New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-05
FROM WASHINGTON.

Opening OF the second session VI 14e
yXXIst Congress-The Message, n'
-th. Its Tone and its Reception-State
a@nnh,, Feeling in Observation-Disclosures
49, r,trv-PreparatIons for Jenny LIND
- WASHINGTON, Tuesday Dec. j.
I did not write yeste1l ay, although on mana 8
the opening of the ball. not oeinS IN coho'ioI -
do so, con auore, and there being nothing U''ll
lated to stimulate reluctant pen Thee were AZ
outside movements worthy Of particular NO'le''
while everything inside of Congress is very qulo>
dull. may say, compared with the opening OF the
last session. The whole city, indeed, presented
al air OF dullness ~,
The business of the first day is before you The
presentation of the Message yesterday, instead Of
waiting until todav-a course which could plead
nothing but ancient custom in its tayor-Was
an innovation for which the country owes its &C
kowledgements 10 President FILLMORE. It's an
Improvement. second in desirabeness, only TO the
comparative brevity OF the document and Its ac-
compartments These characteristics OF ne" ar
rangements, taken in connection with that LOT tne
Simultaneous distribution OF the Message 10 as
tapt presses, may be SAID to nave marked al ete
in administrative management
The Message occupied two or three minutes less
than an hour in the reading, thus coming WITHIN
the +" hour rule" That this was a special com
mendation to the listeners, | doubt not, ana Ger
tainlv it was listened to with degree OF attention
not usually given to the Messages oi our Presl-
dents who have. forthe most part, seemed anxious
to spin out rather than to condense-as though
length were an indispensable feature OF " state
napeYs This was fault particularly noticeable
in the messages of President Polk. But eXpecta-
ton was somewhat tiptoed, with reference to the
Great tonic of the day the Fugitive Slave Bill 1t
was. doubtless. not gratitied the document allud-
ing to that question in only general terms as you
will have noticed. Bat why speak, even 10 thIS
slight extent Of the contents OF that when is Ve'
fore the reader.
The reception Of the Message has been very
quiet. 1t has created very little talk-iess 'hall
perhaps any of its predecessors Tor several years
past II its quiet and cautious tone was design
ed to avoid excitement, the purpose has assn
redly been fully accomplished In this respect,
at least it will not be liable to the charge OF neg
1tiueaeSs. In fact, it has seemed to actpostlyey'
and put complete lull to rlpples upon the waters
of public feeling-at any rate, such an effect OF
some cause is apparent. Judging by this condl;
ton of the political atmosphere, and all the usual
signs a spectator would jump at the CONCLUSION
that the whole three months allotted to Congress
will pass as quietly as q breezeless summer
day. Particularly would novice In observation
have so concluded, as he witnessed the greetings
in the Halls of Congress yesterday. They were
those apparently, Of men who came together from
the remote points OF a widespread common coun,
try, with a common purpose-the public good; oil
men who regarded each other as indeed members
of a great national family, bound together by the
silken ties Of fraternal sympathy and love. ana
vet, unless wonderful change has come over the
"servants of the people since they parted two
months ago, shall not be surprised to find Ger,
tain of them ready to "tear each others eyes
the exhortation Of the primer rhyme to children
of smaller growth to the contrary notwithstand
ing venture to say this, in the face of the gen
eral expression of the opinion that there will be
quiet session, comparatively which might so
turn out, and yet good deal of commotion pre-
vail the superlative degree alone being express
i've of the temper of the last session
The preparations for Mdlle. LIND here, as IN
Baltimore, are going on spiritedly, and hundreds
are almost nervously impatient for her advent
An unusual number of the Senators and Repre-
sentatives have brought their wives and daugh'
tiers with them this season. These join in this
FESTIVE anxiety to welcome the great Songstress,
and will contribute an important addition to the
audiences that will flock to drink in the melody OF
the Swedish Bird of Song opportunely to be
conducted hither by Ma BARGUN. By the way,
the Temperance folks preparing to put the
oratorcal aid of this gentleman to good account
during his visit here.
Matters are pretty quiet in the Departments
just now. The only removal that have heard OF
since my arrival yesterday was that of the Mes
senger in Secretary CLARK's otiice-the last I'm
gering Opposition man in the same. SIGMA.