Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-04-06

provision to restore the service as il was pre-
vious to July LIST, 1859. have no doubt
this will be agreed to without material amend
mcnt.
The Warlike Measures.
The appropriation of a million of dollars ,for
expenses Of a regiment) for Texas volunteers
hangs 6re-probably will die in the House
while attention is now drawn to the capture
Of Miramon's steamers at Vera Cruz Au-
,hentic statements have not yet been sent to
Congress. and nobody is disposed to commit
tails before knowing all the facts. The case
looks bad for Uncle Sam.
The Printing Plumber.
The new contract for printing post office
blanks is proof of peculation upon the Treas
ury, by politicians, to an astonishing extent.
The new bidders proposed to do the work at
from 80 to % per cent. below the rate allowed
by law previous to the present session. In
other words. work, which has heretofore cost
the Government one hundred dollars, will
hereafter be done for seven dollars III This
post office printing has amounted 10 about
$40. 600 per year-SlS 600 for each Prcsi-
dental term. Under the new contract the
same amount Of work will cost $3.50 per year,
and Sl2 GOO per term saving Of $4,000
per term in money, saying nothing about hon
csty and tho purity of elections. This is a
very large specimen brick, but it IS spcci-
men Of the bad morality countenanced by some
Presidents, heads Of departments, and polti-
clans here. ! can hardly see either how so
cxtravagant allowances could have been sub
mitted to for years by executive offices, or
how so large a deduction can now be made by
tho printers The Committee on Printing
House has reported proposition equivalent
TO an average reduction of about forty per cent
on all the printing. While on this topic,
will add that some Of the friends Of the Ad-
miuistration attempt to divert attention from
this outrageous system of plundering the
treasury, by clamoring about the present Re-
publican printer Of the House 1t is tue that
Dofrocs. when a candidate, offered to give half
the profits to the Republican Executive Com
mcnts but it is also true that the committee
refused to receive it. 1t is true, too, that
Ford (the Printer electl promised "to take
care Of some OF his friends, out of the profits
of the printing, though he made no such pro-
mise to any member of the House; but it is
also true that tho Republicans in the House
are cutting off the profits to reasonable
amount. lfthe Printer finds himself "short,"
it is his misfortune, and the Republican mem
bcrs of tho House will not charge themselves
with any part of the responsibility.
The Polygomy BiU
Has been discussed further. Mr.. Branch
of N. c. "a leading Southern Democrat) adj
mitted the power of Congress to supervise the
Territory Of Utah, as that power was reserved
in the territorial act. But how could Con-
gress reserve the power, if it had not the full
power over the territory to begin with; II
is impossible to admit the power Of Congress
over polygamy, and deny its power over slave
ry. Mr.. Branch proposes to abolish the exist
ing territorial government, and substitute
Governor and territorial council, to be ap
pointed by the President and Senate In shor
he most fully and completely ignores the
Sovereignty of the people Of Utah. Mr.. Nc
Clernand douglas Democrat,) proposes tc
dodge the question by forming three new ter
ritories out of Utah and land adjacent. 4
motion to lay the polygamy bill on the tab
q. e. to kill the BILL has been negatived by
large majority This is favorable to the pas
sage of the bill in the House.
An Extraordinary Message.
To-day we have had the most extraordina
ry message ever sent by President to Con
gress. l will not state its purport, as III
readers Of the Watchman will Of course hay
it in full. will only say, that it is protes
against the right of the House to charge a Sc
lect committee with inquiry into infringement
upon its privileges, by undue influences upo
members, by the President or any body else
and into bribery and corruption in elections
through patronage, or public money, or ia
contracts, or otherwise. The scene was ex
traordinary, and generally, il not entirely, IN
expected rumor of it reached the Senat,
when quickly that body was left without
quorum and was forced to adjourn, the Ser
stors coming into the House. l will not NJ
dertake to say what was the prevailing in
preston on the Republican sido--much les
on the Democratic side; but many Ropubl
cans construed the message as an eyidenc
that the President is guilty Of questionabl
acts, and as a plea to the jurisdiction Of Ii
House in order to screen himself from expo,
ure. The President admitted that the Hous
through the Judiciary Committee, may max
specifications and proceed to an examination
with view to impeachment and the Houi
referred the message to that committee
A Coincidence
1t is remarkable that at the very momcr
when the President was protesting against Il
right Of the House to inquire into his condu
Except in certain forms, and on specifications
democratic newspaper Of this city was pu
fishing proof which directly duplicates Il
President with the printing plumber. lie
are extracts from the testimony taken (und
oath Of coursel ON the urintino b,sines