Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-10
FROM WASHINGTON.

SATURDAY, Jan. =
The holidays are over The weather has
been unusually fue for the season, and city
and camp have been cheerful. Feasting,
dancinq. serenades and fusilades have been
ID order during the holidays, All right, was
ID not; Nero iddled while Rome was in
names. President Lincoln's New-year's re-
caption was tho greatest ever given. That IS
a say, there was the greatest crowd, the
hardest crush, and the greatest confusion.
Ministers, foreign and domesuc-ofiicers and
snbordinates, civil. military and naval-ciu-
Gems Of all grades, sexes, nationalities and
characters Of such was the crowd, and the
President and his wife received them all
OF rather, all who could get into the White
House in the course Of couple Of hours.
IT, weather whisked round to hail-storm
ast evening; to-day it il sombre, and the
powers that be may well take it as hint that
they have serious business in hand, deserving
Immediate attention. Congress will doubt
les commence work on Monday 1t is time
% begin.
Gen. McClellan's illness has been the occa-
don Of considerable anxiety Reports yester-
day were contradictory, but the most reliable
Al e. that he is recovering You are tantalised
w,h the anticipation that grand assault is
d be made upon the enemy on all sides
a. west. north and south and probably
are anxiously waiting for Burnside to
start and give the signal. SO it is here; and
VI have been so long tantaized and so often
disappointed that we are getting dissatisfied
nct 10 say discouraged The nearer ! am to
the scene, the worse this apparent inaction
a. g. A vast army is under my eye and in
3 essence Of the enemy; roads and fields
- been in admirable condition for the
moyug Of troops and fighting battles; every
davs delay draws more than million Of
dollars from the treasury. A single day Of
rain will make a weeks delay, should it hap
pen to be a week Of fair weather, to get the
roads iu condition Yet delay after delay,
week after week. has been the apparent order
All this is discouraging. and / think it is
moro felt here than at home. This is the
dark side. and it is a fit moment for me to
present it, for the snow is falling in big
aakes. and that promises speedily thaw or
rain. with mud and discomfort tor the army
Boz there is a brighter side the army drill
ed improved hardened by delay, and prepa-
rations on a grand scale perfected. We are
bound 70 confde in those to whom the war
j. entrusted at least to concede that they
know their business better than we do
The reports as to the health Of the Yer
mont brigade are favorable. Ii is true that a
Vermonter. from the camp, said to me yester-
DAY there is much sickness He agreed
however, that the men are improving. sup
pos that if the sick in population Of five
thousand anywhere in Vernon, were all
gathered into five dwellings, it would be said
thai there is much sickness there. know
noA how il may be in the Vermont brigade,
whether it is worse or better than the aver
aqe--oeIhans it is a little worse Neverthe-
less the surgeons department report upon
4 fhe army. as a whole, that there is absolutely
Aess sickness in i, than in any American city
otequal population.
The President has appointed John B, Page
OF Butland, John Howe, jr., OF Brandon, and
Joseph Poland Of Montpelier, Commissioners
for Vermont, TO initiate the Vermont troops
into the system Of allotted pay. MI Page is
by law of Vermont tue trustee TO receive and
disbur,c the allotted pay, and Mr. Howe is
the State agent to attend to the families Of
soldiers Both were commissioned by Gov.
Holbrook, under the State law, before the
ACT Of Congress was passed The President
gave them a commission under the Federal,
and added MIR. Poland, who has already had
experience in the business as an agent
Treasurer Page has adopted an excellent sys-
TEN, combining all the advantages Of an
agency like Poland's and avoiding the objec-
tions that existed against the old allotment
system. Mr.. Page yesterday presented his
plan to the Second Auditor and it was adj
mit,ed to be admirable, and altogether the
best yet adopted anywhere. Vermont,
of course, was complimented for being good
way ahead in well-doing-as usual, 1t is
expected that few days labor will close the
duties Of the commissioners, except so far as
they can be performed by the State Treasurer
at home. = he plan is very important to the
soldiers and the State, and believe it will
bA successful.
THE INTENTIONS OF ENGLAND.
We shall not be able to determine these
with any degree ofcertainty till we learn how