The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-12


State, which was ostensibly undertaken in con.
sequence Of an invitation from the directors OF
railroad corporation, on the completion oil
their undertaking, accompanied by the polite
offer Of free passage. This certainly was an
event which had no pretensions to the character
ola great national festival or anniversary, and
called for no particular demonstrations Of execu'
tive countenance or patronage; mr. does its his
tory entile it to any special consideration, except
MS showing in what manner the people of the
State may be made tributary to corporate bodies
of public spirited spectators.
II will be recolected that in the outset of this
undertaking, the legislature ofthe State Of New
York pledged the credit Of the State in its be-
half to the amount of $3OOO,OOO, on the express
condition that the expenditure Of this money
should proceed pori paper, with those Of the
funds Of the corporation, and that no portion OF
it Should be forthcoming, until sufficient proof
had been given that this condition had been
complied with In process Of time 1t was, how
ever. discovered that by O system of adroit
financiering, which none but adopts can explain
or comprehend, the whole of the 100000
pledged by the State, had been drawn for and
expended without the slightest regard to the
condition on which it had been granted. A
stupendous fraud had been perpetrated, and this
great national undertaking was suspended for
several years, until the rust Of time had in some
measure obscured the brillancy of this great
financial exploit. The undertaking was then
resumed under new direction, whose manage
ment, so far as know, has been perfectly I'M
exceptonabe and in order itwould seem to en-
courage similar tricks, the legislature of the
State agreed to relinquish all claim to the 3,000,-
600, of which it had been defrauded on condition
that the road should be completed in a certain
specified time Thus stimulated by an enormous
bribe, the road was completed within the pre-
scribed period. The render will judge from this
brief detail whether it was not somewhat ride
uous. to say the least, for the President and his
cabinet, to pay such signal honor to an under
taking. conducted and finished under such cir
cumstances.
But there is still broader air of farce in
some of the incidents of this pilgrimage, to the
shrine of abolition or free-soism The concert
of locomotive whistles which greeted their ar
rival at Bnghampton-I think-was truly orr
ginal, and would have delighted the admirers of
JENNY Lind, at least, equal to he bird song or
"Home, sweet home" Fortunately, this cele-
brated village had no walls, or like those Of Je-
recho, they would assnredlv have been blown
down without the aid of miracle The presence
of Mr. Seward is another original feature in the
farce, and shows how far hypocrisy and dissim
uation may be Carried by the enthusiastic
friends of union. But these are comparatively
nothing compared with the lnughable perplexity
all must feel in deciding which was the real
Punch ofthe puppet show-greatI l, or little l.
the President or the Secretary. The latter
talked, If he did not drink, the most and thus far
seems to have taken the lead. He certainly beat
the President on his own ground at Buffalo; he
threw him into the shade at Rochester and dis
tanced him out of sight in what one of the
Washington scribes calls, "Mr Websters Alba.
ny speech, which il so grand. and impressive
so happy in every respect, that it abashes those
who would either on sectional or party grounds.
undertake to reprehend, or misrepresent his acts
or sentiments"
am sorry to differ with this and other high
Authorities in the court Of criticism on the sub
ect of the late exhibitions of the Secretary,
since the dawning of frution Of that hope
which anmates so many great and little men
among us, and which realizes the definition Of
the poet, that "Hope springs eternal in the hu-
man breast )" for when once awakened, it never
sleeps again. Since this vision opened to the
contemplation of the Secretary, his head seems
to be little turned, either by the decisions Of
hope, or the excitement of good dinners and good
wine His gravity, which has been hitherto
within one degree of absolute frigdty, has
given place to playfulness of humor and fancy
that reminds one of the gambols ofan elephant.
He has become intensely jocular, and if we may
credit the newspaper reports OF his speeches,
actually achieved the miracle of making some of
the Knickerbockers laugh outright at Albany.
In short, he seems to be undergoing the process
of the metempsichoss, and will undoubtedly
turn out wit in proportion rs his view Of the
uEirna Thule Of all genius patriots brightens
1t may be that am misled by an impression
] have sometimes entertained, that this gentle
man has been always greatly overrated by his
admirers, especially down East. He may be
great in speech, but he is certainly not great in
action; and it is much easier to say than to do
great things. Demosthenes, though he inspired
others with valor, ran away at the battle Of Cha-
ronea, and the Secretary, have no doubt,
could stimulate :" the ancient and honorable
company of artillery" at Boston to unheard of
deeds of valor-especially after the anniversary
dinner. But, unfortunately, he has nrver ex-
erted his talents in this line, and his greatest
couraging all emotions Of high-soued patriot
ism, all feelings of national honor and dignity.
Once, and once only, remember he spoke man.
fully about drubbing his particular friends the
British" one fourth of July"--but this was
after dinner, and it was not long before he
took n step backwards"
Be this as it may must aver in all frankness
that have seldom met with such tissues Of ego
tistical flummery, accompanied by such clumsy,
affected attempts at colloquial familiarity and
frivoty, eked out by abortive attempts to tickle
opposite parties by deceiving both, az are dis
played in the late tours of the Secretary, more
especially the last through this State. admit
that his position was somewhat critical on that
occasion. Two great men were travelling to-
rether, and great men should never hunt in
couples, or ride the same horse for one of them
must of necessity, ride behind. But the Seere
tary managed pretty well, by identifying the
President and himself, and making them one and
indivisibe. The President and /, quoth he,
have but one SOUL and agree in every thing
W. think o)ike not alikc nre animated hv ono