Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-04-28
From Our Washington Correspondent

unwise action hereafter
From Our Washington Correspondent.
WAsuNroN, April &c, 1869.
MfssRs Epiross
On Thursday evening last the Senate adjourned
without day, and most of the Senator's and their
families, together with the hundreds of Office cx-
pecants and their friends who were here Whiting
upon and watching the action Of the Senate, inn
mednlely left the city leaving the hotels and
other public places as deserted as a place of flsh-
i0nabe resort ut the close of the summer season.
A few Senators and Members of Congress yet lin
ger % get of their documents, which they have
been too busy 10 attend 20 during the session, and
TO pick up any stray crumbs Of patronage that
may have been overlooked, OF purposely left UNI
disposed Of
Now that sufficient time has elapsed since the
new deal 10 enable the various delegations 90 look
| over their hands, the fact becomes apparent that
Vermont, 10 say the least has not been very gen
orOusy treated in the selection Of men for impOr-
taut positions Considering the fact that she oc-
cupicd the skirmsh line in the late political con-
test, and that she opened the fight with such
gallant and sweeping majority as 10 inspire the
column af States who were to follow with enthu-
sastic courage and confidence; and considering
the fact that Of all the Republican States she has
ever been the most certain, reliable, and devoted
to the principles of the Republican party, She had
a right 70 expect that her claims would be liber-
ally recognized 1t is true that she is small
state In size and population as compared with
the empires Of the West, but correspondngly
small were her askings. Modest as were her de-
mands, although preferred by the united delego-
ton, they were generally met with the response
that " Vermont is not entitled % it, until Il be-
came question whether in the estimation Of GER
tain secretaries Vermont was entitled toanything
I hf lao lion III s.
tN-Goy. Dillingham; as Consul General to Cana
da, of Hon. + +. Woodbridge as Commissioner
under the Mexican treaty, Of Gen. VIM.
/ W Circuit as Governor OF the Territory of Wv
oming, OF y. w Bingham, Esq. rs Commission
/ er Of Customs We're all summarily disposed of
/ by the remark that =" Vermont is not entitled 10
I it. 10 was unfortunate for some of these rem
tlemen that they did not hail from Ohio. as zen
tlemen from that State seemed 10 be in great de-
mand, especially in the organization Of the West
ern Territories. Ii was with surprise and regret
that we noticed the recall Of Gen Geo. 5. Dodge
OF Vermont who for the past three years has SO
ably and satisfactorily discharged the duties of
1. > Consul at Bremen, and the appointment in
I his place OF n gentleman from Ohio. Another
Nermonier, the u 5. Consul at Odessa. was also
recalled, but whether to make room for nnother
gentleman from Ohio, | do not now remember
/ The case OF Mr.. Bingham however was some
what different from the rest. lie was first urged
/ Tor the position Of Commissioner of Customs by
| the Maine and Massachusetts delepntions 4ee,n1-
| ed by that Of Vermont and the rest Of the New
England States. His claims were preferred. de-
pendent upon the contingency that there was to
/ De change IN the incumbent Of the Office and
as 1t was decided that the present Commissioner
should be retained, he does not regard his failure
to receive the nppointmentasa rejection altogetb-
err oil his claim. Mr.. Bingham, who has lecn
mere Tor several weeks past returns 10 his former
post OF duty bearing with him an expression Of
the confidence and good will Of the Department
IN the shape OF an extension OF his jurisdiction as
Inspector OF Customs, and u substantial increase
OF his pay and emoluments
The difficulty which for the past two years has
distracted the Congregational Church in Wash
ington, and which had engendered so much bitter
and acrimonious feeling among the members as to
seriously threaten the existence Of the church Or
ganmtlOn itself, has been, it is hoped finally. if
not amlcably, settled At meeting Of the sicie-
", held nc their new church on Thursday even
ing, the pastor, the Rev. DR.. B1yntOn, rendered
his resignation, which was unanimously accented
MI James ). DelanO, then presented petition
signed by majority of the members Of the
church, requesting that letters of dismissal De Is
sued 10 them, for the purpose Of enabling them
u form new church, which petition was unani-
mousy granted. Dr. Boynton and the seeding
members will Immediately form themselves into
a new church, to be called the SecoHd Congre,,,
Their meetings for public worship in the lecture
room OF the new building Of -" The Young Mems
Christian Association" The remaining mem
hers, who are headed by Gen. o. o. Howard re
tain the new church and church property. and
Will, as soon as possible, settle another pastor
over them. The Rev DR.. Storrs is prominently
spoken Of Thus the unhappy differences thnt
arose in this church in the frstyear of It's organ
lzed existence, and which have not only impaired
ITS usefulness and hindered its growth but have
threatened its destruction, have proyidentially re-
suited in the formation of two churches each. il
Is hoped, strong in the elements Of life and future
usefulness
The eight-hour question continues to be a mat
Ter Oh agitation between the wOrkmen employed
under the government and the heads of certain
departments here. 1t will be remembered that
the Secretaries OF the Warand Navy DEPARTMENTS
construed the law as authorizing them 10 deduct
RON the pay OF the wOrkmen am amount pronor |
toned 10 the reduction in time From this deci- |
SION those Affected thereby appealed in every way
open 10 them' The question was finally referred |
by the late Secretary Of the Navy, Mr. Meles IN |
Attorney General Eyarts who decided that the |
law establishing eight hours as n legal davis |
work, dld not authorize any reduction in the rate
of pay
The present Secretary, however, took the same
view OF the matter as his predecessor and issued
MS orders accordingly On the Sd of April. how.
- '..''AANtSA Aut Iht0Aluu 70 the present /
Attorney General, who under date of tie 9Ist
INST. gives learned and ingenious opinion. In
which the question appears to be erDressly decid-
ed one way, and by implication the other. In
conformity with this opinion, the Secretary OF
ihe Navy under date Of the 22d, issues circular
letter oil instruction to commandants of Navy
Yards etc, equally as ingenious and Incompetent
5lDle as the opinion upon which it is founded
but which would seem under the guise of extm
pay Tor extra hours, to prohibit the payment of
'uH pay for eight hours.
Senator Wilson has addressed a letter to the
secretary OF War protesting against the official
construction placed upon the law in question
lie maintains that it was the intention of Con
5res' to reduce the hours Of labor without affect
ng the rate OF pay, and that that intention IS
clearly expressed in the law. Ii /. unlortnnate
10 say the least that 50 much and so persistent
should be made to the workinpmen
receiving the full benefit of the good intention
md expressed will of Congress.