Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-02-09
of the District ofColumbia. on the ground

or tnc danger OF all secret socletles 10 oul
Republican Government, and that the
Masonic Societies had long direc 81 theil
efforts to the support of slavery and the
inception of the rebellion.
Mr.. T. B. Washburne is a valuable
member of Congress. Repeatedly, within
a few days, he has reminded the House
of the necessity of driving ahead as fast
as possible, in order to get through the
work on hand before the 4th of March.
1t would be better for the country ifthere
were more like him in th;r raaneet.
EMPLOYMENT OF CONVICT LABoh.
The House Committee on the District
of Columbia has under consideration a
proposition to employ convict labor in the
dredging Of the canal and in the improve
ment of the Potomac, and it is stated, on
good authority, that they have about de-
termined to report formally upon bill
to that effect.
Mr.. Chambers bill in reference to pay
ment of impost duties to States by rail-
road companies, reported in the Senate
yesterday, provides that it shall be unaw-
ful ior any officer Of any railroad company
to collect or pay over to any Statc' dis
trict or municipal officers, any tax or inn
post levied or to be levied upon any per-
son transported to Or from any State, dis
trict or territory Of the United States, OF
upon the compensation paid by said per-
son for such transportation, any law OF
any State or territory 10 The contrary not
withstanding and every officer of any
such railway company making such col
lection or payment over, or authorizing
the same, shall be liable to indictment,
and on conviction, thereof, shall be fined
for every Offence not less than So, 600.
GEN. GRANT LET ALONE.
Gen. Grants reticence, together with
the prevalent notion Of the unbcndina
rigor Of mind belonging to u truly mill.
tary man as the General is, has a stsgger.
ing effect upon trading politicians, in Con.
gress and elsewhere. They would prefer
to secure all the good they can now under
President j johnson, and in some manner
provide against any revision by President
Grant Of what may remain Of it over tC
the new administration, rather than take
their chances M initio them and so We
are afforded the entertainment of seeing
everybody who has this sort Of axe tc
grind, working with reference to the Pres
ident, but taking good care to keep away
from him. So, too, when it is announced
here that the President elect has selected
his Cabinet, nobody knows who is the
happy personages are, and nobody is sur
prised that nobody knows. There is al
astonishing unanimity in the confidence o
all classes of people in Grants good sense
honesty, directncss and 6rmness. This is
all right to the people but to the trading
politician it is simply impracticable. liz
would not dare to apprach Gen. Grant
or any one whom the General would dele
cate TO give audience for him-circuit
ously; and direct avowal of his rea
business he knows would get no favor, ant
spoil all future operations. | suppose i
is not within the memory of the oldest in
habtant in the country, familiar with sucl
things, that President elect has been 81
little meddled with by party. and all sort
of self-constituted advisers, as the present
He strongly reminds me of a principle o
physics: There is universal attraction
between the parties Of homogeneous bo
dy up to minimum distance from esci
ether, when repulsion takes place ant
says. "thus far shalt thou come and NJ
farther All of human clay seem to b.
attracted towards the President elect
and he is towards them, doubtless-bu
before they come in contact with him-or
to drop the figure, in confidential speakin!
distance-something about the man erie
out from that speechlessness Of his with {
ghostly kind of impressivencss: "Halt!'
no COMBINATIONS. '8
The Republican members Of the Senat'
have held a meeting and agreed to taxi
no action uron any nominations which arr
now before them or may hereafter be sen
in, except such as are absolutely necessar,
for the public good. This settles the ques
ton in regard to Mr.. Cummings for Com
missioner of Intornel Revenue, Henry A
Smythe, Minister to Russia, and severa
others now before tho Senate.
DISTRICT MATTERS.
The people of Washington are much re
joiced at the prospect of having a magni6
cent market housesat a cost estimated a
not less than 81 100000, to occupy tn
site Of the present nuisance known as th
\ Centre Market on Penn. Avenue, betwee
7th and 9th streets. The City govern
ment favors it, and have asked Congres