VERMONT. 



737 



and acK <>f tlio lato government and Ci>n 



Juno, 1868; refusing any further p:i.\ - 

 mcnN of foreign debt, or on uny contracts or 

 loans made with tho lato government. 



After severe fighting liii/.man IJlane.) took 

 possession of Laguayra. Monagas abdicated, 

 and loft for Martinique. BIai:co immediately 

 prohibited any vessels from leaving Laguayra, 

 as he was afraid they would carry away refu- 

 gees, or convoy supplies to the old government 

 party, which still held possession of Porto Ca- 

 hcllo. DuriiiLC the latter part of May, an expe- 

 dition was fitted out under General Hornan- 

 (U-/., of tho Monagas party, for tho purpose of 

 blockading tho ports occupied by tho insur- 

 gents. Blanco, at the head of 8,000 men, left 

 Laguayra to attack Coro, but General Hernan- 

 dez raised an army of considerable strength, 

 with which ho started in pursuit. No collision 

 took place, however, until on the 9th of Sep- 

 tember, when Hernandez, with 4,000 men, de- 

 feated Guzman's troops after a sanguinary 

 combat, which lasted for thirty-six hours. On 

 tho 21st he dispatched a portion of his forces 

 to attack the insurgents at San Felipe, where 

 ho was defeated, and fell back to Trujillo to 

 attack General Daboin, who was at Chubar- 

 qu'm with a large body of men. 



Tho government party still held tho eastern 

 part of Maracaibo and the city of that name. 

 General Hernandez had proclaimed himself 

 Governor of the State of Zuila, where he had 

 raised an army of 1,500 men, and also a national 

 guard. Every man in the State was to bear 

 arms if called upon. All tho ports were vigor- 

 ously blockaded by the navy, which consisted 

 of ten vessels, half of which were steamers. 

 The consul of the North-German Confedera- 

 tion, together with the British Consul, arranged 

 that a vessel-of-war of either nation should be 

 present in Venezuelan waters at all times for 

 the protection of their interests. 



On November 12th, General Venancio, of 

 the party of Guzman Blanco, captured Coro 

 after seven days' fighting, when the triumph 

 of the revolutionists was considered an ac- 

 complished fact. They had also captured tho 

 fort of Maracaibo, the last stronghold of the 

 Monagas party. The city of Maracaibo was 

 still held by the government until about the 

 middle of December, when it had to be sur- 

 rendered, and the whole republic was in the 

 hands of Guzman Blanco, who went to tho 

 capital, Caracas, to establish his government. 

 A correspondent at that place writes under 

 date of December 24th : 



The fearful effects of the civil wars which have raged 

 almost continuously may be realized from the tact 

 that, according to statistics for the last ten years. 

 upward of sixty thousand persons have been killed 

 in intestine war. A lamentable state of things to 

 contemplate in this unhappy republic. The revolu- 

 tion has triumphed, hut whether a settled peace will 

 he secured it is impossible to predict. 



VERMONT. There are encouraging -evi- 

 dences of advancement in this State. Tho 

 population and prosperity have materially in- 

 VOL. x 47 A 



creased, and tho expected construction of a 

 .ship-canal, connecting the waters of Lake 

 Champlain with tho Upper Lakes, thus brinir- 

 in^' V. rmont into tho groat highway of traffic 

 from tho West to tho seaboard, will stimulate 

 her industry. 



In the political history of tho State for tho 

 last year there have boon some important 

 changes, and for tho first timo the guberna- 

 torial chair became vacant by tho death of its 

 occupant. Governor P. J. Washburn died on 

 February 7th, and, until the now election, tho 

 duties devolved upon Lientenant-Governor 

 W. Ilendoe, who was succeeded by John W. 

 Steward, elected in September. 



One of tho most important occurrences was 

 tho assembling of tho Constitutional Conven- 

 tion. On Juno 8th, the delegates from the 

 several towns met, to take such action as they 

 might deem appropriate on the amendments to 

 the constitution proposed by the Council of 

 Censors. Tho convention had no power to 

 originate or propose amendments, but was con- 

 fined to ratifying or rejecting, without altera- 

 tion, such as were offered by the council. This 

 council is composed of fourteen members, 

 elected by the people, and convenes once in 

 seven years. Its duty is to examine tho con- 

 stitution and its operation during the interval, 

 and to draft and formally propose whatever 

 amendments may be deemed necessary. The 

 Legislature then provides for the appointment 

 of a convention to take action thereon. 



The articles of amendment which were pre- 

 sented to the convention were as follows : 



ABTICLE I. Corporations shall not be created, nor 

 their powers increased or diminished by special laws, 

 except for municipal purposes. 



ARTICLE II. Section 1. The General Assembly shall 

 meet on the first Wednesday of October, biennially ; 

 the first election shall be on the first Tuesday of Sep- 

 tember, A. D. 1870; the first session of the General 

 Assembly on the first Wednesday of October, A. D. 

 1870. 



Sec. 2. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Treas- 

 urer of the State, senators, town representatives, 

 Assistant Judges of the County Court, sheriffs, high 

 bailiffs, State's Attorneys. Judges of Probate, and 

 justices of the peace, shall be elected biennially, on 

 the first Tuesday of September, in the manner pre- 

 scribed by the constitution of the State. 



Sec. 8. The term of office of the Governor, Lieu 

 tenant-Governor, and Treasurer of the State, respec- 

 tively, shall commence when they shall be chosen 

 and qualified ; and shall continue for the term of two 

 years, or until their successors shall be chosen and 

 qualified, or to the adjournment of the session of 

 the Legislature at which, by the constitution and 

 laws, their successors are required to be chosen, and 

 not after such adjournment. 



Sec. 4. The term of office of senators and town rep- 

 resentatives shall be two years, commencing on tho 

 first Wednesday of October following their election. 



Sec. 6. The term of service of the assistant judges 

 of the county court, sheriffs, high bailiffs, State's 

 attorneys, judges of probate, and justices of tho 

 peace, shall be two years, and shall commence on 

 tho first day of December next after their election. 



ARTICLE "ill. Whenever the office of senator or 

 town representative shall become vacant from any 

 cause, tho Legislature may provide by law for filling 

 such vncniii-y: 



