davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02
The Listing Law Again.

MONTPELIER, Vt, February %, 1881.
Mr.. Editor.-I notice in your issue Of last week
letter on our new listing law, signed by John
NJ Stearps, which construes an unnecessary
grievance out OF that statute. The writer urges
that the new law Is unjust, first, because Il taxes
stock Of foreign corporations already taxed In the
state where the corporations are situated, and
second, because 1t taxes tangible personal prop
erty situated outside Of the state when that prop
erty is taxed in the state where 1t Is located.
He will notice, II he examines the new law,
that 1t is aimed only at taeabie property, -con-
tinually there Is coupled with the word "prop-
erty," this limiting adjective. The secretary OF
state IL directed to prepare blank forms OF inven-
tories to contain when filled a full statement
OF all tdrabie property" (Section 81 The tax
payer is required to make oath only that his in
ventory contains full, true and correct list Of
his td1able property. Section A. The listers are
to appraise the items OF taxable property. (Sec-
tions and 81
As to what constitutes taxable property, the
new law contains no word. That Is left entirely
to be determined by statutes existing at the time
the law was passed, and, on examining these
1t will be found, in the first place, that stock In
corporation situated In another state which is
taxed to the corporation In such other state lin
stead Of being taxed like other property In the
hands OF the shareholders) Is not taxable in this
state, being exempted by section Of chapter SO
OF the general statutes
And In the second place II will be found that
personal property owned by residents OF this
state, but situated and taxed in another state is
not taxable in this state. Section Of chapter
SO OF the General Statutes, which determines
what property shall be set in the list, says, "per-
sonal estate owned by the inhabitants OF this
state and situated in the bounds thereof" Sec
tion 10 Of the same chapter, which contains a
more specific direction as to classes OF tangible
personal property, specifically exempts goods and
chattels wares and merchandise, situated and
taxed in another state Furthermore, among the
provisions of law still in force determining the
locus Of taxation Of certain classes Of personal
property Is chapter 49, section ID, which pro-
yides that goods, wares, merchandise and stock
in trade situated in town other than that in
which the resides, shall be set in the list in
the town where they are situated, which effectu-
ally excludes them from taxation in the state II
they are situated out Of It,
Because the secretary Of state has included,
in his blank form OF inventory, interrogato-
res broad enough to cover property which is
not taxableih the state, the taxpayer is not bound
to set down such property owned by him in his
inventory. He is required to make oath only that
he has set down his td1able personal property and
may omit with a clear conscience those classes
Of property which your correspondent rightly
thought 1t an injustice to compel him to include.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

