The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-17


Special Mission to England.
The Washington Union quotes our state
ment that Mr. Polk has under advisement, q
project TO appoint Mr.. Calhoun on specia
mission to England, and adds :-"As far as
we are advised, we do not believe there is any
foundation for this statement" That is all yer,
well, but we happen TO be better advised" on thi.
subject than the Union. We know on the best au
tnority-authority as reliable as even that O.
the Unton-that the project of sending Mr. Calhoun
10 England has been before Mr.. Polk-has been the
subject OF his dellberation-and will be acted upon
IN due time. We quite aware that it would not
do for the government organ to make revelations OF
the projects and purposes of the administration,
when in embryo. Nobody thinks of obtaining
from the "organ" explicit details of the movements
of the government, when they are quietly progress
sing. Ii is left to us to do our share in afordng
that information.
But this is not ALL We have reason to believe that
the organ" and part of the cabinet may be in favor
of statesman for the English mission other than
Mr.. Calhoun. The last Richmond ENQUIRER (Which
may be considered the younger organ expresses
strong desire that Mr. Van Buren, should be ap-
pointed on that important special mission, and we
have some reason to guess that the Union is also in
favor of such selection in preference to that of Mr.
Calhoun. Is not this the motive which prompts the
Union to try the correction ii does Now, we are
free TO admit that Mr. Van Buren,, in talent and pa
triotsm, is fully equal to such ordinary missions
but in the present crisis of foreign relations, we
contend that Mr. Calhoun, from position, character
and talents altogether, would be much preferable and
more successful. A portion of the cabinet and
the Union may be opposed to the selection of
MIR. Calhoun, arising from various personal and po-
htical motives, but we do not believe that Mr.. Polk
has yet made up his mind conclusively against such
selection, and that he is open to the wishes and
desires of the country. may be the policy of the
Union, for Interior purposes to unite with the whig
papers (the Courier & Enquirer, for instance), but
such is that of the President or the people who
support him and his administration.
In furtherance of this view, we may add that the
Nasiviue Union, journal that can feel what is
good policy in the President as well as the Wash
ington Union, has an article, expressing in the
warmest manner, the wish that Mr.. Calhoun
might be sent to England. This may be Just
ly regarded as confirmatory of our statement.
which, we repeat, is in every particular cor
rect. We do not mean to say that the matter has
been formally before the Cabinet; it is not, strictly
III
settle 1t, and we reerate, in the most emphatic man.
ner, our former Statement that it has been the sub
Ject OF his consideration. The public will probably
very soon know all about the matter.
If the Washington Union wants to prescribe Mr..
Calhoun, is it not more manly to do it openly and
above board than by ndirection! Mr. Ritchie as a
private gentleman, is manly, open, and honorable
why not be in his political character as editor OF
the government organ?
The New CoRpoRArIoN are making themselves
very ridiculous already. One of their first acts was
10 issue order forbidding the payment of any war
rants signed by the late Clerk OF the Common Coun-
ella species of repudiation-whch was repealed
at the next session of the Boards In their haste,
100, to crafty the appetite of office-seekers they
have annhilated the M. Ps, and thus left the city
without any police at all except the watch and the
officers about the Courts Such glaring absurdity
was this repeal that the common sense of the Mayor
could not stand it, and he ordered the M. P.'s to
hold over for the present. The streets, in state
ndescribably abominable, remain unvisited by
the brooms of the new officials. However, after
all, we shall not condemn these men without giving
them the fairest possible chance of saving them
selves. We will give them little more time But
we must say that they do not promise so well as we
had wished and anticipated.
LAW OF LrBEL.-The libel case of Cooper, the
novelist, against Horace Greeley, the philosopher,
brought before the Supreme Court on demurrer has
attracted good deal of attention. in consequence OF
It's being likely to result in explicit and authora-
tive annunciation of the law of libel In this State
we have virtually no law of libel Newspaper pro-
pretors and others who prosecuted for libel are
completely at the mercy of the caprice, prejudice,
passion, or ignorance of juries and Judges In
England they were in the same condition till quite
recently. Now, however, the law Of libel is pre-
cisely defined, and all parties are secure from any
unjust caprcious application oft It is surely full
time to have this law settled and defined here We
shall, therefore, await with much interest the decl-
sion of the Supreme Court in the case, and may then
have something more to say on this very important
subject.
SPIRIT AND ENERGY OF YANKEEDoM THE Pitts
burgh fire has produced abundant fresh evidences
of the indomitable spirit and energy which are
so characteristic of the Anglo-American charac.
Ter. The business stamina of the "Iron City,
appears TO be more fully developed than ever
Only day after the fire, numbers of the burnt
out ordered supply of manufactures, start
ed post haste for the east, bought fresh stocks
OF goods, fixed up new place of business and
went T" ahead" as if nothing had happened. The
banks are acting with the greatest degree of liberia
hty consistent with prudence-the Insurance Compa-
MES will pay about 800 OOO-the Canal is daily pour
ing IN large additions to the market-nearly one
hundred new houses have been already built-blocks
OF warehouses more substantial and commodious
than those that were destroyed are going up-seve-
raj magnificent hotels will replace those that were
burnt-and in very short time not trace of the re-
cent terrible calamity will be left Thus the spirit.
energy, and strong will of Yankeedom ever $50
ahead"
custom HoUsE.-We understand that the follow
ing removals and appointments have been detemin
ed upon by the President
Edgar. -'pP'"''ei' '"' ~