The North-Carolina standard., 1847-03-03
The STAND ARD.
wednesday, March 3, Is47..
correspondents, of the standard.
RALEIGH ~: &.
! WAsHINeFoN CIrY, Feb. 26, l847.

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Correspohdence OF the Standard.
r. - WASHINGTON Cry. Feb. 2e, 1s47.
a. On Saturday last, Mr.. Simmons of Rhode Is
LAND the closest reasoner, yet most disagreeabie
speaker among the federaIists of the Senate, made
his speech on the three million bill, which he de-
voted principally to the question of slavery in the
territory that may or may not be acquired. He
attacked the constitutional doctrines Of Mr.. Cal
houn's Wimot proviso-resoIutions, and brought
the latter to his feet two three times by way of
explaining and replying to knotty points made
by Simmons ,@..f .s'f-'s'
The House, on that day. had territorial business
in hand, and, before the hour of adjournment pass
ed the important bill for the sale of the mineral
lands in Michigan. On the day before, bill for
the sale of the similar lands in Wisconsin, was
passed, and If the Graduationn project OF the
Committee on Ways and Means is carried out, the
three measures wilt, in the aggregate, increasethe
public revenue about three millions of dollars.
These mineral land-bills give pre-emption right
to lessees, actual occupants, and permiHees, at
90 SO per acre. and provide that the balance of the
lands not thus taken up shall be surveyed and sold
at a minimum Of S5 90 per acre. There have
been stupendous lobby efforts TO push these bills
through. The fancy copper stock companies from
all over the country had their agents on the ground
AS they urged its passage, the bill would ohave
been little better than act to fill the pockets of
SPECTATORS; but as passed. whilst affordsthe re-
lief to the miners due at the hands of the United
States, it guarantees the payment of the fair value
of the lands into the national treasury ~" 70 Il IL
On Monday, the House took up the army ap-
preparation bill, which was debated all day in un
interesting speeches for Buncombe, to very empty
benches Soule, of louisiana, spoke in the Sen
ate on the three million bill, and the Washington
world, including the House of Representatives
with the exception of not more than dozen MEM
bers overcharged with gas, attended TO hear the
great ,Frenchman. The very floor of the Senate
chamber was filled with the assembled wisdom
and political influence of the land fof the House)
squatting on their hams, as you have seen dozen
neighbours in Z" Nash," squat by the hour in the
lock ofa fence, when chatting over the last deer
drive or the prospect for tall crap of the staunch
old county's staple-apples. His speech was
powerful analysis of the views of Calhoun and
Berrien, concerning the war. No speech pFevi
ously delivered in either House during the session
has struck the political mind with So much force.
Both Calhoun and Berrien Jared badly indeed in
his hands and yet his very tenderness and com
plImcnts TO them served to render the annihlaton
OF their air-but castles the more trying to their
equanimity. In fact, he played with them and
their bantngs as the cat plays with the mouse in
its power-wth like genlieness and agility, and
with the same nervous yet brilliant and determin-
ed expression OF the eye, which said l intend
eventually 10 demolish you. SouIe is one Of the
remarkable men of the country. He is a native
of France, the son of a Shepherd, and was origin
ally designed for the Priesthood, for which he was
educated a. the expense of benevolent people, who
early discovered his talents. aAt eighteen he aban-
doned all idea of entering the church, and soon
after was prosecut for "speaking in disrespect-
ful terms of our holy religion which, in plain
English, meant denouncing the order of Jesuis. as
wolves in sheep clothing He had then to fly to
the South of France, to escape punishment, and
lived there for near two years. engaged as
labeurer on sheep farm; while there, however,
he wrote for the press and was prosecuted for a
libel on the person of his Majesty the last of the
Bourbons. He was seized, taken to Paris, tried
and convicted. His counsel, in mitigation of the
expected sentence commenced to plead his extreme
youth and lnexperlence; whereupon Soue stop.
ped them, and delivered not in extenuation but in
justification of his writings, remarkably bold de-
fence OF The liberty Of the press, ard assault on
the right to oppress by the :" grace of God", re-
pudialing all idea of begging for mercy, and de-
flying the Kings minions to do their worst on
him. He was at once sentenced to the heaviest
punishment allowable for the offence-a fine and
long Imprisonment. By the interposition Of La
Fayette, as it was supposed, and at the suggestion
of their own minds that it would be far safer for
the government to get him out of France than to
keep him locked up to set Paris on fire with his
pen through the opposition press, his escape was
connved at and as he left in disguise for Eng land
10 take shipping for South: America, La Fayeue,
who had become deeply interested in his fate,
thinking that chance might throw him at some
time or other in the United States, placed sealed
letter to General Jackson in his hands. 1t SO hap
pened that the vessel by which he was to sail to
Valparaiso had left and he at once went to the |
Island of St. Domingo and from thence to BaIti-
more, Ito secure passage to South America J
where he arrived without dollar or a change of
clothing Here he met with two or three Creole
gentlemen of New Orleans, who discovering his
remarkable mind and attainments, induced him to
alter his intentions, and to turn his steps towards
their city, for which purpose they furnished him
with funds. This was in 1926. He did so and
taking Nashville in his route, stopped at the Her.
mitage to deliver La Fayettes letter, which prov
ed to be of such character that General Jackson
made him remain with him for five months, until
by dnt Of close application he had mastered the
language sufficiently to venture to commence the |
practice OF law where, as in Louisiana, the civil
or French law prevails AT the end of five months
he wentto New Orleans, was examined, admitted 1
and put up his shingle, and having searched out
the friends who kindly assisted him in Baltimore.
by their Influence he was at once engaged in fa1
nous pirate case, in which, though his antagonist
was the celebrated John r. Grymes, he gained
his. cause. after an argument in the English Ian.
guage, of which he could not speak a sentence ON
his arrival at Baltimore not eight months be |
fore. His management ofthat cause gave him a |
start, which he has so improved as in louisiana
Ito be considered the first lawyer and pleader in