The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-12-03

The Meeting OF Congress-State of Parties
Public Measures, &c.

Public Measures, tSc.
The most important meeting of Congress, since
the adoption of the Constitution, takes place al IL
O'Clock to-day 1t is also the most curious and
perplexing in its division of parties, OF any within
this stirrIng and busting period OF sixty years.
The questions TO be discussed are of the highest
moment; for the measures and principles Involved
In the programme also involve the existence OF
parties as they now stand-the existence OF the
cablnet-the dissolution OF Congress, and the stab-
lily Of the Union itself
The two great parties are so nearly balanced IN
the House, that it has puzzled the politicians till
within few days, to determine whether the wings
or democrats would have a bare majority. IL now
appears that, dividing the free-soiers between
them, according TO their party predictions, the
democrats will have majority of two, and from
the absence of Mr.. Butler King and one or two
other wings, this democratic majority will be In
creased 10 four or FIVE. But this majority depends
upon compromise with the democratic free
soilers, an arrangement which still appears TO be
involved In doubt From all present appearances,
therefore, IL is likely the House may not succeed
In electlng speaker cdsy. But we shall see.
The leading subt Gus TO be acted upon, are
l. The slav question.
2. The .nances.
3. Our foreign relations.
A. The cabinet appointments.
8. The postage laws.
G. The nveTs and haIbors
These general subjects embrace an immense va
rely Of incidental questions, measures, men, prIn-
cples, and disputes. The paramount oyer-shadow-
ing subject Of slavery, however, oVerwhems with
Its magBltudeand the startling aspects which it
has latery assumed all other questions, all other
measures, and all other considerations The al
ministrallye policy, the finances, our foreign re-
laiions, all of the fret importance o. themselves,
link INTO utter insiguifcance in view of the tre-
mendous issue Of secession aud disunien, mixed
up with this fearful question of slavery. TIC
whole ISSUE in III is aspects, in all Its forms, and
with The pTejudces OF the Two sections against
each other. eubi,tered 20 the highest degree, pre-
senis Itseli for settlement. Ia one shape or an
otner, up 10 this TINE, the main issue has been
avoided by compromises, or postponed The cham
Of events Of the last ten years has so multiplied
the difficulties on this stumbling block of slavery,
has 30 rapidly hurried upon us the necessity for
action, that the alternative, dreaded by all men
and avoided for sixty years, the alternative Of
union or dissolution, comes up as the first subject
for the action of Congress. There is Just ground
for the most serious apprehensions, in the present
exssperated state of feeling between Northern free
solers and Southern shareholders but there is,
also, good reason to expect that the moderate men
Of all parties, in both houses, will unite, and be
able to accomplish some auaDg cement which VIII
settle this vexed dispute. and restore the good fell
lowship Of the North and South.
The finances, include the question Of modliica-
ton Of the tariff, and Of the Su1.Trsasury, and the
prospect OF another loan OF ten or twenty millions
of dollars but from the asceodancy of IN, demo
Gratis, we may safely conclude that no material
changes will be made ia our revenue laws; though
the necessity Of loan il Will be hard TO get over
by any oxpedient, except to borrow the money.
Our foreign relations are in tangled and coa-
fused condition. With Cuba, Germany, Hungary,
Sweden, Spain, france, aud Great Britain. Mr..
Clayton has done some experimental diplomacy,
which WILL doubtless, be subjected TO a ugd in
fpecuon by both houses. How he will come out
few months, or, perhaps, a few weeks, Will de-
tennine.
Tne appointments OF the cabinet will be heavy
task upon the Senate, for the list is sufficient to
take up the fret three months Of the sessions in
executive clofe,ings upon the nepotism aud pro-
scripuons Of Ewing, Clayton and Collamsr, to
cay nothing of The rest. This business wall bring
out some curious dlsclosur and results, and viii
test the stability Of this cabinet hte more Sc
verely han the late elections Gen. Taylor will be
shown the extent 10 which he has been deceived;
and on the discovery we may look out for the con
sequences. The mysterious and discrediiablc sp-
poIniment 10 Austria. will lead to an investig itisn
that must end IN the rejection Of the s,ll-styled
General Webb, and, possibly, Of all the cabinet
concerned in the trick.
We are gratiiied AT the prospects Of further
and more thorough experiment IN cheap hostages.
There can be little doubt Of the passage Of law
making another step or two m this great reform.
Associated with the mail system, we have some
hopes, asoif the slavery question does not occupy
the whole session, or break it up-tbat several adj
dltons will be made 70 our lines Of mail steamers
that encouragement will be given for opening the
Isthmus passages to the Pacific, and that an over
land mail by csmels will be authorized from St.
st. Louis to San Francisco, and survey for the
great national railroad.
In respect to rivers and harbsrs, the only fear
IL, that by the usual system Of log-roing amosg
the members, Congress will be extravagant be-
yond the means Of the treasuryj but this measure
also depends upon the settlement Of the slavery
question.
Among the incidental measures Of the session,
none would be more acceptable to the literary in
terests Of the United States than an International
copy right law. AT present our own writer's and
foreign writers, are completely at the mercy of the
booksellers; our home literature is Frustrated and
driven out u the market by the poisonous trash Of
Eugene Sue and Paul de Kock. to be had fer
nothing. To be sure, we can get Macauey and