ANRcDorE OF SENATOR CARPENTER the
communities in which he spent his early days,
many racy anecdotes are told of the late Senator
Carpenter. Like Webster, he was strongly averse
to manual labor and illustrated very clearly the
fact that while men or boys may gain a reputa-
ton for laziness In an uncongenial employment,
In their own chosen sphere of effort they are the
NEST laborious persons living. 1t is related OF Mr.
Carpenter that, when boy, his father left home
one morning, giving strict commands to his son
that certain piece OF potatoes should be hoed
during the day, and, by way OF encouragement,
leaving the lad a couple Of shillings with which
to obtain assistance in the task of soliIe comrade
There lived near the village certain Irishman,
famous for his love OF the "cratur" Young Car
penter conceived the idea of utilizing this mans
muscle and appetite in hoeing that field Of pota-
toes. Accordingly has awaited his appearance in
the village and proposed to him to hoe the pota-
toes for bottle OF rum. The article being cheap
in those days. one of the boys shillings sufced to
buy the stipulated quantity. The lrishman eagerly
accepted the proposal. TO insure the faithful
fuliment Of the contract, the shrewd contractor
stationed himself ut one end OF the rows and as
often as the lrishman hoed round TO him gave
him drink. The dirt fairly flew over Paddy's
head in his ardor TO make the round trip TO the
magic bottle. Before the bottle was empted or
the Irshman too drunk to use the hoe, the task
was accomplished and the boy had the other
shilling left In his pocket The lrishman youches
for the authenticity Of this story except that his
employer, instead OF standing In the sun at the
end OF the rows, posted himself in the shade Of
neighborng tree, and he had to go to him as
often as he was entitled to a drink
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.-This
outrageous fraud upon the treasury of the
nation has passed the senate, having been
swollen in that body to 81 100000. So far
as money is appropriated and honestly ex-
pended for the improvement of rivers and
harbors of national Importance, little rea-
sonable objection can be urged against bill
OF this character. But when it is loaded
down with millions, as this bill is, for the i'm
provement of streams and creeks whose ex-
istence our latest and standard aliases do
not record, where, as Zach Chandler put it,
You would have to pump the water to get
up stream at ALL" or where the volume of
water is not sufficient to tempt an adventur-
GUS catfish, and navigation is accomplished
by RATS and push boats down and never up
stream,-the steal becomes too palpable and
unblushing for liberation. The bill is a
measure that calls for that stalwart foot that
came down 80 resolutely on certain revolu-
tionary projects two years ago. Even if
some praiseworthy objects suffer from a veto,
if measurably fair and honest bill cannot
be passed, let the whole go by the board and
await the action of a congress that will pay
a decent regard to honesty and conscience
in spending the peoples money. The scan
dalous course of the democracy in their
treatment of this bill called down upon
them scathing rebuke from Senator Thur
man on Saturday, which has wholesome
words for congressman of whatever polit-
ical party. If President Hayes has the
courage to veto this and the funding bill, if
it passes, he will perform the browning
act of glory in his splendid administration.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02
Vermont State News.

Mr.. II. p SEYMoRE, who shortly leaves 81. AL.
bans has given $500 as n donation ~ tho town
library
DUNNO the year 1880 there were twentv-aeven
births, nineteen deaths and twelve marriages. in
Barton.
BARSrr Ia m, n, ao,,, ..a ,,.. q, ,oo l.. A..
treasury 7, reio,oos T., .,. $500. -,
men and no lawyers
Tup pur,,,o,o,, H.. .....,, so o-o.-.,.
Of iiouors last 700, TAa q. IL $3.50 Az
posed Of 900. I, ,ror,A "h'"'' VIZ
u,,,,,. r.
aoata. a.. 80 vi o. Aioans' clotnlng
and assets NJ ahor, 90, ooo " WV "'''V'0
A.. ~.
,,,.is,., -, ,, 20 =, burlington VINO CANNED 10
,.a.,. 'nV ii''n ieoeIlion Oh 1890 uled last
'"' "u"u'eo years
o. W. pLAkh' manager oil the American Union
telegraph ONCE In Burlington, has been assigned
''''' 'D0'"'''' po'''''n "' uien rams N l.
hhohNrLf, ex-Judge T. >. Rumsey OF Casteton,
VINO is seVenty-four years old, was injured in the
Knee uy a circular saw so badly as to probably
make MN cripple.
COLONEL W. L. GREENLEAF OF Winoosk has
received the appointment Of deputy collector Of
n'orh" revenue ior this district, vice H. b. Iat,
ESQ., oi burlington resigned.
THE trial Of Sias NJ. Waite has been still fur
Their postponed because Of his physicians certi6-
cate that 1t would be dangerous to move him. 1t
is doubtful II he will ever be tried.
THE only national bank in this state which has
taken measures for withdrawing any mart Of its
circulation in authorization of the refundno hill ia
that at Royalton, which has Withdrawn s1b 600
NApuN ppcx Fac NJ t,,no.h,.u,, ,,os ,.,,o,
,o, ,.A -''.,f', ,,e, w
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

