Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-04-19
An Old Scandal Revived.


Nessrs Eiitov'--If there has been any doubt
heretofore about the doctrine Of total depnyiy
that doubt must have been removed by this time
ns the famous voucher No 70i has put before
the public again and again, 10y paid monser' to
whom scandal and evil speaking Is as sweet
morsel for the tongue and this for the want OF
something more plausible, has been put into fresh
type a. often ~ their imaginations have failed TO
invent other false insinua'ions. Besides, u is q
piece Of evidence SO complete in its way OF illus
traing the enomity Of certain transactions, that
little comment was needed Then It admits OF
no defence. Expenses and money paid out in
the legislature and preparatory thereto Just
think Of that such an one must await o fate
more terrible than the man who had no music 10
bis soul Previous good behavior amounts to
nothing Though you may go over long life
and find not the least stain upon his honor though
you may search his record, Jerusalem was
searched. with candles and find not one dishonest
transaction IN an his dolngs rs private citizen
and as q puhlic man in The highest positions OF
trust &c is % ne particular consequence for Is not
here the plcusy, rr,,i 81 the awful fact over his
own sena;ar' w mA,tcg how ,alanty he may
have hcrotosoca resisted temptation, he is over
come at last by che evil enc. and voucher No
79i is brutci abcui % show the tmilty Of the one
who paid tho money him that received %
the same, and the " legislature in which and
preparatory 20 which % WAS expended
Then again it shows how men who In general
way arc tolenbly shrowd seem TO be all at once
so struck with foolishncss that they should put
the evidence Of this wicked deed into black and
white over a bold signature, and then spread It on
the books W. a business voucher. How easily,
like Washington secretary, or a mail contractor,
they could have passed this around without leay-
ing any more tracks than man who deals
in " straw bids But if they must have re-
ceipt written out and the books made to balance,
why not have called il Retainer and Counsel,
or sundries' or samples or some other
cvasiye term instead Of that soft way Of speak
ing the thing right out and telling the truth like
An Innocent Abroad, saying, Expenses and
money paid ont in thelegisaturc aud preparatory
therefor
But seriously gentlemen, this repeated publica-
ton IL becoming monotonous Is Il fact that
after all the noise, and dust and huo and cry
after searching for three long years among the
books and accounts Of the Central, that amount
10 more than forty-cight millions of dollars all
balanced to a cent that You can find nothing to
talk about except this old voucher, signed by an
eminent lawyer that has since become judge Of
high standing in the United States Court?
II so, let no one take from you the little enjoy
ment it may afford Tor il the trial Of cases be
! fore q legislative committee be a sin, IL is very
general one it being the practice In every logsa-
tive body in the civilized world Questions are
tried there the same as in any court Parties ap-
pear with witnesses and lawyers, and money has
to be paid ont at the trial before a committee
90 in the legislature and preparatory thereto,
just tic same as at q trial anywhere else
Moreover, it Is well understood that when bills
are introduced involving the rights and interests
of railroads, factories, insurance companies towns
and such corporations, the law provides for the
| trial Of an important questions in this manner
and In some cases notice 20 adverse parties Is or
dered the same az in judicial trials Now these
babblcrs have published this RECEIPT ia hope that
some one may be childish enough to suppose that
business before legislative committee will take
care Of itself That witnesses and typographical
surveys Of streams, towu-inos and railroads, will
/ appear 10y sort Of spontaneous production Yet
there is not man. woman child that can tell
Il from a broomstick, but knows better la one
instance, certain town paid out in the legis
lature and preparatory thereto" about thre,
! thousand dollars 10 prevent portion OF It's terri
tory from being set OF To an adjoining town, and
the other side spent about the same amount max
ing surveys, circulating petitions procuring wit
ness and attending long hearing with cminon
lawyers before the committee OF the House an,
Senate. And the town voted the money cheer
fttff, a.