Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-12-25

/ that ought to have prevailed throughout the |
Hall The Hall is in the South wing Of the
new capitol, and the Speakers desk is on the
South side every thing but the magnetic nee
die points Southvard now, by Democratic au-
thority-haply, against the laws of nature
and of common sense, which will ere long as
sert their sovereignty. For, observe, that as
the Speakers desk is on the South, so the
members seats are arranged in scmi-circles
from southeast TO the north, and thence to
southwest. The sign Of power is in the
South but the source Of power is from all the
other points of the compass. How truly, of-
ter all, docs this Hall represent the actual po-
litical position of the country. Let the pco-
pie look to the source Of power for Reform
To return to the Hall it is constructed on
scientific principles as TO acoustics, and would
be a success, were it not that the lungs Of any
man are too weak to overpower the combined
noises of conversation, letter-writing, frank
ing documents, rapping for messengers and
pages, and the constant running TO and fro of
these nuisances, rendered necessary for the
convenience of members who choose to neg
lect the debates and public business for their
correspondence. The removal into the new
Hall should have been made the occasion for
a radical reform in this respect, and that sug
gsston was made to the Speaker through the
press but it has not been adopted. and prob
ably will not be, as the many who take part
30 % Il. 4 Al.
bly, devoted to public affairs, may be unwil-
ling now to submit to tho rehnte which fho
change would imply The lighting OF the
Hall is a trumph-the simplest yet greatest
wonder of the whole As | have said the
roof is Of iron panels, the central portion,
equal to onc-third or more of the Hall, being
filled with stained glass. Above the glass,
and on the iron panels is run gas-pipo to
the length, nearly, of three-fourths of a mile.
This pipe is perforated for forty five thousand
iots of gas When the torch is applied to
one jet, ignition runs, like lightning from jet
to jet, and in twenty seconds, forty-fve thou
sand flames are blazing, shedding flood Of
light, soft as the moons, and yet amply sufi-
cicnt for writing reading in every part of
the Hall. The effect where of course not
single blaze is to be seen through the ground
or stained glass far above is magical.
business introduced Jy Vermont Members.
In the Senate by Mr.. Foor, bill making
grants Of public lands to actual settlers,
Homestead bill. Also bill for the relief
Of Geo r. Marsh
In the House, by Mr. MoBRrII, o bill
granting lands to each State and Territory for
the endowment of a college in each, in which,
without excluding other scientific and cassi-
cal instruction, agriculture and the mechanic
arts shall be leading feature This bill APP
propriates 20, 900 acres, valued at 81, 25 per
acre. for each electoral vote The portion of
Vermont would therefore be 100000 acres,
valued at s125,OOO. OF the income, 10 per
cent. may go for experimental farms, but the
remainder all for endowment, leaving the
states to pay the expense of disposing Of the
lands, and Of constructing buildings Mr.
Morrill, moved a reference of the bill to the
Committee on Agriculture, Of which he is a
member, and supported the motion briefly
and handsomely. Mr. Letcher of Virginia
-l-....v,s- zoe tlre committee on rdD1c
Lands, and carried his point-ayes lO5 to 80
nays; nearly party vote, the Republicans
and two-thrds Of the Americans, supporting
Mr.. Morrill's motion, while the Administra-
ton men backed up Mr.. Letcher
/ BY Mr.. RoYoE, bill for the relief of Geo
/ p. Marsh.
By Mr.. WALroN, the memorial of Daniel
Bedding of Moretown, VT, praying for com
'pensation for the services Of Moses Bedding
deceased, in the army of the royolution-refer-
red to Committee on Revolutionary Claims
also the petitions of Obadiah Bemis and rs
others, citizens of Washington Co., VT, and of
Elisha Bedell and ll9 others, citizens Of Coos
Co., N. H., both praying for an act giving
pension to officers and soldiers who served in
the last war with Great Britain-both refer
red to Committee on Military Affairs.
Political.
Senator DoUGIAs stands firmly in his new
position, and is evidently bent upon bringing
tut administration 10 MS BIounu. OF uelcat-
ing it. To-day he refused to vote for the
Democratic caucus candidate for Printer to
the Senate. Yesterday, Mr.. Cox of Ohio
(dem.) took him to task, and attempted to
apply the Administration lash. Cox wouldn't
finch. Hughes then presented a resolution,
declaring that the principles of The Presidents
message ought to be carried out by Congress-
This was designed to bring the Northern
Democrats to the point, either of subservien-
cy or. rebellion. Hughes demanded the pre-
vious question, and the democracy rallied TO
second it, For fear that it might possibly,
the Republicans followed voting with the
Denis. This alarmed the Denis, and Hugh
es backed out-withdrew his resolution: so
it was the Administration that did not dare
try its strength Their game now is to wait,
hoping that the people of Kansas will relieve
them from their terrible prcdicament. 1t is
said that Gov. Walker has resigned.