Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-10-11

/ respectfully suggest the pfOprlety ana Deneht
OF forming joint standing committee on phras-
eology, by whom the language OF all bills pre-
scented TO the legislature should be examined and
II need be, corrected.
The suggestion here made has been adopted by
other states, and substantially in this state by
the legislature Of 1880 As a consequence Of this
action, one Of the judges Of the supreme court
says: 1.-THE public acts OF the session OF 1880 In
conciseness, good grammar, and perspicuity sur
pass the laws of any session in hundred years
The saving in printing alone more than twice paid
the expense of the clerk who revised the acts a.
they were introduced. There is no measure OF
the expense incident to badly-constructed law"
ATToRSEY-GENERAL.
Many OF the most sagacious and careful men
in the state are, and have long been, Of the
opinion that the office Of encouragement should
be created In order TO secure a more systematic,
uniform and universal execution Of the criminal
law, and also as a measure Of real economy.
1t has been found necessary to establish this
Office in almost every state in the union. In our
own state, each county and city, and nearly
every Incorporated village, has its law officer,
but the state has none, and each year it pays
large sums to special counsel employed to assist
the states attorneys, and additional sums for
other legal services. Some Of these expenses
would be saved, and in most cases the services
required would be better performed by state
officer
As one remedy for the expense caused by the
frequent change of the states attorneys and the
lueApeIlenCe Ol many Oh tnetni Judge NeaZey, IN
his report, recommends the Appointment of an
attorney general, "who should have charge of
and be responsible for the administration Of the
criminal law" On this subject also ask your
attention to the advice Of Ex-Governor Horace
Fairbanks, found in his message to the general
assembly in 1876
Questions Of law are constantly arising In the
administration of state affairs on which the ad-
vice OF an able law officer is required, and
should the office be created, am confident that
"a N Ia a az N a
would be imposed upon the incumbent
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
There will be laid before you the proposals of
amendment to the constitution, six in number,
that were adopted by the last general assembly
These proposals were examined by committees in
each house, were published at the time, and have
been extensively discussed by the press They
should, however receive your close scrutiny; for
the organic law of the state should not be lightly
changed, and should be so clear as to admit Of no
doubt as to construction Should you concur in
any or all of them, it will be your duty to provide
for submission of each one SO cOncurred in to a
direct vote OF the people.
One OF these proposals greatly restricts the
power OF the governor to pardon or commute the
sentence of persons convicted of murder, and, II
adopted, will doubtless lead to more speedy and
certain punishment OF that crime, after conviction
Another is supplement to the last clause of
section 26 of the constitution, which reads as fol-
lows: " Nor shall any person, holding any Office
OF profit or trust under the authority OF congress,
be eligible to any appointment in the legislature,
or OF holding any executive Judiciary office I'M
der this state"
In 1880 the distinguished member from Mont
pelier resigned lucrative federal office to serve
his townsmen in the legislature but this is n rare
exception to the rule that the constitution is habit
ually violated in this respect
Persons ineligible under the constitution, elected
to the legislature, have uniformly been good men
and it has not been the duty of any particular
n Dt,t ,ta
observance has not passed unnoticed for the press
has always, with energy and perseverance, called
attention to II, so that the whole people have fol
years had the spectacle persistently brought tC
their eyes of the law-making power of the state
acting in open disregard of the constitution. The
worst result wrought by this practice Is the disre
spect which 1t tends to create for law generally
1t teaches disregard for authority, and is de
plorabe lesson to the people that constitutions
and laws are only to be obeyed by virtue of force
The proposed amendment is designed to remedy
this state OF affairs and make the existing clausC
of the constitution self-operatve.
Another proposal relates to the election OF Ger
tain state officers. 1t is now the duty of the egis
lature to elect about twenty-five state officers a
each session, and except in cases OF reelection
they are usually chosen from among its own mem
bers or officers Hardly any other state adopts
this practice to such an extent and in many a,
well as in congress, it is unknown. Every legis
lature contains men who are fitted by experience
ability, and above all by their honest, ndepend
ent character, to fill any Office in the state anC
many times these qualities are so conspicuously
exhibited IN the legislature by such members a.
to properly lead to their election to important of
| fees The trouble rests in the fact that thes,
men do not seek the offices, and they are left al
the prey of another sort of men who spend the
time in forming combinations with others of Xix,
character TO advance their own schemes and thes,
combinations frequently extend to the passage o.
! defeat OF pending measures. At the same tint
it is not to be denied that some of our best anC
most faithful state officers have been elected by
! Legislatures OF which they were not members an(
that officers otherwise elected or appointed hav,
not always proved to be the best The practice
at its best detracts attention from legislation pre-
vents deliberation, and, by frightening the ses
sions is very expensive the average cost per da,
OF actual session being estimated at one Thousand
dollars This proposal is intended to bring tn,
power to elect two important officials directly t
the people,
Another proposal is one which prohibits tn,
manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. anC
is mainly in accordance with the long existing
law which has repeatedly received the approval
and sanction OF the people through their legisla
lures 1t is to be observed, however that the Law
allows the sale OF Intoxicating liquor for medic
mai, Mechanical and chemical purposes, Will
the proposed amendment restricts it to medcina
purposes only
In this connection may allude to the fact that
owing 10 dlsagreements between county commits
! sioners and local authorities, many towns hav,
]
tire communities into violation of law.
In considering the question of court jail, pau
per, reform school, house of correction and stat
prison expenses, it is well always to bear II
mind that large share of them are direct,
traceable to the illegal traffic in Intoxicating
liquor, and that the enactment OF laws or con
sttu0onal amendments tending to restrain anC
destroy this evil is in the direction of moral ant
economical legislation. Men may differ as Il
what such laws should be, but those that are en-
acted should be uniformly enforced.
OFFICIAL BONDS.
l would suggest, as an improvement in tn
| form Of official bonds now in use in the state
that in all cases the sureties should max
affidavit on such bonds as to their qualifi
cation in property. The form OF official bond useI
| by the United States government requires tn
sureties to make oath showing the amount Of I'M
incumbered property owned by them, over AM
above all debts and liabilities, to be double tn
penal sum named in the bond. 1t seems to m
that the adoption OF this feature in our own off
/ .tuI nj. tl,aa