Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-01-09
FROM WASHINGTON.
MONDAY. Dec. 90, 1862

wonder if 1t is spring in Vermont: here
the weather is exceedingly fne-yesterday
Sunday was r-like--rather cool for
summ,r, though
Sweet day, SO calm 90 cool, bright"
The Christmas holidays have all been, so
far, bright, as if heaven smiled upon the joy
Gus, grateful thankful Christians earth.
You know the Southern habit Of giving these
holidays to hilarity, running often into excess
scs so it has often happened here, but this
season is an exception. Christmas Day was
a day Of Christian charity and love to thou.
sands upon thousands OF sick and wounded
soldiefs-to the prisonets-to the contra
band 70 loyal and disloyal, black and white
alike; and the scenes Of that day seem to
have hallowed all the days, aye, to have bles-
scd all the people Yesterday there was not
single arrest in the fourth ward Of the city,
and IL was day without parallel since the
establishment Of the Metropolitan Police.
Truly Washington is changed. The past
year has added about thirty thousand to its
population, besides changing large share of
the old population-the men with Southern
procliviiies giving place to more energetic
men from the North Perhaps this change
has contributed somewhat to the good order
OF the city but still cannot but feel that
the good deeds Of Christmas Day have bles-
sed the doors as well as the recipients.
While the general rule as to Government
expenditures has been to excess since the war
began, ! must remind my readers that is not
the universal rule. The Post Office Depart
ment as ! have heretofore Observed has
showna gratifying reduction Of expenses and
an amount Of revenue nearly large as it
was before the secession Of the Southern
States ! now call attention to the Printing
Department, in which | feel a particular in
torest. The cost Of printing for ls6o-6l ex
hibited saving of s43,492 46 in the same
amount Of work Of the preceding year; and
now it SEEMS that the saving Of ls6l-62 is
SOC, 533 , on the same amount of work on
the old system. To this add S33.O4l 73
saved on binding, and we have Sl23,574 s5,
as the sum saved by the Government print
ing office over the old system Of letting out
the printing. Moreover, there has been
very decided improvement in the excellence Of
the work.
This morning we have the account Of the
exchange of Banks for Butler at New Orleans,
and in a shape which indicates that Texas is
go Do ,se~ sisd. pauA,' ffoeta.aa,ior So i,.
admirable temper and style, and it will revive
the desire Of many here to have him in the
Cabinet OF course this change is not to be
counted as a ccnsure Of Gen. Butler. There
were good reasons for a change, which do not
affect Butler at all in the estimation Of the
Government. and it will be found that there
is other work for him elsewhere.
The following sections Of the new act
amendatory Of the tax law will relieve many
difficulties and complaints, and therefore
send them for publication;
See Ind be- e .tlgficr enacted. That mo- instru.
mont document, writing or paper of any description
required by iAv TO be- stamped, shall be deemed of held
invalid and OF no elect iur mc want ui the particular
kud or description Of stamp desiguated for and denot
jug the duty charged any such instrument document
Writing, OF pa ef, provided lega! stamp, or stamps
dcuutnn a dut, OF equal amount shall have been duly
affixed and used thereon PI0Ftded, That the prGyis
ions OF TINS section shall not apply to any stamp eppr1
pdited denote the duty charged proprietary ARTICLES
see a. Ind be 70 ftirfher erlcfed. That all Official
instruments, docun snts and papers Issued or used
by the ohoes OF he United states Government shall be-
and hereby are, exempt fom duty
Sec. And be 20 frfhtr eaG1frd, That The ninety
fi,h section Of entitled " An act TO provide in
tcrua rcfeuue 90 support thc Government and 20 pay
interest ou the public debI" approved July hTst one
thousand eight hundred and sixWo, be amended that
no instrument document, or paper made, signed or is
sued prior 10 first day Of March, A. d. thousand
eight hundred aud sA three, without being duly stamp
ed, or hayug thereon adhesive stamp denote the
duty imposed thereon, shall, for that cause be deemed
invalid and OF no effect Pr0rided That instru-
mcut document, writing paper required by law to be
stamped signed, or issued without being duly stamped
prior The day aforesaid any copy thereof shall be
admitted or used evidence any court until legal
stampor stamps, dcnoung the amount of dut, charged
thereon shall been affixed thereto or used thereon,
and the initials OF the person using or aNnB ihc same,
together wi'h the date when the IS used ur al
fixed, shall have been placed thereon by sugh person.
Aud the person desiring 10 use any such INSTRUMENT.
document writing, paper, cylaence OF ms agent
attorney is auth 'tizca DO the presence of the court
stamp the herein before provided Aud See
toa twenty -four oi act entitled An acc Increasing,
temporarily the duties imports, and for other pur
posrs, approved July fourteen, thousand eight hun-
dred and two, rs hereby repealed
Approved. Dec 20, 1869.