Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-10-10
OUR LEGISLATIVE LETTER.
MONTPELIER, W., Oct. G, 1884.

While | am aware that most of
your readers are also readers of the
daily papers, and consequently have
read all the proceedings of the Legis-
lature, yet l thought perhaps they
might be interested in re-hash of
the particulars by your special cor
respondent.
The Senate assembled at 9 o'clock
on Wednesday morning, under rule
number AZ, and proceeded to draw
their seats; for this purpose the Sec
rotary places in box fourteen bal
lots, designating by name the several
counties, and then proceeds to draw
one ballot at time, and as each bal
lot is drawn the Senator or Senators
at once select and occupy their seats.
Washington county was the first
drawn, and Essex was the next
lucky number. The drawing pro-
ceeded quietly and with the utmost
good nature. At the close, Rutland
county found that your Senator &C.
cupied seat that their county need
ed to bring them all together and he
cheerfully exchanged for one equally
desirable to him. At the caucus in
the evening, to make up the Senate
standing committees your Senator
was given the craftsmanship of one
committee and place on two others,
but finding that one Senator had
but one place, he resigned his place
on manufactures in his favor, when
Senator Field quietly remarked,
"This is the second time today that
Rutland county is indebted to the
courtesy of Senator Hobson." The
chief honors of the Senate were di-
vided between Thompson of Iras-
burgh, and Ide of st. Johnsbury,
the former being elected President
pro tenn, and the latter made chair
man of the judiciary committee.
The election of secretary proceeded
after the usual fashion of things,
"fiXed," but in the election of assist
ant secretary a new feature was add
ed. G. M. Russell, (the Free Press
said, "for some inscrutable reason0
aspired to the place so competently
filled by A. r. Brown, of Sheldon.
The nominations and secondings
brought out the fact that Mr.. Brown
was a promising young lawyer, and
for that reason ought to have it,
and that Mr.. Russell is a graduate
of the National school of Elocution
and Oratory at Philadelphia, a schol-
ar, gentleman, and in every way
eminently qualified to fill the posi-
ton, yet the ballot resulted as fol
lows, Brown 20, Russell 10.
The feature of the day, Thursday,
was the Inauguration of Gov. Pin
gree. The joint assembly met at
2.15 p. M, President pro TEN Thomp-
son in the chair. Judge Redfeld
administered the oath of Office, and
the Governor, not following the ex-
ample of the smaller men who have
preceded HIM, sending in their mes
sages to be read by the clerk, pro-
ceeded to deliver his most admira-
bic message himself which he did in
a clear, distinct, and forcible man.
ner. You of course will give it to
your readers in full. No abstract or
comments can do it justice. l be-
speak for it careful reading. Es-
pecially will your town see the force
of his recommendation in regard to
the town system of schools, having
so successfully tried it yourselves.
This subject,-the adoption of the
town system by the State-is to be
one of the exciting questions of the
present session. | have no doubt it
will pass the Senate; most of the
larger towns favor it, but many of
the small towns have instructed their
members to oppose it. They seem
to regard it as an abridgment OF
their inherent right of self-govern'
ment. Only think of it! The right
of school district to self govern.
ment; the right to be its prudential
committee; the right to be its col
lector; to be its clerk. The talb
that have heard on this subject
since l have been here has suggested
the above, and has brought forcibly
to my mind an incident that hap
pened in my youth, when was per
haps ten or twelve years old. My
father sent me to the district clerl
to get an order for some wood he
had furnished. called and made
known my business, With grea
deal of pomp and hustle, he began