Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-12-29


Russell, Majors & Co., would be able to re-
place the bonds according to promise, deliv-
cred bonds amounting to SS70,000 to Major
Russell, the principal OF that firm, who hypoth-
ecated them to the Bank of the Republic, New
York. This is said to be Bailcy's version of
his unfortunate breach of official trust, which it
was impossible to conceal longer, inasmuch as
the Indian Bureau had applied for the coupons,
to collect the January interest on the bonds alb
stracted. Hence, the confession of Bailey to
the Secretary of the Interior, on Saturday, of
the whole affair.
at is proper to say that the Secretary of War
is implicated in nowise with the abstraction of
the missing bonds, nor is it believed he knew
aught of it until Saturday last. His culpabil-
ity, if any attach to him, consists in the acccp-
tanccs for Russell, Majors & Co. 1t is under
stood, however, that such has been the practice
Of the War Department, and of other depart
mcnts of the Government, in dealing with con-
tractors having heavy monetary transactions
with the Government. If it he that these ac-
ceptanccs of the Secretary of War were for the
the year 1860, the United States will he liable
for such of them as were unconditional. 1t is
alleged in we'll informed quarters, however that
the acceptanccs were TO cover the amount which
would be probably due to Russell, Majors e.
Co., on account of the transportation OF army
supplies for the year 1851. In that event, the
loss to the United States, it is Contended, will
not exceed $4,000, those acceptances being
regarded as clearly illegal. We do not so
think. If the acccptarccs of the Secretary bind
the Government in one ease, for the transport
tation for 1860, they bind equally for 1861,
when held by innocent third parties. The loss
to the Government will be $4,000 certainly,
and may exceed 81 100000.
"The bulk of the bonds distracted, it is be
licyed, were bonds of the state of Missouri, but
there were bonds. also, of Virginia, Tennessee,
and North Carolina.
1--WE have considered it due to the Secretary
of War to give that version of this lamentabie
transaction most favorable to his reputation,
because his friends claim that he had no privity
of Mr. Boiley's dealings with Russell, nor yet
any knowledge of it until it was disclosed by
the voluntary confession of the dcfaulting clerk.
n IS due 10 the pubiic, and 10 o%iuScircs, as
Jattlui chroniclers, ho,rerer, tn state that it is
asserted, and beiierod by many, cren among the
political friends fWe Secretary Of Var, That
he is fdtally implicatcd, and his character
wrecked forcrer. Time and further develop
ments will show the justice or injustice of these
suspicious, which are founded. for the most
part, upon the cloud which the Willctt's Point,
Fort Smelling, and Lime Point affairs have left
on the character of Mr. Floyd"
WAmNGroN, Dec. 21-ll p. m.
at appears that the Secretary of War has
accepted the drafts of Russell. Majors & Co.,
for services yet to be performed. As they could
raise no money on these accrptances. which
were illegal, as the Secretary of War had no
right to pay for services yet to be done, these
gentleman procured, though the assistance Of a
Washington banker, eight hundred and seven
~ thousand dollars worth Of Indian bonds from
Bailey, in order to secure the acceptance Of Mr.
Floyd. The coupons due on the LIST Of Janua-
are said to have been cut of in order to pre-
vent detection. The records in the bureau
have either been purloined or destroyed. The
bonds are mostly of the States Of North Caro-
lima, Missouri, and Tennessee.
"a defalcation of two million dollars in an
other department is spoken Of this evening"
This is a terrible blow upon the Administratio
and the Seceders, but more will follow"
Il FRENCH PRESS ON DISUNION.
Our South Carolina neighbors are in q guam
Diary. They do not know where to go nor wha,
to do with themselves. For a time they sup
posed that England would want them because
she uses so much of their cotton, but England
wont have anything to do with the niggers.-
They then turned to France, confident that
Louis Napoleon would take them under his
powerful protection, and with his vast steam
Meet punish all their enemies. But Franco uan,
listen to their overtures. The La Presse OF
Paris, Dec. 4, says:
France cannot be otherwise
than proud to find her protection claimed OF
her alliance sought by all oppressed nationali-
tipg and IL is lap iutgrscf anil bnr ulorx ,,t 20
fail in any Of the obligations that her high po-
sition imposes upon her. But in the present
case Chat of the p~roffered alliance of the South
crn States the question of independence is
complicated by a question of slavery, and the
one filings an unhappy shadow over the other.
France, who abolished slavery herself, can
not eren seem to protect il in other countries
Such an idea even would do her a serious in
jury. The Americans of South Carolina must.
then. be persuaded that If crer then obtain from
the French GorerHmcnt tile moral suppo,f that
they demand, it rjH not be as propridors, 6ut
in spite Of Meir being proprietorS Of SHARES. and
by virtue of the principle, acknowledged for
thirty years, thst all governments de tdcto shall
be recognised by the governments of Europe
and America.
There is undoubtedly an
extreme party, which is recruited chiefly from
country planters. whose principal wealth is in
slave property and whose revenue lies in the
produce of the soil. But. by a strange contrast,
while Southern agriculturists are the most de-
termined in favor OF slavery, the most "fanatical
abolitionists are to be found among the agricul-
turists of the North.
The sca-coast towns, on the contrary, arc
strongly conservative. New York gave % 100
majority against Lincoln; New Orleans voted
for Bell and Charleston, Savannah, and all
other Southern ports have, to a certain extent.
opposed the tide of schism proclaimed at Au-
gusta and Columbia. The reason is that the
maritime towns understand better than all 9TH
ers that the prosperity Of the Union depends
upon union, and that in rupture the basis of lis
success is destroyed! Commercial instinct rises
in them to the height of political intuition, and
merchants and traders are at this time the tru-
est patriots.
France has in the United States the same in
terest that these large towns have, and ought
to follow the same line of conduct. The rup-
ture of the Union will entail more risks than
benefits; for while the commerce of England
and the whole of Europe will be admitted, with
-ALn aun- L. L. L. 49, L.