Rutland Independent from Rutland, Vermont • 1

Mtttttjf BY MC LEAN BOBBINS. RUTLAND, JUNE 22, 1867. $2 a year. Vol. 1.

No. 49. Christian Association. A Meeting for completing the organization of this Association was held on Monday evening last. The following additional officers were elected Vice Presidents Geo.

A. Merrill, Israel D. Cole, T. C. Potter, E.

P. Gilson. Auditor E. G. Mason.

Directors E. V. N. Harwood, E. W.

Horner, Geo. W. Stetson, Cornelius Gleghorn. It was voted that unless otherwise ordered, the future meetings of the Association should be closed at nine o'clock the sessions to commence at eight o'clock precisely. Adjourned to next Monday evening.

All young men who are willing to place themselves under Christian influence and instruction are invited to attend. ings held about the year 1795, adopted the following sentiment as one of its fundamental principles In the choice of persons to fill the offices of government it is essential to the existence of a free Republic, that every citizen should act according to his own judgment, and, therefore any attempt to corrupt or delude the people in exercising the rights of suffrage, either by promising the favor of one candidate, or traducing the character of another, is an offence equally injurious to moral rectitude and civil liberty." This sentimentis unquestionably sound but yet what an unnecessary departure from it do not witness at the present day How few are there who, in the selection of officers, exercise their own unbiased judgment, or who pretend even to exercise any judgment at all? Hardly one in fifty of our voters, in many cases, have a voice in the most important of all the citizen's duties, that of making the selection of candidates for the principle offices of the State. And how many are there not who readily accept a railroad ticket, or a printed ballot, under circumstances that render the purity and integrity of the ballot almost impossible We don't see the need of party machinery being forced upon us as a means of selecting our candidates for office. It seems to us full of corruption, and dangerous to free government and we see no difficulty in setting it aside, and leaving the work which it now' does to our regular March meetings. ET POFULUSQUE.

The President untl a Summer Session of Congress. The insidious attempt now evidently being made by the President to thwart the will of the people, as expressed through Congress, in the military reconstruction act, is becoming better understood, and is fast arousing public attention. Upon the first announcement of the Attorney General's "opinion" in regard to the powers granted to the military commanders in the unreconstructed States, a lame attempt was made by a portion of the northern press to smother the rising indignation of the people; and even after this elaborate opinion was laid before the public, and the alarm raised in various quarters, very many of the Republican papers saw proper to characterize the whole movement as unimportant, and the fears expressed by the more suspicious were spoken of as the simple action of the diseased brains of a few over zealous radicals. The idea that this new move of the President was to necessitate the reassembling of Congress in July, in accordance with a provision made before adjournment at its last session, was scouted at, and charged as emanating with those who only desire to again bring up the question of impeachment. But within the past few days a change seems to have come over the minds of the people throughout the country, and it would appear now that a short session of The Freshet.

Considerable damage has been done in various parts of the country by the recent heavy rains. In this vicinity much harm has been done to the hay crop in the valley of Otter Creek, The railroads have suffered severely. The Bennington and Rutland railroad track was washed away at East Dorset and Danby. Nearly every bridge upon "Mill Brook" as it is called, in Danby was carried away, and many of the roads were impassi'ole. The house of Mr.

Jenkins in Dauby was carried down the current and completely demolished. houses were turned over. At Fort Ann a break occurred in the Champlain canal, washing away a portion of the Saratoga railroad track. Twenty-five rods of the Rutland and AVashington railroad track was washed away near Pawlet. At the present writing all the breaks in the railroads have been repaired and trains are running with their usual promptness.

Base Ball. In the mutch between the "Rutland" and "Fearnaught'' of Middlebury, at Brandon on Saturday last, our boys were victorious. The score was 32 to 49. The "second nines" of the "Rutland" and "Unknown" played a friendly game on Wednesday last resulting as follows Rutland 31, Unknown 29. A Base Ball Club composed of 3G members, has been organized in Brandon, with the following officers Charles Page, President.

J. Cady, Vice President. Charles Ross, Secretary. Henry Kinsman, Treasurer. For the Independent.

IfOW SHALL WE NOMINATE 1 Messrs. Editors: We "were very much pleased with the remarks of One of the Prof-lb" in your issue of June 15th. We agree with him entirely that the selection of candidates for office ought to be left to the people, instead of being exercised by a few irresponsible and interested men. As a general rule those men who engage in the business of wire-working arc the least trustworthy of any of our voters. To leave the duty of selecting our candidates for office to them, would be like turning over the management of the finances of the country to a set of stock gamblers in Wall street.

The selection of persons to fill the offices of the State and conduct its civil affairs is one of the most important duties that pertains to the citizen of a free government, and he can no more neglect that duty with safety to his interests than he can any other duty. Duties bring with them cares and responsibilities, which the citizen cannot neglect or shift off upon others. He must attend to them himself if he values his liberties. Are not our people capable of selecting their own candidates, that this duty should be left to the few who may choose to perform it? It is indeed possible that the'majority at town-meetings may permit the minority to vote the taxes, but the selection of suitable persons to fill offices is a civil duty that cannot be done in that way for, its being well or ill done brings consequences that cannot be met like a mere tax with a few dollars, more or less. Why do we pay so much school tax unless it is to fit individuals for the performance of their duties to the State? And why, having thus fitted them for thcpe duties why do they neglect their performance? It is useless to turn out largely at town meetings as the people do to transact their town business, so long as they leave the important matter of directing the policy of the State to wirc-workes.

