VERMONT. 



707 



an alteration of the State constitution of an 

 unusual nature. A Council of Censors is elect- 

 ed, who are required to meet and consider the 

 subjects proposed for the amendments, to draft 

 the articles, and to fix the time for the con- 

 vention to be held. On the last Wednesday 

 of March, such a Council of Censors was elect- 

 ed. This body subsequently met and organ- 

 ized, and called a convention to assemble on 

 June 8, 1870. Certain amendments to the 

 constitution were prepared by them and pub- 

 lished, as follows: 



ARTICLE I. Corporations shall not be created, nor 

 their powers increased or diminisjied, by special laws, 

 except for municipal purposes. 



ART. II. Sec. 1. The General Assembly snail meet 

 on the first Wednesday of October, biennially ; the 

 first election shall be on the first Tuesday of Septem- 

 ber, A. D. 1870 ; the first session of the General As- 

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

 1870. Sec. 2. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, 

 Treasurer of the State, Senators, Town Representa- 

 tives, Assistant Judges of the County Court, Sher- 

 iffs, High-Bailiffs, State's Attorney, Judges of Pro- 

 bate, and Justices of the Peace, shall be elected bi- 

 ennially on the first Tuesday of September, in the 

 manner prescribed by the constitution of the State. 

 Sec. 3. The term of office of the Governor, Lieuten- 

 ant-Governor, and Treasurer, of the State, respective- 

 ly, 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 representatives shall be two 

 years, commencing on the first Wednesday of Octo- 

 ber following their election. Sec. 5. The term of 

 office of the Assistant Judges of the County Court, 

 Sheriffs, High-Bailiffs, State's Attorneys, Judges of 

 Probate, and Justices of the Peace, shall be two 

 years, and shall commence on the first day of De- 

 cember next after their election. 



ART. III. Whenever the office of Senator or town 

 representative shall become vacant from any cause, 

 the Legislature may provide by law for filling such 

 vacancy. 



ART. V. Sec. 1. The Judges of the Supreme Court 

 shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the 

 advice and consent of the Senate. Sec. 2. The term 

 of office of the Judges of the Supreme Court shall 

 be six years, provided that, under the first ap- 

 pointment made in pursuance of this section, one- 

 third of the judges first appointed shall hold their 

 office for the period of four years ; and one-third 

 thereof last in the order of appointment shall hold 

 their offices for a period of two years. Sec. 3. The 

 Judges of the Supreme Court shall, at stated times, 

 receive a reasonable compensation for their services, 

 which shall not be diminished during the terms of 

 their offices. 



ART. . (Proposed for adoption if Article II. is 

 adopted, and Article IV. is rejected.) The Judges 

 of the Supreme Court shall be elected biennially, and 

 their term of office shall be two years. 



ART. V. Hereafter, women shall be entitled to 

 vote, and with no other restrictions than the law shall 

 impose on men. 



ART. VI. Sec. 1. At the session of the General As- 

 sembly of this State, A. D. 1880. and at the session 

 thereof every tenth year thereafter, the Senate may, 

 by a vote of two-thirds of its members, make pro- 

 posals of amendment to the constitution of the 

 State, which proposals of amendment, if concurred 

 in by a majority of the members of the House of 

 Representatives, shall be entered on the journals of 



the two Houses, and referred to the General Assem- 

 bly then next to be chosen, and be published in the 

 principal newspapers of the State ; and, if a majority 

 of the members of the Senate and of the House of 

 Representatives of the next following General As- 

 sembly shall respectively concur in the same pro- 

 posals of amendment, or any of them, it shall be the 

 duty of the General Assembly to submit the pro- 

 posals of amendment so concurred in to a direct vote 

 of the freemen of the State ; and such of said pro- 

 posals of amendment as shall receive a majority of 

 the votes of the freemen voting therein shall become 

 a part of the constitution of the State. Sec. 2. The 

 General Assembly shall direct the manner of voting 

 by the people upon the proposed amendments, and 

 enact all such laws as shall be necessary to procure a 

 free and fair vote upon each amendment proposed, 

 and to carry into effect all the provisions of the pre- 

 ceding section. Sec. 3. The House of Representa- 

 tives shall have all the powers now possessed by the 

 Council of Censors to order impeachments, which 

 shall in all cases be by vote of two-thirds of its mem- 

 bers. Sec. 4. The forty-third section of the second 

 part of the constitution of this State is hereby abro- 



The Democrats of the State held a conven- 

 tion on June 17th, to nominate State officers. 

 Homer W. Heaton was selected as the candi- 

 date for Governor, andMorrell Noyes forLien- 

 tenant-Governor. The following platform was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That the practical working of the Gen- 

 eral Government, as administered by the opposition 

 to the Democratic party, renew our zeal and love for 

 the principles of our party. 



Resolved, That we are still in favor of a strict ad- 

 herence to the Constitution of the United States, as 

 the safeguard of the States. 



Resolved, That the Democracy now, as ever, make 

 no distinction between citizens, whether of native, or 

 foreign birth; and that we sympathize now, as 

 ever, with men of all nationalities striving for self- 

 government. 



Resolved, That we are opposed to the present un- 

 equal system of taxation of the General Government, 

 and to the corrupt and wasteful expenditure of the 

 proceeds of such taxation. 



Resolved, That we prefer a system of government 

 in accordance with the principles of the Democratic 

 party, rather than the present system of radical rule. 



The Eepublican Convention assembled on 

 June 16th, and nominated P. T. Washburn for 

 Governor, and George W. Hendee for Lieuten- 

 ant-Governor. The following platform was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That the Republican-Union party of Ver- 

 mont hereby affirms its adherence to the cardinal 

 principles ol the party, and especially the exclusion 

 of traitors from the ^positions of public trust, the 

 right of impartial suffrage, and the integrity of the 

 public credit. 



Resolved, That we have, confidence that the Ad- 

 ministration will wisely and firmly protect the inter- 

 ests and dignity of the nation in respect to our just 

 claims against Great Britain, and that, in our judg- 

 ment, we can afford to wait until her Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment finds it for her interest to make settlement.. 



Resolved, That we wholly approve the principles 

 and policy of the Administration of President Grant, 

 and we particularly commend that point of his inau- 

 gural address wherein he declares, " I would protect 

 the law-abiding citizen, whether of native or foreign 

 birth, wheresoever his rights are jeopardized, or the 

 flag of our country floats, and would protect the 

 rights of all nations, demanding equal respect for our 

 own. 



