The New York herald., 1850-05-20
INTELLIGENCE BY THE MAILS.
Our Washington CorresPOndenee.
W.sutxcroS Mav IA ION

OOr w toh NOIIcsPOnOencest
WASHINGTON, May IL, 1880.
C1ose of the Treaty Fourth Week ofhe .SsssioT-
General Rsview cf tie Topics Of the Day-Ais-
ceLaneous -AGairs, 8e. arsA
We are at the end of the wenty-fourth week Of
the session. or in the last half Of the sixth month;
and, to all visible appearances, just about a. far
from land as on the first Monday in December, II,
indeed, things are not in worse position than on
the day Of the assembling of Congress. Az far as
this administration is concerned, we understand
the business of this session to embrace the fol-
lowing
OF MEASURES.
l. The admission Of California, as she is and
nothing else upon any subject connected with the
slavery question.
2 modification Of the tariff, introducing spe-
cifcs and home valuations, in lieu of the ad rato-
rem system, with an increase OF duty upon iron and
coal
| 3. Heavy appropriations TO rivers and harbors.
4 Five millions for French spoliatons.
D. further reduction Of postages.
.. repeal Of the steamship contract system.
a The annual appropriations.
Such is the schedule of the administration.
First IN Importance Is the admission of California.
| Upon that measure all the rest depend. And here
we have the conflict of the cabinet plan with tho
compromsc of Mr.. Clay and the subdivision of the
various factions of the two houses IL conte nd with
The plan of the President can only succeed in the
event of the defeat of the compromise. From pre-
Indications. the success OF the cOnprOmlse
extremely doubtful, even in the Senate.
Including Mr.. Benton, and Mr.. Webster, and
Mr.. Cooper, there were twenty-three Northern Sc
nators who voted the other day to lay the bill on
the table. And we understand the following South
ern Senators TO be decidedly opposed to the bill as
it now stands Mason and Hunter, of Virginia
Butler and Elmore, of South Carolina Berrien, of
Georgia Morton and Nulee, of Florida Clemens,
of Alabama; Downs, of Louisiana Davis, of Mis-
sssippi Sebastian and Bor!and, of Arkansas; and
Turney, of Tennessee. Add these to the Northern
2s, and we have vote of 30 opposed to the COM
promise To secure the votes OF these twelve
Southern men, there are two amendments pending
before the Senate which must be concurred in.
l. The recognition of slavery in the Territories.
2. The cesson of all the disputed territory OF
New Mexico, about four-ffths Of the ancient New
Mexico, to Texas, and the removal of the Indians
at the government expense.
Neither of these amendments, we presume, WAL
be adopted. We presume they will both be re-
jected; and then we shall have the Missouri com.
promise line proposed as the southern boundary OF
California; and Mr.. Seward has given notice that
he intends to bring in the proviso. That will also
be rejected We eapprehend, then, that no material
amendments changing the plan of the compromise
can succeed, and that as 1t stands, there is q ma
jority in the Senate opposed to the bill: In any
event, expect discussion Of five or six weeks
before any conclusion is had upon the subject.
What Is 10 be DONE We have the extreme
North and the extreme South in the Senate. How
are they TO harmonize We have state of revo-
luton existing in California We are to have
| Southern organ set up in Washington, Southern
convention at Nashville If il is not already explod-
ed, and we have the President and the cabinet OPP
| posed TO the COMPROMISED and the leading wings in
| Congress opposed to the cabinet We have the
old whig IntsHigenc1, deserving Clay, after sup
porting him for forty years, and Robert }; walker
coming up TO his relief after opposing him for quar-
ter of century We have the cabinet, already con-
demned by the country, on trial before the House
| We have Henry Clay and Gen. Cass, shoulder
| to shoulder, and the President and Henry Clay at
| daggers' points. We have the abolitionists sup
porting Southern President, and Southern altras,
| from motives as wide apart AS the Poles voting in
| the Senate with the aboli,ionists. With the adj
ministration parslyzed, and the cabinet on trial for
stealing the public money-with both the old par
ties broken up into atoms, and both sections di-
| vided among themselves, il 10 impossible TO ven
ture upon any calculation in support Of any result
upon anything.
Mr.. Clay IS sanguine of his compromise; the
supporters Of the Cabinet plan. including some thir
just well satisfed that If il comes to the House,
will be defeated, and, in the end, nothing will be
| done except TO admit California. On the other
hand the extreme South, from the state of things
| in California, and the condition Of parties in Con-
eress, expect to arrest the admission Of California,
at the risk of sending the whole subject Of slavery,
in all its shapes, back 10 the people.
Mr.. Clay, among all these elements Of confusion,
is very enthusiastic, and expects to be supported by
the public opinion but while the public opinion Is
sound, the materials with which he has to work
just about as practicable the French Assem-
bly, and we do apprehend that the prospect 10 ex-
| eeedDgly bad for any settlement OF the negro
| question upon any subject, in any shape, at this
/ session of Congress.
OF course, any attempt to carry through any
| other measure OF the cabinet policy, in advance
OF some action Of some sort the slavery issues,
must fail, excepting the repeal suspension
| OF the steamship contract system. But we ex-
| pect change Of the cabinet, and we expect But
| Ter King to he placed IN the Navy Department.
| The wants Of the age require such a man. The
| founder of the system Of steamships would, of
course do everything in his power TO strengthen the
navy, and to extend our commercial operations by
| extending and increasing our lines Of ocean steam
ers whereas IL is the declared policy of Mr. Pres
ton (who raised in the mountains, where there
are no ships) TO break down the steamship system,
as interfering too much with the old lubberly plan
Of sailing vessels
Mr.. Webster may be considered as having fallen
back upon the Presidents plan, though he does 90
little farther. lie proposes TO tadmit California
hrsi and then to legsla,e for the territories. while
Old Lack proposes To admn California, aud let the
territories 20 TO Halifax and with army OF the
| United States at Santa Fe, this policy of MONACO
on goefso far that the army is instructed to get
out Of the way. and leave the Texans and New
Mexicans To fight out the boundary question
among themselves. In this work they are actually
engaged on the kio Grande, while the United States
foops, under cabinet instructions, suffering the
quarrel 10 ripen into civil war.
Mr.. Webster does not go for non action 10 this
extent; but h. goes for the admission II California
fret, and TO this length he stands with the cabinet,
and against Ms. Clay; and as he tread3 no step
backwards, We presume he would hardly vote for
The compromise, even II such vote would save the
b.il.
At the Presidents cvec, last night, all the sccrc-
iaries were visible among the crowd, except Nr.
Crawford, and be-. u ~ supposed, was occupied at
home in reading over The House reports and argu-
menfs upon the Gayhin claim lie has got the
money, however. end are informed, upon
respectable authority. that he does not intend to
di,gorge ~, short of law suit.
The administration aresrs to be in the dark
upon the Cuba business, notwithstanding there ID
rumor OF another proclamation in a day ~ two.
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WASHINGTON, May IL, 1880.