The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-28

| VHdt is Tue meaning Vi WIS "a ueo oot"oeh
chivalry and Free-Soil' "Explain, Mr..
BRowN" He stands mute. "Will you
60 against the Wilmot proviso" He
points at the record. "Will you favor the
passage of the Wilmot proviso" He folds
his arms. "Have you made any manner OF
arrangement with Free Soilp' He shakes
his head While all this show OF dumb signs
was in progress, there were satisfied De-
mocracy, acquiescent chivalry, happy
Free-Soil, represented by General BAYLY,
Mr.. BURT, and Mr.. GIDDINGs, respect
iyely---positive, comparative, and superla-
tive-carrying on an interesting contro-
versy with INEFFECTIVE and interrogative
Whiggery, in the person Of Mr.. AsHMUN
and Mr.. STANLY.
| Under these circumstances, can it be a
matter OF surprise that the public feel
more than ordinary interest in the pre-
liminary negotiation that terminated in this
treaty OF alliance, offensive and defensive,
between Democracy and Free-Soil' Who
were the heralds that bore the white
wand and the olive branch between the
hostile armies Who were the ministers
nipotentiary, or the commissioners Sc
lected to arrange the preliminarles of
peace : The substantial points of the
treaty as set down by WILMoT and BROWN,
! the respective secretaries of the negotia-
tors, we have had in writing. But, were
there no secret articles that have not
transpred 7 Was. there no protocol to the
treaty If yea, where is it, and what
| does it amount to-? Did none of the
'teHte of the distinguished Democrats of
Richmond shake hands with Mr.. GID
DINGs, otherwise than in metaphor Where
did the ssfree conversation" take place ?
| Who were present What was said |!
! What was written
| In the absence of any confession of the
parties in these matters, we shall be
compelled to speculate upon results. The
relations of cause and effect may be
traced from the effect to the cause, as
! we'll as from the cause to the effect. The
extraordinary scenes that took place on
the memorable Monday, Tuesday, and
Wednesday, are not to be explained by
the accidents of mere sequence in events.
| There was conneXion as intimate be-
tween the interview of Mr.. Richie and
M, thar
was between those events and the inter-
view of Mr.. Brown and Mr.. WILMoT.
| Does any one believe for a moment that
w. J. Brown could have dipped two such
old stagers as Preston KING and THOMAS
RITcHIE' Were men who have been for
twenty years undergoing the joint disci-
pine of the Albany regency and the Rich
mond junto-either of them-to have been
cheated by the gentleman from lndianas
ARGUS with his hundred eyes, and BRIA-
REUs with his fifty heads and hundred arms,
were but mere types of these two leading
Democrats, skilled in all the learning and
all the cunning of Van Burenism and the
Sweat House We can believe that the old
dragon that guarded the golden-feece was
put to sleep by MEDEA and slain by IA
soN,-this is within the limits of not
discreditable credulity,-but it is asking
too much of any thing but the most in
tense verdancy to believe that the great
double -headed dragon of Free-Soil De-
mocracy in the persons Of P. KING and T.
RITcHIE, in its watch of the Speakership,
was drugged or duped by WILLIAM J.
BRowN.
We hope, therefore, that the people will
be favored with the particulars of all the
negotiations and interviews and "free
conversations" that took place in this
matter Of the BRowN conspiracy. Let us
have the whereabouts of the high con-
tracing parties, on those eventful days
and nights. Let us know if it was mere
piece of unfinished business, or COM
plete, settled, accomplished bargain-with
all the terms and conditions of it reduced
to writing, and perfectly well understood
in its minute details But above all, let
us have that ''free conversation" The
senior editor of the sole organ is not of
that class of men who believe that
-" The pleasure is great
OF being cheated, as TO cheat"
He is not person to go into an arrange
ment blind-folded. He knows more than
he has told. He may follow the advice
he gave to Mr.. BRowN. He may stand
mute. He may point to the record. He
may fold his arms. He may shake his
head But all this will amount to moth
ing. He volunteers as a witncss--he tells
very small portion of sory-and NTH
holds The residue. The public mind is not
satisfied. The people want to know all
about this extraordinary coalition. If the
senior editor will only give them an ac-