Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-01-06
Lcn,sspondeuee Fl nc R.etmond EnGHuo.

ICpr,espondeuee n lie R,ctmond EnGnuc.l
WASHINGTON CRY, Jan. 4, lS46.
You can have no idea how delightful the wea
= ther has been for week past inlhiS city. have
seen nothing like il al this season, except on th'
island of Key West and Galveston, where WIN
ter is but Spring. This day, especially, woult
well pass for "May day" with US The streets
have been crowded with church-soing ladies
gorgeous in varigated SILKS, satins, and floating
ribbons, and with that portion the Washington
public Of the other sex, who dress on Sunday,
and mo, 10 embrace 50 glorious an opportunity
for displaying themselves in over-fashionable
coats uncomlorlably tight boots, well oiled and
periumed whiskers. The day has even drawn
hundreds of loungers into The public grounds,
surrounding the Capitol and Presidents mansion,
on The face Of which, The briiancy OF the sun
shine and of these human butterflies as they mt
about, cannot impress the smile OF other seasons.
These, al times SO beautiful gardens, alone ap-
pear unwilling 10 be cheated into belief, that We
are mol in The very midst OF Winter; and OF all
around uS they only, by presenting their trees
shrubs, and glass plats, bare Of foliage, whisper
that a January snow-storm may check and chI!I
father Soils inspiration before tomorrow morning.
This is breathing day 10 the excited public
men now consregaed herc-a day OF rest 10 The
few among them protesting piely; but OF earnest
cnorossng and laborious study, and preparation
Tor The great number who are anxious 10 cheat the
hour rule upon the Oregon question, by not only
addressing the House when The main question
comes up on Tuesday next, Cor on the Tuesday
aiter--no one appears 10 know which, but also
~ &c op1 ntlnr A
which an Oregon or antOreson speech may be
thrown
The speeches made in The House Yesterday,
nomnaly upon the reference OF the bill from The
Committee on Military Affairs, for adding Two
regiments Of rides 10 our present peace establish
ment, were, take them all in all, efforts better inan
The aggregate Of any previous days debate on
the Oregon question, in either branch 81 Con
gress. c.. ]. lnsersoll, Winthrop, Darrash, Pres
ion King, a Mr.. Baker of Illinois, (thc success
scr OF Hardin, gentleman afflicted with per
feet disentery Of words) and above all, the learn
ed and eloquent Ro ID. Owen of Indiana, made
speeches upon the Oregon question All, except
Winthropof Massachusetts, declared for giving
the notice forthwith. Theyarc among the ablest
debaiers Of The House; 50 your subscribers should
by all means, lead The report OF the proceedings,
which shall not sketch here, as You will, doubt
less find il al length in dozen papers received
by the mail bearing this letter 10 Richmond
Mr.. Winthrop OF Massachusetts, who is grace
full and disnihed debaier alone spoke onl his
hour: neither of the others occupied the al
tention of the House more than halt that
time. The speech Of the former was rePlete |
with doctrines, such as the Federa'lslS oil yore |
swore by; and he appeared aware that theif
PRONUNCIATION nj This day would raise q Storm ot
invdious comments upon his course. To para
I'VE he endeavored 10 loreslall them, by declaring
that he expected 10 be charged with want oil pa |
trotSm for avowing his earnest desire TOR peace
How little does he know the American people, il |
he thus expects 10 cheat them into a belief that
love of peace is synonymous with Willingness
10 back ont from sustaining the rights and honor
of our country whenever and wherever thea,-
enei The Hall of Congress, and lie pulpils |
and newspapers in New England, lccmed with |
lust such proleslationS Of love tor peace before |
the last war-as earnestly insisted on, and as
speciously justified, as are these of Mr. Win
Ihrop and his brother Federalists OF the pre-
sent day. The sober econdhouslt of the
country which he brought hmselfwilh evident
reluctance to acknowledge 10 be 0tw0vs right,
stamps the dove Of peace" displayed ite~ as
want of patriotism, Of dye 50 deep that those
who are known 10 have indnlged in il are, 10 this
