Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-04-14
From Our Washington Correspondent
wA.nnoros. April Il. 1869.

came together at twelve O'Clock saturday noon,
the gavcls in the hands Of the presiding Olhcers
in each House Of Congress, descended upon inc
marble slabs before them, and each oihcer made
the usual proclamation that " the hour having
arrived, &C. =" the House or Senate stood ADJOURN
ed without day.
The closing scenes Of the session were OF the
nsuol noisy turbulent and exciting character.
For several hours little business had been gotten
through a. it is an easy matter for the opponents
of measure to delay it for time, and thus de-
fett its passage 10 accomplish this vote there
ON is prevented by various diat0ry motions, TAX
inc arninst time, and the other strategic resorts
lknown as fllibustering' In the House, as the
srcmaining time Of the Session began to be com
nuted in minutes the noise, confusion ana eX-
kcitcment upon the floor amounted TO q perfect
pandemonium Scores of members were ON their
/ lect at the same moment, shouting gesticulhtlng
and hurrying excitedly from desk to desk while
the pages were skipping from one member to an
other with the agility of monkeys. 10 would be
| impossible upon such occasions To preserve order,
/ if there were two Speakers for each member and
no speaker ever attempts it. Speaker Blaine, how
ever demonstrated his eminent fitness for the POI
stion which he $50 ably fills, 10y the manner in
which he presided over the angry elements around
him. and the ease with which he rode upon the
tempest which he did not attempt to control APP
plying his gayel vigorously with his left hand, as
occasion required it, with his right he rapidly
SIGNED bills and orders MS they were passed under
ms hand bv an attendant. while his eve was CON
santy flashing over the Chamber, recognizing
one member after the other, as they claimed his
attention. At the same time, seeminglyas though
hands and eve. were acting upon their own inn
pulse. without a thought or care on the part OF
the will, with mind apparently selrposSessed,
clear and unconiused, he gave momentary deci-
sions upon points Of order, involving the whole
range OF parliamentary law
In the Senate AZ the hour for adjournment ar
rived, senator W ilson was endeavoring 10 obtain
action upon the bill recently passed by the House,
explanatory of the eight hour Law" but unsuc-
cessfullv Thus this iust and necessary measure
Of legislation, designed 10 prevent the working
men from being robbed of the benefits conferred
lupOn them by the eight hour law, was killed, and
ANONYMOUSLY buried in that common grave into
which are annually swept so many hopes and
fears, and above which is written the common
epitaph, " failed for want Of time
The Executive Office was temporarily transferred
from the White House 10 the Capitol The Pres
ident, accompanied by his private secretaries,
Generals Porter ard Babcock, arrived at the Cap
itol about ten O'Clock. The Cabinet soon after
arrived and went into session in the President
il0m. where bills were considered by them as
soon as passed by Congress
The Senate Hobbies were filled with anxious
Office seekers and their friends, looking after the
acted upon. The Senate did not 60 into execu-
tive session during the forenoon, and hence all
these nominations expired with the close of the
Session There were hity-six important nomiua-
tons pending before the Senate ut the time of ad-
iournment. all Of which will have 10 be made
over again. The Senate remained in executive
session until 80 saturday morning. The ,es-
sion is said to have been a very exciting one and
characterized by good deal Of sharp discussion.
Senator Conkling made desperate attack upon
most Of the New York revenue appointments, and
succeeded in preventing action thereon. Ii is
claimed that the same batch of nominations will
not be returned TO the Senate, but that many
changes will be made before the nominations are
again sent in. The nomination of Hon. j. NJ.
Ashley, of Ohio, as Governor Of Montana, was
bitterly opposed by all the Democrats in the SEN
ate, and many Republicans, but was at last CON
hrmed, after q long and sharp debate, by just one
majority.
Previous to the adjournment the Senate had
been convened by proclamation OF the President
to meet at ~ O'Clock, noon, on Monday, April r.
10 act upon nominations and other Executive
business. 1t is expected that they will remain in
session from two 10 three weeks. The Alabama
Treaty will be brought specially before the SEN
ate for definite action, and will doubtless be sum
marily rejected. Mr. Sumner, chairman Of the
committee on foreign relations takes the ground
that the treaty must be rejected altogether, and
that ignoring the action of Minister johnson. the
negotiations must be entered upon do moro, by
Mr. JOhnsOn's successor, who will probably rep
resent the loyal rather than the rebel interests in
treating with England \ telegram has already
been sent by the State department 10 Mr.. john
son requesting his resignation, and stating that
his successor will be appointed Immediately. lie
will, therefore, probably close his official relations
with the Court Of st. James, eat parting din
ner or two with his friends Laird. Roebuck. II a.
Raj 81 l.
his Lille in bewailing the evil tendency Of the
times, and in writing learned pamphlets upon the
Constitution
1t is expected that the debate upon the treaty
question viii he very thorough and exhaustive
and it should by all means-as it probably will
be given 10 the public By authority Of the Senate.
We have been particularly unfortunate in some
Of our foreign representatives. The correspond
ence recently called for by the Senate between
Hon John p. Hale and his Secretary of legation
Mr.. Perry, places our Minister 10 Spain in very
discreditable position and fully justifes Secretary
Fish in demanding his resignation. II appears
that Mr.. Hale has been in the habit of using hi.
official position as a cover for the importation int
Spain Of goods, upon which there are enormous
duties, which goods were sold in the market ioi
his benefit.
The correspondence shows that some two years
ago the Spanish government became aware OIL
this incredible conduct on the part OF the Ameri.
can Minister, and quietly intimated to him that
the fact was known, but that it would be kept
secret, provided the practice was discontinued
In some way the letters Of Mr.. Hale to the mer-
chants whom he employed to dispose of the goods
have found their way into the files of the State
Department, and appear as a part Of the cores
pondence called for by the Senate
IL appears that Mr.. Hale charged his Secretary
of Legation, Mr.. Perry, with giving the Spanish
government information as 10 his speculations in
eyading the Spanish revenue laws, which resulted
in bitter personal quarrel between them The
quarrel will probably be settled by the recall Of
both parties, aud the sending of some one to the
Court of Madrid who will not forget that he rep
pie and that he is sent abroad 10 sustain then
honor and dignity. Thomas.