Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-15
THE LEGLSLs1 TURE.
Letter from, Montpelier.

The past week mas been busy one AT IN
Capitol. The more important transa ctions o
each day have been as follows;
Thursday. The Senate spent the large
portion of the day in discussing bill whicl
provides that any person mortgaging or sell
ing real estate on which there is incum
brances, without notifying the MORTGAGE o.
buyer of such membranes, shall be pun
ished by fine or imprisonment 1t scent
that the present law provides no punishment
for such offenders. The lawyers opposed
the bill and the farmers favored it, and aftei
several hours of lively sparring, and severa
close votes, it was left in about the same con
dilion as when taken up The Senate also
discussed the bill creating the Office of Attor
ney General, and finished up the bill provid
ing that all persons attempting to commit Of
fenses shall receive punishment one-haf as
severe as it would have been had the attempt
proved successful.
The House considered bill providing that
at freemen's meetings when there is no choice
for town representative on the first ballot a
plurality shall elect on the second also the
bill providing for the abolition of capital pun.
ishment, which was discussed at some length.
but was refused third reading-yeas go,
nays 157.
Friday The Senate discussed at some
length and passed to its third reading the bill
creating State Board of Health and Vital
Statistics 1t was somewhat strongly opposed,
and it is doubtful whether it will pass the
House, as there is an appropriation involved.
The Senate also passed bill providing for II
State board to classify and fix standards of
value by which listers shall be governed in
the assessment of personal property, said
board to consist of three persons and TO be
appointed by the Governor also bill pro-
viding for an inquest on the burning of build
ings or other property.
In the House in the morning. while the
Senate was voting to create a State Board of
Health, there was good deal of sharp talk
on the bill repeating the act of 1876 whereby
transient physicians were required to obtain
a certificate from board of censors before
they could practice in the State. A persons
right to be humbugged by quacks was held
up to be the dearest he could have under the
constitution, and any abridgment of it was
strongly protested against by number of
speakers. The House finally decided by a
vote of two to one that the act should be re-
pealed. The House also passed the bill tax
ing deposits in savings banks in the same
shape as it was reported from the committee
-one-half of one per cent, and each town to
draw from the State the amount of tax de-
rived from its deposit. Mr.. Alexander work
ed hard for his plan of making the tax three
fourths of one per cent, but was unsuccess-
full. The bill for licensing the sale of intoHi-
eating liquor was called up, and Mr.. Roding-
ton of Rutland, author of the bill made two
hours speech upon it.
Saturday. THE bill creating the Office of
Attorney General came up in the Senate as a
special order, and was the subject of lengthy
and spicy debate. The principal arguments
urged in its favor were that other States had
Attorney Generals; that States Attorneys are
usually young men and often need assistance
in the trial of important cases. that the Gov
ernor often needs to consult counsel on law
points ind should have an official officer to go
to that the money annually paid out for
an Attorney General. The arguments urged
against it were that it would make fat place
for the lawyer who should be lucky enough
to secure it, and that it would increase State
expenses. The third reading of the bill was
refused-yeas 6, nays Is. The Senate also
passed bill prohibiting the sale of lager
beer.
T., l.; -.
as unfinished business. The usual arguments
were urged pro- and con, and the third read
ing of the bill was refused-yeas G3, nays
1876. The House special committee on salA-
ries and fees of State officers made their re-
port wherein they recommended the reduc-
ton of the salary of the State treasurer from
$500 to $500, the State auditor from $1,000
to $1,000, and small reductions in the minor
offices. They also recommended reduction
in the pay of the members of the General
Assembly from $500 to $3.50 per day not to
take effect, however till December LIST.
M0Rddy Considerable business was trans
acted in the line of granting acts of incorpor-
alton and voting to pay sums to sundry indi-
viduals for services in catching rogues, etc,
but no important measure was acted upon by
either House
Tuesday.-This being the last day for the
introduction of bills in the Senate, the time
of that body was chiefly devoted to that bust
ness. Fifty-two new bills were brought for
ward, making the total number of Senate
bills for the session 24S, an average of eight
to a member and considerable increase over
former years. The Senate finished up the
bill providing means for a State system of
banking to take the place of the national
banking system should it go out of existence.
This bill was regarded of much consequence
the fore part of the session, but is viewed
somewhat differently now in the light of the
result of the recent elections. The Senate
also passed bill consolidating the two boards
of directors of the state prison and work
house into one board of three members to be
appointed by the Governor, and each mem
Der to hold his Office six years.
The House spent considerable time in dis
cussing the bill abolishing the office of county
which provided that the select
men of towns should have full power to regu-
late the sale of liquor in their respective
towns. 1t was argued that the change would
be likely to involve free rum and the bill was
dismissed. The House voted to limit all
speeches hereafter to ten minutes.
The election of State officers occurs on
Thursday of this week, and lively times are
expected as there are several candidates for
some of the places.
How H Stands for 1850.