Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-08-16
THE ACTION OF CONGRESS.

The acts Of the Extraordinary session are
numerous and important, as your advertising
columns will show. The most important
have been passed within the last few days.
and arc worthy Of enumeration and a mo-
ment's notice. 1t was at first proposed to lay
direct tax npun land of thirty millions Of
dollars---at least twenty falling upon the
loyal states. But the opposition was very
serious from all the Western States. The
complaint YVES that so long as the tax was
constitutionaly confined to land. and appro-
pria;ed according to population, the citizen OF
one of the new states would have to bear
burden Of taxation three or four times as
oncrous as that laid upon the citizen Of one
Of the old and wealthy states. Inasmuch as
land is the basis Of direct tax, the vast
wealth Of the older states. consisting in notes.
bonds and mortgages, would escape the bur
den The opposition was so decided to this
taS that Congress agreed TO reduce the en-
tire sum to twenty millions, thirteen Of which,
at least, will be raj. ed in the loyal states.
The so-cnlcd Morrill, tariff has been under
consideration ever since Congress met, by the
Finance Committees Of both Houses. The
Senate proposed to raise the scale Of import
duties ten per cent. but the House was sem
sibe enough not 70 agree to this On Friday
last a Committee Of Cor ference succeeded in
coming to an agreement, by which the main
body Of the present tariff remains untouched.
Duties are levied upon coffee and tea, and
higher rates upon sugar and molasses, foreign
sprituous liquors aud silks, and other art-
Giles. To make up for any deficiency result
ing from the reduction Of the sum first pro-
posed to be raised 10y the direct tTz, an in
come tax was agreed to, which will go into
effect on the drst day Of 1862. BY this act,
all EXCESS Of income over eight hundred dol.
lars a year is to be taxed three per cent. An
income Of fifteen hundred dollars will pay 60
/ the Government twrnty-one dollars. mem
Der of Congress who bias no other income
than his pay, will be taxed sixty-six dollars.
It will be seen that the security for the in
terest on the proposed loan is most ample. 49,
The entire income of the Government, aside
from loans. cannot be less than ono hundred
millions Of dollars, and, setting aside sixty
five millions for the ordinary expenses, thirty
five millions will remain as interest on the
proposed loan.
On Saturday the House passed an exceed
ingly important confscaton bill. The chief
feature Of the bill confscatcs all slave proper
ty used by the rebels aganstthc Government,
all laws Of states or the United 5 aics to the
contrary notwithstanding. In other words
the Fugitive Slave Act does not henceforth
apply to the rebel Shareholders. This act.
which the Senate will doubtless pass to-day.
taken in connection with the recent order
OF Secretary Camcron,-is significant, aud
points to a tremendous result in the immedi-
ute future The order alluded to directs all
officers commanding posts or departments TO
have nothing whatever to do with fugitive
slaves. They arc not to be arrested or re-
turned, or in any way recognized as anything
, but persons. Their testimony and services
are To be made use of in any way which will
benefit the cause of the Union, and they are
to be paid for service as if they we're men,
and not ehattels,
Ii will be noticed that in the direct tax bill
slaves are counted as men, according to the
" three ifths" clause of the Constitution. and
South Carolina is to pay as much tax on ac-
count of her slave population as the white.
The tax is a lien for two wears u, on the lands
of the state and for the slave-tax lands.
goods. and chattels may be held but By spe~
cal clause it is provided that no slave shall
be held bought, or sold by the Government,
thus in(erenlially saying that the slaves are
not chattel- 70
There is one very strong point ia She Con-
fscltion Act. 1t not only foriei;s all proper
ty Of every description held by the rebels,
but it provides that he rebel Shareholder for
faits all claim upon his slave. The word claim,
is used. aud that of right SO constantly
used in the South, is ignored. The Govern
mcnt does not give the slave liberty because
he has been in arms against the Government,
as Mr.. Goodel contends. If | understand him
right, but it gives him freedom because Of the
traitorous act of the master.
1t il but simple justice to say that the
country is deeply indebted to Mr.. bingham
of Ohio. leading member of the House Jul
dietary Committee, for many of the most i'm
portant measures of the session. He drew
up the new Force bill. the bill for the sup
preston of the rebellion, and added several
important amendments TO the Confscatian
Act The one al uded to declares if the
slayc-mastcr play the traitor be shall not sub
ect his slave TO that degradation without be-
ing barred the power to assert any claim eUer
after to the service of his alleged slave, ANY
law Of the state or of the United States to the
contrary notwithstanding.
The day dawns The Fugitive Slave Law
pro tanto is repealed by this act No court
under this law can detain fugitive slave,
upon the showing thar his master employed
or allowed others to employ him in the great
rebellion
Th, Congress has done more 10 settle the
slavery question than all which have preceded
it, Let its members return to their constitu-
ents TO receive their praise and blessings.