Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-12-15
Notes and Comments.

An old miser of Boston, named Thomas
Thompson, but who, through an imagined
slight on the part of Boston people, has lived
several years in exile recently died, when it
turns out that he has for years been boarding
valuable pictures and packing them away,
until, at his death, his gallery is pronounced
by Bierstadt to be worth half a million of
dollars. The pictures are soon to be taken
to New York, and not less than ten freight
cars will be required for the purpose.
The committee Of the New Hampshire
State Temperance Convention met at Concord
on the Sth, and adopted resolutions denounc-
ing both political parties, asserting that they
are under the control of the rum interest, de-
claring the necessity of new party, and fix
ing on the 18th day of January for the as
sembling of State Convention at Concord
to organize political temperance party.
"Wednesday last witnessed the grand
spectacle of the opening of the Gcumenical
Council. Though the weather was so unfa-
yorable that the grand display of fireworks
was postponed, yet enormous crowds filled the
streets and the Vatican, and procession, un-
surpassed in pomp and magnifcence, headed
by the Pope and followed by seven hundred
bishops from every quarter of the globe.
marched amid ringing bells and laundering
cannon to the place of meeting. The gale
ries Of the great Hall of the Council were oc.
cupied with the soyereigns and princes in
Rome. No European power was specially
represented, however.
Pension agents are in Washington to Sc
cure change in the pension law to save pen
soners from the commissions of the claim
agents Out of the s2SOO0,000 dispensed
last year, 100000 went into the pockets
of claim agents.
The committee of foreign affairs has re-
ferred the French cable for report to
member, who, while in Europe last summer,
Gen. Banks made himself entirely familiar
with it. The French government, he says,
reserved to itself the right to scrutinize all
the dispatches at that end of the line and in
addition kilograms from and to our govern.
ment. Even private messages are subject to
the same conditions, The committee will
unanimously sustain President Grants view.
The census eommitteeof the U. S. House
OF Representatives has agreed upon three hun
dred as the number Of Representatives under
the new census. Should this action be an.
proved by Congress, New England would
keep her present delegations, but still she
would become relatively weak in the House
of Representatives, as none of the additional
Representatives would be given to her. Most
OF them would have to be given to the Yves.
tern States.
Gen. Alcorn's majority in Mississippi is
$4,000, which is handsome show of figures
The Legislature is thoroughly Republican
Judge Dent is nowhere,-the proporest place
for nobody. He should have taken the SEN
sible advice of President Grant and Mrs.
Grant who told him to withdraw from that
great field which he has cultivated to so small
purpose.
The indications are that very strong
body of the higher Catholic clergy will op.
pose, in the Ecumenical Council, the Popes
claim to iniallibility. The Spanish Minister
Of State, Thursday, spoke in a manner show.
ing distrust of the Council. Many of the
cities of France were illuminated in honor of
the Council, on Wednesday evening This
caused hostile demonstration at Marseilles,
and mob destroyed the decorations and
transparencies.
"A pretty young Quakeress, drab angel,
IN fact, is making the rounds Of the Indiana
and Ohio prisons, in which she conducts rel,
glous exercises. The hardest hearted crimi,
mails are said to weep under her marvellous
elOquence.