The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-01

when mas no iesb IOr al ODJect,
reality, than the entire overthrow O
all royal authority in this country
But as our colony has nobly refused +
do this, they are now intent on com
hitting double treason that Of maxim
war on New York and the king too. :"
swell, l should have little suspect
ed, " remarked Haviland, "that tn
people of this section, who have show
themselves commercially conservative
for the most part, had any intention O
Welding to the mob-law of Ethal
lien, Warner, and others, who plac,
the laws of New York at defiance OF
the other side Of the mountains; ant
much less that they would heed tn,
resolves of that self-constituted bod,
of knaves, ignoramuses, and rebels
calling themselves the Continenta
Congress.
"Are you not too severe on tina,
body of men, father?" said Miss Havi
land. lifting her expressive eyes re-
provingly to the face Of the speaker
IL have recently read over list of the
members of congress; when / noticed
among them the names of men, who,
but a short time since, stood very
high. both for learning and worth, az
/ have often heard you say yourself.
Now, what has changed the characters
of these men so suddenly"
"Why is it Sabrey," said the old
gentleman, with an air of petulance.
and without deigning any direct
answer to the troublesome question, =
":why is it that you cannot take the
opinion of your friends, who know SO
much more than you do about these
matters, instead of raising, as have
noticed you have lately seemed in
lined to do, questions which seem to
imply doubts of the correctness OF the
measures of our gracious sovereign and
his wise ministers?"
"Why, father" replied the other,
with an ingenious. but somewhat
abashed look, If / have raised such
questions in relation to the quarrel be-
| tween the colonies and the mother
country, / have gone on the ground
that the party which has the most
right on its side would, of course, have
the best reasons for its measures; and
as have not always been able to per-
ceive good reasons for all the kings
measures, had supposed you would
be proud TO give them.
The old gentleman, though evidently
disturbed and angry at this reply, did
not seem inclined to push the debate
any further with his daughter. The
other gentlemen, also, looked rather
glum and for many moments not a
word was spoken: when the other
young lady. who had not yet spoken,
after CHANGING around on the gentle
men in seeming expectation that those
better reasons would be given, at
length ventured to remark,
"Well, for my part, it is enough for
me that my friends all belong to the
loyal party. and whatever might be
said, / know | should always feel that
they were in the right, and their OPP
posers in the wrong y
"And in that. Jane, t9) think you are
wise, " responded Jones, with an ap.
proving smile. 1.-THE complaints Of
these disaffected people are based on
mistaken notions. They are too i'll
informed, | fear, to appreciate the
Justice and necessity of the measures
of our ministers. or to understand very
clearly what they are quarreling
about. y
"Ah, that is it" warmly responded
Haviland. THAT is what l have
always said of them. They don't un-
derstand their own rights. or what is
for their own good, and should be
treated accordingly. And / think some
of our leading men miss it in trying to
reason with them. Reason with them
Ridiculous! As if the common people
could understand an argument!'
"You are perfectly right, squire"
responded Peters, with eager prompt
ness My own experience among the
lower classes fully confirms your opin-
ion. NV business. for several years
past, has brought me often in contact
with them, in certain quarter: and
have found them not only ignorant
of what properly belongs to their own
rights and privileges, but jealous and
obstinate to degree that is excessive
ly annoying.
Friend Peters probably alludes to
his experience in the great republic (10l
of Guilford, I" said Jones archly.
There and elsewhere, F" reioined the
former though | have seen quite
enough of republicanisms there, for
my purpose. One year, the party out
voting their opponents, and coming
into power, suspects every thing done
by their predecessors. The next year
the upsetters themselves get upset |
aud all the measures they had estab |
lished are reversed for others or better
and so they go on from year to year.
forever quarreling and forever chang
ing"
"And yet, Peters,, resumed Jones,
81 doubt whether. you
have been much the loser by their
luarrels. /"
"How so, Mr.. Jones?" asked Havi
land, who noticed that Peters had
answered only by significant smile.
why, you know, Squire Havi
land, >" replied Jones, THAT 1 have
been on to attend several of the last
sessions of your court, as the agent of
Secretary Tanning, to see to his landed
interests in this quarter. Well, friend
Peters, here, who has gone consid
srably into land speculations east Of
he mountains, you know, had
brought, it seems, several suits for the
possession of lands. mostly in this
same Guilford; and among the rest.
me for a right of land in possession of
, sturdy young log roller, whom they
,alled Harry Woodburn, who appeared
n court in his striped woollen frock,
md insisted on defending his own