PLAIN TALK.-Early in the morning of
the 25th, after the all-night session OF the
house over the apportionment bill, Mr.. Chit
tenden of New York was brought to the
house in charge of the sergeantatarms. In
explanation of his ABSENCE he said candidly
that he had gone to his home to sleep, and
used the following language; al have no
apology to make. never played the fool
day in my life. never, in all my expert
ence, have been able to conform to the night
rules OF s'house, and when brother Cox
or some other brother undertakes to force
piece OF important legislation by process
which outrages and antagonizes reason, and
contradicts all common sense and all posi-
bilities OF proper legislation, he leads to
that which results in nothing but fatigue
aud death. Daring my service here have
known men killed'by such proceedings.
have no apology to make" His remarks
produced sensation, and resolution of
censure was presented by the democratic
side. Mr.. Chittenden disclaimed any idea or
intention OF insulting the house or any mem
Der of it, and the resolution was withdrawn.
To plain people at distance from Washing-
ton, Mr.. Chittenden's views of night sessions
seem sustained by the facts.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02
The Refunding Bill.

contrary 10 general expectations .he sen
ate restored 10 the mouse reminding Dill tne
oo]ect'onaoie FEATURES stricken gu. ny 'ne
nna"oe coinni'oee' inciuuing 'ne nun seo-
ZION reia''ng W 'ne hatlonai oanks' anu 'ne
oiii Is asa'u oeiore 'ne mousse ior ''s oonour-
renee IN some amendments Oh MINOR imPor-
lance " requires no unusual iorecase 70
iore'eii an Expulsion IL hgn'eu ha.cn lib
"ppneo I" powder maga]lne' anu .nose
VINO nave 'ne power 10 nee Will not wall ior
'ne cui'nina'ioh Oh the catastrophe oeiore az
tempting 10 remove from the scene Oh DANGER
lha' which IL was pam the nauonai pankS'
or enough OIL them seriously 10 disturb the
nnanciai equilibrium OF the country would
10 IN 'he event Oh the propapie passage OF
the mousse reminding bill, has been done
ana contraction oil the currency nearly
equivalent 10 one tenth OIL the pank clrcuia-
ton mas been made during the past week,
ana the WORK oil Withdrawing circulation Is
stlii going on Inc financial explosion mas
come which any man IN MS senses ioresaw
would follow the success oil an EFFORT 10 force
a certain class OF security holders to take a
loan winch, In the unrestricted exercise oil
their Judgment, they would not take either
III their own interest or In the discharge oil
their duties as the custodians OF the inter
ests Oh others' A panic greater than That
winch occurred In 1873 has been needlessly
and wiliuliy forced upon the country. Sec
rotary sherman has made an effort to
nghten the force oil the storm by buying
large amounts OF five and six per cent bonds
lor the SINKING fund, thus paying out again
the money deposited by the banks Tor retir-
ing their circulation' Many failures nave
taken place, and rates oil interest nave been
paid that would speedily ruin any man II
long, continued one per cent day, and
even as nigh as -FOUR hundred per cent per
annuln, was piu ior money III new iorK on
inursuas' ine sena.e mas sought 10 pour
Oil Oh tne 'rouoieo waters us own unWisdom
haS laiseu vi 'ne Piaoio s''e"in Vi our pros
perl'y oy repeating tne TAX on oank depos-
u.s. 1nis iheasure oi reiiei s worthy Oh
the incompeeehcy 'nae raised the tempest
IL may gran. reie' 10 Guy banks whose
deposits are large ana whose circuiatlon is
small ano VINO oepend Prihcipaily upon their
uepoS'.s ior 'heir Proh.S' nu' 70 'ne great
mass Vi oanks scattered all over !ne country
VINO depend upon 'neir c'rculatloh ior 'neir
pion'S' 'n'S measure wouia give suos'ah-
'iaiiy no reiiel' rur'hernore' the senate
proposes 10 remove 'he lax 'na' yieios 'ne
larger income 10 tne government whiie IL
would prlng rei|et 10 tne smaller NUMBER oil
banks. The tax OF one per cent on bank
circulation yielded in 1850, SS,l53,635.63.
Inc tax OF one half OF one per cent ON de-
posits raised S4,05S,710.61. The senatorial
plaster is too small to cover the sore. The
consistency that insists upon low rate of in
terest, coupled with sucb coercive provisions
and unfavorable conditions of time as n
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

