The New York herald., 1850-12-27
Our washington Correspondence.

fatrg~es, &c, &C.
We have another short recess for the acconmo-
dation of hoss members and Senators who wish to
make themselves busy about president making. II
is astonishing what number of candidates nave
of late sprung up TO divide the hoaors FIRST the
democracy Here we have the following candi-
dates :-Cass, Buchanan, Woodbury., Dallas,
Dickinson, Sam Houston, and a number OF others
who are, as yet, in embroyo. but ready to break
the shell whenever circumstances shall favor their
developement The wings have Scott, Webster,
and last not least Millard Fillmore, who is in pos
xession OF the executive chair and possession is
nine points of the law.
Gen. Cass is strong in the Northwest, strong in
Ohio, end strong in Pennsylvania He has strength
in Kentucky and Tennessee, and is, beyond all
ooubt, the strongest man now among all the
didates of the democratic party But. on the other
hand. there is New York divided, and the Southern
pltras opposing HIM, because he took most con-
spicuous part in the compro mise measures passed at
The last session; and the Southern ultras consider
these measures as aggressive, though themselves
know that no other measures could have COM
manded a majority of both houses of Congress.
The Southern utras, therefore, are against Cass;
and If the Southern ultras and secessioRists pre-
vail in the Baltimore Convention, Gen. Cass will
not be the nominee. The Southern ultrls prefer
Dallas, Buchanan, Woodbury., Dickinson, in short,
every body IN aposition TO receive the nomination,
10 the man who has furnished the platform on
which the difficulties existing between the differ
tnt sections Of the country, have been, finally,
amicably adjusted and settled. In word then,
the secession party IN the South oppose Gen. Cass;
but the secessioniss are becoming weaker every
day, and the uestion is whether their opposition
will have any influence on the members OF the con-
venlion.
The Northwestern States will present them
selves strongly for General Cass and the rapid in
crease of those States will give the m, in 1852,
sufficient number of electoral votes TO balance the
deficiency which may occur in the cotton States,
1rom detection and other causes Ii Pennsylvania
and the Northwest prefer Cass, DO not how
the South possibly reject him. One thing
seems 10 be certain, namely, this that if the South
refuse 10 support Cass because he is a compromise
man, the Northern democracy will not be disposed
to go for the candidate that shall be acceptable to
the South; and in this case it is better for the
North 20 take up man who can carry New York,
than TO cater Tor the taste of South Carolina and
Mississippi.
The President of the Senate, Mr.. King, is known
10 be Buchanan man, and he has used what in
fuence he has in the Senate to faver the Buchanan
movement. MIR. Buchanan, having been in favor
OF SO 30, with positive recognition of slavery
south OF that line, If 1t could be obtained, is su-
ciently strong with the Southern ultras and hence
his grand object is to make himself strong in the
North: For this purpose, Col. Benton woald be
concilaied; and, intatory step, Col. w. r..
KTg has put Col. Benton himself on the finance
Committee, Col. Fremont on the Committee of
Public Lands, and old Gov. Dodge, Col. Benton's
bosom friend, on the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions. IL is a very pretty arrangement; but il
won't work well, Col Benton is tariff man, and
in favor OF specifics. Col. Fremont is himself
holder ofland titles in California and the times
pres, per contra, begin to smell rat, and to think
Mr.. Dallas quite as good man, and little more
reliable than Mr.. buchanan. No man has, within
the last TWO or three weeks, risen more in public
consideration, connected with the presidency, than
Mr.. Dallas.
There is still some hopes of uniting all portions
OF the democratic party, on one and the same
platform; bat il is difficult to see how and by
whom II is TO be done Unless the nullihers are
put down at home, they will either control the
nomination or secede from the convention, and run
n candidate of their the of Judpe
Butler, of South Caro3a, the most moderate Of
all the fire eaters. Judge Butler is personally
popular man; but the South cannot have the next
uis yet doubtful whether Col Benton will, suf.
fer his name TO be used by the Northern abolition
lists, so as to be run as an independent candidate
This would snish him al once, and he has yet
chance Of becoming Speaker Of the House of
Representatives, if sent to Congress by the St.
Louis district.
While these combinations and permutatons are
going on, the Union party wakes stronger and
stronger, and the probability is that the Union can
ddate, be he whg or democrat, will stand the best
chance Of beng elected by the people. or the
House of Representatives. will endeavor to give
you the different whig schemes In subsequent
letter. X.
WASHINGTON, Dec l9, 1850.
The California Consfitution-The Line Ship Penn.
sapamta and the Worlds Fair-Ihs Post Office
BIZ, &C., &c.
The idea thrown out in the letter of the Califor-
MIA CORE espondent Of the N. o. Ptcaynne Freaner),
that movement is ON foot among the moneyedmen
there to smend the constitution Of the State SO as
permit slavery, has causeda good deal OF talk here
and various surmises as to its truth. THERE'S GER
fainly no obstacle in the way, IT the people OF Ca
fornia choose TO alter the constitution for II 10 con-
ceded that every State has right to enact or abo-
lsh slavery, If It sees bit but sull, doubt exceed.
ipgly whether any State which has once abolished
H. or where Il does not exist could be found, with
the example OF the South before their eyes, TO place
such incubus on their prosperity, or to degrade
white labor, the introduction OF slavery unques-
fionably would. The greatest opponents Of slavery
in California were found to be Southern gentlemen.
They well knew that there is no comparison be-
tween the prosperity of the free States and those
where slavery si PREVAILS and, by their acts, they
evidenced that they felt IL was 30. The great body
of the people in California are employed In manual
labor, and IL slavery were introduced, not only
would many of them be thrown out Of Unemployment,
but those that did find work, would be degraded by
associatng with slaves. AS an abstract question,
slavery Is great ev @ put Ipne' "nsh h;,s cDne' mae
even in the Norh the latter does not feel elevated
by the companionship. OF course, II there Is any
Truth in the ramoi OF tne co,tespon,aen, Q, ,hs M
fanatics of both sections Of the Union; but believe
il is q mere speculation, which will never be acted
upon by the people OF California
Considerable opposition is being manifested to
the movement TO send the Pennsylvania TO Eng
land during the great worlds fair IL 10 said that
he would be enormous; but for the life OF me,
j cannot understand the pith Of that argument III
II is not intended that she shall rot where she Is
now moored-f the large outlay which was
made in her construction is not TO be thrown
away--she will have to be repaired, and made
sea-worthy, and the only question can be, az to
when il shall be done. The sooner the better, one
would think, il she is now daily getting more and
more out ot repair so that the worlds fair not,
she ought to be repaired forthwith But IL is stated
that il could not be done in time. This is always
the cry with the old gentlemen who manage the
naval bureaus We all remember the delay In
fitting up the franklin expedition. The Navy De-
partment under the management OF Mr.. Preston,
reported that the vessels could not ne fitted up in
time, and at length, private enterprise and philan-
throphy stepped forward and did the work In a
short time, which the Navy Depsrtmen nt'hsd made
formal report could not be done NJ all, or, at all