Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-01-30
Washington Items.

Washington Items.
The Secretary Of State was advised.
Thursday, Of the execution Of treaty be.
tween the United States and the republic
If Colombia for the construction Of .
ship canal across the isthmus Of Daricn.
B. Il. Curtis of Boston and Judg,
Poland Of Vermont are counsel for Mr.
Willard Of Wizards hotel, at Washing,
tom, ia IL ease now pending in the suprcm,
court, which involves the question wheth.
~ srccnback, are legal tenders, Mr. vii.
lard claiming that they are.
The bill introduced by senator Fe--
sender for a reorganization of the Treas
ury Department. while it increases the
salaries Of some Of the valuable clerks and
other officers, will. if adopted, save the
government about Se.o0O,OOO annually.
The President sent message to tn,
Senate, Thursday, which was not formal,
" presented, relative to the act for the Sc
gurity Of equal rights in the District Of
Columbia stating that it has not becom,
a law in either of the modes prescribed by
the constitution, Congress having ad.
lourned before tbs expiration Of the ten
days allowed the President 10 sign or re.
turn the acts passed.
The Secretary Of the Treasury. in re.
ply TO Mr., Logan's resolution of inquiry
sent TO the House, on Friday. a repor,
from the comptroller of the currency, say.
ing that he is in possession of reliable in
the result of recent investiga
ton, that the national banks, particularly
in the city of New York, ara not in the
habit OF loaning their money upon fancy
stocks Mt false or fictitious, values,
The Senate finance committee is at
work upon Shcrmau'S funding bill, and
has drady struck out the clause proyid-
ing tor a foreign loan, and also that tax.
ns H.. bonds one per cent. As the bill
now stands 1t lrovides for ! per cent
oan, hut an attempt will be made to
max" II hut four per cent, with the pro.
Vision that there shall be no taxation by
d., government or State.
A lively meeting was held at Wash
u-tHu Thursday evening, by gentlemen
Interested in Inyiying memorial, OF rebel
prisoners. Gen Shanks of Indiana pro
,u-rd the maintenance of an association
% record the experiences of Union sol
Hers in prison pens in the South, and Com
gresham llav kins Of Tennessee and Gen.
Butler made remarks Butler thought
h., government culpablc for pardoning
I'm. Lee, who let the Union prisoners
.trsa before his eyes, and hanging the
\ulyr~noilIe iailer, whom he considered
.half idiot.
Tho Iahorcd attempt Of the President |
nd the moreahiort members Of the cabi- |
net 10 prove Gen. Grant guilty Of false
mood, has been brought 20 the Generals |
'oticc. hut he will not make a public re-
'ly lh" President himself furnished the
ocouu II the World correspondent. thus
Uniting that ne tried to persuade Gen
iantta violate statute The country |
viii not believe anything of q man who is
d infamous. Gen. Grant SAYS to his |
ncnds privately, what he has told the
resident tolhi, face, that upon full |
onSidcration of the subject, he concluded |
hatlit was his duty to vacatc the War
department., and that he told the Presi-
cnt 50 on the Saturday previous TO the
ay on which he did leave it. He gave
he keys to Gen. Townsend and that off.
er considered it to be his duty to give
hem to Stanton. Gen. Grant will make
% defense against these attempts of the
resident to convince the country that he
$ liar, and they are welcome to 90 on
nd publish the aftidavits of Browning.
Wells and McCulloch if they choose.
The Senate debate, Friday afternoon,
as been unusually interesting. Mr.
could not have expected to bring
own such an avalanche upon himself. or
c would not have insisted upon bringing
II the debate on reconstruction before the
i'll was considered in committee. Senator
lorton replied to him Immediately after
he morning hour, and it is generally
onceded that it was the most eloquent
nd torclble defense of the congressional
Ian of reconstruction that has been made
" long time. He was compelled TO
oliver his speech from a sitting posture.
he galleries were crowded, not a seat |
unoccupied In his closing
nragraph he held up to scorn those per-
ms, like Doolittle, who once advocated /.
egro suffrage. yet who now are trying to
Scite the prejudices of the ignorant and i
le vile against the race, which bears BIZ.
small proportion to the whites, and that
roportion lessening every year. When
had concluded nearly the entire body {
Senators rose and gathered around +,
i'm, shaking hands. Even Doolittle came S
p with the rest.
Then Nye of Nevada took the floor and :
'erybody expected fun. He proceeded !
lthout cireumlocution to describe Doc (