The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
MONTPELIER VT, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER II, 1884.

the names of Colonel Fred e. Smith and II.
E. Hathorn of Vermont regiments Gen
eral Stephen Thomas, Colonel George N.
Carpenter, W. III. Gibson, L. A. Lamson
and Colonel Smith, all of Vermont, were
elected members of various other commit
tees. The next excursion of Sheridan's
veterans will leave Boston September 10,
1885, and occupy a trife more than eight
days A permanent camp will be estab-
lished on that part of the battlefield of
Winchester, or the Opequan," directly
abutting upon the city Of Winchester, in the
Shenandoah valley. From there excursion
trains will be run to the battlefelds of Cedar
Creek, Fishers hill, Newmarket, to Har-
risonburg, one hundred miles up the valley,
to Harper's Ferry and to the celebrated
Luray caverns. A day will be spent in
Washington on the return route.
THE Methodists of Montpelier district will
hold centennial meeting at Northfeld,
December 29-31 with the following pro-
gramme: Sermon, Monday eve, December
Goth; Tuesday morning at 1915, an address
of welcome by Frank Plumley, Esq, of
NOl INtbIlDlSt Wy L lcoiulhS iAiuCl
III. A. Spencer; at P. NJ, historical papers,
giving a resume of the century, and the
growth of American Methodism, will be
presented; first quarter of the century by
j. o. Shurburne, second by George e.
Smith, third by f. w. Hamblin, fourth by
| Charles II. Farnsworth; address in the
evening by L. p. Frost Wednesday morn
ing, report of the general centennial con-
ference, now in session at Baltimore, by j.
ID. Beeman; Wednesday p NJ, centennial
poem by A. j. Hough of White River juno
ton and paper on women of Methodism
Wednesday evening, an old time watch
night service. Several other papers are
hoped for which are not already pledged.
Centennial offerings to be used as donors
may direct, for sch holarships in Vermont
Methodist Seminary or for the church AT
West Randolph.
THE main feature of the Vermont exhibit
at New Orleans will be a house about
eighteen by twenty four feet, the wood por
ton of which is contributed by lumbermer
of Burlington, with marble wainscot anC
trimming given by the Burlington Manufac
turing Company; the roof by slate dealers
on the west side, an Estey organ, rang,
from Blodgett of Burlington and other fit
tings will furnish the interior, a portion o
which represents the contrasts between
modern kitchen and one of century ago
AT the other end of the space occupied b.
this exhibit will stand massive triumpha
arch, modelled after the Arch of Titus a
Rome, with such notifications as the mate
rial and method of construction require
This structure will be of granite and mai
: BILE. The lower portion of piers upon eac
side of the archway are of granite, give
, chiefly by the Montpelier and Barre dealer:
= A handsome tile pavement furnished b
Barney of Swanton will connect the hous
3 and arch, and various other ornament;
t features will be given by the various marbl
1 and granite dealers. The Howe Scale Con
/. pany of Rutland and the Fairbanks Con
e pany of st. Johnsbury furnish a full line
q, their scales to show in connection with I'll
: state exhibit.
< SPECIAL mention should be made Of Il
i additional legislation at the last session
e the legislature on divorce, which was real
g the beginning of the practical result of Sc
G eral years study and action upon the SUI
ject by different gentlemen and the Chri
: tian conventions of the state, aided by Il
$ press. The new law requires the continl
l. ance of all libels of divorce over one ter
l. after they have been filed in court. 1t thu
V secures six months for the parties to becon
n reconcied to each other, puts something
v a check upon fraud and especially on has
/ divorces for sake of an early remarriage
It other parties. 1t is, we believe, the prese
: provision Of the English law and has be,
pressed upon the attention of the public al
e been before one or more state legislator
= for two or three years. The second sectic
a aims to compel the attendance in court
both parties to the suit when practicabl
" Judges before could probably require su,
r attendance if they deemed it necessary al
N ventured to take the responsibility. b
- now the law is made to require them to
- this whenever it is found practicable. Sin
4, in most states the defendant does not p
IS in an appearance in over one-fourth d
cases-in Massachusetts, with all her STR
lures, comparatively speaking, less thi
Y, that-it will be easily seen that this mus
\ if faithfully carried out, have a wholesor
- effect. 1t is, we believe, the first provisi,
by statute law in this country to secure VIII
y is common enough elsewhere and what t
a. friends of reform have long desired. Bo
UntSt DIONlSloIlS, we DtlltNt, nave Dttu Id
= before us in past years and have been in t
l. plan of some of the gentlemen most acti
le in securing the present law for long tin
o. We learn that distinguished statesman
another state has highly commended the
10 measures as both sound in law and saluta
or in influence and expressed the hope tn
n Vermont will adopt still other measur
- which some of her citizens have urged up
40 public attention. 1t is high time that % 4
h. sertion," intolerable severity" and pc
d haps other like offences for which divore
Il. are now granted, should be made crimes
misdemeanors at law so that some penal
70 should pretty surely follow the guilty par
Or in divorce suit. 1t might be we'll to ha
is the filing of libels reported in the newsI
-, pers regularly, and also the non-appearan
VI of the libellee when the case is finally tri
at by the court. Public opinion is gre
power in this matter of divorce.
n Personal.