Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-01-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
THURSDAY. Dec. 80. 1858.

vhiskcy and plum-pudding exceptionally
bv attendance at mass by the Ronanists, and
at church by the Episcopaliars, and by more
transformations but not less grateful home
rcjoirings by christians di other denomina-
items. At the principal Catholic church there
was succession Of high and low masses
from four o'clock in the morning to eleven
A. NJ, Intended by great crowds Of Catholics
and 6tharss the Episcopal service was at
eleven A. NJ; and after that the most marked
feature exhibited out of doors was drunken
ness. never saw so much Of il here before
and a great part boys The Union Of Mon
day morning confirmed my observations, as
follows
The police returns disclose a lameniable amount Of
drunkenness ON Christmas day. especially among Young
lads. There hundred and two cases. all but
two or three for drunkenness, fighting, Sc. OF these,
loy Of II years, two cases were boys of II
Years four cases were bows of from l6 10 20 years aud in
a herc Of - ears and under, a cases, nearly
ouehaE These figures speak for themselves, aud show
the necessity OF thorough reformation 10 the habits "
those incipcut rowdr,.
What w. C's. ore aboui-Agricahurai Report
for 1857.
Notwithstanding the long recess, suppose
that nearly half of the Members Of Congress
are in the city; and they are not idle. De-
voting, of course. portion Of time to visits
of courtesy and acquaintanceship, the larger
portion is given to labor--by some in prcpar
ing business for the session. and by almost all
in preparing themselves to give their time 10
the business Of tho House hereafter. by inn
proving the present opportunity to send oft
the Agricultural Report for 1857. This doc
ument has just been printed, and it is deliver
ed as fast the books can be bound, but not
fast enough to supply the demands of mem
bcrs. Each member Of the House receives
eight hundred copies, to be distributed among
population averaging over one hundred
thousand to each Congressional district; and
in our District, among nearly six thousand
persons whose names are on tho list, of
course about five thousand of the list cannot
possibly be supplied. BY the way the Me
chanical Report Of the Patent Office vas
published three months ago, and the quota
for our District was Immediately distributed,
to the last copy. The supply was only one
third as large as heretofore. and averaged less
than ono copy to each town in the District
state this fact as answer to applications
for copies.
lParm llork for Senator Douglas.
Mr. Douglas has not arrived yet. When
he does come he will probably receive a very
warm recepton--trom both friends and enc
mics. His friends contemplate public dem
onstration which the Administration frowns
upon. it is reported His enemies appear to
be rery warm. For instance, Senator Sidel
has published letter. in which he charges
Senator Douglas with slandering him, through
bis lD's) private Secretary; and Senator
Jones has published another, in which he
charges Senator Douglas with le-dealing
and trckery, and three iasehoods These
mot very gende) men are all Senators And
withal it is family quarrel all being Demo-
Gratis Were Mr.. Douglas a courageous
Southern man, he would come here to find
two duels on his hands There is some Gu
riosity to see what he will do.
TIE 1critories-Ne,c Propositions.
Mr. Morris of Illinois Douglas Dem. has
proposed the following bill to the House,
and made rpeech thereon, in the course of
which he was interrupted by Mr. Richie,
(Repub.) with the objection that Utah, under
this bill, would stick to Brigham Young and
polygamy. Mr.. Morris would treat that as
AN exceptional case. 1t will be seen that this
bill strips the President of the power to ap-
point Governors and Judges, and of controll-
ing the Territories through them, as was done
in the case of Kansas and also that it re-
quires a popular vote on the adoption of a
State Constitution. On this condition, any
Territory may apply for admission as State
as soon as il has population equal to one Con
gressional District This bill does not touch
slavery e., does not exclude it-but the
people may or may not exclude it, of course
when a constitution is adopted The bill
gives the Territorial Legislatures no power.
on this subject, or any other and it may
well be doubted whether they can exercise
any powers save such as shall be authorized
by Congress 1t strikes me that the cham
pion of popular sovereignty has failed, in this
bill. in this very material feature.
li.l for an act srsn.ing 70 the people several or AN
rrd Ierteifs u The United the
NouRh Their respective sgi.ature-, the apponmcn
e.c'nh OF h-r governors Jmlgrs, and uthrr Territorial
nc r, IN .ueh mode or manner said Legislature may b,
ltN determine.
SECTION /. BE Il enacted, Dc. That the people Of IN,
several organized Territories Of the United States be ane
they are hereby authorized and empowered To elect he
Governors Judges and all other Territorial officers,
such mode or manner their respective Legislature,
may by law determine and 10 define their powers and
prescribe their duties Piorded, That nothing herein
contained shall be SO construed 10 inefere with thf
rghi Of the existing officers in said Territories or hos,
mat may be hereafter appointed by the President "a
h'la uer respective Offices until their successors are an
pointed or elected, and qualified in Pursuance Of the
Of said Territories
SIC The people Of the Territories hereafter organ
lied by act Of Congress shall be vested with the sam,
fgnt ana power Of appointing eecting their Cover
nofs Jedges and all other Territorial officers and de
lining Their powers and prescribing their duties which
by the provision OF the foregoing section are conicrrc,
on the people OF the Territories organized
SEC. That all suits and causes Of action In the sal
TERRITORIES, arising under the Constitution and laws a
tho Ouited States, shall be tried al such times and II
suah manner as Congress may by law provide.
SIC a. That the people Of any Territory Of the Unit
ca states now organized, which may be hereafter or
gani1ei, are hereby authorized and empowered 10 call
Convention AND frame Constitution preparatory 10 adj
mission INTO the Union as State IN such manner a
Their Legislature may by law prescribe pyortded Tina
ad Inn into, 81. ~.