Chap. 6. 



LEGISLATIVE PROCEEINDGS. 



101 



RAIL ROAD COMPANIES CHARTERED. 



UNITED STATES BAMK. 



legislature, after 32 ballotings, Mr. Crafts 

 was elected, by a small majority. The 

 abolition of imprisonment for debt had in 

 former 3'ears frequently engaged the at- 

 tention of the legislature, and, in his 

 speech, the governor again invited atten- 

 tion to the subject. After much debate, 

 a law was passed declaring that on all 

 judgments obtained upon debts contract- 

 ed after the 1st day of January, ISSl, the 

 debtor may, witliin two hours after the 

 rendition of such judgment, before a court 

 of justice, submit himself to an examina- 

 tion on oath by such court or creditor, or 

 his attorney, toucliing his situation, cir- 

 cumstances, or property, and may be en- 

 titled to the beneht of tlie oath, which 

 shall be administered to such debtor by 

 said court of justice, and a record made 

 thereof, and no execution shall be issued 

 thereon. 



In 1831, each of the three parties sup- 

 ported its candidate for governor, in con- 

 sequence of which, no election was made 

 by the people. The choice again devolv- 

 ing upon the legislature, Mr. Palmer, the 

 antimasonic candidate, was elected at the 

 ninth balloting by a majority of one vote. 

 In his speech he says that "the general 

 condition of our country is that of peace, 

 prosperity and- happiness. Compared with 

 any other people, we have the most abun- 

 dant cause for grateful acknowledgement 

 to the Author of all good, tliat our lot has 

 been cast here." After making the cus- 

 tomary appointments of civil officers, the 

 house proceeded with diligence in dis- 

 charge of their remaining duties. Few 

 subjects of general interest were brought 

 up, and most of t)ie acts, passed this ses- 

 sion, were of a local or private nature. 

 Among tjie bills passed, was one taxing 

 foreign bank stock, one incorporating the 

 Bennington and Brattleborough rail road 

 companj', and one incorporating the Rut- 

 land and Whitehall rail road company. 

 Several new banks were also granted. 



In 1832, there was again no election of 

 governor by the people, and at tlie 43d 

 balloting, ]\Ir. Palmer was re-elected by 

 the general assembly. In his message, 

 after adverting to our obligations of grati- 

 tude to God on account of our exemption 

 from the direful ravages of the cholera, 

 which had been experienced during the 

 year by the neighboring states and prov- 

 inces; he called the attention of the legis- 

 lature, among other things, to the subject 

 of tlie tariff, the United States Bank, ttc. 

 In compliance with these suggestions, a 

 series of resolutions were adopted request- 

 ing our delegation in Congress to oppose 

 a reduction of the tariff, to aid in procur- 

 ing appropriations for internal improve- 



ments, to use their influence to procure 

 the recharter of the United States Bank, 

 and to prevent encroachments upon the 

 authority of t^e supreme court of tlie 

 United States. An act was also passed 

 providing for the erection of a new state 

 house in Montpelier, by a vote of 115 to 

 83 ; and ^30,000 were appropriated for 

 that purpose, — the people of Montpelier 

 liaving pledged themselves to pay one 

 half of that sum into the treasury of the 

 state. 



When the legislature came toffether in 

 1833, William A. Palmer was found to be 

 elected governor by the people. Nothing- 

 of unusual interest came before that body. 

 Resolutions were passed, expressive of 

 the gratitude of the legislature to the au- 

 thorities of Lower Canada, for their effi- 

 cient efforts in breaking up a combination 

 of counterfeiters and forgers on our north- 

 ern borders and also appointing commis- 

 sioners to confer with commissioners on 

 the part of Lower Canada, in relation to 

 alleged obstructions in the outlet of lake 

 Champlain, in consequence of which some 

 of our citizens were supposed to be in- 

 jured by the raising of the waters of the 

 lake. But the subject which produced 

 most discussion at this session was the 

 traffic in ardent spirits. Sundry petitions 

 and memorials having been received, they 

 were referred to a select committee of 

 one member from each county. This 

 committee reported a general bill in rela- 

 tion to retailers of spirituous liquors, di- 

 recting the mode of obtaining licenses 

 and regulating houses of public entertain- 

 ment, which was finally passed, and the 

 previous laws on this subject repealed. 



In 1834, the people having again failed 

 in tiie choice of a governor, Mr. Palmer 

 was re-elected by the general assembly. 

 In his message, he thus expresses his 

 opinion in relation to a United States 

 Bank : " That a national bank, with prop- 

 er powers and restrictions, is both neces- 

 sary and constitutional, I do not doubt. 

 I deem, however, tlie charter of the pres- 

 ent bank exceptionable in several of its 

 provisions, and am opposed to its renewal 

 in its present form." Tlie committee, to 

 which this portion of the governor's mes- 

 sage and other matters in relation to the 

 proceedings of the general government 

 were referred, reported : " That a nation- 

 al bank, with powers properly limited and 

 restricted, is essentia], if not indispensa- 

 ble, as a fiscal agent, as well as necessary 

 to sustain a sound and uniform currency, 

 and give the requisite facilities to trade, 

 commerce, and manufactures : — That an 

 equitable distribution among the several 

 states of the moneys arising from the sale 



