The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-21

period for the re-assembhng of Congress is close at
hand II ID the short session. II is wise arrange
ment OF the constitution that every Congress shall
cioee by the fourth of March--otherwise, the |
country might suffer again from the inexhsustible
spoutings of ten months session, upon tire negro
question. But they must adjourn ny the fourth of
March. Notwithstanding the practical business of
legislation was turned over TO the hrst Monday OF
the coming notwithstanding there are
so many important subjects requiring immediate
attentionit is very evident from appearances that
licle or nothing will be done.
Among the legitimate subjects of useful, Practi-
cal, and necessary legislation, the following
The New York Branch Mint
The extension Of the benefits OF cheap postage.
The extension of mail steamship service and the
increase OF our naval steamers.
/ The revision Of the consular system.
The establishment of national printing once, and
the abolition of the present corrupt system OF the go
Laws for the encoura cement Of settlers in the
general Law for the proper regulation Of the sales
| OF the public lands.
Special laws for dsposipg Of the arabic ands OF O.
fornia for settling land disputes land titles pre- emp
ton claims. &c
Law for the co uitsble deposition, to emigrants of
permits to work the gold mines and gold washngs.
law for the protection of settlers and emgrants
along the ella. and Of the Inhabitants Of the Mexican
frontiers, according to the treaty OF 6uadalupe'Hi
talgo
Reasonable appropriations for rivers and hsrbors
To say nothing of the Pacific railroad, which Is
rather too long for short session, while its
completion is too remote for the immediate wants
of the present day. But the objects recitea, and
numerous Others of present and practical necessity,
challenge the early attention of Congress, as emf
nently calculated to advance the growth entet-
prise, prosperity and happiness of the country.
But the session expires on the fourth OF March,
L.. a. L., &c yplA 20 az,
anything till after the Christmas holidays. it cuts
down the time for business TO two months. The
prospects, for practical bueiness, therefore, took
! TO be exceedingly slim.
The fugitive slave excitement and agitation will
be carried TO the Capitol 1t is highly probable that
On the meeting of the two houses. notice will be
given in EACH of the introduction of bill to repeal
the Fugitive Act. After the reading of the Presi-
dents message, the discussion, we suspect. will
begin, and the furnaces in both houses will be
! kept well supplied with all the combustibles of
notification, abolition, and Southern u;raism, till
within three days of the adjournment Then the
pey and mileage will induce our patriotic law
makers to stop spou,ing for Buncombe and treason,
in order TO pass the appropriations, and adjourn.
| We have no reason to expect anything better. We
shall be deing well enough to get off with nothing
worse
What is the state of the country! The Pdgi-
tive Slave law, unlike Aaron's rod, has swallowed
up, not only the rods of the magicians, but the
megicians and all. The whale of Jonah was
sorry gudgeon compared with this guping monster,
| ard his capacious nav. Ii is the Giant Despair of
| John Bunyan. 1t walks over the North like Gull
liver among the pgmies; and such is the general
CONSERVATION, that but for Jenny Lind aud Parodi,
even here in New York, in spite of the Castle
Garden meeting, we should have been reduced 10
fasting and prayer, without the benefit of a pro-
clamation. Sackcloth and ashes would have been
the order Of the day. Great, therefore, are the
obligations of this people to Barnum and Maretzek,
for each has brought godsend to our relief, and
each has been public benefactor, according to his
vocation.
But shall huve hot worn In Congress Every
thing 10 out Of gear. The old politicians have been
scattered about, head and heels, here and there,
without the slightest commiseration. The incest
arrangements for the Presidency have been dished
and the most comfortable plans for dividing the
assets have been swamped. A wild bull dashing
over a cluster of apple stands does no. effect a
greater havoc among the old women, and their
pe,nuts and hoarhound candy, than the havoc of
this fugitive monster among the old granny poll
tcians ard their stock in trade. The accounts
have to be balanced in Washington. There will
be trouble about il. The pressure of "repeal" from
the North, il is likely, will be as overwhelming in
the House as in the late elections. In fact, we
have every reason TO believe that bill for the
repeal of the Fugitive Act will be the first
measure to pass the House, TO the exclusion
Of everything else. But il is not to be supposed
that the South will give il up without hard srug-
gle. The Fugitive Act is practical measure to
them. The scampering TO Canada which II has
effected among the slave refugees, will operate
powerfully to deter other slaves from absconding.
They will hesitate to decamp from even the borders
Of Virginia and Kentucky, if there lie no stopping
short Of the cold climate of Canada. Il will relax
the necessity for the rigid police laws Of the border
slave States against their slave and colored popula-
tion and will soon Iced to better feelings between
the adjoining people Of the border States il fair
trial Is given to the law. Slaves, in short time
will C ase, TO great extent, to run off-inc ursions
Of slave hunters will &C accordingly cease to annoy
the abolitionists, and the FUSE and fire. and fury
about the shocking, savage barbarity Of the law
will die out for lack Of combustbles The Fugitive
law was given as an equivalent to the South for |
their exclusion from California but the Fugitive
Act itself is for the benefit Of the North. Fugitive
slaves, remaining with Us, become free negroes.
They are not desirable population anywhere short |
Of Liberia. They are already forcing the Western
States to enact laws against the and even here,
they increase rapidly enough, without any reinforce
ments from Southern plantations.
Still, it is manifest that repeal Of the Fugitive &C,
will precede and ride rough shod over everything |
else ia the House; and the nfammable elements,
North and South, may keep up the fire the whole !
session, unless the business men can manage to
put stop to IL. This, we think, can be done |
readily enough Let the bill for the reveal of the |
Fugitive Act be hurried through the House, and let /
the Senate have IL. They will take care of H. |
The House will then be in condition 10 proceed |
TO business; and thus many bills--our Branch |
Mint among them-which only require the action /
Of the House, will be finally passed. A short ses-
session requires quick work.
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