The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-10-02

SA'Sh oolu AhNOOhhCli ~ hO Will bOb up
a mandatory in this state" That
these were God-fearing lawmakers, is
shown by acts for the recognition and
observance of the Sabbath. That there
were stern moralists among them, ap.
pears in the circumstance that "the
petition of John Barnes, John New
ton and Benjamin Baldwin TO make
lottery, after being read and debated,
was put to vote and passed in the
negative" A premium was voted
for the destruction of wolves, but APP
parently foxes, woodchucks, "and other
noxious animals" objects of the dis
pleasure of modern statesmen, had not
yet been prescribed. The dog, the
vagrant hen and turkey, had not yet
become the objects of proscriptive law
making. Wolves and tories were kin
dred "varmint' in the purview of these
solons, and, if any distinction was made
in the effectiveness of the means pro-
vided for their determination, the dis
elimination was hardly in favor of the
tory, as the following incident shows: At
the second session of this legislature,
in June, 1778, petition by David Red
ding was taken into consideration.
Redding had been convicted of "tnem
ical conduct" and sentenced to be
hanged on the fourth of June. To the
curiosity to witness this, the first hang.
ing in Vermont, was added the intense
feeling of indignation such a crime ex-
cited at that period. Owing to some
legal fault in the trial, reprieve was
granted at the time the people were
collecting to see the end of this victim
of elementary justice. With such a
multitude, says the chronicler of the
incident, and on such an occasion, it
was in vain to reason, or to talk of the
rights of Englishmen. They had all
pronounced the culprit guilty, and thu y
could not understand upon what plin.
ciple the verdict of the whole COM
munity could be set aside, with so little
ceremony. While disappointment and
Indignation were at their height, Ethan
Allen pressed through the crowd, and,
mounting stump, waved his hat and
commanded, "Attention, the whoe!'
He announced the reasons for the
reprieve, and advised the multitude to
depart peaceably to their homes, and
return on the day fixed for the execu-
ton in the act of the governor and
council, adding, "You shall see some
body hung, at all events, for if Redding
is not then hung, / will be hung my
seli" Redding was again tried, again
found guilty by legal jury, and was
hanged on the day appointed.
Acts of more important character
established the common law as the law
of the state; provided attorneys for
the county courts and regulated their
fees; constituted probate districts
provided for the election of inferior
judges, sheriffs, etc. divided the state
into two counties-Bennington on the
west, with the towns of Bennington
and Rutland as shires, Cumberland on
the east, with Westminster and New
bury as shires; punished treason anc
atrocious crimes; entertained propO
sition of union with sundry towns il
New Hampshire, which was effected
and many towns in that state, with
others from New York, were repre-
scented in subsequent Legislatures. Re.
taliatory in part, this scheme of uniting
to the little republic the border towns
of the two claimants of her territory
had apparently wise purpose in de.
sign to enlarge and strengthen the
frontiers.
AS has been stated, this legislature
convened at Windsor, March u, ITS
March 26 it adjourned "until the frs
Thursday of June next, to meet at the
house of Captain Stephen Fay of Ben
nington." AT the latter place the ses.
sion continued till June 26, " to meet
when His Excellency the Governor
commands" 1t never met again
Each session continued through thir
teen working days. The acts of this
legislature were never printed. What
they were appears chiefly from the
records of the assembly. They were
comprehensive in character, providing
for defence, for the administration o.
justice, the punishment of crimes ant
offences against the state and individ
uals. They provided for the moral ant
and material welfare of the people
The legislators had clear understand
ing of what constitutes a state, anC
what should constitute the state of Yer
mont. There was no lawyer amonl
them, but they managed to put the
meaning into very clear and matter-of
fact English. No court was needed t,