look TO reform
But in our system, whoever enters the iro
gates of Jail or prison bids farewell to chal
acter and to hope. And this is disgrace +
our intelligence, to our humanity, to on
Christianity
We should welcome any legislation tina
would equalize taxation At present tn
burden Of taxation falls upon those leas
able to bear it. We have fallen into sys
tenn of fagrantly dishonest assessment an,
valuation. II would not increase our take
if all the property Of the citizens of the stat
was represented at its true value in the list
But it would marvellously equalize the bur
den Of taxation. II would take It PARTIAL,
from those least able TO bear it, and put i
OIL the shoulders Of the rich and strong
where it belongs. In snch a state as thi,
taxes are not heavy, but they certainly ough
to be equal. We could then afford to extend
TO manufacturing interests and corporations
in the earlier stages of their existence, tn,
aid Of non-taxation.
The mere suggestion of these topics show
that the present Legislature viii need TO ap
proach its work with deliberation, candol
and fidelity. II has it in its power to rejec
the schemes Of disorganizers, to disconcer
the plans of interested and selfish lobbyists
who are always aiming to effect individual
ends, by making the legislature tributary Il
them; and to make itself famous in tn,
history of the state, by close attention I.
its educational, its administrative, and it
general interests. No expense is too grea
that shah perfect our system of education
the administration Of justice, our jails an'
prisons, equalize the burdens Of society, an,
lift the commonwealth TO higher plane o