Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-22
AsIT OF VERMONT HISTORY.
The Early Legislature Moved About
the Stakeholder Points.

gested the following to IA correspondent
of the st. Johnsbury CALIFORNIAN;
Montpelier has been the capital of Yer.
mont since 1905 The Legislature met
in Danville in 1905 and one OF the acts OF
this session selected II permanenta abiding
place for setting up the Legislative ma
chinery of the Green Mountain common.
wealth. This session lasted from OctU.
Der 10th to November Sth, 30 days.
For ~ years the Legislature had had
no permant mt home. Fmty-Seven SEES.
slOns were held in fifteen different towns
and in two States; for the l2!h session,
1881, was held in Charleston which was
later declared to be part of New lamp
shire and not of the Grants" of New
Hampshire.
The first session of the first Legisla-
tnre met in Windsor. March 18th, IT'S,
and continued in session Is DAYS; it met
in Bemuin2tO June 4th, aud sat - days;
then it returned to Windsor and held the
final So sSIun of II days,
Windsor has been the temporary CAPT
tai OF the State IA times; and it was in
this town that the constitution of the
state was adopted in June, I'LL, aad
here ii was revised in December of that
'
invasion and the convention for framing
this renal kablc document would work
better doubtless knowing lbaU not only n
detachment of Bnrgoyne's army defeated
at Bennington august 10TH but thai
Burgoyne and his entire army had come
to grief in UctUber, at the second battle
OF Saltwater.
Thirteen other towns have been hon
cred with sessions of the Legislature a.
will appear in the following list: Ben
nngton s. Manchester ), Westminster
4 \Rutland I. Burlington, Danville, Yer
gennes, Castleton, Woodstock, and Nor
wch each and Mlddlebury and New.
bury each.
Our LEGISLATURE now meets biennially
on the first Wednesday in October; and
although prior to 1905 it assembled in
October oftener than in any other month
vet it is curious to notice that it varied
in time Of meeting almost as much as III
place.
Our State Legislature has met three
times in January, seven times IN Febru,
airy, four times in June. The June SEES.
siOns were usually short so the farmers
could 90 home to attend TO their crops.
The shortest June session was of three
days at Windsor IN l770, and the longest
of II days, at Norwich, in 1875.
The first State House was "a three-stOry
wooden structure built 1t an expense ci
about 1900 by the citizens of Montpe.
lier and the vicinity. Gen. Whitelaw OF
Ryegate was one member of the com
mittee of three appointed to attend tC
the erection of the building. This was
first occupied in the autumn session Of
1903. The second State House built OF
Vermont granite, was first occupied in
1886. Montpelier citizens gave Sl5.0Ot
towards this editice and it lasted unit
1857 when it was destroyed by fire.
The present edihce was completed il
1859 and was occupied by the Legisla
ture that year
From ITS to 1886 the Legislature o.
Vermont consisted of but one branch
but the constitution was amended i'll the
last named year, and the Legislature tina
first occupied the new granite State
House consisted of two branches, Senate
and House of Representatives.
This division of the Legislature into
two branches was suggested by the sec
| ond council of censOrs of 1892, but thu
idea was not adopted until January
1885, when convention duly appointed
amended the constitution in this regard
This shows the conservative character
of Vermont people. When the cunstitu
ton was framed distinct plan for pro
posing amendments was adopted; anC
yet proposition to make the Legisla
/ ture consist of two branches was A year:
in finding a resting place as part Of oul
State constitution, period four years
longer than that required by the child
rem of Israel in going from Egypt to the
promised land.
The history of Vermont presents some
very interesting points not only for thu
general reader but for the student of pO
litical science.
Vermont has never been colony o.
Great Britain. 1t was as Il sovereign
and independent country that she asked
for, and received, admission as a mem
Der of the Union of States.
She was the first State to be suspected
of the doctrine of secession, and the firs'
to incorporate in her constitution the alb
solute equality of man as set forth in the
Declaration of Independence
The founders of Vermont called spade
a spade. There was no play upon words
with reference to liberty and freedom
AS expressed on the State seal it was
freedom and unity, but unity followed
freedom.
The coquetting with Gen. Haldimand
and the British on the part Of Thomas
Chittenden and Ira Allen ceased when
Vermont was received as State and nc
suspicion of secession heresy has since
that time ever been brought against hel
record The history of Legislature in
Vermont is interesting, particularly be
cause there is thread running through
it all leading to justice and the mainte
nance of the rights of all her citizens if,
respective of race or color.