Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-10-11
Letter from Montpelier.


blue coat and brass buttons worn by the
modern Luke, as by the great Daniel. are
intended tc denote. The Judge took an
early occasion to express his small opinion
Of the Vermont papers, and to get even
with some of them which have Jailed to ex-
press n great opinion of him. When tho
customary resolution providing fJr supply
ing the members with papers published
within the STATE, was introduced, ycster-
day, Judge Poland promptly moved to
amend it by allowing members to select
daily paper printed without the State. This
was carried with scarcely dGzcn votes Tor
or against The Judges main motive in
this WAS rsobahl; to save himself the dol
lar or two he would otherwise have to pay
for his Boston paper during the .cssion.-
bis an,ipathy to small cutlaya irc:n lis own
pocket, ter papers or c!-ar', atlHg some
what notorious Bat the ether motive ais"
came cot. Hearing some objections 20 lr'
amendment urged ty Representatives If the
Vermont Press, be moved q reconsideration
OF the amendment, which gave him the OPP
portunlty to sustain it by an extended argu-
ment, in which he alluded slightingly TO the
papers, declaring tha. they were not cx-
ponents of public opinion and setting them
down a. Oi little OF no account anyway.
The papers will probably survive this ex
preston; but many Of the most intelligent
members OF both Houses declare the amend
mcnt to be all wrong. The theory on which
the State supplies the members with pa
pers is thst the papers are ut service to them
as legislators. and also that the papers are
thus encouraged to spread fuller reports of
the Legislative proceedings, thus keeping
the Legislature and the people in closer
and more intelligent relations to each
other. Ii the object were to give the
members scmo reading matter most
agreeable to them, the Judges amend
ment Shoali have been made to
include !naRa2lncs or novels. The papers
outside the State give 10 reports of the pro-
ceedines. and comparatively little attention
10 Vermont Affairs. Ii the Vermont papers
are Of small service to the members in their
legislative capacity, the outside papers are
of less service; and the State should order
the journals of Its own State, or none at all ,
for It's representatives. Bat the judges
amendment was carried. By one majority,
o. to &c, hardly half the House voting, and
II there Is member o! tastes llw en- ugh
to desire ii. the State must order for him
Brick Pomsruy's Democrat, or the vile
Day's DeiRqs and Police Gactiics of New
York and Chicago.
Judge Poland also 60: the rule changed
requiring the members to select their seats
beiUro the formal opening OF the Session.
The cid rule worked well 1t secured the
prompt attendance of the members, and
under it. at the opening, each
man was in his place, al con-
t,sis or confusion about places
were avoided; and no time was taken
from the business hours of the session, for
this preliminary piece of business As
changed by Judge Poland. the rule will
hereafter require the members to select their
seats on the second day OF the session. The
time set for it. the forenoon of the second
day, is Often occupied in matters of routine
preliminary TO the receipt OF the Governor :
message. The amended rule will in prac-
tice be found to postpone for day the de-
livery OF the message and in tilect put of
for two days the actual commencement OF
the work f the session, and vii! add i
couple Of thousand dollars 10 the cost of the
session. So much may be lost; what can
be gained by the change, no man can tell.
These measures bave passed, as almost
anything will, at the opening of the session
with House composed mostly of new mem
bers, when proposed with an air of impor-
lance by some one supposed to know what
he IS about; but the impression is becoming
prevalent here that the House will have to
begin shortly to check the demonstra;iye
member from St. JChnsbury, or he will
prove a costly luxury.
The practice OF inviting one OF the can
dldates Tor chaplain to oiliciate till a chap
lam Is elected has been found to give the
one so favored an important advantage over
his competitors. Gov. Proctor was de-
termined TO make no such discrimination
between the candidates for the chaplaincy
OF the Senate this year. But with such
search a. could be Conveniently made hardly
clergyman could be found, in or around
Montpelier, that was nDta candidate. One
was at last found. who was not known to
have aspirations for the Office but at the
last moment it turned out that he, too, was
candidate. The Governor was equal to
the emergency, however, and carried out
his determination by inviting one of tho
Senators, Col. Mead, OF Randolph, to ad-
dress tho throne of grace.
On the whole, the Legislature has made a
good start. TIE Offices in the several de-
partmentS are all filed and some business
OF Importance is already done 4 House
bill in reference to commitments to the
State Work House, postpOning the time
when conyicts may be sent thither. made
necessary by the fact that the Work House
is not yet ready fo- occupancy. has passed
both Houses. The Senate bill to Iunish or
send along "tramps' has been referred to
the general committee. This bill seems to
provide - reasonable way of abating the
nuisance Of saucy and dangerous vagrants,
without doing injustice to tho unfortunate
who may be ont oi work and are wandering
IN search of it.
There has been Little brush over the
State printing between the Polands, of
Montpelier, and Nessrs. futile & Co Of
Rutland. The point at issue was whether
or ret the Tuttles' contract covered the
lat printing OF the Senate and House
bills. The Secretary Of State referred the
matter to fivo attorneys chosen from the
Senate and House. The Tutties' claim was
sustained.
The appointment of assistant reporters
IN the House seems to have ccca-loDed the
Speaker much embarrassment, this year.
MIR. Sault, oil Montpelier. was recommended
by the publishers of the daily Press, and
ways decided the appointment. But the
friends OF Mr.. q. s. Bliss. the assistant re-
porter Il the last session, Efgci h : name
aud il was insisted that Montpelier should
have hut one reporter, which It already had
in Col. i. &. Brown, the House reporter
for ;. yeral sessions past TIE Speaker at
last has appointed Edward DANA, OF
Rutland. to the much disputed position.
Not much stir is made. as yet, over any of
the InpuitIn. matters that are to be con-id-
cred during the session, bdt there are signs
of coming music.
The Senatorial canvass l. lively. Judge
Z. goes about conyersinE with friend and
foe with his usual cheerful solemni,y and
seli-sppreciation. The friends Of Mr.. Nor
rill are evidently not few, nor are they
asleep. though they do not say much-,o
ne. MT least. The Greenbackers are on hand,
aud threaten some attempts to Interfere with
our banking system; but some gontlemeD,
skillul At figures, have been mp TO demon
strate the true principles of finance, so We
haze little to fear. -.