Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-11-02

cuIosis---Short Shrift for the Bill TO
Abolish incorporated DistrIcts---TIred
Legislators Take Another Outing.
From our special correspondent
MONTPELIER, Oct. 81.
The changes of 100 years in legislative
methods are less marked than in many
other things, but still are of interest.
From the house journal of 1894 it is found
that the legislature of that year was com
posed of a house of representatives of 14S
members, and a council of II members
presided over by the governor, and that
the session was held at Rutland, commenc-
ing Oct. and continuing 21 days. The
morning session of the first day in the
house was occupied in making a roll of
members, taking and subscribing the nee
essary oaths, and electing a temporary
speaker, the permanent organization not
having been effected till the second day
In the afternoon one of the members of
the house was directed to wait upon the
governor and council, inform them that
the committee to sort and count the votes
for state office was ready to report, and re-
quest their attendance in the house. Aft
er hearing the report of this committee in
the joint meeting, the sheriff of Rutland
county, by proclamation, declared the Of
ficers receiving the larger number of votes
to be duly elected The joint meeting of
the two bodies constituted the grand COM
mittee," instead of the joint assembly as
at present, and was brought about usually
by the request of the house, carried by
some one of its members selected for the
purpose, to the governor and council, in
stead of by joint resolution taken back and
forth by clerks and secretaries as now.
The second morning one of the members
of the house was sent out to ask Rev. DR..
Samuel Williams to officiate as chaplain
for the morning, and another member was
sent to notify the governor and council
that the house was ready for prayers. DR..
Williams presumably made good impress
sion, as later in the day he was elected
chaplain for the session. He would not
now, however, have had the opportunity to
display his requirements in advance. as the
secretary of state, who selects some one to
|
candidates for chaplain. The temporary
speaker of the opening day was made the
permanent speaker on the second day.
The rules adopted by the house of 1894
are mostly recognized in the rules of the
present house. The exceptions are to the
effect that officers of the house must be at
their posts punctually on penalty of being
reduced to private station, that no other
title than 'Mr.' be required to address the
members of the house, and that officers
and members may keep their hats on, eX-
cept when in the presence of governor and
council, or when addressing the chair.
Only two regular committees were APP
pointed-those being on land taxes and on
lotteries-the two having to consider quite
a large proportion of all the measures be-
fore the house. The land tax committees
, of today, who are constantly inquiring as
to the nature OF their duties, but are never
, able to find out, ought to take some com
fort in the importance which attached tC
the Office in the days of the fathers. AL
! other matters were referred to committees
, usually of three members, appointed by
the chair at the time of the introduction OF
, the bill. Although quite large number
p of bills was introduced they were moi
: numbered, but were referred to by title
o 1t seems a singular fact that the present
, custom of numbering each bill as intro
: duced and referring to it by number only
, which now seems almost indispensable
, was not begun till the session of 1889.
!. The proposed legislation in 1894 wa,
quite largely in the nature of claims agains
:, the state, appeals from decisions of tn,
:, courts, and the righting of supposed wrong
suffered by individuals. One bill provided
=, for paying the town of Dummerston 81.
!, rs. and fourpence for keeping a paupe
y who was foreigner during the previou
- year; another enabled the town of Brattle
boro to take an appeal from the decision
: of the judge of probate in will case; an
o other abated the tax on 20 mules whicl
were wintered in the town of Wardsbor
,r for a Massachusetts man, who claimed eX
+ emption on the ground that they were as
sessed in Massachusetts. A common wa
. TO bring forward matter was by petitio
c stating the grounds on which Legislation
re was asked. If merit was discovered b
was allowed to be presented; if not tn
petitioner was given leave to withdraw
s. The first bill of the session was one incol
IT, poraLing the Windham County Medical Sc
:, ciety. A report was received and accepte
IL from committee appointed by the prev
re Gus legislature to locate the shire of Chit
g tenden county, in which the committe
OF say, after naming Burlington as their 81
X lection, although the principles whic
an have induced the committee to fix the mos
convenient place for county to transaC
- their county business must in degree
problematical, we cannot but tlatter ou
selves that experience will establish tn
propriety of our choice"
Mr. Lords defeated bill of the preseI
session to prohibit members of the generi
assembly from being elected to offices
the gift of that body would doubtless hay
met similar fate in 1874, as the legisli
ture of that year elected member of ii
council to fill the Office of lieutenant go
ernOr, for which there was no choice by ii
people, and a member of the house to fl
the vacancy thus caused in the council