rebuilding and repairs; and Thomas E. Powers of Woodstock a Committee to superintend the work. Thomas W. Silloway of Boston was employed as architect until the autumn of 1857, when Joseph R. Richards of Boston succeeded him and was employed until the buildings were ready for use.

Feb. 27 1857, Elisha P. Jewett, George W. Collamer, and Erastus Hubbard, citizens of Montpelier, executed a bond in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, as required by the first section of the act approved on that day. The Committee to prepare a plan acted so promptly that on the 25th of the succeeding March, Superintendent Powers issued proposals for contracts, which were speedily made, and the work was so steadily and successfully pressed, that the present much enlarged and improved State-House was completed for use on the 13th of October 1859. The cost of rebuilding and furnishing to Oct. 22 1860, was $140,996.63. Subsequently there was paid, under special acts, $5,400 to Superintendent Powers, and $2,000 to Larkin G. Mead for the statue of Ethan Allen-making the total cost $148,396.63. Of this sum, the State received $42,220.72 from citizens of Montpelier, and the balance of the total cost was paid by the State. Citizens of Montpelier subscribed for rebuilding the house, in May 1868, $10,000, which sum was paid to the State Treasurer; and in December 1858 they subscribed the further sum of $52,795 for the same purpose, making the total subscription $62,795. The subscribers on the December list gave notes for their respective subscriptions, which were deposited in the Bank of Montpelier, and the Vermont Bank, as security for advances by the banks to the State, and the total amount actually paid by citizens of Montpelier on the last subscription, for advances to the State and interest thereon, was $34,446.82, -making their actual contribution, in the two subscriptions, $44,446.82, exclusive of interest on the first $10,000 advanced. The estimated cost of rebuilding, when the act of February 1857 was passed, was $45,785. The sum actually paid by Montpelier having approximated nearly to the estimate made when the bond was exacted of her citizens, the legislature, at the October session of 1859, assumed the payment of whatever was then due for the enlargement and furnishing of the State-House, and made an appropriation for that purpose.3

The third and present State-House in Montpelier is in the yard and occupies the site of the second house, and is of the same order of architecture-the portico, which is the most beautiful part of the exterior, being precisely the same. The length of the central building is, however, thirteen feet eight inches greater than that of the second house, and each of the wings were lengthened twelve feet six inches, thus ad

1 Vermont House Journal for 1860, p. 382.

2 From the subscription papers and accounts of the banks. Vermont Capitol, p. 103; and Laws of 1859, p. 6.

ding about one fourth to the commodiousness of the building without detracting from its beauty. There were other changes in the roof to each wing, and in the dome, which will sufficiently appear on comparing the engravings of the two buildings. Still greater changes were made in the interior, specially in construction to guard against fire, the apparatus for heating and lighting, and the furniture. As the building remains, and is likely to remain as long as it shall be required, a detailed description here is deemed unnecessary.' It is right to declare here, however, that at an expenditure far less than that of many other States for the same purpose, Vermont has a capitol which, for beauty of architecture, solidity of construction, and adaptation to the purposes of legislation, will bear comparison with any of the much more costly piles which have since been erected elsewhere for the same purposes.

'For details see A Description of the State-Houses of Vermont, printed in 1859; and the Vermont Watchman & State Journal of Oct. 21 1859.

APPENDIX D.

THE VERMONT STATE BANK-1806.

ESTABLISHED IN 1806-CEASED ISSUING BILLS IN 1812.

Except the issue by the State of bills of credit in 1781, to the amount of £25,155,' the issue of no paper money was authorized by Vermont until 1806, when an act was passed establishing the VERMONT STATE BANK. The inconveniences and losses to the people of the State, by reason of a want both of specie and good paper, and an abundance of counterfeit money of both sorts, had been very great. Impelled by their necessities, a portion of the people petitioned the legislature for relief in 1786, and in response various measures were submitted to a vote of the people, and among them one was as to the issue of paper money, which was negatived by a vote of 2197 to 456.-See Vol. III, pp. 364–366, 371. This vote was small in proportion to the population of the State, but nevertheless it proved that a very large majority of the people were doubtful as to the expediency of incorporating banks, and no attempt. was made until 1803, when the House passed bills for two banks, one at Windsor and one at Burlington, evidently aiming to accommodate the people on each side of the Green Mountains, and doubtless succeeding only by a combination of the friends of each of the proposed banks. The majority in the House was small, the vote being 93 to 83 on the Windsor bill, while the Council non-concurred by a vote of 12 to 1, and assigned weighty reasons therefor3. When the reasons of the Council had been read, on motion of Lewis R. Morris the clerk was directed to enter them on the journal of the House, and both bills were referred to the next session. No definite action was had in 1804, but in 1805 the IIouse

'These bills were faithfully redeemed. See Vol. III, pp. 381-383. Printed Assembly Journal of 1803, p. 173.

3See Vol. 1, pp. 380–391, for vote and reasons. 'Printed Assembly Journal of 1803, pp. 234–5.