The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-26
Our Washl.g ton Correspondence.

kenny Dat Fights im Missowi-C,~ious Posi-
tiox of Old BssAion-Mr. Atehisoss's Revolution
Imqutrimg inte the Cost Of Nemomt's Reports
Curious Facts-E1plration Of the Colorad,
Cowntry-Polit,es of the Day.
EBThe late elections in several of the States, de-
velope some curious results The city of Boston
has sustained the conservative policy of Mr.. Web
ster, in returning to Congress gentleman of the
same views. North Carolina, on the other hand,
has revoutonizsd herself on the slavery question
and from neutral position, stands out in the cleo
ton of the Governor, confederate of the South
But the most singular political contest since the
split between the New York hunkers and barn.
burners upon Gen. Cass, has been the Kilkenny
cat fight between the democratic "hards" and
"softs"-the Bentonites and anti Bentonites, of
Missouri. They are both, for the time being, de-
stroyed by each other; and as far as known, the
split makes an opening for a wing Senator from
Missouri in the place of Mr.. Benton and his thirty
years inheritance Of chair in the Senate.
But Old Bullion is not the man to abandon the
field BY some, it was supposed that he would re-
move his headquarters forthwith to California-re-
organize the political fabric Of that commonwealt tn,
and in good time return to the Senate from that
State, as the great Senatorial dictator from the
Pacific.
But such, we understand, is not the game. We
are informed by a distinguished gentleman of ST.
Louis, that Col. Benton has given notice, caused
notice TO be gwen, that two years hence he will be
in the field as candidate for the House of Repre-
sentatives, and for the Speakership, at that; and
that as far as possible, his name for Speaker is to
be made the test in all the Congressional elections
for that Congress. OF course, such issue will
have some Incidental bearing upon the Presidency,
and among the freesoilors of the Northern States
will have great influence over the Congressional
elections. Nous pgr0ns.
In the meantime, it would appear that the con-
test between the Benton men and the anti Benton
men OF the Senate is not yet ended, until the cleo
ton of a Senator to fill the new term from Mis-
souri from the 4th March next.
MIR. Atchison having declared to the people of
Missouri his determination to PROSTATE his col
league, has made movement in the Senate to-day,
with view OF completing the work. He has Of
fered resolution, requiring of the Secretary to
report the amount OF money voted from the con-
tingent fund of the Senate for books pamphlets,
reports, maps and charts, since the year 1874. The
date discoses the object Of the inquiry. Ii was
not until that year that the reports of the explora-
tons OF Colonel Fremont began to be printed,
and since that time those explorations have result
ed in an immense amount of printing, including
plates and maps, probably involving drafts upon
the Senate contingent fund, including the FREE
mont court martial report, of at least $l0O 600
II is plausible inference that the object of Mr..
Achison is to lay before the Mis- souri, Legislature,
at the next session, the cost of Colonel Fremont
to the government, and the consequent advantage
OF being relieved of the head of the family. IL
such is the object of the resolution, think it is
misplaced. The expense of Colonel Fremont's
explorations is absolutely nothing to the advan-
tsges and benefit which they have conferred upon
the government, the American people, the world,
and the cause of science They have made plain
a hitherto unknown region of the continent, as
my sterious to geographers as the heart of Africa
II was Fremont that opened the way 10 Califor-
MIA, and opened the war the Pacific coast, which
ended in the acquisition of California. Nearly the
whole of our geographical information of that
country is from Colonel Fremont, and the possess
sion OF the country itst II, is probably due to his
AL prea in he FRY NIL
ing party, on the breaking out of the Mexican war;
About that time an Irish Catholic priest, Of the
nome OF Mcnamara, was negotiating with the
Mexican government for the cession OF California
TO him, for the purpose of coonizing il with Irish
Catholics, under cover of a British ship Of the
line, at San Francisco. The jealousy of the Cali
forna Mexcans led them, before they had any
knowledge of our war Mexico, to attempt
the expulsion of Fremont and his exploring
party from California. The result was a war
upon his own hook, aided by volunteer Americans
in the country, which Frustrated the negotiations
of Macnamara, and ended in our possession Of the
golden land.
This view of the services of Fremont is affirm
ed in his election TO the Senate from California IL
was the knowledge of his services that secured
his election, and we apprehend that any attempt
TO disparage them by the costs of the printing of
his expensive report, so far from operating TO the
disadvantage OF Benton, will rather tend 10 his be-
neit, If anything can possibly benefit him in le-
gislature with about two thirds majority against
him.
We think il is 10 be regretted that the expense Of
another intended exploration Of Fremont has not
been added to the bill of his printing expenses II
was his intention till swamped among the SHOWS
Of the klofty Sierra de los Mimbres, back of New
Mexico, To cross the continent in that direction, TO
CalifornIa-to explore the unknown valley of the
great Colorado, asd the unknown country west oft,
between that mysterious river and the Pacific noun
talns. such an exploration would have given US
all the required information of region still unex-
Plored and unknown, embracing an area of2OO,0oo
square miles
II will be the duty of the Mexican Boundary
Commission, when they arrive on the Gala river,
within striking distance of the Colorado, to detail
detachment up that river, and disclose its mys.
FERROUS darkness TO the light Of day.
We learn from that adventurous tribe Of the
mounianeers, known as uappers, that the Col
orado IL river OF singular widness and sub
Unity, flowing at intervals, for many miles,
through dark chasms, or cdTOa5, between per-
pendicular walls Of basaltic rocks, walled in
again by lofty mouDtains-that again, at intervals
the mountains recede, and fertile valleys open out
TO the sun, inhabited by sem-civilized Indian
tribes, possessed Of numerous flecks and herds,
and living in good houses, and competent to de-
lend themselves against the ncursions of the Utahs
or Apaches-that at least one Of these tribes are
Albinos, or white Indians, whittier than Europeans
or their descendants, and retaining still the religious
rites and civil usages of the Aztecs, the ruins Of
whose ancient habItaiions still mark the available
spaces along the desert valley If the ella. We
hear, again, of mighty ruins among the woods OF
the Colorado and its tributaries-ruins some
what similar TO those tremendous piles Of an
extinct people in Yucatan and Central America.
But all our information Of the Colorado Is from the
Evolutionary accounts Of trappers, or the confused
and unnelligible jargon Of the wandering
Apaches. Mr. Calhoun, Indian Agent at Santa
Fe, who lately crossed the mountains in that di-
rection with Col. Washington, on an Indian hunt,
gives official information OF many fine valleys
over there, and Of the numerous flocks and herds
OF the Navajos, and their splendid horses. While
we regret, therefore, the failure OF Fremont's
last expedition, we may expect full revelation OF
The mysteries Of the Colorado country by the
Mexican Boundary Commission, and probably
new field for the founding OF a new State in that
unknown region.
But we have insensibly wandered away from the
main questionable results Of the late elections.
Upon the whole, they disclose no remarkable
change Of footing between the two great parties Of
the day. The issues of the slavery question, still
pending before Congress, have yet to be reflected
back from the people. However they may be set
tied, the settlement must effect some important
changes in the parties rs they stand We have no,
much hope that either party, at the next election,