Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-03-14
Black River and Nationality.

were, we should cite the resolution concerning
Internal improvements, which however, all must
remember, set forth ga general system of Internal
improvements, as a part of the Democratic creed,
Nothing was more observable in the Senate's
discussion of the River and Harbour BILL than tn
fact that nearly every Democratic opponent OF
the bill declared hmselfin favour of the principle
of this resolution. Mr.. Douglas, Mr.. Bright,
Mr.. Foote, Mr. Clemens, Mr.. Downs, Mr.. Soue
and Gen. Houston with Gen. Cass, and Mr.. Dick
in son, all avowed themselves for appropriatng the
public money to Internal, not less than seacoast
improvements provided they were Of mat'onal
character. Now, what is national, and what is
not is question that allows the utmost latitude
of opinion; and this the Baltimore Convention well
knew, or its resolution would never have been
promulgated. Accordingly the Senators we
have named, the rivers and halbors of whose
States were not satisfac torily provided for in the
bill before the Senate, held the bill to be depart
ure from the Baltimore platform. But Messrs.
Borland, Sebastian, Shields, Jones, Walker and
the Dodges, es strenuously maintained that the
Improvements ptopcsedin the bill were national
and therefore within the spirit of the resolution.
Gen. Casss lately published letter has fortu-
natey given the public one of the positive data
upon which the true test of nationality is to be
ascertained. He there tells his 'friends, the Ho-
landers'
SCI think the appropriation bill for the Improvement
of rivers and harbors will pass; and if it does, the APP
preparation Tor friends, the HoIanders, will certain.
ly succeed; there is doubt of that OF course will
receive my vote and support heartily, my Chicago let
ter TO the contrary notwithstanding. l know oil no
improvement more Just and necessary and you may de-
pend 1t that Will receive the entire support OF our
delegation"
A question may be evidently raised upon this
language, whether the General meant to guaran-
tee his vote and support to ''the appropriation bi
or merely to the appropriation for our friends,
"the Hollanders;" though it is rather difficult TO
conceive how he expected to vote for the latter
without voting also for the bill. Nevertheless, as
he has declared in the Senate he meant to say
nothing more than that he would vote for an ap-
preparation to Black River, we shall not dispute
the point. The letter, at least, establishes the fact
that, ia Gen. Casss opinion, the improvement of
Black River is work of national cons Iteration
and fairly within the intent of the Baltimore reso-
luton But on this whole subject, Gen. Cass has
been the trusted exponent Of the whole Demo
cratic party Of the Union. Black river, then, may
rightfuly be improved according to the universal
Democratic doctrine What say the strict con-
timore Convention as interpreted by Gen. Cass or
will they repudiate both together? Whatever
course they may take, the country is now in
structed by their candidate for the Presidency
that Black river is within the constitution; and it
Black river, why not the James, the Rappahan-
mock, and hundred other rivers of more impor.
lance han the Black? The Republic well says
|, would be difficult, we apprehend, for man who
would improve Black river, be staggered by
any improvement. We little surprised that the
worthy Democrats who were for striking out the Ten
and Arkansas rivers from the River and Harbor
bill did not call attention TO Black river, aud bring up
The Michigan delegation to vote on il. Then the
Senator might have Explained the circumstances
which Withdrew the Black river Improvement from the
circle OF his constitutional scruples, and which enabled
him speak confidently and promptly az The course
it. We should like to understand what makes a
Black river mpr particularary constitution
al; and his familiarity with the local streams might
have supplied the lack OF Knowledge to the where
abous OF Black river, which manifested by too many
map-makers and geographers."
We had the pleasure on Wednesday, of meet
ing in our city, Mr.. Edwin de Leon, one of the edi
tors of the &c Southern Press" on his return tc
Washington from visit to South Carolina. We
hope his sojourn in Richmond will convince him
of what every one acquainted with the fact mus
know, that the proposition entertained by some
of the South Caroinans to dissolve the union be-
cause the Compromise measures, finds no favor
whatever, in the Convention or Legislature of this
State. Virginia has been appealed to by the ven
cradle Mr.. Cheyes to lead the secession move
ment She viii be ready to do so, whenever she
thinks there is just cause for abandoning the
Union. At present she does not feel herself ag-
grieved by the action of Congress, and her bearing
gives South Carolina no warrant for her apparent
expectation that she can be dragged into an act o
folly which she utterly condemns and eschews.
HIRAM PowERs, the sculptor, writes TO hi:
brother, in San Francisco, that he has in hand (
new statue, to represent California He describes
it thus:
An Indian figure crowned with pearls and pre-
cious stones kirtle surrounds her waist and
falls with feather fringe down to Just above the
knees. The kirtle is ornamented with Indian
embroidery, wihtracings OF gold, and her sandals
are tied with golden strings AT her side stands an
inverted cornucQpia, from which is issuing at her
feet Jumps and grains of native gold, to which she
points with her left hand, which holds the divin-
ing rod. With Ter right hand she conceals behind
her cluster ofthons. She stands in an undecided
posture-inaking il doubtful whether she intends
10 advance or retire--while her expression is
mystical The gold about The figure must be
represented, of course, by color we'll as form.
She is to be genius of California
Coal IN IoWA-it is stated that coal of an ex-
cellent quality has been found in Cedar township,
twenty-five miles from Fort Madison, It's some
sixty feet below the surface and the vein from four
10 six feet thick. A company has been formed
TO work it,