The Arkansas banner., 1845-03-26
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE

from friend at Washington. The entire letter
 would have been given but for the fact that it ar
 rived after we had received from other sources, and
 published the substance of its contents. We give
 these extracts on account of the comments contained
 in them, ia reference to matters (the fate of which l though known) which have taken up the greater
 portion of the attention of the late Congress- and
 about which the country has been deeply concerned WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 1915. ] To Me .Edaor of He Banner:
 DEAR SIR :-I arrived here on last Mon
 day, and found the Texas question all-absorb- king.
 As the papers will have informed you the joint resolutions introduced by Mir. Brown,
 were passed by handsome majority i'll the 1 House In the Senate they met a hostile
 front, for not only in the whig ranks, but,
 sad 10 say, even among democrats-or rath- CT among those profe&sed to be-a few were found in opposition to this truly American,
 and most vital measure. But after-som able speeches, on both sides, the vote was ob- tained last night about ten o'clock, and re- suited in the passage of the Resolutions by
 majority of t,co. Every Democrat, pro-
 fessing as well as real, and three Thigs-
 Merrick of Md, Henderson, of Miss, and Johnson, of La, voted for 1t.
 The amendments of Mr. Walker, which secured the whole, do not seem to me 10 af-
 feet the merits of the question materially, if
 at all. The whole subject, owing to the amendments, is again before the House. It's friends will press 1t to a vote this eyening,'i if possible They arc jealous and firm, on
 bolh sides; indeed, great activity and great
 excitement are 10 be obseyed-greater, per
 haps than have been seen or felt upon any subject for years.
 In the course of the debate in the Senate, one disgracelul scene, at least, was presented. The course of Mir. Bagby, of Alabama, has been the most extraordinary, unexpected, and inconsistent that it is possible to con- ceive of Considered a Democrat, he had
 all along participated in the confidence and
 counsels of the friends of the measure; yet,
 when he succeeded in obtaining the floor, he delivered a violent speech against fl. As an exhibition either of argument or oratory, his speech was a failure. Ill this speak what do know for heard a large portion of 1t, until, indeed, sickened at his treachery, and left the capitol. The burden of his speech was the Mcoas'itNtioadHlg of the measure Just as he concluded, 1t was minated to him that Dixon II. Lewis would reply. This so alarmed him that he authorised Mir. Payne, of Ala, to inform Mir. l.. that if he would forbear, he (Bagby) would vote for the Res olutions, which he had just declared uneon- stiiutonal, This satisfied Mir. Lewis, and he did Hot speak, else, am inclined 10 think he would not have left whole bone in the poor devils body Various excuses have been suggested for Bagby. Some insist that he was as usual, drHnt while others attrb- uted it to Benton, whose slave he is. Att heart, Benton is known to have been, and to be still, opposed to the measure but, under the instructions of the Missouri Legislature, he was afraid to. make any open oppos- ton, in his own person. It was lis policy then, to use others for the eradication of his real feelings and the promotion of his cherished views, himself escaping the odium and responsibility, The Ass's skin, with | which, in this instance, he sought to cover up the wolishness of his eWn nature, las not served his purpose for he is known, here, al least, for what he is. As for Baghy, he is held in utter contempt by both parties. It is difficult to tell which thinks least of him; for although he spoke against the meas ure, and did all he could 10 defeat it, he had | not the courage 10 vote aganstit, When the question was taken he voted for the Resolu- tions-so did Benton. Thus the democrats despise him for deceiving them, by speaking against the measure, and the whigs despise him for deeeiving them by rofiAg for i- All seem to consider that he either lied when he declared the Resolutions unconstitutional, or purjwed himself when he voted for them, No one is likely to envy him, his position, or the need of inlamy which awaits him at the hands of his outraged State. It remains to be seen whether the high-minded, honor- able, democratic State of Alabama will con- tinue to be represented (disgraced if she joes) by such a creature as Arthur P. Bagby.
 One thing the Intellgencer has failed to tell it's readers, but which should be known { to the American people. The British minis ter, Mir. Packenham, has attended the debates upon the Texas question, as regularly as any of the Senators, and manifested as deep an interest in the result. Yesterday he was present when the session opened, evn- ring great interest, and even excitement, and never left the Senate Chamber, until the vote was taken, at late hour of the night He has been eXertng himself, by every available means, 10 defeat the measure; and 1t Is a source of deep modification to.the friends of our own country that American Representa- lives and American Senators should be found | aiding and abetting a British Minister to ad- vance the grasping policy and ambitious schemes of his government at the expense of ours Yet this is so. Here sits the Brit sh Ministe,.in his privileged seat, within the American Senate Chamber, and, in effect, acts as commarder-in-chie of the Whig for ces, to defeat an American measure! k was remarked, this morning, by no- 1le democratic Senator, ssPaekenham was on he ground in person, and his troops faught hard for him. "Ay! Sir" answered, he was; but like his distinguished ancestor at New Orleans, he met true American hearts, ln1 strop0 impricap arms and ,VaS IsfaaIed '