The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-03-03
BY THE sOUTHEka.
Washington.
Correspondence Of the Herald

WASHINGTON, March 2, 1874
The history OF the Executive Department of the
United States Government for the last three years,
EXHIBITS some most extraordinary facts. The
ofhcial year mas not yet quite expired. With
in these three years, therefore, the United Ststes
Government has had three Presidents, two Vice
Presidents, four Secretaries Of State four Secre-
taries of the Treasury, four Secretaries Of War.
six Secretaries OF the Navy, four Attorney Gene.
rails, and three Postmaster Generals I his in
cludes the administration OF Van Buren,. Since
his administration, the account stands as follows
Tyler. .........
srcr srArs-webster, Legsre, Urssur. Neisonr
SEcY WAK-Bell, Spencer. Porter. Wilkins.. ....
sncv NAvY-Badger, Upshur. Henshaw, Gilmer. War.
Arrss Gn..n.i..criitenden, Lsssrc, Nsl.on.
PosrMAsrIK GEsERALs-GraDger, Wickiae.. .... 2
Total. rs
In these Offices, in the ordinary and undls-
turbed course OF events, seven persons would ad-
minister the government for eight years. But IN
less than three years last past, the number OF IN
cumbents has amounted to twenty-three How
many, In the extraordinary providence OF God, may
have been called to fill these Offices within the en-
tire tour years from March 4th, lS4l, to March 4,
lS45, no one can tell
That these events will be seized upon for
practical comment by the religious world, 10 to
be expected, especially when II Is remembered that
go many OF these changes have been produced by
the affective dlspensations Of Heaven. And that
religious fanatics will abuse these same events to
the entire subverslon of the understanding, and to
the introduction OF anarchy In religion, - equally
to be expected Events Of infinitely less imper-
lance than the late hear-rending catastrophe have
been perverted by designing men, under the dis
gulse ct cody zeal, 10 the destruction OF the human
reason. There is ground, therefore, to apprehend
the worst consequences from the use which will be
made OF so potent weapon as the late shocking
accident, by fanatics like Miller, who Is even now
at Washington, where he has been Tor some time
past, stirring up weak minded people to frenzy.
Beware of them
This accident, although extraordinary In its de:
strucuon of men in high official station, was still
perfectly natural, and within the ordinary range of
human events: To the eye OF sound religion and
calm philosophy there was nothing in the accident
to indicate a blood-thrsty interference of
ruling Providence. The bursting OF a gun is an
event of ordinary occurrenceand its effects in the
destruction of human life often far more disas-
| trous, 80 far as numbers are concerned That gen.
emen Of high distinction should on that occasion
have alone been present. was also perfectly natural
| They had turned aside from the more bolsterous
galelies Of that festive board for the purpose of sci
| entiic observation and investigation. That was
| also circumstance OF most natural occurrence
Danger was more or less apprehended, and feared
| by many even before they went on board the ship.
Ii is enough, therefore, for religion TO say that in
the midst of life in death, and for all
| it is well TO be prepared.
| 1t is thankless task to attempt TO correct the
multitude of false rumors put in circulation by de-
signing persons for malicious purposes ! will state,
| however, on authority, that the bursted gun was
not an English piece-not made in England, and
never saweEngland-but was manufactured at the
| Phoenix boundary in New York Ii was undoubt-
eddy, badly made, and OF poor materials 1t had
been often fired, and was proved with 40 pounds of
| powder. In each of the late excursions at WASH
ington it was loaded with great and every
prscautIon, by sober, scientific, and responsible.
officers, and each of them with only Is pounds Of
| powder.
| The best made guns are eventually ruined by re-
peated discharges. Some say that no cannon can
| ever be safely fired more than 1000 tlmes-and es-
peciay if the gun be lmperiectly made with cracks
and fractures, in which the force of the powder
be nsnuated, each succeeding discharge will rapid
ly approximate the final bursting; This it sfeared
was the fact, in part at least, with the "Peace-ma-
ker." All the evidence which could be desired on
this point. cannot now, however, be obtained, as
least hree-iourths OF the entire breech burst
blown overheard, and now lie at the bottom of the
Potomac riveI-whence they will probably never be
removed The remaining fourth, which destroyed
five valuable lives, yet remains for Inspection.
The attention OF Congress will be Immediately
called to the necessity OF erecting national foun-
dry for casting cannon, and also TO the necessity
OF manufacturing no more common by contract.