Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-12-09
gHa.;tmsn s ststr JOuinal.
MONTPELIER. DEC. 8. 1864.
FROM WASHING TON,
BY E.P. WALTON

FROM W1SHINGTON.
Congress met on Monday last, brilliant
day here. As that day was, so we hope lhe
strength Of Congress may be, devising good
things for the salvation Of the country. May
dod grant it,
Alp o'clock noon Senator CLARK Of Nh. I
called the Senate TO order and prayer was Of /
tered by the cbaplsin. N. A. Farwell Of Maine
took his seat in place of Secretary Fessenden.
Senator Sherman introduced bill appropri- |
ating one million Of dollars for the construc-
ton OF sixteen revenue cutters on the North |
ern lakes. Good. These cutters will be
armed, and may be used for general police
purposes-watching raiders, for instance (;
but the scheme shaves very close on the
treaty with Great Britain, which limits both
nations in respect to naval vessels on the
1 lakes. The usual committee to wait on the
President was appointed, and the Senate adj
/ iourned.
Speaker Colfax called the House to order,
when credentials OF five members from Louis
lana we're presented and referred to the com
mittee on elections, the claimants being adj
mtted to the privileges Of the Hall-that is,
to seats, but not to act as members. re-
solution was adopted instructing the commit
tee Of Ways aud Means to inquire into the
expediency of so Amending the Constitution
as to permit Congress to tax exports from
any state doubtless so as to reach exports
] c.on, .ahoT a,a,as y .nothav directin0 the
same committee to tax stocks of domestic
liquor on hand and another directing the
same committee to inquire into the expedien-
cy Of a sinking fund for the gradual extin-
punishment Of the national debt Cox of Ohio
proposed to reduce the tax or coffee, tea anu
sugsr-tabled. The Speaker announced that
the Presidents message would not be COM
municated on that day, and the House ad-
journed.
OF the many lawyers named for the Chief
Justiceship of the United States Supreme
Court, the three best in our judgment, are
Collamer of Vermont, Fessenden of Maine,
and Chase Of Ohio. If New England is to
have the place, we should select one of these
-.
Of any body so well fitted as Mr.. Chase. Ohio,
/ however, has Judge already so has Maine /;
and Vermont has noLe-and these clrcum-
stances point to Jadge Collamer as the most
, proper of the three. His qualities are excel
lent his age and character venerable-his age
somewhat too great we are afraid the Presi-
dent may possibly think but he is very Wig
orous still, and long may he be so.
The state of New York has had the Chief
Justiceshp FIVE years, Connecticut three
years, Virginia thirty. four years, and Mary
land twenty eight years. The West never
has had Chief Justice, and tie President
will naturally look to some Western State
which has no Judge on the bench. But the
Western men are comparatively new men /;
and though there may be in the West as able
men, and especially yoing men, as are to be
! found in any other section, we can call to
mind no man OF national reputation, such as
that of either Of the three gentlemen We have
( named above.
! 10 the Senate, Tuesday. Dec 8, il is said
the name of Salmon p. Chase of Ohio, a,
Chief Justice, was received from the Presi-
dent aud was promptly confirmed. In the
e House, Mr.. Stevens of Penn. introduced
bills prohibiting the expectation Of gold and
Z silver coin-to prevent coin from being paid
or accepted above current value--to prevent
y United States notes or bills from being re-
o ceived for less than the value specified on
their face-and joint resolution relative to
y tax on tobacco all Of which were referred
\ to committee Of ways and means. Mr..
\ Broomall of Pa offered resolutions asking
+ for information concerning recent overtures
y OF British subjects to aid the rebellion, and
e also raising an inquiry into the expedency Of
exempting the estates of windows from taxa
- ton both adopted. On motion Of Mr.
Il Spading, the select committee on the con
y duct of the war directed to investigate
2 Banks Red River expedition. Mr.. Julian oil
10 Indiana introduced bills prescribing oath Of
n loyalty to lawyers in states declared to be in
= rebellion. and another eon6scatlng rebel lands
o in fee referred to Judiciary committee. On
2 motion of Mr.. Boutwell, of Mass, the com.
/ mittee on Military Affairs was instructed to
= inquire into the expediency of prohibiting
the transportation of goods to any portion Of
a the United States in possession of rebels
: or to territory outside of the United States
3 where persons are engaged in rebellion a
gsinst the United States. This looks like
e non-intercourse with the Canadas. Mexico,
and the British West India islands and. II
= they are to continue to harbor rebels, and aid
them besides, or permit their citizens to aid
them, as has more than once been Done, non
= intercourse is none too harsh. as we suggest
I ed some weeks ago.
THE PRESIDENT ELEoTED.-Pursuan to
the laws, the electors of President and Vice