The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-10-14

denominated the grand committee.
semhly blouse of Representatives. the suprem,
legislative power The Governor and Council wer,
public nature were to be submitted for their peru
s sal ana f proposals Of amendment There was n.
and Council were simply an advisory board Sub
Wss eSt power was eTtended Whereby
eiectlon OF another assembly; and it was their duty
to lay SesoTe the Ss sS nGpexss
ddnney were frequently called upon by that body to
branches disagreed n respect to amendments, OF
the suspension Of bill. it was the, custom of each
sons and, as Mr. Walton says, il very Interesting
possibly be restored with advantage obviously this
method enabled each house to understand correctly
prove that the result very often was to harmonic
!. The standing rules of the early assemblies were
few in number. At the October session. 1885, the
"FTsi-That every member and spectator be sub
1ect to the rules of The House.
" Second-That the doors of the House he open ia
all spectators who behave themselves orderly. ex
cept the interests of the state require the same to
"Third-That the officers of the House attend
punctually ut the times of adjournment on penalty
"Foarh--That no member being absent Mt roll.
call take his seat without liberty from the House.
fUM-Any member who is absent after roll-call
without leave of the House, more than fifteen min
utes 81 one time, shall be subject to the like penalty
andif such member be absent for day more. lie
shall be liable to be expelled from the House"
me ninth and last rule provided that no person
ernor and Council shall speak in the House without
hTst obtaining leave through member of the
At the present time we have about seventeen joint
r9ies t9ryfour rules of the Senate and forty-one
The first session. of the House contained fifty
twenty-five; in 1900 one hundred seventyfour; in
1910, two hundred; in s20, two hundred three; in
thirty four-which is about the average since that
year as 1t is frequent that towns fail elect
hp la m ttnn
T., The average length of sessions from LIS to 1907
frSm s 70 TsTe and day.
days from 1896 to 1852 inclusive, thrty-nine and
one-third days and since the adoption OF the bien.
days
cannot discuss the important changes in the
laws of Vermont but will allude to some of the alb
sorbing themes at different periods
questions to the titles to lands; the building Of
hghlways and turnpikes; the improvements for
Under this period great many charters were
granted to turnpike corporations, who often oh
to their charters. Surveys were also made for canals
but think no funds were ever appropriated for that
purpose 1t was during this period also that the
famous suspension acts were passed, which sus.
pended for time the payment Of debts because OF
Next came the advent of state banks. Many were
chartered FOR different parts of the state and nearly
posed. Another important subject makes up quite
It's that of railroads. which have so completely mo-
noponzed the lines of travel by the rapidty and eff
Weakness or corruption of the bench is the saddest
tate that can be visited upon the people. Happily
have always been elected by the Legislature And
We may proudly say that they have ever maintained
the grand scale of human justice is poised with that
honor and dignity essential in maintaining the re.
Courts were established in counties constituted by
the colonial government of New York. They, con
yened grand and petit jurors tried causes, and
dered judgments In due form by justices appointed
o hp stul
nshment of the supreme court and courts of com
courts Of chaeey f nfHs ts
tanning evidence without the state, and the care of
mentis." No supreme court or court Of common
pleas were established, however, for several years
In us FIVE Judges were appointed for special
courts and the first court organized at Bennng
was given the jurisdiction of county courts there
having been no county courts organized; the mum:
@sf Of to and 5 made for the
., The same year provision was made for the eec:
non OF Judges OF the superior court by joint ballot Of
TINS court was given Jurisdiction of matters in equity
Cases involving larger sum were to be heard on
petition, by the General Assembly, Governor and
In 1881 an act was passed providing for judges of
county courts, to consist of five each; sheriffs and
of the respective counties. The Governor and
Council and General Assembly were also constituted
tors of lands holding under claims grants issued by
the same authority. The same year the jurisdicto
the matter in demand exceeded e6, to appeals from
justices, and to the trial for all crimes not capital.
stituted to be elected by the Governor and Council
and General Assembly.
preme and county court and justices courts The
cae Of trials the manner of elections and iurs
ui,ctoh tnereo1 nave been variously modified and
changed from time to time
president Of the United States for during that pc
made these important elections. Vermont east her
nrst vote, IN I'VE for George Washington In 1891
time the Federalists predominated, but during
John adams administration parties were divided
republicans, whose political status are very well
defined on the one hand by the Virginia and Ken.
yermont's reply thereto in 1893 In this reply may
be found the essence of the policy Of the adlnnistr
The election Of President ii Isoi was thrown into
S1ngresi Vermont then had two members of Con
Morris Federalist," Thomas jefferson was elected
vote In so5 Vermont Voted o for JsersSn 500 s
ana 1913 for Madison in 1877 and 1871 for Monroe in
arose the National Republican party and the Jack.
son party, who ultimately assumed the name of Dem
Adams In 1888 Cthe anti-masonc period for viii,
ian, lam Writ This period continued until 1885, and
party from 1886 to is5a when the Abolitonists or
Liberty party held the balance of power between
scores OF ballots sufficient number of the Liberty
RaIhty voted with the Democrats TO elect John $.
fEoDlnson Governor The Republican party was
since.
There is another period in our legislation which.
oy no means, Is forgotten-nay, we cannot forget
the peril that tested the courage and patriotism
handed down to us from the Green Mountain Boys
The Legislature of Vermont did her full share for
the maintenance of an undivided Union. The brave
men sent to the field" the old Vermont Brigade -
won anres for our noble state that will never fade
ana added to her brilliant history the brightest pages
of all f7
!. Since the close of that awful contest the egisa-
ton OF vermont Is so familiar to the distinguished
gentlemen assembled here that can profit nothing
in repeating 1t.
ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
The meeting Thursday afternoon was held
in the Blanchard Opera-house, the Golden
Fleece hall being occupied by those in
charge oil the banquet, preparing there
Tor. Every seat i'll the main part of the
Opera-house was occupied during the eX-
ercises Speeches We're made by eX-Judge
Barrett, General Thomas, General Grandey,
acknowledgement Hinckley and others.
Occupying seats on the platform were men,
Ders of the executive committee, eX-Judge
Barrett, Major Grout, Hon. Park Davis, late
OF the Franklin county bar but now in mer-
camille business in Albany, n. Y. land why
he ever went into it is one of those things
as Dundreary said, d" No fellah can under
sthand," for as IA lawyer he was able and
successfully Colonel Hooker was present for
the hrst time at any of the meetings. He
arrived at the Capital on Monday, but was
called TO burlington on " boss " business
Inc original idea of a mock session of the
Legislature was happily changed to con
tinuation of the evening session of Wednes-
day.
The PRESIDENT called upon r. NJ Har-