AN IMPORTANT RAILROAD DECISION Judge
Wheeler Of the United States circuit court rem
dered last week an important decision In the case
OF Judith W. Andrews and others u.s. John Greg
DRY Smith and the executors Of the estate OF the
late Joseph Clark. Without going into much le-
gal detail 1t may be briefly said that the action
was brought to compel defendants to render In
the United States court an accounting OF their ad.
ministration of the Vermont Central railroad prop
erty. The defence was, in substance that the
cause WAS proceeding in the state court and that
the defendants were liable to an accounting In
that court alone. Acting as trustees for the bond
holders, they were appointed receivers in 1861
and acted in both capacities; and claim that they
are accountable only to the state court which APP
pointed them receivers. Judge Wheeler, how
ever, decided adversely to them, and held that
they are liable for an accounting in the United
States court TO the bondholders The decision,
therefore, affects the whole administration OF the
affairs OF the Vermont Central railroad for the last
twenty years, The amount involved in this par
tlcular case was Sa5OO00 Defendants at once
filed notice of an appeal to the supreme court of
the United States.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

THE BoERs--If there were any apparent
or sufficient reason why England should be
engaged in war with colony of Dutch
farmers in South Africa, the tidings of
the severe reverse her troops suffered on
Sunday, resulting in the death of Sir George
Colley, governor and commander.in-chief of
Natal, would be received with sincere re-
greet. Foreign dispatches briefly state that
General Colley, with twenty-five officers and
six hundred and twenty-seven men, pro-
ceeded, on Saturday night, to occupy Majela
mountain. The Beers attacked him at
seven o'clock Sunday morning in his posi-
ton at the Spitzkop. The Beers stormed
the position repeatedly till the English were
dislodged, and only one hundred escaped
General Cnlley and nearly every officer were
among the slain. Great Britain seems to
have learned little respect for the rights of
other people, even after her grasping and
arbitrary policy lost to George Third I" the
brightest jewel in his crown" That was
the one conspicuous instance in which her
lordly ambition encountered stout and eff
fective resistance. 1t does not appear that
her claim to the Transvaal, which she is
seeking to enforce by arms, has even
thin veil of validity or justice. These South
African farmers may ultimately be overpow-
cred by superior force, but at present the
sympathies of the free everywhere are
strongly enlisted on their side. General
Colley had with him terms of peace to
offer the Beers. These terms he seems to
have been ambitious to offer after victory,
and attacked with an inferior force. The
English will feel little like concluding a
peace after this disaster. Victory, which
Colley failed to grasp, and retribution for
havoc done, will very naturally be uppermost
in the British mind.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

Sic Transit" Vanity Of vanities, all is
vanity, saith the preacher" The death, in
the prime of his great powers, of Senator
Carpenter, the busy push of rival ambitions
which that event set in motion to grasp his
vacant chair, the midnight wrangling of
partisan congressman in the feverish night
session, the brilliant reception at the pres
idential mansion, all within one brief circle of
the sun, form solemn and most suggestive
commentary on the changes and contrasts of
human life. The hum of preparation for
the inaugural pageant, the turning of all
eyes from the setting to the rising presiden-
tial sun, the rise and fall of individual am
billions for positions of emolument and in
tluence under the new chief magistrate
enforce with new vigor the old lesson of the
ancient preacher. After Friday, the fourth
of March, it will be ex-President Hayes and
President Garfield. The old ruler has long
seen the light paling on his own and shining
with rosy tints on the escutcheon of his sue
cessor.. "The king is dead, long live the
kingl"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

