Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-09-04
From our Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aue. 80, 1852.

Dear Sir
The exhibition of the
Fire Annillilator Oh Thursday evening
last was attended by a large concourse
of the citizens of Washington on the
public ground on 4! stree',-which'
to all human appearance, provedto bc
fully what it is called. a temporary
two story building was erected, con-
struc,cd Of dry pine boards, with three
windows above and below, and filled
with combus,iblc materials sufficient
to envclop the whole in one flame,
which extended out Of each window
above fortwcnty feet. When the fire
had reached its height, the apparatus
was brought to bear on the building,
and in less than ten seconds the whole
fire was arrested, leaving scarcely SUI:
fcient to light a candle by. Now,
whether this machine or apparatus is
one of those fancy articles calculated
alone 10 Mcori=e with, remains to be
seen. There are so many humbugs
pcddlcd through the country nova.
days, it is exceedingly hard to tell
whether any one is Of the least utili-
ty, until the most searching scrutiny
is nude as to their practical benefits.
Both Houses of Congress, for the
lust two weeks, have been industrious.
ly engaged in doing up" the neces-
sury business of the session; such az
passing the usual appropriation bill,
which, when done, will be about all
they have done. Did this body work
onc-fuurh as hard ut all times, no ses-
sion of Congress need be prolonged
over one.fuurth Of the time they usu-
ally sit, and thereby save to the co''n.
try not only on immense amount Of
money, but a great deal Of credit to
the country.
The pretty little sum of $4,000 has
been voted to Mr.. Richie, late Editor
of tho Union, for losses he sustained,
as he alleges, under the old contract
system, as public printer. This, Of
course, is a small matter for Demo-
cratic Congress to be guilty Of, but
had the boot been on the other leg,
and Wing Congress had given away
that amount to u Wing Editor, it
would have been u horrible affair.
The attack made by Maj. Polk the
other day, in the House, on General
Scott, is looked upon here by men OF
all parties as not likely to add any
thing to the assailant's character, nor
TO diminish from the character of the
attacked; but on the other hand, to
operate quite the opposite to that ill.,
tended. When, in speaking OF our
enemies, we attempt to dctract from
them that merit honestly due them,
we not only show disposition to do
wrong ourselves, but desire others TO
do tho same thing. The spirit mani.
tested by Mr.. Polk in attacking the
military fame and character Of Gen
Scott shows conclusively that he is ei-
Their very ignorant ordishonest man..
and takes it for granted that everybody
is like himself. But all this raving
and pitching can easily be accounted
for. tits said that the death struggle
is always the hardest. Such men as
Mr.. Polk always die hard. Although
he processes to belong 10 the Demo-
cratic party, yet if his views arc not
fully accorded with by the people, and
they sec fit to differ with him, and vote
for the man of their choice, he still
strives to make them believe what the
history Of the country plainly con-
tradicts and what nine-tcnths of the
people know to be untrue. General
SCOTS traducers have failed to prove
that he has no capacity us u civilian,
and now they attempt 10 pluck from
his brow the laurels he has SO merito-
riously earned in defence Of his coun.
try's honor. But in this they will as
signally fail. And although all the
elements of every faction aud clique
that have ever existed i'll this country
are brought to bear upon him, the
people in their might and strength
will say in November next, that he is
worthy of the Presidency of this great
and glorious Republic!
The Wheeling Bridge Bill has pass
cd as an amendment to the Post Office
appropriation bill, to-day. The bill
makes the Bridge post roulc, and of
course is bound To stand in spite Of
the murmuring oftlle Pittsburghers.
Both houses Of Congress present to.
night busy scene. a continuous
session will lie kept up until to.nor-
row at l2 o'clock, NJ, at which hour
an adjournment will take place, sine
de.
A bill has also passed increasing the
salaries of all clerks, messengers, Nc,
who received heretofore 5000 or less
To 20 per cent. addition, and all who
received $1,000 aud over $1,000 to 10
per cent. additional compensation.
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