Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-10-23
Letter from Montpelier.


The General Assembly has been in ses-
sion fifteen days. The result of its labors
may be briefly stated as follows. Nearly
| 200 bills have been introduced and referred
| to the different committees two acts of
| minor importance have been passed and
received the Governors signature; most
of the members have made their first fort
nightly visit home and arranged their
business matters for season and U. 5.
Senator has been chosen. Most of the leg
slative machinery has Been placed in run
ming order, however, and "A summary of
the doings of the next fifteen days will, no
doubt be more extended. Among the
more prominent bills introduced are those
for tho abolition of the Board of Education,
for the establishm ent of an insane asylum
to be wholly controlled by the State, for
the legalizing of a higher rate of interest,
for reducing the number of Supreme Court
jndges and increasing the pay of the re-
naming ones, and for doing away entirely
with the statute of limitations. The latter
bill was thoroughly discussed in the House
this afternoon, all of the members from
Windham county, representing the legal
profession, speaking strongly in its favor,
compassionately taking the ground that its
passage would be better for ignorant but
honest people, though worse for them
selves. There seems to be, among many
members, strong feeling of opposition to
our present school system, which will
probably assume shape and result in some
kind of action during the session. Near
the commencement of the session joint
resolution was passed inviting Hon. John
II. French, Secretary of the Board of Edu-
cation, to address the General Assembly
on Tuesday evening, Oct. 20. DR.. French
accepted the invitation and put in an APP.
pearance, but spoke to a very thin house.
Probably not one-fourth of the members
were present, many of them being in at
tendance upon the trial OF a contested cleo
ton case, listening to the reading of aflida-
Wits concerning the legal or illegal natural
ization of some FreDchman in the town of
Cornwall, near the time of the September
election. AS the Secretary arose. after
being introduced by Speaker Powers, sur
veyed his audience, consisting in good
part of inhabitants CT the village, and pre-
ldtGu MS IcLldIh ny luI usual 'thblN-
men of the General Assembly" he must
have had slightly conlemptuous regard
for the dignity of that body. His address
was very able one. He admitted that
our school system had its defects and
strongly desired that they might he reme-
died. To that end he recommended some
kind of legislation by which the rich and
populous districts should help bear the
burdens of the weaker ones, He gave sta
tistics showing that to run the machinery
necessary TO school the $4,000 children in
our State it actually required the services
of more than $1,000 school officers, under
our present system. He thought that 800
men, under the town system, so called,
would do the business much more eff
GENTLY. He recommended, instead of our
town system of supervision, county or
senatorial district system, whereby the
State should be divided into as many dis
tricts as there are State senators, and that
there should be elected, in each district,
man competent to take charge of al the
schools therein. He thought that by this
system more competent men would be
employed, and the cost TO the State would
be no greater than by the present system,
wherein the superintendents are, many of
them, unfit for the business and are being
constantly changed. The address through
out was well received and worthy of bet
ter audience.
The Senate and House met in joint as
sembly to-day at II o'clock, and completed
the election of Geo. +. Edmunds as U. S.
Senator for Vermont for six years from the
4th of March next. Mr.. Edmunds was
present and returned thanks for the favor
conferred.
The VT. Dairymen's Association has held
its annual meeting here to-day. This eve
ming they have been addressed In Repre-
sentatives' hall by President Buckham of
VT University and Agricultural College.
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