The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-19
WASHINGTON, Feb. is, 1919.
The Doings IN Congress-7h The Cabinet The Mea-
slrea and the Po{lcu of Generdl IInL0r.


The Do,ngs in Congress The Cabinet The Msa-
s~res and the Policy of General Iaylor
Excepting a few spasmodc convuslons on the
negro question, Congress has been in state Of
semi-torpidity this session. The Presidential
election seems to have produced lncurable col
lapse. The business Of both houses, and espe-
cially of the Senate, has been listessly pursued,
or studlousy evaded. They have made more
long speeches than in the same limit of time In
any previous Congress-; but they have amounted
to little or nothing, except multiplication Of
words to NO purpose. AS far as the Senate is con-
ceined, everything remains to bs done; the Pa
mama road-the continental central road-the ter
rltores-the boundary OF Texas-cheap postages-
all radical questions, all OF great moment, and all
OF them demanding prompt action, are yet all OF
them delayed; Nor have we any hope this SEES,
that bl ' carried al through the Senate early next
week, may be carried through the House In sea-
son for the signature OF President Polk. The
others, as also the Sub-treasury, Rivers and Har-
bors, &C., must, from all appearances, inevitably
go over to General Taylor; that, If this be so,
the following will be the schedule upon which he
will have to act
l. The slavery question In tho territories.
q The boundary of Texas.
8. The Sub-Treusury.
4. Rivers and harbors.
6. AmodiGcation Of the tariff.
6. The Panama road.
I. The continental railroad.
8. A revision Of the Consular system.
Here we have scope and verge enough to try tho
mettle Of old Zachary to the utmost and the pub
lie may well await, with strong anxiety, the first
indications OF the policy of the new admnlstra-
ton upon all these important questions. They
will all OF them be pushed to some modification or
settlement, or repeal; but, yet, we are alto
eelker in the dark. The signs, however, increase,
of bold wing policy; and the return of Mr. Clay
increases the confidence of a restoration of his
rla hat xvhi oh he iupO adj
nlstratiOn is TO stand.
We learn that Mr.. Clay will not be here at the
executive session OF March-that he will keep
back till next December, provided always, that
there shall not the necessity and the call of
an extra convOcaton of CONGRESSMAN expedlent
which, we believe, Gen. Taylor will not adopt till
the last extremity.
1t appears, also, that Mr. Clay is not yet pledged
to the administration. Nobody expected 1t. No.
body desired 1t; but the friends OF General Taylor
do expect that Mr.. Clay will be rather the advo-
cate than the opponent OF the new administration
in its appointments, and in Its general policy,
because ii Is expected that General Taylor will be
rather tie endorser of the acts of Congress than
the dictator OF Its legislation and that in the
matter of appointments he will give the wings, at
least, large majority of the places to be vacated
by designations and discharges But while we
have reason to expect this, we have also reason to
suppose that Gen. Taylor will have at least one de-
mocrat in his cabinet; and if Jefferson DAVIS or Col
Benton should be called to the War Department,
there would be no occasion for either surprise or
alarm, for 1t would assuredly be consistent with
the programme OF the late campaign.
General Taylor is free, either to choose a wing
cabinet entire, or a mixed cabinet, while certainly
he is not at liberty to select an entirely democratic
cabinet, it he would respect the expression OF the
sentiments of the people. Nor is he entirely at
liberty in his general appointments, on the other
hand, to disregard the claims OF the democrats,
for without their support he would have been
defeated. While, therefore, we expect his cabinet
to be wing, il not wing as an unit, we do not ex-
pect that he will consider himself as elected TO re-
tallate, dd ltbitun, upon democratic office. holders;
and while we expect that his general policy will
be whig we do not believe that he will employ
the patronage OF the government to coerce Con-
be more the policy of Monroe than that of General
Jackson, and his administration more like. that OF
! John Quincy Adams than that of Ohm Tyler.
We have good faith In the good Intentions OF
General Taylor; and we hold that it Is the duty of
all good wishers OF the government to give hun a
! fair chance. ii he carries out his pledges well
az James X. Polk, he will do well; and we believe
that he has the nerve to do it. Mr.. Polk had the
advantage of popular system, and united party,
but General Taylor has an equal advantage IN the
confidence of the people.
We had another dinner party or two IN town
this evening, and hop at Colemans. we under
stand, this evening, that, IN consideration OF the
expected pressure OF guests at Coleman's, during
the Inauguration, General Taylor will take
up his temporary quarters at Wizards hotel, near
the west end of the avenue. He had not author
lzed decisive engagement OF rooms until the ar
rival OF Col. Bliss, although Mr. Blackwell, tho
present proprietor OF Colemans, had been given
to understand, by letter from friend OF General
Taylor, that his house would be selected. Col.
Bliss, who was here few days ago, we suppose
has settled the question. With the President and
Vice President both at Colemans, we should have
had such pressure as to debar, perhaps, all ideas
of comfort to our distinguished fellow citizens
while, under the arrangement as 1t now stands,
they have some prospect OF one hours rest in the
twenty four for ten days preceding the lnaugnra-