Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-04-15
FROM WASHINGTON.


stitution.
REvERDY JoHNsoN's SPEEcH.-A Wash
ington correspondent says that Mr.. Johnsons q
speech on the amendment to the Constitution
10 abolish slavery took ybody by surprise.
IL was listened TO with the profoundest at
tenton, and proved 200-pound shell in the
camp Of the Copperhesds. 1t pleased the
Radicals, because Of the high ground taken,
instead Of pleading expediency, and it erati6-
ed the Conservatives, as 1t afforded them a
new and broad steppng-stone up to the right,
The following, from the condensed report,
will give some idea Of the tenor of the speech :
rhe provisions in the Constitution protecting slave
ry adopted upon political and material reasons and
not upon grounds Of morality and religion, and because
they believed il would be difficult TO have Union a, ali
without slavery. Whether ,hry right wrong. Il
i.mpossible TO say uthsy ha voted TO ADOPT
Constitution without the recognition VI slavery, one
a spectator Of the around would regret H.
lie eutertaned the opinion Of slavery that he
had from the time he hrst studied the subject Of human
rights.
In advocating this be departing from
his earlier convictions aud would appeal the Consu
tuition itself In justification u the be should give
Tor the measure lie would not inquire whether slavery
had produced the war not. The upon us, and
slavery bad produced mischief Unless lhe measure be-
fore the Senate should be adopted there could be
manent peace He AZ length proceeded trovert
idea that the abolition of slavery could be accomplished
either by direct legislation by the exercise Of the
power by the President. lie believed that the rebels
still owed allegiance 20 the United States and 10 be
ooeeded against As traitors under the Consu uton
Any other idea would be He believed that
there hundreds OF thousands Of citizens In the in
rrccton.rv distet. gho were lust As devoted 10 Inc
Union any member OF this body, bot they obeyed the
de facfo government power which they could
sist, and 40 their obedience was no crime.
Mr. johnson oontended that the only practical way of
accomplishing what all Christian patriots desired by
the adoption Of the present measure. He eonlended
that the very preamble to the Constitution which stated
that It's objects were to establish justice promote tran
guilty and promote the general welfare aud that first Of
A. thAt hoeiy might oe preserves gave ut warrant ior
the proposed amendment was there no justice IN put
ting an end 10 human slavery Was slavery doing no
inlury 70 he tranquility Of the country Was It not
gAinst the general welfare and aganst all ideas Of
human libcfty Ia conclusion he said sole cousd-
'raou should be 20 bring this war 70 successful close
and secure the restoration u the Union lie believed
the Union would be restored and would have Ma
toual and State Governments without human bondage
WARRINGTON. April 6.
The total defeat Of the National Bank, or
currency bill, by SO large vote as two-thirds,
estonished both its friends and foes, especial
~ AS so much time had been consumed in ef-
forts to perfect it, All of the amendments
made in committee Of the whole-sbout sixty
in number-had been concurred in. The
Committee Of ways and Means we're willing
to adopt all but two, and hence Representa-
tive Stevens offered a substitute differing from
the amended bill only in the following parti-
culars viz Restoring the uniform seven per
centum interest and leaving it under National
not State legislation, and omitting the section
which left the capital stock Of the institution
to be taxed the same as the property Of indi-
v,duals inr State and municipal purposes.
The House emphatcally disagreed to this
substitute. This was the turning point in
the controversy, the test that determined
whether the bill containing the clause obnox-
ious to the prominent friends Of the measure
should pass the House. SO it was laid upon
the table on the motion Of Mr.. Stevens, some
Of his own political friends voting with those
on the opposite side, who we're from the be-
ginning opposed to this measure Of finance.
Secretary Chase, in communication 10 the
House to-day, says Jay Cooke employed about
2400 sub-agents, for whom he was RESPONSE
bic, and received subscriptions to the loan to
the amount of 1862 00O, ,000, without which
the army and navy and creditors could not
have been paid. The cost Of the loan was
81 100000, amounting to less than three
tenths OF one per cent, or eighteen days in-
terest on the whole amount. The Sec
retary concludes that these services could not
have been so successfully performed by the
Treasury Department.
In the Senate, April 9th, Mr.. Grimes Of la
presented Joint resolution, which after some
debate referred to the committee on na-
val affairs, providing for the repeal Of the
joint resolution authorizing the transfer Of
men from the military to the naval service.
The Senate then took up the joint resolu
ton to amend the constitution so as TO abolish
slavery
Mr. Harlan Of la. addressed the Senate in
support Of the measure.
Mr. Saulsbury Of Del. followed Mr.. Harlan
in opposition to the measure.
Mr.. Hale Of n. Il. and Mr. Nj DougAl Of
Cal. also spoke at length.
Mr.. Powell Of Ky. proposed as an amend
ment an additional section providing that the
president and vice president shall not hold
their offices more than six years rejected by
vote of II to 80.
Mr.. Powell offered an amendment opposing
political prescription rejected by vote Of
6 to 3S.
Mr.. Powell offered an amendment proyi-
ding that no bill, resolution or law passed by
Congress shall relate to more than one sub
ect, and have more than one title; rejected
by a vote of 80 to 5.
Mr.. Davis of Ky. introduced as an amend
ment his joint resolution to provide for new
mode OF eecting the president ahd vice pres
ident, heretofore presented; rejected.
The bill was then passed to the third read
ing, and the Senate adjourned without final
action.
In the Hous Mr.. Pendeton of o. from the
select committee on the subject, reported a
bill, which was ordered to be printed, provi-
ding that the heads Of executive departments
may occupy seats on the floor Of the House of
Representatives Mr. Pendeton said that he
would not Gallup the bill except on due notice
The House then resumed the consideration
of the national bank bill, the question being
on agreeing to the amendments reported from
the committee Of the whole on the state OF the
Union.
Mr.. Hooper of Mass. made the closing
speech, giving his reasons at length why the
paper currency should be under the control of
national law.
The House then proceeded to vote on the
various amendments and, having adopted
the amendments reported from the committee
of the whole, including sections enabling
states to fix the rate of interest below per
cent and to tax the national banks like other
moneyed corporations, voted down Thad Ste
vens substitute, that is, the bill without these
amendments and then on Mr. Stevens mo-