News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-12-02
THELEcISLATURE.

its labors, and its doings have become
a matter of history. The verdict of
the people with reference to its errors
of omission and commission will not
be entirely unmixed with criticism,
and yet an impartial observer and
critic can scarcely do less than accord
to it good measure of conscien-
tious, honest and hard labor, with
scarce suspicion of corruption or
jobbery. The people demanded,
and the Legislature has given, con-
sentative railroad commission. They
demanded that the hands of every
worker for the cause of temperance
be stayed up and supported, and the
friends of temperance have been left
with no reasonable cause for COM
plant. The people gave no uncer-
tain sound with reference to Z. S. SEN
ator, and the Legislature obeyed the
will of their constituency with substan-
tial unanimity. The people expected at
at the hands of their servants, legisla-
ton dictated by the strictest economy,
but they did not expect that they
would be niggardly or withhold with
a parsimonious hand that recogni-
ton which she has always been so
willing to give to those who remem-
bered their country in its hour of
peril, and so, as might have been expec-
ted, the call for $40, 900 for the soldiers
home, and for $4,000 to enable Yer
mont to join with her sister States in
marking the spot at Gettysburg where
her soldiery covered themselves and
the State with such glory, was I'M
grudgingly responded to.
Aside from the railroad commission,
the incorporation of the new towns of
Proctor and West Rutland was I'M
questionably the most exciting and
hard fought measure of the session.
The cause of education was, we
thought, entitled to greater consider
alton than was accorded to it, and we
deemed it unwise to defeat, as the
House did, the bill authorizing free
text books. The bill providing for
scientific instruction with reference
to temperance was passed by hand
some majority.
The Office of highway surveyor was
abolished, and the trustee limit raised
from S. to $40. We give elsewhere
8 detailed list of the measures passed.
With reference to the personnel of
the Legislature, from Governor to
the messenger boys, we have only
pleasant memories. From first to
last there has been a notable absence
of all personal unpleasantness, and
when the members, at the close of the |
session, departed for their homes, the |
kindly farewells were hearty and sin
cere. With reference to the promi-
nent figures, little can be said that
has not already been said. Gov.
Ormsbee has, of course, been the GEN.
trail figure, and, as the chief executive
of the State, has borne himself in a
manner SO entirely unexceptionable as
to receive only unqualified common
dalton from all. The dignities per-
tanning to the Office of Governor have
not been forgotten, but his urbanity
has been of that pleasant kind that
left upon the minds of those who
visited the Executive Chamber dur
ing the session, the impression that
all were thoroughly welcome, while
his recommendations, his vetoes, his
advice and counsel with those who
had occasion to consult him upon Of
fetal or other business, all tended to
strengthen the opinion that in Gov.
Ormsbee we have an executive I'M
corruptible, level-headed, firm and
thoroughly devoted to the best inter-
ests of the State. Lieut.. Gov. Full
err and Speaker Grout have both been
painstaking, faithful and accommo-
dating officials, striving to do the du-
ties incumbent upon them in such
manner as to best promote the for
warding of the measures before the
Legislature. Of course the duties of
Speaker are much more exacting and
difficult than those of Lieut.. Govern
or, but it was the universal verdict
that no one of the 238 members of
the House could have surpassed Major
Grout, and we doubt if any would
have equaled him in dispatching the
business of the session. Treasurer
Dubois, Auditor Powell and Secreta-
~ of State Porter, although apparent
ly participating but little in the bust
ness of the Legislature, were always
at their post of duty, and we think are
fully entitled to the popularity which
they, in such large measure, enjoy.
Fletcher Proctor, the Secretary of
Civil and Military affairs, although a
young man, was an especially popu-
lar official and made host Of friends
during his stay at the Capital. He
has the quiet and unassuming ways
which are characteristic of his father,
Proctor, and withal a good
of that sturdy, independent
common sense, which the Ex-Governor
IS known to possess in such a marked
degree.
OF the Senate it is not our purpose
TO speak in detail. Senators Baker
Of Rutland, and Bates of Caledonia,
we're the talking men of that body,
md perhaps had the reputation of .
being, to as marked an extent as any,
he leaders, but we opine that our
l.