The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-09
nv tn n balls.
WASHINGTON, March 8. ls47.



The iasf Congress axd the merit Presidency
We stood again upon the upper terrace of the
western facade OF the capitol this evening, as
the sun went down behind the venerable hills of
Virginia. The doors were closed-the sunlight
plittered upon the melancholy windows as upon
a haunted palace-the throng OF the late crowd
passing and returning, was succeeded by sol-
uide approaching to desolation. A citizen, or a
group, occasionally diverging through the enclo-
sure or solitary watch,nan performing his
never ending circle of observation; or, perchance,
a stray Senator emerging from the basement
with his papers under his arm, were all that re-
manned to us ofthe 29th Congress, save the recol-
lections of its proceedings, and their impress
upon the destnies OF this country, this hems-
phere, this round world, and this progressive
age. f sil d.,
1t was a natural inclination Of our thoughts
that we followed, in Illuminating upon the DISCO
luton Of the national legislature, and upon the
saddening suggestions that many who have
figured conspcuousy in the stirring and iremen-
dous issues Of the last two years, will return no
more. Ii was quite natural that ia this asso-
citation we should turn TO the personal ties 30
abruptly dissolved-to the general good feeling
and kindly intercourse that had grown up 10
family intimacy between us and the members OF
the two houses IL was weakness mat may Dc
induged, that led us in imagination TO the re-
union of our Legislators with their families and
their constituents, so distinct in its impression,
that we fancied the very statement OF their con-
nctng reports OF the trials, pc rplcxtles, difficult
ties, successes and triumphs that history has
taken into her charge, We could hear and see
In my minds eye, Horato,"
al the distance of thousand miles. tomc 20
home to the congratulations of all parties lore
70 the approval OF their particular friends, a ID
not few TO apologize for what they have SAL,
and done, or VII they were expected to say and
no, but in which they have failed some sixty, and
some hundred fold.
II was natural graduation to diverge from
these Immediate impressions, to a wider and
more comprehensive field of speculaton-of
course it was And we did We looked about
us-we saw that Congress had absconded like
tn ief in the night--or like tenant behind hand
with his rental, between two days; and we in
CURED, what have they done! The answer of
Mr.. Speaker Dawson the last exciting night, was
the response. They have acted upon questions
OF peace and war; and We might interpolate
with something OF a notification, very we'll upon
both subjects, considering the distressing stumb-
ling block OF the next Presidency. That next
Presidency has been dead loss to the people.
To the success of every great measure it has been
the great impeachment; 1t has dictated every con-
spoa bed of fs opa ds; but v N.Y. Calhoun, like Gaa
tImoZn, has had the hottest tire OF all.
And now, how do they stand? How many de.
mocratc or iocofoco candidates have you, and
how do they stand? Let us There is
Wright, and Calhoun, and Cas-. and Dallas, and
Buchanan, and Walker, and Gen. Butler, and
some others, now in the background; but who,
from the chances of a Baltimore convention, are
rs likely to turn up the prize as the first in the
catalogue. We say nothing OF the necessity of
running Mr.. Polk again. 1t is pretty certain that
he will not enter for another heat. The list atore
said has been in the field from the first day of
the Lass Congress, and for some time antecedent.
Each has had his friends in the capitol-hls Sec
tonal interest to advance and to some extent
the friends Of each in this desirable work, have
stood IN an antagonists attitude to all the rest,
upon some particular feature i'll every particular
bill OF the enure Congress.
On the Oregon question, we find MIR. Benton,
the champion OF Mr.. Van Buren, and Mr.. Wright
Blair and Rives & Co, annihilating Gen. Cas-,
who, upon the line of 81 40, expected to build up
II tower of strength in the West as tall and COM
hlning as many languages as the tower OF Babel
On the tea and coffee question we find the
Wright men, and the Buchanan men, and the
Cass men, uniting against the Southern, Calhoun,
Walker ard Dallas division.
On the question of the origin Of the war, we
nnd mr.. Benton exercising, accommodating,
and decaptatng Mr.. Calhoun, as the instgator Of
the war, by the hasly-pudding process adopted in
the annexation OF Texas, point which, If esta-
blshed, indicates also the shy letter of Mr.. Van
Buren,, which was the prett xt Of his expulsion
rom the Baltimore Convention.
On the srb-Ircesury, we find Mr. Benton fas.
tening upon Mr. Walker, against his protest, the
hardest OF the hard money restrictions of MIR.
Van Buren's exploded scheme.
We find, in retaliation, Mr.. Calhoun and his
balance oil power party, unhorsing " the Lieu.
On the Wmot proviso, we find Mr.. Cass cut
ting under the Wright men OF York state, and
making bold good movement, at the hazard OF
Michigan, Tor larger surface OF political reaction
III his support Is VI,
On the slavery question, in the abstract, we
lind Mr.. Calhoun in a series OF resolutions, which
he advocates before the Senate, cutting of and
anticipating every contestant whatsoever, as the
champion OF the South, making sure of that mo
nopoly as the starting point, though stouty resist
ed by Mr. Benton, who strives III vain to rule him
off even from the South, and to corner him and
confine HIM within the narrow limits OF South
Carolina. t.u.
And while the party had thus been broken up
within itself, 1t has been compelled, upon the
principle OF sef-prcservalion, to sustain al Or
2anlzation against the wings, in the success
Of the Chief measures universally IL cognised
N their general features as the elements
OF democracy. So that you will perceive
that dominant party in Congress for the
two sessions last passed, has had sort OF
quadrangular fight to sustain upon every dis
'inctive Convention measure of the admnstra-
hon This will account for all the wranging, all
the delay, all the patchwork, all the quarrellng,
and caierwaung, all tue personal spleen, and all
the petty anlInostles-all the Jealousies all the
dities, incongruires and absudties, all the success
es, all the glory, all the industry, all the failures all
the waste OF time, waste OF money, waste fluDgs,
waste OF paper, waste oil powder, waste oil men,
waste oil sense, waste of respect, waste OF decen
II and temper, aud abuse, and pers qualities, and
Crim aud denominations that have characterised
the proceedings OF the 18th Congress. 1t is the
Presidency that explains 1t all; and after all, and
Notwithstanding all, we Just as much the
log on that subject as on the LIST Monday in De-
cenber, lS45; and not until General Benton goes
down to, returns from Mexico, can we expect
any definite solution OF the - hoccuty"-the dit
lemma-the paradox, the puzzle, the inexpl ica-
buIty of the succession.
Respectfully, The DoCToR
BALTIMORE, March &, lS47
II 4. w