Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-07-04
FROM WASHINGTON.
WAsHINGroN, June 81, 1862.
The Weeks Work.

Inc " Ceh HOfh.
As usual, tho House finished its week E
legislative work on Friday, taking Saturday
for department business attending to sol
dicrs sick or needing discharges, pay or pen
great Importance The House passed the
tax and treasury note bills, concurred in the
scnatos amendment to Mr.. Morrilps Yer
mont bill to prohibit polygamy, and also to
the Pacific railroad bill, and advanced the
new Tariff in committee Of the whole so as
nearly to complete it, The Senate has i'm
pcached a rebel Judge Humphreys Of Ten
nessee,) the House having attended through
the trial. The Senate has also passed a sec
ond Pacific railroad bill (for the Northern
route,) aud debated the con6scation question.
As an item interesting to Vermonters, ! will
add that the Senate added Geo. w. Collamer
of Montpelier, Thos. II. Garfield Of Burling-
ton, aud Henry Reyes Of Newbury, as COM
missioners in the first House Pacific rail-
road bill.
By way Of variety the President sent in a
veto on bill to permit the circulation Of
small notes (of state banks in the District of
Columbia, on the ground that the United
States ought to furnish small treasury notes
as currency. Should the Senate pass the
Treasury note bill sent to it by the House,
the small note question will be answered, and
the President will be sustained. Perhaps
the latter in any event.
Vermont and the Tar act.
An amendment was made to the tsx-bil
which was very important to the agricultural
states. and therefore to Vermont The di-
rect land tax was suspended for two years.
This was a difficult question It was import
an, to retain the direct tax, so as to make
the lands Of the rebels pay the tax if the reb-
'eI. themselves will not do it; while on the
other hand it was alleged that some Of the
new Western states are utterly unable to pay
the tax The navigation OF the Mississippi
and trade having been interrupted, corn and
wheat cannot be expected from those states
without great cost, and these articles are OF
little value. Corn has actually been used for
fuel, being cheaper than wood or coal This
direct tax being postponed, Vermont will
derive the benefit Of it. Compared with any
other New England State. her tax will be
small, because her manufactures are few. You
can estimate the saving to Vermont by post
ponemcnt her share Of the direct tax was
S2ll ,06S per annum-about half million
OF dollars saved to Vermont Another cou-
sequence will follow tho pay of her tax col
lectors will be small very inadequate think,
because it is TO be per centage on the a
mount collected. The Senate had authorized
the Secretary Of the Treasury to increase the
pay when necessary, as | think 1t would be
in all states which mainly agricultural
but the Committee Of conference struck It
ont. SO much for the consolation of iis-ap-
pointed candidates for collcctorships By the
way, 1t will be some days before the pamphlet
Of tax acts can be printed The new tax act
alone fills moro than one hundred pages of
medium parohment-about two hundred Of
cap size sheets
Foraging upon the enemy.
Now that the rebel states have been relcas-
ed from the land tax which would practical
ly confscate immense quantities Of tfeir land,
think it high time to adopt thorough sys-
ten Of supplying our armies by foraging upon
the enemy. 1t will not in fact injnre them
in most cases, and will be an immense saving
TO the Government. Crops to the value Of
millions of dollars are now ready for the
harvest in Virginia, which will rot upon the
ground if our armies do not gather OF use
them. Nearly all the men and boys have
been impressed by the rebels, the slaves have
run away, and only the women are left for
moving and harvesting. They cannot do it.
Nv Tariff on Staic Manufactures.
In response to call from Vermont. Mr..
Walton move to fix duty of forty per cent.
ad valorem States routing states, slate
pencils, slate chimney pieces, nantes, slabs
for tables and all other manufactures Of
slate" instead of the 80 per cent. provided in
the bill! Mr.. f. A. Conking of n. Y, nov
cd to strike out roofing States upon
which no quorum voted, and to prevent
breaking up the committee Of the whole, this
amendment was accepted. The amendment
of Mr.. Walton was then adopted so the du-
ty on roofing states now stands at 80 per
cent. and on all other manufactures Of slate
at 40 per cent. The slate business in Yer
mont is getting to be immense. She can sup
ply the world with slate pencils. and that is
an article so cheap that it will bear high
duty. Other manufactures of slate, such as
mantle pieces, table tops, &c. &c, as con
Quoted in Vermont, are really articles OF fam
cy and luxury, and such they come within
the rule of high duties, Indeed, the enamel
ed slate work Of Vermont is more beautiful
than the most costly foreign marbles, and is
taking their place.
Relief of sick and 0oupded Vermont Soldiers.
The state delegation in Congress called a
meeting of Vermouters for last evening, to
take measures for aGording such relief and
care for Vermont soldiers as may become nee
essary The meeting was well attended Sen
ator Collamor in the Chair, and Mr.. Walton
Secondary Or motion of Mr. Morrill, two