No matter how wisely, carefully and economically they may do up their town business, so long as they shall leave the selection of their officers to be seized upon by corporations, railroad influence, newspaper cliques, wire-workers, secret associations, and professional politicians. Their careful town management would be rendered entirely nugatory by allowing such interests to have the control of the State. Wc like especially that suggestion of your correspondent, which would require of every voter that he should write his own ballot. The man who is not capable of doing that, is only fit to be led by wire-workers, and the more thore are of such men, the greater will the opening be for the exercise of the wire-worker's trade. The facilities for printing ballots which arc now offered by a widely diffused press, could also be turned to account in enabling every voter to have his voice in the selection of candidates.

These facilities arc now used for the purpose of reconciling men to the neglect of their duties, and to a dependence upon political managers. By means of the press every man in the State could know by the month of April what candidates having the highest number of votes had been selected by the people at their town meetings in March. Our own organic machinery of civil government, the most perfect ever invented, is machinery enough for our political as well as for our civil affairs, without resorting to that complicated by a thousand improper influences, that is now in operation among us. While we claim to be one of the people, we have no affinities whatever with such democracy as we have had during the last thirty years. Some of the earlier sentiments of the democracy, however, when democracy was in its best days, we believe in.

The Democratic Soci-ty" of Philadelphia, at one of its meet Congress in July is rendered certain, with the view to enact such additional provisions as will render operative the reconstruction law as Congress and the people understood it at the time of its passage. It has been and is still urged by some that as the President has as yet taken no decided action in regard to this matter, an extra session is uncalled for on the ground, we suppose, that a prisoner arraigned for crime is to be regarded as innocent until he is proven guilty. But with the bitter experience which the country has already had of the crooked ways of President Johnson, we think it will be thought advisable to put all the check possible upon him and if a summer session of Congress is had, and still harder terms of compromise imposed upon the South, they may well charge it upon him and his copperhead adherents, who have encouraged and sustained him in his treachery. Temperance Hefting. The second of the series of meetings was held at the Town Hall on Sunday evening last.

A very able and carefully prepared address was delivered by the Rev. D. W. Dayton, of the Methodist church. Although Mr.

Dayton is a small man in stature yet he is a vigorous advocate for every great and good movement which shall tend to further the cause of humanity and elevate the human family. After the address, a manifesto" was read by Dr. Seaver as follows Manifesto of the Law and Order Citizens of Rutland, 77. Whereas, A large proportion of the crime, poverty and disorder of our community is the result of the illegal sale of intoxicating drinks, and being convinced that some decided, united and persistent effort is necessary, on the part of the people, to suppress this evil and to redeem the good name of our village Now, therefore, we, the undersigned, regardless of sect or party, do hereby pledge ourselves in every proper and lawful manner, to strive together for the enforcement of the law, and the punishment of all offenders against it." Dr. Seaver stated that this paper would be circulated throughout the village, giving an opportunity for all to sign it.

We have no doubt that the Courier man that jewel of consistency can obtain a list of the names if he desires. Rev. Mr. Potter presented a resolution endorsing the course pursued by Mr. Seaver and others in enforcing the liquor law, which was almost unanimously adopted by the very large audience present.

The next meeting will be held at Town Hall, Sunday evening, June 0th, when an address may be expected from Dr. Seaver. Democratic State Convention. At the Convention held at Montpelier yesterday, the following nominations were made For Governor John L. Edwards, of Derby.

For Lieutenant Governor Waldo M. Brigham, of Hydepark. For Treasurer James II. Williams, of Bellows Falls. Brandon.

A man named John Dunn employed by the Otter Creek Marble Company at Brandon was run over and killed by the 9.35 passenger train on the Rutland Burlington Railroad Thursday evening, near their quarries in Brandon, lie had laid down upon the track under the influence of strong drink. The rum seller should beheld responsible for the death of an individual which occurs in this manner. Naramore's U. S. Treasury and National Bank Note Detector.

Sure protection against altered Bank Notes, and the best counterfeit detector ever offered to the public, being photographic copies of all the circulating notes issued by act of Congress, taken from proofs on file in the U. Treasury Department. There are eighteen notes in all nine Greenbacks and nine National Bank Notes all of which are photographed on one sheet, convenient for the counting-room. They are also published in pocket-form, suitable for photographic albums, each denomination on a separate card, and all enclosed in a neat case. Price $1.50.

Sawyer Dunn are Universalist Association. The Champlain Universalist Association will meet at East Middlebury June 2G and 27. Persons coming by Railroad will be received at Middlebury Station. Entertainment furnished all who may come. To Correspondents.

The communication of Dick" is too personal. the agents for Rutland County..