Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-10-13

TIRlNG GovERNoR, TO THE GENERAL ASSEM-.
3 bly, OF THE STATE OF VERMONT, OCTOBER
SESSION, 1882.
Gentlemen Of the Genera, assembly.
with considerable nesllution, follow the
example of two OF my predecessors, hardly
established us custom, OF delivering in per.
son ynledictory message. But the Legfsla.
ture of 1850 made 50 radical changes in some
important statutes, attempted 50 much In the
revision of the laws OF the state and i'm pro.
posing constitutional changes, so much has
been done by state officers In performing the
work laid out for them by that Legislature,
and so many events OF interest to our state
have occurred in the intervening two years,
that no excuse is necessary tor my taking
this opportunity ct referring to some OF them.
Besides, the retiring Governor hus better
knowledge OF the affairs of the state at the
close OF his term than when he assumes the
duties OF his Office, ANA is core fully acquant-
cd with the business transactions OF the
State for the two years OF his term than his
successor IL likely to he.
THE REVISION OF TIE LAWS.
The great business OF the Legislature Of
1880 was the revision OF the entire body OF the
statute laws Of the State. The preliminary
work had been placed in the hands at II com
petent commission two years before, aud
their report, cmhodying the compilation of
the annual laws tor seventeen years, ana the
changes and CONVERSATIONS proposed by
them was laid before that Legislature for ifs
consideration and action. TINS report WIS
referred to II committee composed of some Of
tue best lawyers in the state, and they gave
the entire work thorough and careful exam.
ination for mnnY weeks. Their report was
adopted with but few changes The Legisla-
ture elected Clarence II. PUkln, OF MOutpel-
Ter, l.. H. Thompson, ut lrHsburgh, and Ash
ton r. Willard, Of Montpelier, Commissioners
TO edit and supeiintend he publication of The
work, under the name OF he "RevisGd Laws
of Vermont" together with the Constitution
of the State and that of the United states.
Before they had commenced their labors
Judge Thompson resigned his place upon the
commission, and appointed Iran \. Huse,
ESD, of Montpelier, TO I'LL the vacancy. The
Commissioners went TO worR soon after the
rising of the Legislature, and worked dill
gently nearly every dav and mlny nights un
I'll the publication OF the work early In Au-
gust. The Revised laws came in force on the
first day of August A. ID. lssl.
The revision and the Udlting and the pub
LEGATION OF the work have commended thcm.
selves to the judgment OF the lawyers and
business men of the state rs well done. The
revised laws make a book Of considerable
less size Than the General statutes of 1888.
The arrangement is systematic ana cnnven-
lent, and the head notes Ia chapters and mar
glnal references are NIL accurate, and of the
utmost convenience. The type u clear ana
of good size the binding is substantial, aud
the paper of good qunlitN, 50 that the book,
in mechanical as well as literary and legal
aspect is II credit to all who had "A hand in lis
production, ana one that the state may well
feel proud of.
The revisors made many suggestions of
changes In important laws ihai were adopted
by the Legislature, and think we may feel
safe in believing that the adoption OF The Re
Vised laws II decided advance in the leg
islation OF the State.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.
The Legislature OF lSs0 acted Tor the first
time under Article - OF the Amendments to
the Constitution, adopted in 100 nv the last
Convention held under the old system. The
Senate propr Scd, and the House concurred,
six amendments to the Constr uiiou. II rs
Tor the present Assembly to say how many
and what of the proposed amendments shall
be submitted to he people for their approval.
Two of the articles seem to be OF cOu-idctit'
BILE Importance, VIZ that relating TO re.
prievcs, communications and palfions, ana mat
relating TO the Legislatures power TO cont rol
the traffic in intoxicating drinks. OF the hIst
1speak In another place. As 20 the latter tue
least that can be said is that il Is In accord
with the highest Christian sentiment ot the
day. 1t puts in more permanent form the
voice of the people so long expressed in he
came direction 10y the legislation upon our
statute books. cannot believe that the PEG.
pie will take backward step in this matter.
THE TAX LAW.
