The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-08-13

eWAsHNoroN, August ii, 1876.
The appearance Of the Capital after the Siege.
city under captulaton--a city visited by pes
thence, can alone afford competent idea of the
clearing out from Washington since the final adj
journment yesterday. The little storekeepers
along the avenue look demure and refectve--the
BARRIERS sit at their shop doors, the look for
any unsuspecting countryman that may drop in
with beard on, god-send-the hackmen, a
most uncomfortable nuisance, (beggng their
pardon) have put their horses poor things, upon
half rations and many of our widow ladies
who keep boarding houses, on counting up the
profit and loss, find that there is no profit in long
session. A few members are still lingering
among us, like lost spirits in deserted grave
yard; while hero and there, a fellow servant of
the public press, inquiries when you going
to leave y We went up TO the Senate chamber
this morning, the scene of our long and unbroken
routine of duty for the session, and it was desc
late, saving the presence of Mr.. Westcott, clean
ing out his drawer, and a few Of the officers set
Ting the chairs in order for the interregnum.
There Were no bright eyes in the galleries--n0
pleasant voices around us-the dignity of the uni
ted emby-the beauty and the grace of the
accustomed auditory were gone, and many, per-
haps forever.
The failure of the two million BILL in leaving
this Mexican question open, will be very apt TO
result in combination OF the ff'y-four-forty men,
with all the other elements Of the North and West
opposed to Southern slavery. We advert to the
slavery question, not because II i. palatable, but
because il is TO be the ground Of the coming con-
test, the absorbing element OF all the elements in
dispute between the North and the South. The
protected States of the North, in being Invested
of their protection, will either compel the South
TO a compromise upon the tariff, or TO hnai
contest upon fixed and determinafe boundary
to slavery. This IS a question coDioupdng and
exploding oil party distinctions, and the rapidity
with which all the financial matters IN dispute
have been settled upon the Southern platform,
leaves to an unrestricted view the tremendous
which almost savors of treason TO the Union. The
settlement of the Oregon question has taken
away the last common ground OF unity against
British pretensons, and the public mind, no long
er incorporate against the danger OF foreign ag-
gresson, the danger being removed, will natural
II concentrate or divide upon local irritaions,
and as naturally upon the greatest and most DIS
tincty defined. Mr. Niles declared in his first
only the question of free trade against protecuoh,
but that other and more fearful issue Of free labor
against slave labor.
AT the meeting OF the next session, this question
will present itself for consideration and in this
solitary and exclusive view, we may well look TO
il as far more interesting than the intensely in
teresting session that has passed, with all Its great
achievements.
In any event, it becomes the patriotic to hold
to the integrity OF the Union, and the Stituon-
al rights of the South. Others may regard the
two million bill proviso as mere Northern paper
manifesto, but it is a manifesto OF 100 serious I'M
port to be lightly dsregarded.
We see here the sagacity OF Mr.
Calhoun in his opposition to The war with Mexi-
CO. He foresaw the irritation 1t would exc't.-tne
issue it would hasten-the dangers involved in 1t;
indie pendent of he expenditure Of money, and
the consequent increase Of the general taxation
in some shape or other; but in any shape, OPP
pressive to the people, and particularly oppressive
10 the South But he could not avert the dread
ed alternative AS well might he nave tired TO
arrest fit of epilepsy by sprinkl ng OF salts
over the face Of the patient The iocroR.