The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-09

Affairs in W. shington.

WASHINGTON, Feb. T. IsN
General Scott M, Seuier-ur. Tlist-Rn Car
son Presidential Aspirants-M DsLlas-Mr.
Cd8.
No charges have been preferred by the admin
istraton against General Scott. The only
charges against him are those laid by General
Worth, and these are not very serious. The
correspondence that has taken place between
General Scott and the War Department, since
the last session of Congress- would furnish
graver charges than those preferred. Should
this correspondence be made public in COM
plance with call from the House. it will in
lure the General very much. 1t is, therefore,
probable the wings will not press the Secretary
of War to communicate it,
Mr.. Sewer is reported by the Union to have
said, in the course of his speech in the Senate
on Friday, that there is no foundation for the
rumor that Mr.. Trist has made treaty. am
strongly disposed to doubt, if Mr.. Sewer said
so-not the less, that the Union aftirms t-but If
he did say so, he did not speak ez cdthedra.
There is no direct proof that Mr. Trist has made
a treaty but there is abundance of clrcumstan
tial evidence, sufficiently strong to convince the
most scep,lcsl, that treaty has been made
If Mr.. Trist has m de treaty on the basis Of
the ultimaium offered before the battles OF Mex
lco, the ,mpolcy of his appoinimrn mt as Commits
soner will recoil upon the PresIdent with terri
BILE intensity. As II is, Mr.. Folks indignation
is excesslve--not because Mr.. Trist has violated
his Instructions and dlsobeye ed the orders Of his
government--allhoueh that more than cuff
cient to provoke his resentm.n mt; bu! because In
total disregard of the Presidents secret admo-
nitions, he has taken counsel with General
Scott, INST. ad of advising with Mr. Folks friend,
General Pillow But IN counselling with any
of the officers of the amy, he has gone beyond
his instructions; although, as he did violate
them, II better 10 consult General Scott than
any officer Of inferior rark:
1t is announced that Kit Carson, a very de-
serving man, distinguished for his endurance
and intrepldty IN the explorations OF LIeuten-
mt Colonel F emout, has been rewarded by tho
President with a commisslo MI Carson rioh-
ly deserves any thing that may be done tor him.
hut how many as merltOrIous men are utterly
negle cted, because thew have no patron like Mr..
Benton to drive the President into doing III m
insticc. How many private soldiers, who have
been extolled by their officers tor desperate vaor,
and good conduct in otner respects, whose merits
The President has totally overlooke d, because
they mad no potent voice IN The senate, whose
support was TO be conciliattd, or whose hostility
was to be feared. While Rome was republic.
me rit was tosered-vaor rewarded. This was
the case even under the despotism OF Napoleon,
and to greater extent; but Mr.. Folks question
is lot whether man has merit, but whether he
can WELD influence.
There is an idle surmlse TO which Is attached
the solemni!y, Of great political secret; started
here, that If Mr.. Cass 10 TO be the candidate OF
of the whigs but in case Mr.. Woodbury. or Mr..
Dallas be nominated, General Tay Tor Will be the
choice OF the wings As for Mr.. Dallas, he has
never been seriously thought of except by few
of his sanguine personal friends. He is a very
estimabe and accomplished gentleman, but his
name has nothing III it to call for,h the strength
of any party. MIR. Cass's prospects have been
sadly darkened within the last month. The
most unfortunate course he could have adopted
was to conseDtto fill the important and conspicu-
GUS post of Chairman of the Military Commit
tee. He is most amiable man, but totally un-
qualified for such position. Indeed, It Is by no
means extravagant to suppose that the President,
in pressing Mr.. Cass's acceptance OF the post,
contemplated such an exposure Of his weakness
could not fail to prove fatal to his aspirations
1t is true, that all the government patronage In
the West is thrown into Mr.. Cass's scale; but
what sane man now believes that MIR. Polk is
sincerely favorable to his nomination Brought
Mr.. Calhoun, Mr.. Webster and Mr.. Clayton,
Mr. Cass must appear TO great disadvantage,
and of this fact the President must have been
fully aware.
However unsuspicious Mr. Cass himself may
be, his friends are determined to test on the
first vote in the convention, the sincerity OF mr..
Polk declarations that ic docs not desire 10
election. This they mean to effect by throwing
a few votes tor him on the first ballot, and I'M
less his name be Immediately and peremPtorily
Withdrawn, there will be full evidence that he
Is a candidate.
The Cass men depend for the success of their
candidate, upon the adoption OF a majority rule,
instead OF the two-th,rds rule which prevailed IN
the convention of 1874 In this, they cannot
succeeds and even it they could, Mr.. Cass will
not have majority in the convention. 1t is
doubtful if any man have majority on the first
ballet; but certainly the chances not at all in
favor of Mr.. Cass. His friends and himself have
acted unwiselv, in beraying an over anxiety
for success. They claim for him Indiana, ILL.
nois, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Yer.
mont. None OF these States has gone or will
20 for him, unless his friends succeed in
abolishing the district system OF elecung dele
gates in Illinois; (Which Is lmprObabe.) ONO
and Michigan are the only two States that will
instruct their delegates to vote for Mr. Cass.
GALvIhNSIs.