The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-03-29
LlfIR NFlLMalNCl BY fm HAIIi.
WASHINGTON, Match "a. 1886.

WASHINGTON, Match "a, 1886.
This administration is one Of the most mys,eri-
GUS with which the country has ever been blessed
will not compare Mr. Polk, in moral point OF view,
to the v.iled prophet Of Korassan but, in reality SO
far his political actions are concerned, he haslost
none Of the attributes which characterized the add
mnistration Of that renowned chief. His late mes
sage to Congress is a sort OF Chinese puzzle to eve
rybody here, OF every party; and to none more SO
than his own # would require the abilities OF all
the chemists in the country to ascertain. by anayza-
ton, whether it contains grain OF gunpowder or
not The Chairman Of the Committee on Military
Affairs, Mr.. Benton, is in fog, and scarcely knows
how to find his way out OF It. Mr.. Mangum, on the
other side ofthe Senate, says the denudest mes
sage he has ever heard. Neither party knows what
it means. or if it means anything al all SO that you
will perceive the difficulty in which the members of
both houses Of Congress placed by the Indirect
ed reserve Of President Polk.
Mr.. Webster, day or two ago, asked the Chair
man on Military Affairs what the instructions were
which they had received from the Secretary OF
War, id relation to the condition Of our magazines
and the number Of men to be raised In view Of an
approaching contest with England. Mr.. Benton
declined answering part Of the lnteTogatoTy, az
House Of Representatives O.day, Garrett Davis put
a similar lone TO Mr.. HARRISON, Chairman Of the
Military Committee in that body; but he, like Mr..
Benton was mum.
As have had to unravel many Of Mr.. Folks
knotty secrets, before now, Tor the benefit of the
country, shall do the same In this case, and an
swer the queries of Mr.. Webster and Mr.. Davis.
The secret of the business is this-that the Sec
retaries Of War and OF the Navy have sent in esti-
mates to the military and naval committees respec-
lively Of the probable quantity Of sapetre and 9TH
er materials, for an army and navy, sufficiently
large to protect the country against attack from
England. This is the mystery of the matter, which
smells sufficiently strong OF gunpowder
You will see from this how adroitly cautious Mr..
Polk has been in'placing these infammable matters
in the hands OF members Of both houses, 80 that
his fingers might not be burned with them in the
handling Of them himself. That is, he knows that
the condition OF our foreign relations demands the
immediate supply of al! the material for an efiec-
throw the responsibility Of calling Congress for
supplies, upon Congress itself Congress, upon the
other hand is not willing to CRAFTY hum, unless he
first inform them upon what grounds the demand Is
will be seen in MIR. Folks last puzzle-that "rea-
sons exist for this increase; and proves that they
do, by reference to his message Of I'd December
last The rest Of that curious paper IL taken up in
pointing out what Queen Victoria and Sir Robert
Peel have said, and which every one besides Mr.
Polk, knew as well as he. II Mr.. Polk himself be
not inaptly compared to geometrical point, which
mas neltner length, DIeaQtn or thickness ne Ou&nt
certainly to have told the Senate of something
they were not already apprised unless he intended
his message to be what it is to them, and to every
body elsa puzzle.
Aword to the Senate. Gentlemen, your course on
this Oregon question, begins to attract the attention
Of the country, also and, unless you bring the use
less and ridiculous debate upon 1t to termination
shortly, you will be put upon the same calendar OF
absurdity with the Executive branch of the govern
ment. The proposition Of Mr. Allen to-day, to take
the vote upon the question on Friday week next,
which was talked. into silence, was reasonable
enough, in all conscience, and would have afforded
sufficient time to all those gentlemen who have ye
to speak, il the Senate would only Sit out the Six
daysoi the week until then. In relation to the whie
party of the Senate, they seem inclined to depart
from their first nteRtiOns to keep studied silence,
and let the advocates Of the question have all the
talk to themselves; they now appear to be even
more laxative than their opponents, and the cause
of 1t seems to be-"wait till we get the next news
from England" And thus it is we appear In the
eyes Of the world, to be an appendage OF the British
Crown. When will this continued dancing attend.
ance upon the opinions of the British Premier end!
and when will American Senators look more TO the
real interests OF their country than to the views Of
foreign powers upon questions of American policy,
or the paltry qualification of enjoying momentary
triumph over an opposite party, in prosratlng any
great national measure they may bo anxious to
effect? Answer these questions, gentlemen, II you
please.
The Senate confirmed the Belgian treaty to-day,
by large majority. Gen. Rusk, one OF the Sena-
tors from Texas, was sworn in and took his seat to-
day. ARIEL.