Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-02-18
FROM WASHINGTON.
THURSDAY, Feb. 10. ls.

thc Southern and Western Illinois. Doug
Jas DEM neutrality-suspicious. and Con-
hccticut no, present Still the song was for
ftee-tradc; and, in spite Of the fact that the
Tariff Of 1857 gave only torty-one millions
Of revenue to eighty-one millions of expenses,
the caucus was against raising the Duties
The scheme talked of was to reduce expenses
Very good, so far but practically, their re-
trcnchment will be-'ssving at the spiggot
and wasting at the bung" We have had a
grial of il in the House for three or four days,
on the bill for legislative and executive ex-
penses Lots Of little amendments have been
agreed to in Committee Of the Whole but
the result unqucstionably will be that some
of them will be disagreed TO 10y the House ;
and, finally the Senate win force through
pretty much the entire original bill on a com
mittee Of conference In fact, the Democratic
Senate has already added to one Of the House
bills Probably one good thing will grow
ont of the necessities Of the Treasury and
the clamor for rctrcnchmcnt think the
President will not get thirty millions for Cuba
or electioneering. The Pennsylvania Dem
ocrats met in separate caucus ON Saturday
evening, and unanimously decided that the
Democracy is not bound by the iree-tradc
caucus, and that they the ennsylyanians
would sustain the President in an increase of
the Tariff, with "specfc duties and "inc-
= ais
tariff article in the official organ the "Union
Of yesterday Sunday morning have heard
one Of the prominent friends of a moderate
protective policy say that the Union has
adopted their strong points and it is strongly
suspected that the President himself had
hand in the article. Appropos there was
complaint entered against the Union, in the
iree-trade caucus. The States DOM on
Wednesday accuses the Secretary of the
Treasury of AN "irresolute spirit and de-
clares that "tho Administration is a unit in
favor of protection" If so, the Admins
tration is in the minority in both Houses Of
Congress, and will have to call upon the Re
puhlicans to save the Government and the
country Last night, the Democratic mem
bors of the House held another caucus, and
voted not to increase the tariff. but to author
i've the reissue Of treasury notes, and reduce
appropriations as far practicable.
Oregon-- Debate on The Presidents Message
On Monday. Mr.. Stevens of Georgia made
another unsuccessful attempt to get at the
Oregon bill. Nearly all the Republicans and
Americans voted against setting apart day
for territorial business, knowing that terri
toiial business" meant Oregon. A reason or
two for this the Americans object to the
Constitution Of Oregon because it admits
alien suffrage; and the Republicans, because
1t not only goes the whole length of the bred
Scott decision against free persons of African
descent, but "a qurater over 1t prohibits
colored men from coming into the State, or
owning property in it, or even maintaining a
s"d in it for any purpose Literally, then.
IA colored man can have no rights in Ore
gon that white men are bound to respect
Yet colored men are citizens of Vermont. and
of many other States, slave and free and. as
citizens of such States, are entitled to rights
even in Oregon, by the Federal Constitution
In a word, most Republicans believe that
they cannot vote for the admission of Oregon
with its present constitution. without giving,
practically. the adhesion Of Congress TO the
bred Scott decision, and violating the Fed
eral Constitution. Moreover, they arc en-
couraged by request from people of Oregon
to reject the State with its present constitu-
ton. Under this condition Of the question.
the Republicans generally will hold ont
against the bill for her admission. The bill
will be read to-day
There has been some surprise abroad that
so little debate upon the Presidents message
has been had especially by the opposition
members. In the first place. while the Dem
ocrats were qnarrelling among themselves on
the slaye-trade and the Tariff, the policy of
the Republicans was to "give them rope. 49,
On the other bend, the policy of the majority
in the House has been, not to indulge very
free debate on the Republican side. So it has
happened that while, ostepsibiy, the House has
authorized four weeks of evening sessions of
the Committee of the Whole to discuss the
message, really we have had tow evenings,
or thereabout. And what are these evening
sessionss Well chairman is necessary
and at least one member on the floor to make
a speech-almost universally committed TO
memory or written. This is the general rule
for elaborate speeches. These two--a chair
man and speech-maker-ar enough for a
committee Of the whole !" but usually there
will be dozen or two of members, nearly all
mating for The floor. The galleries, however.
will show a good attendance of ladies and
gentlemen. Now. such committee" GER
tainly is not very inspiring to the orator, and
the most sensitive of that class, unless they
have something that must come out either
decline speaking altogether, or ask leave TO
print. On Monday evening, about the usual
dozen members--not many more nor many
less-were in attendance, and with speeches
enough for three evenings at least--each
member doubtful whether even one moro
evening will be given to general debate. |
say general debate" for, when the House is