Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-01
Watrliman & gonrmL
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER l. 1882
Vermont Bar Association.


the president; Hon. Hoyt II. Wheeler Of Jamaica,
Judge OF the United States district court; Hon.
Luke P. Poland; Hon. James NJ Tyler Of Brattle-
boro; Hon. James L. Martin, speaker OF the house
Hon. Kittridge Haskns Of Bratteboro, United
State district attorney; Hon. Rodnev c. Abel Of
West Haven. Hon. c. p. Hogan of Sheldon, Hon.
Warren c. French of Woodstock, Hon. William G.
Shaw of Burlington, Hon James j. Wilson OF
Bethel, Gilbert 4 Davis, Esq, Of Windsor, Hon.
William r. Dillingham;, Clarence H. Pitkin, Esq,
secretary NJ the association; Phin. Chamber ain,
ESQ, and John II. Watson, Esq, of Bradford, Hon.
L. H. Thompson Of lrasburgh, Col. Aldace 7.
Walker, Hon b T. Fifield, George w Wing, Esq,
Hon. Charles II. Heath. Hiram Carleton, Esq,
Hon. NJ A. Bingham OF Essex Junction, w ID.
Wilson. Esq, Col Willard Harrington, George e.
Noble, Esq, Henry G. Adams Of St, Albans, Hon.
Henry C. Ide, +. A. Bolles Esq, Of Bellows Falls,
T.. W. Smith, Esq, of Wells River, Ex-Governor
Farnham, Joseph 4, Wing, ESQ, 5, c. Shurtleff,
ESQ., Hon John W. Stewart, Stephen f. Royce,
Esq, of st. Adams, Hon. j. Ormsbee of Bran
don, Hiram A. Huse Esq, Hon. George W. Har.-
Ludlow Salmon B. Hebard, Esq, u Chelsea,
Fisk, ESQ.,, ofNorthfeld, John W. senter, Esq, of
Warren, G. G. Austin, Esq Of Highgate Robert
Roberts, ESQ.,, of Burlington Myron Buck, Esq, of
st. Adams, 7. ]. Deavitt Esq, l. L. Durant Esq,
Middlebury, Col. J. II. Lucia Of Vergennes, and
others Governor Barstow. Chief Judge Royce,
and Judges Redfeld, Ross Powers. Veazey and
Rowel, State Treasurer Dubois and a large as
court house was filled.
MR. ROBERTS ADDRESS.
Mr. Roberts called the meeting to order at half
past seven and then delivered the annual address.
lie first referred to the neurology of the year:
Chief Judge Pierpoint. the Hon A. b. Gardner of
Bennington, Charles n Davenport, Esq, of Brat
tleboro and others lie said that the new rules
of the bar had been adopted and were in force in
Bennington, Rutland, Chittenden Franklin, La
noble, Caledonia, Windsor and Windham. He
then proceeded to review the progress of the law
during the last fifty years which the main
subject of his address. His description of the
ameioration Of the debtors law was very inter-
esing imprisonment for debt lasted in this state
until sometime in 1889 and had once been very
harsh indeed. Money scarce in those early
days and goods were payable in barter, and law
yers were dependent for livelihood upon the
bringing Of an immense number OF small collect
ing suits. There was plenty OF business OF
small kind. Mr.. Roberts then reverted to the
present state of our law of attachment upon
mesne process and of attachment OF the body,
and deprecated their existence. They need not
now be upon the statute book, II the people
were not better than the law. He favored the alb
clifton of all attachment pending the suit ard
the increase of the means Of collecting the judg-
ment upon execution. Our law was as defective
in giving the plaintiff proper machinery for col
| Letting his debt after execution as 1t was unjust
| in allowing the plaintiff to harass the defendant
| before it was shown that he had any real basis
| for his suit Mesne attachment should only be
allowed in extreme cases made plain to the court
| by affidavit. Mr. Roberts I'll traced the growth
/ of the beneficent homestead act, and Of the en-
| largement of the rights of women, married and
single; the permission of parties to testify "a rev.
