The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-26
The Explosion In the Whig Caucus mt WASH
lngton-Its Causes and Con cquences.


Every day brings us new information, and fresh
parcels of evidence from Washington, tending to
deyeope the mysterious ntrigues that have been
going on there for the last few months; and which
laid the foundation in part or in whole, of the re-
cent curious explosion in the Wing Caucus, exempi
fed in the retreat of the Southern members, and the
rtill more extraordinary personal denunc'aaeUos
in the Senate and the House. perpetrated with all
the eloquence of the Five Points, By Senator from
North Carolina in the one body, and member Of
the lower branch, from the purlieus of New York,
IN the other.
One OF the principal pieces of evidence tending to
explain that explosion, and which has been gene
rally overlooked probably account Of its not
being much circulated is certain letter, pub
lished in the early part of the preceding week,
in the Noo York Express, dated at Washington,
and signed by the nom dc plume, An eye on the
Capitol" This letter, which we have inserted
elsewhere, was the ostensible cause of the ter
rible onset in the Senate, made by Senator Mangum
on Congressman Brooks Of the House When 1t
appeared in the journal in question, it was generally
understood, in this latitude and longitude, to
have originated with the Hon. James Brooks,
more commonly known by the sobriq,ed OF the
Hon. BOBBY Brooks, although, perhaps, not ply
sioahy nlItteH uOWn by MN Oh iet'ci P'Pei.
During the past winter a number Of similar letters
have appeared through the same channel, and sub
scribed by the same signature all OF which were
generally set down TO Brooks himself as the father,
the author, the originator, and the an-a OF their
existence This belief Of the public in this neigh
borhood, seems also to have pervaded the mind Of
the Senator at Washington, Mr.. Mangum in his
recent denunclame,to in the Senate. Brooks, OF
the House. denies the truth of the allegation, though
he acknowledges that he had the letter before
it was despatched from Washington, and had
advised notifications in the language and terms en-
ployed IN that production. This is sufficient ac-
Acknowledgement to fix the paternity on Brooks, as
the real author, dictator, and originator Of the com
munication in question. His mere denial of the
penandink manual labor, necessary to put that pro-
duction on paper, is but quibble In character
with the man, exhibited from the first moment Of
his connection with the press in this city, and with
public affairs up to this day. He has always been
considered Of the meanes, editors, and the
same character he has carried into Congress.
This curious letter. revealing the distracted state
Of the whig party at Washington, and the causes
thereof. receives further confirmation, in various
ways from quarters which we can rely, and from
authority which cannot doubt The alusion to
tie supper and dinner parties at which Mr.. Mangum
and ex-Goycmor Seward formed their coalition has
reference II seems. to a series Of pcs s0upcrs which
have been recently introduced 1T Washington, by the
liberal, the rich, and the ambitious VIM II. Seward,
for the purpose Of gaining influence over the whg
party, nj Washington, sufficient to control the nomi-
nation for the Presidency and to shape the forth
coming administration for the next four or eight
years Hitherto in this State, Senator seward and
Thurlow Weed have generally governed the politics
Of the whig party, and commanded the wing leaders,
rank and file, throughout the state, by controlling
tbcr consoienccs through their pockets, Or in other
words, ~ goigng them with the spoils Of the canals,
The banks, and every other SPECIES Of plumber that