The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-18

-'Ai- s'Fiiihs ut s'tilhNt lllNu ahVullFb tll
Monday.
The House OF Representative passed the
bill TO reduce and modify the rates of postage.
One hundred and thirty members voted for, and
seyentyfive against it. The particulars will
be found in the record Of proceedings
The following appear, in the Washington
correspondence Of the New York Courier and
Enquirer:
"AFfAIRs Al THE CAPITOL.
" WAsHNGToN, Jan. II.
a. The suggestion which has appeared in several
respectable Wing pnpers, in different parts Of the
state of New York. calling upon the Legislature to
pass resolutions approving of tho adjustment of the
last session, and the urgent terms in which this
idea has been elaborated, has necessarily attracted
some attention in the political circles here, from
| supposed assumed authority connected with
these publications. As erroneous impressions may
have gained currency by such appeals, il is proper
the public should understand that they haze been adj
dressed Without The sanction encoura enent Of The
standardization; and Imigh go jarther and say, that
the proposed Increment not approved here in anyre
sponsibs quarter II may be true, and doubtless is
true, that certain gentlemen in Congress, who
claim quite large share of confidence and inn
]
such step but they have taken the responsibility
upon Themselves and not authorized to speak in
the name with the influence Of those in power"
/ a. And, besides. for what reason are the Whigs
of the Legislature of New York called upon TO pass
such resolutions The adjustment not part Of
lphig policy 10 did not originate Nth the 1dsninis-
trati0n and is therefore not an ADMINISTRATIVE act.
The President approved the series of measures
upon the broad Wing principle, as he would have
sanctioned any other set of laws not conflicting
with the Constitution He has recommended their
observance settlement, not in terms, but in
substance. And they have been, and will be
observed, if men will be content to let the public
mind repose in its present tranquility 1t is far
better to show by acts, than by assertions,
that mean to respect this adjustment. Resolu-
tons arc Of little value under any circumstances.
They may do harm, but they rarely do much
good. An the experience under the Fugitive
Slave law proves that the tribunals and the people
of New York are ready to discharge their whole
duty, and that practical illustration s worth more
in the eyes of the most Immediately concerned,
/ than all the resolutions that could be passed in
century"
We do not know by what authority the cor
respondent Of the Courier undertakes to speak
?
the Administration, - nasmuch as from his an
tecedents he would be about the last person in
the city likely to be well informed upon that
subject Contrary, indeed, to what he hears
and writes, we hear and believe, that the Ad-
minstration would feel gratfed in having the
principles and recommendations set forth in the
Presidents message approved by Wings in all
! ntto and ncnoci1llu hot of tbo
which acquiesces i'll the Adjustment bills, and
pronounces them "tinal"
The Adjustment we are told here, as if off
cially, was not part Of Wing policy We
do not know that. The parliamentary father
Of these bills was the Hon. HENRY CLAY,
/ whose "Whig policy" for some half a centu-
1 ry, few Wings have been accustomed to doubt
! They were advocated and defended as mea-
sures of settlement by no less a Wing than the
present Secretary of State. The President
himself in his Texas message, boldly took the
most difficult and dangerous item of the Adjust
ment---,he purchase from Texas of her claim
! to New Mexico-under his own especial pa
/ tronage. The Adjustment therefore if such
! signs mean any thing, Wds part Of the Wing
policy; and, if it were not, the recommendation
Of the President, approved by all the Cabinet,
and by large majority of the Wing members
Of Congress, that these measures be regarded
as ''fnal settlement" certainly make the
/ Peace measures Wing measures.
! The administration Of Mr.. Polk, after srug
/ CLING in vain with the alarming sectional issues
which his policy had created, bequeathed them
all to an incoming Wing administration Mr.
Pork and his party friends could not, or did not
settle them though bound So to do because
their policy had created them 1t is the honor
aud glory Of this Administration, that under its
auspices peace has been given TO distracted
country and, therefore, it has a right to de-
mand from its ostensbe friends that its Peace
measures be maintained
As to the alleged acquiescence Of ''the people
of New York in the Fugitive Slave law, if il
exists, the Legislature will say so; andif, on the
contrary, there is a disposition TO reopen and re-
aeitate this as one of the Peace measures, and
therefore all of them. the Legislature will so de-
clare. Even in o city so loyal to the Union rs
! New York, we see it stated, that in the case Of
the slave Long it cost the claimant over $500
to carry out the express and solemn stipulation
of the Constitution; and but for the interposi-
ton of other gentlemen, the yeXatious itiga-
tion would from its cost alone, have been
practical notification Of the law. 1t will do
great good. therefore. to know from the politi-
clans whether, without approving all the Com
promise measures, (lor no system of law was
ever framed that everybody approved in all
thinos NOT even the Constitution the funla-
mental law they mean TO acquiesce in them,
OF TO continue, as they are now doing, especially
in New York, reopening, Regulating, and
thus directly and indirectly subccting to public
censure all concerned in the settlement. fore
most among whom were the President of the
[ niied States and all his Cabinet
Massac husetts.