Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-08-12
From our washington Correspondent.


WAsn1NGrON, Aug " ioVo'
U,,sys Editors "A few weeks ago
wrote Won in relation to the disorderly pro-
cecdings attendant upon the reorganization
Of tbc new city government At the election
in June. the Republicans elected the mayor
and the other city officers a0r the llrst ume'
Iinon the organization of the board OF alder
men. however, both parties claimed the con
troll, and each party elected one OF Their own
number as president Of the board there Is
AN old saying that " two heads are better 'ha''
one but evidently this does not apply to de-
lucrative assemblies especially when those
heads are antaronistic, obstinate and NOISY
Al any rate, il was not, in the present M
stance conducive to facility, order and pro-
nricty in the transaction Of business. A''or
several exceedingly stormy sessions, the DEM
ocraf. finally adopted the moro conservative
course Of staying away altogether, and there
by defeating any action by preventing quo
rum. At a meeting of the board on tuesday
evening last, after the board had been called
to order by the president, MIR. Richards the
Democrats made their appearance, headed by
their president, Mr. Moore, who assembled inc
platform, and went through the form OF call
ing the meeting to order, (which IN TINS IN,
stance meant diSorder) Whether lmpelleu
/ by his modcsty, or distrust Of his ability to
maintain his position, was not known; but he
| Immediately called upon alderman lhoy9 10
/ take the chair,--which was already hllcd py
| Mr.. Richards. Bringing his chair with hun
| Mr. Lloyd assembled the platform, placed M
chair alongside of Mr.. Richards. and made
crab for the official gayel which the latte
gentleman held in his hand AT last he sue
ceeded in seizing the instrument by luck,
mr. doxterous movement and having bette
hold. or more muscle, wrenchod it from Mr.
Richards tenacious grippe, Armed with tn
official emblem, he signali2ed the victory b.
drumming triumphant tattoo Herewith W
ON the table, eudeavoring to enforce silence b.
drowning all other noises. If a motion wa
made, it was Immediately put by both pre-
sidinr officers and declared carried by one
and lost by the other, amidst the greatest con
fusion. If any gentleman attempted to speak
the other party at once raised perfect bee
t lam of cries Of order shouts, groans an
cheers. These disgraeeiul and riotous pre-
cecdng continued until the participants, ev
IDENTIFY ashamed of themselves, and disguise
: with each other, finally withdrew. This Oh
nesc method of warfare, Of gong-beatlng, M
/ otherwise terrifying ones adversarles wit
. hideous noises, although intensely amusing
, small boys in the galleries, is hardly adapt'
to parliamentary bodies.
Most of the members Of the Cabinet ha'
been absent from the city on business or pie
!, sure during the past week. Secretary Sewal
y has been entertaining the Chinese Embassy
, his home in Auburn, n. Y. Secretary Sch
\ field has been enjoying the sea-breeze at Ne'
!, port, h. !. Postmaster General Randall
= been visiting at Elmira, n. Y, and Secreta
! Welles, with the L, S. steamer TaliapoSa, h
: gone to pay his respects to old Neptune, al
to visit the different Navy Yards Comm
- sioner Rollins is visiting his home in NJ
" Hampshire, and Attorney General Eyarts b
been looking after his business in New Yoi
The President has returned Commission
Rollins resignation to the Secretary OF
Treasury, with his acceptance endorsed the
m on but it does not appear to be settled whe
4; er this acceptance creates vacancy IL
Nc said that this question is still before Attorr
y General Eyarts who will give an carly a
elaborate opinion thereon.
n Hon. Thaddeus Stevens remains in the ci
n much out Of health and very feeble. II
he thought that he will not be able to visit
nj home before the re-assemblng Of Congress
-, September.
V Great excitement was occasioned in
as city on Friday afternoon, about , o'clock,
n terrific explosion at the Capitol, which She
ar. the massive building to its foundation, {
caused the immense dome to tremble as thoI
:" shaken by an earthquake. The explosion
CURED in the crypt, or basement, under
ID dome, in the centre of the building, and
IL der what is known as Washington's tomb
a. The shock was terrible. The doors in t
~ Dart of the building and the windows, "
y blown out, and pieces oftimber and fragmC
'V- Of stone were hurled in every direction. III
or w stair-rails were wrenched off, and mass
in steps leading up to the rotunda rocked
md reeledu under the conclusion. The first thou
=. suggested by the explosion was that the Mi
~ glycerine, which it was reported during
the Impeachment trial had been or was to be
in under the Capitol, for the purpose Of blow
Try up Congress, had indeed demonstrated
inc presence by finally going of. An immed
&c investigation attributed the accident to n
n- innocent causes. 1t is said that there w
nm leak in the gas-pipe, which had filled
tomb with inaammabe gas which in 81
way ignited, and produced the explosion.
oc- paraphernalia used upon the occasion of p
on ident Lincoln's funeral, was stored in
tile crypt, and was ignited by the Hames and
ain TALLY destroyed. Fortunately no one wa
Who that part of the building at the time. VIZ
up men were Immediately at work to ascer
ljor the cause and extent OF the injury, and to
eop pair the damage. TnoMA