Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-04-04
MINOR NOTES.

The method of nominating Presidents by
convention il oRy fifty years old The anti
Masons set the fashion in 1880 by meeting in
Philadelphia and nominating William Writ, of
Maryland, for President, and Amos Ellmaker
of Pennsylvania for Vice President The
first Democratic national convention was
held in 1882, at Baltimore.
President Arthur has dined and wined ev
cry member of both Houses of Congress and
his wife this winter. His plan is to take
them in sections of 40 or so. At his last
weeks dinner correspondent OF the New
York Sun says that covers were laid for 80
and there were 20 courses, each more elabo-
rate than its predecessor All the floral dec
orations were horizontal. It has been estab
lished as the mode at the White House that
all monster elevations in the middle of the
table shall be abolished, and nothing but fiat
decorations used, except bowls of long. stem
med roses placed at intervals"
The New York court of appeals has recent
ly decided that drunkenness is no excuse for
crime and laid down tho law as follows
The rule is well settled that voluntary in
toxication of one who without proyocstion
commits homicide, although amounting to
frenzy, does not exempt him from the same
construction of his conduct and the same le-
gal differences upon the question of intent
10 hAOStihb thO BEhNlc Vi his Crime, WHICH
are applicable to a person entirely sober"
Such a ruling ought TO be caution 10 people
who get drunk. No amount of rum exempts
a man from moral accountability.
The bonded whiskey bill was defeated in
the House, SO to 1856.
The House has passed the trade dollar hill.
which provides that the trade dollar shall be
redeemed, but that there shall be no diminu
ton in the regular monthly coinage of stan
dard dollars.
Minister Sargent, whose transfer from the
German to the Russian mission was an
nounced last week, declines to go to st. Pc
tersburg and will return home.
Gen. Grant visited the House Wednesday
and was given very lattering reception, the
House adjourning to permit the members to
pay their respects to the distinguished visitor,
Democrats and Republicans vieing with each
other in their tokens of friendliness.
Senator Morrills bill for the improvement
OF coinage was passed by the Senate Wednes-
day.
The Barton Monitor wants to vote for
LoVeland Munson of Manchester for leuten-
ant-governor.
Gen. Sherman is reported as saying: Gan
OF my friends know that have been a Re-
publican all my life, and they also know that
am out of public life and would not accept
any Office within the gift of the people. The
statement that would accept the nomination
| for President if rendered me by the Demo
Gratis is too nonsensical to be talked about"
IA few mornings since" says the Boston
Herald, "when Senator Edmunds opened his
mail in the Senate ohPmber, out dropped
from an envelope most gorgeous and mas
terly salmon fy-or, rather, double fly
which had been tied by the skillfuI fingers of
the Senator's friend, General Ripley of Yer
mont The accompanying note informed the
Senator that this was an 'Edmunds and Lin
coin fly A quiet smile passed athwart the
Keen Vlsage OF the statesman, Rs he trans
ferred the triumph of the art piscatorial to a
safe place."