But in addition to the labor performed by
your predecessors In 1850, in revising the
Iaws,they made some new legislation OF great
importance to the State. The new system OF
taxation was departure In the right direc-
ton. Our bill OF rights declares that every
member Of society," hath right TO be pro,
lected in the enjoyment OF life, liberty amt
property, aud therefore is Doundt 10 cont lbute
his proportion towards the expense of that
protection" 1t is now well set.led that every
mans proportion Is regulated by his pCcun
iary ability to puy that proportion, Tue
difficulty heretofore has been to ascertain
each individuals properly so that his jlsi
proportion M gut be established. Listers and
Seecmen cUnld not ascertain what property
the taxpayers owned, and all former devices
have failed to hunt out n large proportion OIL
the personal property in the state. At length
the thought occurred to somebody TO ask the
taxpayer himself about bis property. Nc
one could know better than he about II, II.
character and amount. Why not ask him
Every good citizen should be willing TO con
tribute his proportion towards the expense
protecting his me, liberty nud property and
there certainly can be no obj ciion to obtain
ing the necessary IN OrmutiCu from the tax
payer. And TO ensure ITS absolute correct
ness there should be penalties for those who
do not make truthful statements The prin'
ciple of the new tax law is evidently correct
The experience of the past two years may
show lntt SOM notifications necessary
Tor It's more efficient working. Or this You
can best Judge. Whatever complaints may
be made of the law, one thing is certain, Il
brought the grand list of the state, not IN
Guiding cores and unorgnniz,d towns, IRON
SlOOl ,3l1.sl in 1850, to 81 ga 1915 IN 1881, O
an increase In the list of 1633, BIB, being
more than 60 per cent. A tx ui 20 per cent
in 1880 gave 500, 2G35G, while tax OF II pei
cent. IN 1881 gave Us g277,3jI 30 or a gam o
s77,59874 in taxes at rate III thrce per cent
less than the year before. Can any one com
plain that anybody has DHen robbe,t by TIL
law Has the law compelled taxpayers Il
put into their inventory properly 10 th'
Certainly not. Ii has simply bIou sht to ligh
property that ought to be taxed, and should
have been for years past. II may bc ullpleas
ant and lncOnYenieut for individuals to dis
close the condition of their private an airs
but justice to the state and justice TO Olher
demands IL.
FINANCES.
Hut our financial condition is very satisfaC
tory in other respects. The trcasurer's re
port made August l, 1852, shows thai he hu
on mana IN Cdsn ana uNulluOle uSSelS FlJi
505.23, while the entire liabilities OF The STAT
are 5000 $3.50 But the,e liabilities i"cud
the Agricultural College iuud, Sl3j.j10, winch !
not due TN 1880; 30 dier'' accounts, $s"O!E
which are maze mp OF very small balances
and most OF them " i'll never be called iOri )
that IL we SET aside these items not 10 De cal
ed for at present, the treasurer had on nam
August l, 1882, available for present use AM
running expenses. Ss9,3sOi6.
STATE AUDITOR.
The act abolishing the court auditors an
requiring their duties to be performed by III
State Auditor, Is having most beneficial @
feet. The e1fcleut State Auditor has reduce
to something OFT system whit before wa
wit bout the pretence of system, that is, IN
allowances OF fees and costs In the dlteren
counties. But lie mas done more than TN
He has brought about the collection OF nue.
and costs Imposed by magistrates, 80 ina IL
the biennial term ending July 81 1889, u
amount of fines and costs collected wac 500
67B AZ, while for the term ending July 81, leN
II was bu s2S 0S3.l7 and for the biennial teri
ending July 81, 1880, II was but Si5,OOllS
she same time the net cOuU expenses nav
been reduced from S923 1851 81 for the Dlet
NAL term ending July 81, 1875, 10 S0372s76, &c
the last biennial term. This last saving
due in "a great measure to the legislation
regard to court expenses.
THE HIGHWAY LAW.
Among the important legislation of the la
session OF the General Assembly was the pa
sage of the act relieving towns nom liabllii
TO be amerced in damages on account OF 4
iuries accustomed by defective highways. III
unjust demands of some persons claiming
have been injured by defects in highway
and their success In recovering heavy oar
ages, had prejudiced the whole people again
4 49,, rs just and equitable in pnncipl