analogies, the law Of the case was to be
quarried out of the native rock Of naked
reason. He succeeded brilliantly. The re-
construction acts, with all the vast attending
consequences, were INDICATED before the
supreme tribunal of the nation, and Matt
II. Carpenter achieved national reputation
that two years later placed him in the
United States senate as successor 70 James
II. Doolittle. His first case before the SUI
preme court was in connection with the
Lacrosse railroad litigation on which occa-
sion he won the rare honor Of highly COM
plimentary notice from that grave tribunal.
In after years he argued cases before this
court under the thirteenth, fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments and civil cases cover
ing almost ever phase of difficulty in which
great interests can be involved. He was
uniformly successful. In 1874, on the ex-
piration of his first senatorial term, he failed
of a reelection owing to combination
against him of democrats aud independent
republicans, but was triumphantly chosen
as the successor TO Senator Howe in 1879.
He has been in poor health for several years,
but until few weeks has been able to at
tend to his duties as senator. Since his re-
turn to the senate he has made several
speeches which bore the evidence of his re-
markable power as lawyer He has also
taken more independent course than du-
ring his previous term of Office
Time and space admit of only the merest
skeleton of the remarkable career of this
man. Although his browning distinction
and ambition were those of great lawyer,
loyal men will ever warmly cherish Mr.. Car
penter's memory for his splendid services to
the union cause. In the senate the marvel
GUS bonhommie Of his nature preserved
friendly relations with every member, even
while giving and receiving in debate the
hardest blows. He was one of that galaxy
of great minds, like Edmunds, Thurman,
Conkling and Bayard, which have main
tanned strong mutual regard amid all the
bitter political conflicts. The senate was
most powerfully impressed by the announce
ment of his death. Law and politics were
not his only domain. He shone like "a
bright imperishable star" in social life, and
in literary efforts. His speech at the reor-
ganization Of the New England society in
Milwaukee in 1864 was display of sill
very eloquence and loyal chivalric defence
that is seldom equaled and never surpassed.
In moments of dreamy semi-melancholy into
which he sometimes lapsed his speech ran
on in musical flow, his voice indescribably
rich and thrilling, quotations from his IA
vorite poets coming spontaneously to his
lips from memory that held within its ca
pacious recesses the rarest things in litera-
ture, sacred or profane. He had many of
the qualities that graced both Choate and
Webster His demise, at the hands of fell
disease and at an age when his imperial
powers were ripening into glorious prime,
is national loss. The nation will give |
generous measure of sympathy to those who
have lost in his death far more than skill |
ful and devoted servant
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

The Irish force bill has passed the British
house of commons by an overwhelming ma
jority and the speaker has declared the state
of the public business no longer urgent. If the
Irish tenantry could regard their condition
and future prospects with the same degree
OF complacency, there would be solid ground
for felicitation over the non-urgency of public
business in the house of commons. If force
bills were bread or boots and shoes or clothes,
lrishmen would be the happiest people on the
globe What with the Beers, the Irish, the
Basutos and the East Indians, John Bull will
find things sufficiently "urgent to keep his
wits fairly alive.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

On TO WASHINGTON. - Presidentelect
Garfield, family and attendants, babe adieu
to Mentor Monday noon. A special train,
made up and manned by the Pennsylvania
company, took the future president to Wash
ington where he arrived Tuesday morning.
He made gracious farewell speech to his
friends and neighbors at Mentor, and at
various points on the route till he reached
the boundaries of his old district he spoke
with that rare felicity which characterized
his speeches during the late campaign.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02

CALAIs.-The winter term Of school in district
No. IA, in Calais, taught by f. Annie Burnap,
closed February 18th. The names of scholars
neither absent nor tardy were: Myrtle Liley,
Maggie Lilley, Jay Lilley and Phillip Martin
The names OF those absent one day were, Estella
Gray, Josie Tabor, Lucy Tabor, Guy Bancroft,
Henry Bailey, Willie Peck and Arthur Sanders.
The school numbered twenty-five scholars with
an average attendance OF about twenty-three.
The teacher wishes To say that she feels very
grateful to the scholars, who, by their good be-
havior, have helped to make the term pleasant for
her; also many thanks for the nice gift which she
received from large scholars after the term closed
not wholly on account of its value, but for their
kind thoughtfuness.