Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-24
gautrbmam s Stair journal.
MoNrpELIER. JANrANY "a. 1s02.
MON WAsHINGTON.

week in the House was opened by a speech
from Mr. Dawes Of Massachusetts. which will
shock the country. The point Immediately
10 question was an appropriation Of $50 900
to meet a deficiency in the expense Of engray-
ing, printing aud issuing United States bonds
and notes IA matter Of no great importance
except as it indicates the disposition Of Con-
gress in respect to all questionable contracts.
In that view, the point was Of vast impor-
tance. Mr.. Dawes, therefore, did not limit
himself to the charges which have raised a
doubt as to the contract for engraving but
proceeded 10 state other contracts Of the
most extraordinary character, in the War
Depariment--example which call for dis
trust about all war contracts, and variant real
alarm. Mr. Dawes Is Republican and in
this matter spoke for the Committee Of lnyes-
tigation, which Republicans control lie
was charged. and the committee were charged,
as If they were assaihng the Secretary OF the
/ Treasury and it was even intimated that a
vote sustaining Dawes would be vote OF
ceusure upon the Secretary. This was unjust
to both. He adopted, word for word, the
proviso which your own representative pro-
posed in committee of the whole on Friday
last, and which the committee then adopted,
and which was subsequently cut off by a
more sweeping motion. which rejected the
entire appropriation That proyiso simply
suspended all payments on esi,fisg contracts
for engraving and pratins leaving the matter
open to iro,irv and for the correction Of any
wrong. should wrong be found In a contract
which had been made. not by the Secretary,
but by an agent: bat az the same time the
Secretary was leG with ful power TO make
new contracts, and with funds to 20 on with
the issue Of bonds and notes So far as the
Secretary was concerned. its adoption was a
vote Of confidence. and moreover it saved the
appropriation and permitted the operations Of
the Treasury to 60 on unembarrassed But
it was more: it was a warning to the Secre-
iaries against an improvident contracts, and a
warnin, to the thieves and robbers who have
been cheating or misleading the Government
"a ,l.,a..i , r n H..
, .,,
su''a''eu II oy ue''S''e 'o'eS' anu tue ON
was passed with the proviso Should It turn
out that the contract was all right, as | hope
it will. the proviso will of course be repealed
or r.,y .,,ror-;.,;,,,, b.. ,lo
o.,
w me lhe ueuate was goiug on Ene House
was suiP'isel by sars7rt that the Socre,arv
of Wa had resigned. can hardly say that
an! regret was eNn'o''eu Tue eN''se' VI
''"es n'u prepared 'neHoo.' ''i az
q''sS'n'e IN su'n d''Pe"'''lon' uo no'
mean 70 suggest however 'na' ''e re'e''-
''Oi' Oh '"' 'o'nn''''e 'uuu''' '''' 'es'5 "'-
Won ''e'ar} cameron mas n'' "u ''
"'',e oIi N'N W oe@'' @"" ue n@l we" ues'.'
'e'''' "e'' are ''',' "'o .''0' ,''s
.,,io.t ,L,sn p.nnLl;r,ns ,bo arc f,r CON-
ducting the war on anti-savery PRINCIPLES ::
and others still who regard the elevation Of a
Douglas democrat to the Cabinet as an invi-
'1'.9n 20 .no D''noolaey o' 'ls ,'.,.' ~ I2-"
;s,rstion Tb,s ;s ,,o.s-cort Lovever -
To-day there is "a rumor Of change in the
Navy Department. | think it is at least pre-
mature