The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-03-21
COUNTY NEWS.
CORNWALL

hOtiSON uhOuE
the items from Cornwall which demands
more than a passing notice | should
have remarked upon it in your issue OF
the 14th inst, had my attention been
directed TO it in season. The writer says
Occurrences Of tho past week show con.
clusively that the bitterness generated by
political strife still exists in the hearts Of
too many of the citizens of old Cornwall"
l agree fully with tho writer in this, and
confirm the statement; and, also, join
sincerely and heartily with him in the
hope that the day will soon arrive when
our town shall be at peace and cease to
be 1.-THE butt Of ridicule for the whole
state" How does it como about that she
is the butt Of ridicule and is coming to be
detested by all good citizens everywhere
and who is responsible for this state of
things2 Is it the party in power who
trampled under foot the laws of the state
and of the United States and became
law unto themselves, in order to perpotu.
ate their power; or is it the party who
are in the minority in consequence of the
violation of law by the opposite party,
but who are struggling by every means
available to them to restore and maintain
the operation Of the law and wipe out the
foul blot upon the otherwise fair name Of
the town? l am somewhat in doubt as to
what occurrences" the writer alludes to,
but it is to be presumed that he alludes
to the matter of check list Of voters
which was called for by tho party in min.
GRITTY, and the occurrences connected
Herewith /; aud [ lament very much that
the writer did not go on and give in detail
what those occurrences were, and thus
save me the trouble Of again calling the
attention Of the public to the matter. A
check list of voters in town meeting, on
the LIST Tuesday of March, inst, was called
for to secure legal voting and was obtain.
cd, but was rendered nugatory for the
purpose by the action Of the board of
civil authority OF the town, a meeting of
which was called for the purpose of cor
recting the check list as made by the
selectmcn, and which contained the
names of large number not entitled to
vote in town meeting under the laws of
the state All OF those were retained
except three who had removed from town,
and five others added equally illegal.
Upon the formation of the state govern.
ment of Vermont, the townships into
which she had been previously divided
in part at least, were erected into corpor.
atoms with certain corporate powers
They were empowered to raise money by
tax upon the property Of the inhabitants
Of the town for various specified purposes
Some were made obligatory, while others
were simply voluntary, depending upon
the public spirit and pride of the inhabt-
ants. 1t was also ordained that no man
who was not a resident and did not assist
in paying Che expenses incurred should
have a voice in the affairs of the town.
In the course Of time aliens were forbid
den by law to have any part in the DELHI.
erations of towns in town meeting until
naturalized, and extremely poor persons
were permitted to, though not taxed, as
well as some other classes who were ex.
empted from taxation by special law.
These are the first principles and the
theory on which are founded the laws of
Vermont, regulating voters in town meet.
ing. On the check list as corrected we
find the names Of about twenty persons
who did not have their grand list taken
at the annual assessment next preceding
the town meeting, held on the LIST Tues.
day of March, inst, as the law directs.
and were not exempt on account of power.
ty, ago or any special law exemptinp
them.
Let us now turn to another aspect
Of the case. This board of civil authori.
ty is composed OF men, large majority
OF whom belong to the party which
is in the ascendent. Now there
are two men residing in town who
have resided in other states for several
years last past, having no business con.
nectiOn or residence in this state, but re.
turned here during the past summer and
autumn, and have made ARRANGEMENTS
each with his respective father foS a per.
manent residence in town. The sympa.
thies of one were with the dominant party
aud his name was placed on the check
list and retained there the sympathies
Of the other were with the opposite party
and he was rejected There are two
other persons, both possessed of consider.
able property and both deficient in in.
tellect. One has no grand list, belongs tc
the dominant party, was put upon the
check list and retained there the otbe,
has grand list, belongs to the opposite
party, and was rejected. Hore is anothe,
case A man having a grand list and
belonging to the party in the minority
sold his farm aud gave possession he
rented tenement, but it needed some re
pairs before he could occupy it. and he
moved into an adjoining town for short
time, but was back in town with hi,
family when the board met and they were
informed Of the fact, but they rejected
him. l will simply state one case more
which is that Of a young man with a grand
list and who has comported himself whilc
in town in the most unexceptionable man
ner and had identified himself with tn,
minor party. He was rejected from thu
check list because there was a rumor, {
rumor and nothing more, that he had, a
sometime, no one knows when, committed
homicide in st, Adams, Vt; yes, in St
Adams, VT, (where are the newspapers :?
and was sent to state prison for it, Oh
what lucky rumor But is the disposa
of one voter fmore consequence than tn,
casting of this dark cloud OF suspicion
over the apparently fair name of this
young man. This case will be further
Investigated. Who will say, who can sa,
that these cases are merely accidental
Can it be for one moment supposed tina
the majority of this board, sitting as
D court of justice and oflaw have prostitut
ed their office to party cnds-these mel
0 who have made a solemn oath before Go,
. that they will faithfully execute their of
f fee, aud will therein do equal right an,
. justice to all men to the best Of thei