Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-08

passionate. with his usual clearness of
PERCEPTION, force of reasoning, and pow
! er of expression. 1t was one of the
most sublime scenes of the session. The
galleries presented solid phalanX of
eager faces, nearly every senator in his
seat-so rare an occurrence-and with
eyes fastened upon the speaker, while
outside of the circle stood crowds Of at
tentive dignitaries From the diploma
tic gallery the whole world watched and
listened through the members of foreign
legations and, as if to witty the scene by
fruits of the rebellion, Gen. Sickles, our
minister to Spain, had just come in up
on crutches minus one leg, and had been
given Senator Fenton's seat near the
speaker the two forming the grand cen
ter of scene unequaled for hight of
tone, depth of interest and diversity of
power. We did not hear his arguments
controverted, or the high platform upon
which his principles were based even
reached by those who replied to him.
Their have they respect for argument and
Senator Nye perhaps struck the weak
est joint in Schurz armor when he APP
piled to his speech the epithet of ''PO-
1itical Cunderango," but lost all adyan-
tageIthus gained by attacking Schurz upon
his foreign birth, and for taking front
seat in land so recently his by adop-
ton. Chandler and Salisbury both spoke
upon the measure. The latter undOnbt-
eddy felt that 1.-THE eyes of Delaware
were upon him" and was true to his an
tecedents. Much that is heard upon
this tortured subject from adherents of
both parties is useful only in demonstra-
ting that it is sometimes hard for great
minds TO deal ispassiOnately. The ten
acity with which men adhere to dead
issues, questions that live only in men,
orv demonstrates the force Of habit, and
the pitiable fact that those who ought to
lead public sentiment are instead miscr-
able hangers on to be spurred up to duty
or left by the wayside in its onward
march to better things One or two
amnesty bills passed by the House IMAM
ticipatlOn of the failure of this are still
before the Senate to be acted upon, but
when is merely matter of conjecture
as neither house seem anxious to dis
patch business.
THE HOUSE
accomplished an immense quantity of
nothing during the week. One Of its
earliest and most brilliant exploits was
upon the Senate resolution to adjourn
on the 20th of May. After a brief
squabble as to the propriety of fixing
the time so early in the session, what
ought to be done before adjourning,
what ought not to, what the dear PEG
pie are entitled to and will expect, etc,
all of which means one of two things
no more. no less. The resolution was
referred to the Committee of Ways and
Means. 1t will doubtless be reported,
but what will be the action of the com
mittee upon it is very uncertain. There
seems to be a general Discrimination to do
much with tariff, and the free trade scu-
timent of that committee may assert it
self against the proposition unless it
promises some revenue reform. There
is a strong opposition to the resolution
in the House. but its friends are conf
dent.
Perhaps the most important work Of
the week, politically we mean, was
Wednesday and Thursdays furorc over
the Syndicate Investigations Secretary
Boutwell, was before the Ways and
Means Committee, in explanation of his
policy for funding the national debt.
They found nothing in the action Of the
Secretary criminal to the financial inter
ests of the country, and promptly cNcul-
pated him. His deviation from the CON
ditions of the funding bill being against
the letter rather than the spirit of the
law, still the opposition have peg of a
fact upon which to hang a political
scarecrow, and if the crows are not all
frightened out Of their wits it will be no
fault of this BoutWeI's administration
of the finances speaks for itself, and
needs no other yindication before tine in
tclligcncr of the country.
INTERNATIONAL.
The Geneva Conference is just now in
the foreground, and the sound of the
public voice in England eXciteo not Il
little apprehension, The English joint
of the commission doubtless thouhgt the
mere acknowledgment upon their part
Of having maintained an ''p'Jrie"dH'
attitude toward this nation, indirectly
prolonging the rebellion, and directly