Mobile register and journal., 1846-12-18

ring the week. the regents determined to occupy all three o the knolIs south of Tiber creek flor their pur- poses but il appears that the cabinet, who have this part of their plans, object to the appro praton of more ground than is embraced in the public lot laying between 12lh 8 I4th ss, containing thirty two acres On to morrow this question will be finally decided. The board appear anxious to select the
 lot between 7th and 12lh streets, fl they 10 be restricted to but of them. The President him self il is said, is in favor of allowing them the whole number. To my mind there two or three excel
 Rnt reasons why they should have neither In the frstplace, if they put up large edifce south of he Fiber, il will efecnally mar the magnificent view from the west terrace of the capi'a to which il is worth travelling five hundred niles Next, if the
 institute be thus located in the heart of tue city or three hundred thousands than is necessary wll be spent the buildings for the sake of ap- pearances. Such must inevitably be the case. The most important objection, however, arises from the fact that all three of the lots in question, combined, will not afford than seventy of ground, which. in time, will prove far loo small for the agr- cultural experiments that public opinion will force the institute to make. If sile where the very verge of the city had been selected, fine farm of wo or three hundred acres might have been ob- ianed for what, to the regents, would have been ''litte nothing" Indeed, many in Washington beg inning loose confidence in the energy and decision of purpose of this board. l would give a pinch of sRuff for all their grand plans. The country desires them to husband their and devote them strictly "the diffusion of useful knowl
 l.,,lo Washington city under their ausplcies, if portion of them study how "do up" the thing most mag n6cently, while others listen to the representation of the horde who fancy that Smihson made the will thus. only that Their property may be ncreas cd in value by the expenditure of much free money in its immediate vicinity,
 Commodore Stewart has spent two days in Wash inalon since ihe date of my last letter. He was in conference with ha Department from the hotr of his Isnl until he returned to Philadelphia. which gave additional force the lumour that he is forth with to take command of the Gulf sqnadrda. l fancy Ihe qud nuncs deceived in this and that hs but called here 10 adslse in arranging plans for the navy. Until within very few days, have been an unbelever in the design of the government to attempt the castle of San Juan Ulloa, though am lenger; for certain munitions have been sent from New York to Tampice, or il may be 10 Brazos St. Jago, which just the things for com bned land and naval attack SO strong a post as this same castle at Vera Cruz. Certain late movs- menls in the and naval departments, also lead to the impression my mind that Tampico is soon 10 become the base b very important operations on the coast of Mexico.
 The democratic members of Congress from Maine are satisfied that majority in their newly elected Legislature will be nine or ten at least So you see that, as in Michigan and Iowa, the feds have "hol. lered before getting out of the woods.'
 The Richmond and Fredericksburg railway com. pany have proved 'muleish upon the subject of ex- tending the magnetic telegraph as far south as Petersburg, Va, thus winter. It is believed that they refuse all the propositions from the company owning the te legraph who wish to erect their posts along the line of the railroad It will however be al built 10 Fredericksburg, Va., some forty miles from Washington.
 have never seen the democracy in Congress come together in better temper than they have eynced since reaching this city. Indeed no better harbinger of success is 1S4S can be desired. All appear much disappointed al the evident wish of the rank and file of federalism to shrk the war and tariff ques tion. Webster's Philadelphia speech (made after dinner, as one may easily guess from its character islcs) is secuted at by at least nine tenIhs of hiI party, who now disclam all right on his part to lay down common project for lhe federal opposition o
 the session. His personal enemIes in their ranks the Clay, Mclean and Courier men-are secretly re- inic fhuf,n th Ina h,, ent the we'll known inconss mark ing his ore vIous career as public man. Most of these gentle men would quite as aid in pulling him down, a, to fight the democracy. Indeed. this spirit is an. parent in inc gIee with which they received the ac count of lhe ruse lately adopted by the "Pennsylva nian" to procsre federal readers for his .sereai speech." You recolect that at the recent Ph,ladel phia feed, in trying to demonstrate the beauties o protection he swore pon blank" that hs had al,pay been protection,st. We'll on the morning afier, some four or five hours before the federal paper. (which were delayed in order to give the speech Of that day 10 their readers) appeared, the news boys 'hronsed every part of the city with the .'Pennsyl- 'anian extras," containing ''Webster's great speech" Some ihiIty thousand copies were sold 10 the eager feds who, on coming over the tocu- ment fouud that they had bought a pig in poke ms famous free trade speech delivered m Fanieul Hall m 1920 This novel expedient 10 obtain readers Of sound doctrine, answered admirably. I ancy that some thousands read powerful free trade argument on that day, who, under other circums s an ces' would have thrown aside any thing against pro 'ec''on, simply because it against protection.
 MT. Garret Davis, as ihe reading of the message was concluded in the House, rose to eiec, what Webster had thus failed to accomplish. In timating that itte President was obscure upon the subject of the temporary governments est abshhd in New Mexico and Cafornia by Stockton and Rear. ney he moved resolution asking for further infor- nation on this point Both parties take lhis as an order to the federal army.to fall into line, shoulder arms, and prepare for charge on this particular part of the war party of the administration therein designated. As every federalist and democrat in Congress knew lha: to day the reports of the war and navy departments embracing the information rominaiy desired would be presented in due course 'f business, all were instantly struck with lhefde sign Of this resolutions; and1he House with hearty augh acknowledged il us Ihe first move by way os smoking the peculiar factious opposition in which 'ihe Kings own'' is always expected 10 take the cad.
 Too short time has elapsed 10 enable me to s'''e you concerning the impressions made by the message in Washington. As yet, I can onIy say nat our friends with one accord respond o it's sen 'menis and approve the boldness and decision Of ''araeier manifested by the executive in throwing