Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-01-30
FROM WASHINGTON.

Erfdtd.- Mlhthkes Will happen W the Oet
Of folk. Trusting in the simplicity of my heart
to "A yesterday mornings paper, l wrote that
the Senate had passed the House bill to en-
large the Court Of Claims and make it's decis-
ions FINAL in certain cases. Since that paper
is edited by the Secretary Of the Senate, do
not blame myself for believing it but the bill
has not passed. 1t was again debated yes
terday, albeit Senator Sherman warmly pro-
in view of dangerous, if not to say dis
loyal, proceedings in two Northern States,
New Jersey and New York, | suppose that
the Senate should first dispose of the propo-
stions in relation to arrests, and also the e.
nancal bills. l suppose the Senator is OPP
posed to the bill 1t is very important one
to claimants and the government; though, as
it went from the House, | fear the juris-
diction Of the Court was left too large, and
especially in respect to the amount to which
judgment is final. My experience has prov
ed that the present Court is not iniallible
but perhaps it has not heen SO careful as it
would have been had its decisions been final.
Or, if the Court has been right, the Commit
tee Of Claims and Congress have been wrong,
the latter having reversed many decisions Of
the Court. Cases of that kind have fallen to
my charge, which involved very large amounts,
and were unanimously rejected. | have in
mind claims to refund duties on liquors for
leakage, confessed by the attornies to amount
to one hundred thousand dollars; and to
perfectly clear case Of fraud Of a like amount,
which the Court had nevertheless favored.
In the latter case the Court, Of course, did
not have the evidence Of fraud discovered
it in the Auditors office so the solicitors Of
the government we're responsible, rather than
the Court. Nevertheless / am persuaded
that the Court is necessary, in order to Sc
cure legal testimony and sift the claims, and
am for giving it final Jurisdiction to limit
ed amount, for the reason that, in small cases,
the time and cost now required to carry them
through both Court and Congress, make the
claims worse than valueess. The claimants
Lose both money and heart and many and
lamentable are the cases Of this sort. Better
that some dishonest claims be allowed, than
that so many honest claimants be denied.
Error number t'oo.-on apparently reliable
authority, confirmed by two witnesses, in
cidentslly wrote to you that marriage was in
tended by an eminent member Of the Cabinet
and the widow Of the late equally eminent
Senator from Illinois. The New York Tri-
bune of yesterday says it was idle gossip
Surely there could have been a worse thing
than that imagined. If untrue, trust the
report will be harmless. thought the news
was good and that it would be especially
pleasant to Vermonters. N. B.--I was not
alone deceived in this matter: l suppose it
was not only freely reported, but authorize
lively, and believed by everybody.
Now for uaistales Of other people-not mine.
Said Vallandigham in bis last speech. The
day Which divides d'e North from The South,
hat self-same day DEGREES eternal divorce be-
tDsn he West and the East" This mistake is
getting to be common among the copper head
democracy. 1t crops out prominently in its
newspaper organs, from New York to Illi-
nois Read the New York Leader
In opinion, the best plan cut loose FROM New
England and send her adrift the Atlantic Al out.
from the country she has shoed 80 long 10 ruin
and object Of and deesation for ali time 10
come The two greatest misforiunes that befel
mankind were the fall Of Adam aud the safe arrival Al
Plymouth Rock Of the Ma yHower, with her pesent
crew u hypocrites and macontents The failure OF the
Atlantic TO swallow up that vessel renders il necessary
bosom"
Now take this full Development of the
copper-head scheme
The Plans Of the "Copper-heads"
The Springfield (Ill,) correspondent of the
Missouri Democratic (cOpper-headed demo-
cratic) declares the plans of the party leaders
to be as follows:
"a well disested plan is prepared by the democratic
leaders in the western aud eastern states That plan
though revolutionary in its end, is intended not
be so IN its means, up TO certain point, II possible. As
many legislatures Of the free states be prevailed
on are TO be got to send commissioner Louisville
Kentucky TO commissioners from the border and as
many Of the slave states possible. II the Republic
ans, especially the New England states. do not send
commissioners, they are to be left out II they do,
matter plan Of compromise is TO be offered which will
force them out o. the Union thus putting them into the
attitude Of rebellion. They no, wanted The Con-
isdersey Is to comprise the western states and Ohio,
New York. New Jersey, Pennsy yana, Maryland, Della
ware &c SO that there shall be outlet 10 the sea on
me east via New York. aud the south via New Orleans
Nhen ms convention, so called az Louisville meets, il
is to be virtually Congress. II will invite the southern
states into - Deliberations or that come in aud
WITH those Of the North that got to Join H. Con-
fedracy is to be formed in which slavery is to be legal
ized aud guaranteed in every possible way and abolition
ism crushed out Cut off from New England it is hoped
that free speech aud free ideas will be efeotualy da-
posed 81 a. to set at rest forever all agitation OF slavery
indeed agitation on great many other subject is also
to be efectualy crushed out"
All this is terrible mistake for the cop
per-heads in my judgment. Not simply be-
cause it would be folly to have three nations,
II the South forces us to have t,0o not be-
cause the West cannot afford to lose the East,
which is her largest domestic customer for
wheat, corn and meat-cannot afford to have
the Eastern trade transferred from the West
ern States to Canada--any more than the
East can afford to lose the Western Gu Atom-
ers for her manufactures but it is very
great mistake politically-oi, more correctly,
as party shibboleth. Politics are useful
and necessary, sometimes great, sublime;
party shibboleths are often as contemplate as
personal ambition and party prejudice can