Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-29
Washington County in the Legislature.

The representation of Washington county
in the legislature was an exceptionally good
one, and it is not too much 10 say that no
single county exercised more influence than
our own. In the senate, Mr.. Dillingham;
was chairman of the important committee
on railroads, and member of the commit
tee on rules and on proposals of amendments
to the constitution. Mr. Dwinell was chair
man of the committee on the grand list, a
committee whose work, together with that
of its namesake in the house (of which
DIR. Jones of Waitsfeltt was cbairman) was
second TO none in its effect upon the pros
perity of the state; and he was a member
of the hard-worked committee on claims
and the committee on agriculture. OF the
members of the house beside DIR. Jones,
Mr.. Fifield was the chairman Of committee
on the Judiciary, and a member of the
committee on the revision of the laws and
of proposals of amendment to the constitu-
ton. Mr.. Priest of Barre was second in
the committee on education and one of the
joint committee on the library; Mr.. Chaplin
of Middlesex was one of the committee on
the reform school; Mr.. Palmer of Waterbury,
one of the Judiciary committee; Judge Or
cult Of Roxbury,one of the railroad commit
tee !. DR.. Hunt of Worcester, one of the COM
mittee on public buildings Mr.. Tracy of
East Montpelier, one of the committee on
anr;n,,lt,ra. Mr Whaa1D,ly IF parl,, ,f
the committee on the state prison Mr..
Sawyer of Moretown, one of the general
committee; Mr.. Denny Of Mortified, one
of the committee oil claims Mr.. Gould Of
Cabot, on the committee on ways and
means DIR. Smith of Plainield, on the COM
mittee on the in ans Mr.. Leonard of Calais,
ON the committy- on banks; Mr.. Boyce of
Fayston, on the committee on land taxes
Mr.. Bucklin of Warren, on the distributing
committee Mr.. Mcknight of Woodbury., on
on the committee on mileage and debentures
and Mr.. Mears of Marsh6eld, on one or more
of the canvassing committees. Mr.. Dilling-
oratory, took Gas he did two years ago)
front rank in the senate as debater. Mr..
Dwinell, although not man of words, spoke
well upon his favorite subject, taxation, and
his evident mastery of the subject caused
his remarks to be attentively listened to.
Mr.. Chaplin of Middlesex took an active
part in the debates of the house, and his
quaint sayings, almost always containing
dash of humor, often went to the root of the
question in single sentence. MIR. Palmer's
speeches were the most scholarly to which
the house was treated. Mr.. Priest early &C.
quired reputation as ready and well-in-
formed speaker, and his conduct in the chair
won high praise. He evinces a knowledge
of parliamentary law rarely attained by old
members. Mr.. Fifeld's positions on the three
important committees, of the judiciary, revis-
ion, and constitutional amendments, made it
necessary that he should address the house
frequently in explanation or defence of the
measures recommended by them. 1t is not
too high praise to say that he was always
heard with attention and that his arguments
invariably carried weight. Probably no
member of the house more frequently
changed votes by his speeches than he. A
notable instance of the effect of his oppos-
ton to measure was seen in the debate
upon Judge Judevine's valued insurance
policy bill. The FEASIBILITY of the
bill had secured it a large following
among the farmers of the house, and a
counting of noses had made the judge conf
dent of its passage. Mr.. Fifield, in short
speech of not more than ten minutes, so ex-
posed IL injustice and the fallacousness of
the reasons by which it was supported, that
those best informed estimate that he
changed more than a score of votes, and Sc
cured the defeat of the bill. Mr.. Fifield
began the session with high reputation,
earned by his remarkable career at the bar
and by the eloquent and able addresses
upon political affairs which he made during
the presidential campaign. He goes out
with that reputation fully sustained, and
with an unimpeachable record upon all the
important questions which were before the
house.