Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-10

II. Ddlley. IOrneTlN VI OF. AludDs, Dut IOW
of Baldwin, Wis, who is in attendance as a
Third House" member on the session of
the Legislature at Madison, writes a read
able letter to the Messenger, from which we
take the following;
Wisconsin has four times the population
of Vermont and elects thirty-three Senators
and one hundred Representatives. 1t is
quite an active body, however. On the 10Th
instant, being the last day that bills could be
inti Yduced, upwards of two hundred were
introduced into the Senate and House. 1t
cannot be said that the present House is an
able body of men. The Senate is somewhat
better. The Speaker, Fifeld, is one of the
youngest members, and comes from the
woods on the shores OF Lake Superior. lie
has worked himself up into his present po-
sitiOn through the columns of his paper,
which he has ably edited, until recently.
was amused few days ago when two or
three members declined to preside over the
committee of the whole upon his request, to
hear him call for the member from Ashland
which was himself.
In looking over the manual | was surpris-
ed to find 50 many Nermonters IN the Legs
lature. Senator Barron, from our Senate
rial district, is a Nermonter, and his father
was born in ST. Albans. He is chairman of
the Judiciary and has twice been Speaker Of
the House, has been in both Houses thirteen
terms and is only forty-two years of age.
Potter, of Potter law fame, is in the Senate
and president pro TEN. He, too, is only
forty-two years of age. His fame is accl-
dental, for he is neither brilliant nor pro-
found. The Governor Is Republican all the
rest of the State officers are Democratic A
majority Of the Senate is Republican and the
House is ~ Republican, 4S Democratic,
three Independent
On Thursday last the committee on
elections, Republican committee, re-
ported that one GRAY, the sitting member
and a Democrat, was not entitled to his seat
and that one Bennett, a Republican contest
ant, was. 4 vote WAS taken on the adOp-
ton Of the report, which resulted in vote
Of 70 to As, but the clerk. by some error in
tAl count, informed the Speaker it was tie
vote and the Speaker declared the motion
lost, and the House then adjourned. The
Democrats were greatly rejoiced until about
an hour afterward, when 1t was ascertained
a mistake had been made. All of the Dem
NNAaAo tAliA HhN AA4NAA AtA4H Al-tAhtA ~ ~
il they could not prevent a correction Of the
error, and Friday morning found the assem-
bly, chamber full to see the fun, or in other
words 50 see how honest reformers would
act A PRAYER was thrown away bv one OF
the resident clergymen and resolution
promptly introduced by a Republican to
have all those who voted on the resolution
inviting Gray to come home aud Bennett to
take his seat, to rise, state how they voted,
the clerk to correct the journal if necessary,
and have the vote as il really was the night
before announced.
This opened the fight, and tie honest re-
formers 10 man lived up to their instincts,
not willing TO let the truth come out. Fill
hustering was resorted to with all the tricks
known to parliamentary practice. A. Il last
resort, Il call OF the Assembly was made and
the retormers hid one OF their men, Pahl by
name, and the rules requiring 81 members
10 dispense with the call, they had the House
where they could not progress a step.
Three members were away by leave, and
consequently nothing was left the Republi-
cans but to '' stick - until Pahl was found,
or get u to dispense with the call. This
state of affairs began about one ?. m. the
Republicans, Of course, refusing 10 adjourn,
as. after adjournment, they could not cor
rect the journal They had alternate fts cf
fun and anger all the afternoon, while the
-ergeaut-at-arms was looking for PAIL, the
Datchman. At nine p. m, the assembly
hall looked like brilliant salO0n-som me
were mad, some eating sandwiches, some
playing cards. some drinking old rye. At
ten p IN | would have bet ten u one tnat
the temperance men were not elected this
year. At one a IN. Saturday morning the
talent OF the house came to the surface, and
the cd hall rang with national songs, and
old John Brown with the chorus, And he
didn't catch a gosh darn clam, seemed TO
inspire them all. At three a. m. the spunky
speaker announced that the Republicans
were going u stick, if il took all summer,
until they could satisfy retormers even that
~ were more than Is.
But all things have an end, and PAIL was
found at a. IN. Saturday and brought in.
The siege was raised, Grey ousted, Bennett
seated, and the reiormers taught that ~
was more than Is The house then adjourn
ed until Tuesday next, having lost three
DAYS time. But no more of this.
Before this reaches YOU the Potter law
will be practically repealed. a great many
important measures are before the legisla-
ture ard the lobby is immense. ! am look
ing after a little bill Of interest to the town
of Baldwin, and q cunning little cuss' Is
looking after me, with fine prospect Of his
bringing up in solitude COM gresham saw
yer, John c. Gault, Of the Chicago and
Northwestern road, Z. W Keyes. the boss
politician of the Northwest, Col. Strong,
Jed p. Cottrell, of Milwaukee, can be seen
and felt, and are all Vermonters.