Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-10
WAsurNaror. d. c.. March 4.

that follows storm, Congress is COM
naratiyely quiet to-day. The expulsion
Of Rev. Mr.. Whittemore from his seat IN
the House has been followed by the in
vestipations of John T. Deweese of n. O.,
and Jacob s. Golladay of Kentucky, who,
by this act acknowledge their quit IN
selling cadetships. Gen. Logan and his
associates are on the war path and others
stand trembling in their boots for fear
they will be overtaken and their acts ex-
posed.
The plea urged by some, that these men
have done no worse than many others IN
Congress is no excuse with Gen. Logan,
who is understood to be the leading spirit
in this work of purifying the sanctuary"
He properly insists that the crime is none
the less because many are guilty OF 1t, but
needs all the more to be exposed and the
guilty parties expelled. Those who are
innocent greatly admire him for his
courage, independence and unmistakeabie
integrity those who are guilty fear to
have his black piercing eye rest upon
them, lest it lead to the revelation of their
guilt.
I have heard many times OF "the last
ditch" but never supposed that l should
see it. But I saw it on Thursday and
Friday last Occasional shots on the skir-
mis- line had been heard for some days,
but on Thursday the firing was COM
menced in the last ditch. Carrot Davis
and eight other faithful advocates of the
inequality of the niger" were driven
thither and fought manfully, and were
two days in giving up the ghost. They
died from the effects of a bomb shell sent
from Mississippi in the shape of a 'nig-
ger senator"-Mr. Revels. This man was
sent to fill the vacant chair that Jefferson
Davis left ON the 22d day of Feb. 1861. 1t
is said that Senator Wilson then told Mr..
Davis if he left his chair to raise his hand
against theis government, his successor
would be colored man. 1t matters not
what the prediction was, the world has
already been informed that the Senator
elect from Mississippi is colored man.
That he was escorted to the box of the
Senate to take the oath by Senator Wilson,
after which he was conducted to the seat
behind Senator Brownlow where once sat
the arch traitor Davis. This, to the pro-
slavery advocates, was "the unkindes cut
of all"
The appropriation bill has, from time
to time, been brought up in the House,
but not fully disposed of. 1t greatly re-
duces the salaries and the number of men
to be employed in the several depart
ments but there is still room for further
reduction. For instance, in the House
Post Office provision is made for Post
Master at salary of $2592, an assistant
at $20SS, four messengers at SIPS each,
two mail carriers at $1080 each, and a
further appropriation of $4,000 "for
horses and carriages, and for the use of
messengers" Now 1 may be greatly mis-
taken, but it seems to me that this is con-
siderable money to be expended merely
for the accommodation of less than $50
members of the House of Representatives
in getting their letters and sending them
off from the Capitol, for part of the
year that they are here, instead of going
to the general Post Office, or depositing
matter m the various mail boxes on the
street corners, and having their mail de-
liyered by the city carriers, who deliver
at residences and other places, two and
three times day.
The House Post Office, the Senate Post
Office and the Branch Post Office, all of
which are in the Capitol, are doubtless
necessary and proper, but what I object
to is the hiring of so many men and
horses to do the little work required.
And speaking of horses, reminds me that
every head of department, and every
head of a bureau, land there are lots of
bureaus here, all have horse and wagon
| furnished, or at least paid for by the gov
eminent at the rate, lin 1863, of $3.50
per month. amounting to 1910, being $3.50
more per annum than is now being paid
for the entire salary of watcbman who
guards the treasury of the nation.
1t seems unusual and improper for a
head of a department, or the head of
some branch of a department, who re-
ceives high salary, TO have additional
perquisits for use of horse, and that man
to whom is virtually committed the
treasure of the county, shall have sal
airy less than such official charges for bis
horse hire. But such things exist in
Washin ton, Unless they are spoken of
they will not be corrected, and perhaps
not then.
a great question has to-day been
brought up in the SeHate-one which will
ore materially affect them finances of the
country thu any that has been agitated
since the close of the war, or 1 am mis-
taken It is whether Congress will
authorilp the payment Of damages sus-
tanned by loyal citizens of the South dur
ing the war.
Let this door once be opened and it will
take more money to foot the bills than it
would to pay the government debt
Every person South will be able To prove
his loyalty. Who can estimate the amount
of greenbacks that it would require to
cover up the tracks made by Sheridan in
the Valley of the Shenandoah and sher-
man i'll his march to the sea, to say
nothing of the numerous raids made by
Union and rebel soldiers? There would
be no end TO the claims The Southerners
have an awful cheek. When see such a
man as Ross, that inhuman creature that
assisted in the murder of Libby prisoners,
round here in search of a position, am
unable to imagine case where the great
est rebel would not have the cheek to call
upon the government to pay for the
damage he has sustained-if the door