On motion of Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Henry B. Williams, the member elect from the town of Monkton, was admitted to a seat in the House without producing his credentials, and was duly sworn.

Mr. Elisha B. Hurd presented his credentials as the representative of the town of Sandgate, which being in due form, he was sworn and admitted to his seat in the House.

The Secretary of State directed the House to the election of Speaker for the year ensuing, and requested the members to prepare and deposit ballots for such person as they would elect to that office.

Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Aiken and Mr. Hinckley were appointed tellers.

The ballots having been taken and examined, it appeared that

GEORGE W. GRANDEY,

the representative of the city of Vergennes, had received a majority of the votes cast, and he was declared elected Speaker of the House of Representatives for the year ensuing.

The Secretary of State designated Mr. Langdon of Montpelier, and Mr. Joyce, to wait on the Speaker elect, inform him of his election, and conduct him to the chair.

The committee performed the duty assigned them, whereupon the Speaker was duly sworn, and addressed the House as follows:

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

For your kind consideration in conferring on me this distinguished honor, I beg you to accept the tender of my warmest thanks. I wish it were in my power to express to you fully, the deep and grateful sensibility awakened in my heart, by this generous and flattering tribute of your good opinion and your good will. Although not without some experience in the discharge of the duties of this Chair, yet I trust none of you will doubt me when I confess, that that experience has failed to relieve me from a nervous and embarrassing consciousness of my liability to errors and mistakes, in spite of my most cautious endeavors to perform those duties with parliamentary correctness and propriety. But, a recollection of that brief experience, happily assures me that in my efforts to execute faithfully and impartially this delicate and difficult trust, I can always safely rely on the kind indulgence and the sustaining sympathy of the House, and may rest in perfect confidence that its benign charity never faileth, but patiently endureth and forgiveth all things, and that the broad mantle of its brotherly kindness is ever ready to cover a multitude of errors. And, gentlemen, in entering upon our duties as legislators, and endeavoring to fulfil the high and sacred obligations of that oath we have just taken, to act" as the faithful and honest representatives and guardians of the people," I pledge you my diligent and obedient service, and a careful impartially and fidelity in the administration of my peculiar duties as your presiding officer.

It shall be my highest aim, gentlemen, to attain the enviaable success of fulfilling your expectations and deserving and securing the verdict of your approval.

And I trust it will be the high and conscientious purpose of us all, so to perform our responsible duties, as lawmakers, that whatever measures we may adopt, and whatever laws we may enact, will not only meet the intelligent sanction of our constituents, but will also be in accordance with that higher law, "whose seat is the bosom of God, and whose voice is the harmony of the world."

The Speaker directed the House to the election of Clerk for the year ensuing, and requested that ballots be prepared and deposited for that purpose.

Mr. Wood, Mr. Gleed and Mr. Aldrich were appointed tellers.

The ballots having been taken and counted, it appeared that

DAVID M. CAMP,

of Newport, had received a majority of the votes cast, and was declared duly elected Clerk of the House of Representatives for the year ensuing. Presenting himself at the bar of the House, he was duly sworn, and entered upon the duties of his office.

On motion of Mr. Wheat, Austin P. Graham was admitted to a seat in the House, as a representative of the town of Winhall, without producing his credentials, and he was duly sworn.

Mr. Frisbie offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That each member of the House forward immediately to the Clerk, on a slip of paper prepared for that purpose, his name in full, town and county, number of seat, boarding-place with number of room, the name of the newspaper he elects to take during the session, with the designation of the place of delivery of the same; to enable the Secretary of State to complete the Legislative Directory, and the Clerk to distribute the papers ordered;

Which was read and adopted.

Mr. Wheelock offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the House do now proceed to the election of a Chaplain for the present session;

Which was read and adopted.

The House proceeded at once to the election of Chaplain, and the Speaker appointed Mr. Wales, Mr. Burt and Mr. Gleed, tellers. .

The ballots having been taken and examined, it appeared that

REV. RICHARD MORGAN,

of Northfield, had received a majority of the votes cast, and was declared duly elected Chaplain of the House of Representatives for the year ensuing.

The following named gentlemen presented their credentials, which were in due form, to wit:

Mr. Rufus N. Hemenway, as the representative of the town of Ludlow;

Mr. Andrew Jackson, as the representative of the town. of Panton;

Who, appearing at the bar of the House, were duly sworn and admitted to their seats.

Mr. Wheelock offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Clerk be hereby directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has completed its organization, and is ready on its part to proceed with the business of the session;

Which was read and adopted

Mr. Grover introduced the following Resolution :

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to wait on his Excellency, the Governor, inform him of the organization of the House, and of its readiness to receive any communication from him;

Which was read and adopted.

The Speaker appointed as such committee,

Mr. Grover,
"Hunt,
"Dickey.

Mr. Grover, from such committee, reported that they had performed the duty assigned them, and that the Governor would soon make his communication to the House through his Secretary.

Mr. Boyce offered the following resolution :

Resolved, That the rules of the House of Representatives for the last session be adopted as the rules of this House until otherwise ordered;

Which was read and adopted.

Mr. Pratt offered the following joint resolution:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives,

That the joint rules of the last session be the joint rules of the present session until others are adopted;

Which was read and adopted on the part of the House.
On motion of Mr. Abell, the House adjourned.

AFTERNOON.

A message from his Excellency, the Governor, by Mr. Burnham, Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs, as follows: MR. SPEAKER: I am directed by the Governor, to deliver to the House of Representatives, a communication in writing, with an accompanying document.

The Speaker laid before the House a communication from his Excellency, the Governor, as follows:

STATE OF VERMONT,

Executive Chamber, Montpelier, Oct. 15, 1869. To the Senate aud House of Representatives:

I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the use of the General Assembly, the official copy of the proposed Fifteenth Article to the Constitution of the United States. This proposed Amendment so accords with the spirit and letter of our Constitution, and its principles have been so often affirmed by the action of the Fathers of our State, that your prompt. action in ratifying it cannot but meet the approval of our people.

In retiring from the discharge of the duties to which the suffrages of the Electors have called me, permit me, through you, to express to the people of Vermont my heartfelt thanks for the considerate kindness with which my official acts have been received.

JOHN B. PAGE.

The Speaker also laid before the House a copy of a resolution, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as follows:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Department of State. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

I certify, that annexed is a true copy of a Concurrent Resolution of Congress, entitled "A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States," the