oution in itself in the processes OF nvestgation),
and in which, "a has always been the case, we
were more conservative than England herself
the abolition OF the religious test of the qualities
lions of witnesses. He glanced at the ameliora-
ton of the criminal law the simplihcation Of in
dictmenta, and euogized the plain, practical and
humane way in which criminal Jurisprudence was
now administered. In reference to the learning
of the bar, he must say that the lawyers of fifty
years ago were better read in their Gritty, and
better versed in the art OF the law than now
cases were more closely tried than now with a
nicer adherence to rules and techncalities Still he
would not be ldltddtIr temporis dch. The younger
| members were in every way worthy of unfolding
its pristine reputation and honor, and he could
safely leave the welfare OF the profession in their
hands.
Mr.. Roberts was rewarded with hearty APP
| plause The remainder OF the evening was taken
up with the reading of sketch of the late
Charles N Davenport OF Brattleboro by the Hon
Kittredge Haskins, and a sketch of the late ID.
Allen Rogers of Wells River by the Hon. Roswell
Farnham.
BUSINESS MEETING.
Pursuant to adjournment, the association met
in the grand jury room of the court house at ter
O'Clock Wednesday morning The report OF the
last annual meeting WAS read. On motion OF
Luke r. Poland, a committee OF five was appointed
by the president to report nominations for Off
GERS Of the association for the ensuing year, and
Mr. Roberts appointed as such committee Roswell
Farnham, S. ShurtleiG, f. f. Woodbridge, ii
c. Adams and kittredge Haskins. On motion OF
Mr. Heath, the committee was instructed 10 re-
port at an adjourned meeting to be held at eigh
=. NJ The treasurer's report WAS read and &C
cepted, showing balance in the treasury Of ove
500. The report OF the committee TO draft re
vised rules for the admission OF attorneys Il
county and supreme courts was read and laid OF
the table for future action. The proposed rules
make some changes, the most important of which
are that person proposing TO study law shall
file notice of his intention and certificate
of where, when and with whom he began thu
study and the certificate OF the attorney witt
whom he studies that he Is 80 engaged, with thu
clerk Of the county where he so begins, and tina
the three years study required shall date from
such filing; that such applicant for admission
shall file with the clerk OF the county where HI
resides at least fourteen days before the session
OF the general term OF the supreme court his ap
pcation for admission and aitidavits that he ha
actually performed the studies required aud OF hi
, good moral character; that such applicant shall
be thoroughly and impartially examined publicl,
on the second Tuesday Of such general term q
the place where 1t is held by a committee o
three, to be appointed by such court who shall re
port in writing. The proposed amendment to tn
constitution of the association, relative to the cleo
ton OF members and payment OF dues, wa
adopted Mr.. Shurtleff, for committee on admis
sions reported favorably on the names of z. 5
Stanton OF Roxbury, j. II. Senter of Warren, X
M, harvey VI lOprhallli W ohiieh VI .NS"puiy
+. A. Boiles OF Rockingham, and IL. W. keml
and j. G. Wing Of Montpelier, and they wer
elected members of the association. On motto
OF c. IL, Heath, the meeting adjourned TIL r,
. The association met at the court house at eigh
O'Clock, when an essay was read by Hon. Hoyt II
Wheeler, United States judge for Vermont, upo
"The Early jurisprudence in the Territory nov
Vermont and also in the State of Vermont" an
Hon George w. Harmon followed him with
paper upon " Western Vermonts First Lawyer
John Burnham." The court house WAS crowde
, with lawyers and laymen
ANNUAL SUPPER.
At ten o'clock the annual supper was served |
the large dining room Of the Pavilion. The table
we're elegantly set. the menu was work of Q,
quisite art, and the viands, in decacy and pc
> lection OF cookery, surpassed even the Pavilion