day, branded with loryiSm by common consent. :
Their very compcers in modern Federalism, eve
rs where, throughout the length and breadth otthc
land, except in little New England, deny all Eel
lowshp in feeling or principle with that Glove
Of peace" Il is the plague spot which follows
Whigsery in all places, and al all times. In
each political contest since the last war one hall |
their energies have been directed 10 the work oil
persuading The people that they have no; inhc-
ri,ed The Glove of peace" hequeathed TO Them, in |
solemn conclave, at Hartford. Their '.love OF
peace" burst forth when old jackson demanded |
cur rights from France; and was only prevented
from going lis old lengths by the prompt com
pliance of the French Government Again it |
was not only excited, but was successfully brought
70 bear against the country in The settlement OF
the Northeastern boundary question. The head
and front OF the Glove OF peace" parry himself
then controlled our foreign relations, and il was,
oil course, but an open and shut game Tor Eng
land. do moi believe that the country are to be
cheated into undue sacrifices 10y any such hypo-
critical plea in The matter now in issue. They
see and know that this ''ore Of peace" has work
ed so as 10 give Britain pretensions for claim TO
Oreson--she never had 0.hts there. They know,
100, that each additional year OF Joint occupa-
lion strengthens these preiensions and that the
hour must come, when they are 10 be Withdrawn
or battered down by force OF arms. They are
aware OF The Importance oil meeting the issue,
ere they become stronger by lapse ol time. 30
you may rely upon it, that neither Mr.. WIN
lhrop's pTans u praise 10 peace in The abstract
nor Senator Archer's pathetic anticipalions OF
James River and making sad havoc among the
pigs on the Chesapeake will shake The nerves OF
overwhelm the sympathies OF this congress 30 as
10 prevent The notice from being gwen.
Some days ago, Mr.. Houston of Alabama, IN
,roluced a proposition 10 amend the rules OF Tue
House, as follows: ,
THAT, upon the engrossment or passage on
any bill making appropriations OF money 'oI
works oi Internal Improvement oil any k'na OF
description, il shall be in The power oil any men,
Der 10 call Tor a division OF the question, SO as 10
take a separate vote ofthe House upon each item
OF improvement or appropriation cohlaiheu ~,
said tI or upon such items separately, an"
others collectively, as the member making inc
call shall specify; and il one-ililh OF The mem
beers present second said call II shall be The outy
OF The Speaker TO make such divisions oil Inc
question, and put them 10 vote accordingly
This little unobtrusive proposition, II Il passes
the House after being reported back from me
Committee on Rules, 10 which II was referred,
will be worth millions 10 the country, annually.
Idestroys the possibility OF successful log rol'ihs
in fuiure-and il was only ysucn schem'ns ina,
so much money has heretofore been expended
for unconstitutional internal Improvements
When a member from New England wish
ed 10 get an appropriation for Improving
some unimportant harbor in his district, ne
sought out member, we will say from
Indiana, whose constituents wanted an appro-
priation for improving river, another N MS
souri,, who had some project OF a similar char
acter al heart, and still another from Alabama.
They would then embody their several schemes
in one BILL and force The friends oil einef 10 swat
low the whole dose, however nauseatlng, rather
than incur the odium of voting against the ex-
penditure Of money ,obe,tcr the condition OF peo'
ple in their own and other districts Of their Stale
Many, and able efforts have been made 10 check
this legislative trckery. Hundreds OF plans
have been tried and then abandoned as inefficient
Indeed, no subject has given SO much pain TO the
true friends of the doctrines OF 9S. For !, is
the wedge opening the breach in the Constitution,
through which the avowcd enemies of strict con-
struction assault that instrument with more ia
grant propositions
Mr Houston OF Alabama has hit the nail on
the head, and il remains with The House Ia drive