The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-19

A ROYAL SALUTE.
see that by direction Of the President, the
Spanish consul has been received at New Or
leans with salute Of fifty guns from United
States fortress There is an extreme aptitude
and propriety in this number, as it is one gun
for each Of the Americans who were shot down
in cold blood, and without trial at Havana.
Interesting Letter from Mr.. Geo. N. Sanders,
Relative 10 The Donaldson and Greer Correspon.
dsnce Hudson Bay Company-Sa Of Cor.
ernmsm Muskets, d., DC, dc.
AsToR HOUSE, New York, Feb. 10, 1852
JAMES GORDON BENNETT, ESQ, Editor of The N.
Y. Herah:--
DEAR SIR-l have ever regarded the liberty
of the press as one of the most valuable franchi-
ses OF the American people. II should be pro.
tected and cherished as the palladium of our pc.
litical freedom. If the PRESS was trammelled,
we should lave, as ip other governments at this
time, hosts of secret spies and informers Pub.
lie men in this country must expect to have their
conduct, and principles, and opinions, freely can
vassed, and that sometimes injustice may be
done to them. 1t is a tax that, in free coun.
try, ambition must pay to liberty. Ordinarily,
it is best for public men to waive reply to attacks
upon them in newspapers, for they generally
but provoke to a renewal of the assaults; and
a man conscious of his own rectitude has a
shield from harm in the intelligent dscrimina-
ton of his countrymen as to what may spring
from political prejudice or party hostility, and
what has just foundation. 1t is otherwise with
respect to individuals not in public life. As
saults upon them, if not repealed, are apt to
have an injurious effect upon the party assailed.
Though but private citizen, have, for some
months past, been repeatedly made the subject
of invidious satements and remarks in various
papers, sometimes editorially, and sometimes in
the form of correspondence. 1t is immaterial
whether the authors of these attacks are promp-
ted by mere love of mischief, by personal i'll
feeling, by political anmosity, or by high patri-
otto, and disinterested motives; nor is it at all
important whether they are melted by sinister
influences of third persons, or invent the state
ments they make, or whether their publications
are gathered from idle bar-room political Cos
sips the injurious effects upon the person as
sailed are the same.
On Friday last you alluded editorialIy to a
statement made 10y correspondent from WASH
ington TO Philadelphia Wing paper. as intend.
ed TO refer to myself Similar statements in
like form have heretofore appeared in certain
prints in this city some of which have been no.
ticed by the Herald, in manner Characteristic
ally significant. The widely extended circula-
ton of the Herald in America and Europe,
renders that answer to these statements proper
from me, which, If you had not noticed them,
would have been abstained from. Your paper,
too, claims TO be Independent and impartial
not a partisan press-and greater weight, there.
fore, is given to what appears in its columns on
political topics, than to most of the papers in this
country. Hence il is that [ solicited Of you, on
Saturday, a column to reply to what you have
referred TO respecting me and my affairs | now
avail myself Of your compliance with that re-
quest.
LIST. As to the "Donaldson and Greer CORES.
pondence," the authorship of which you say is
| imputed 10 me. Ii was an ungenervus jvhv in
you to suggest that the guess that was its
author was "good guessing" thus intimating
that was in fact the author; for no one knows
better than you self that ] was not in any de-
gree an alder or abetter Of that hoax, nor in any
wise cognizant of it. The first knowledge /
had of it was reading it in the Herald have
not since acquired any information respecting
it, except what have obtained from your col.
umns. Inasmuch as that correspondence has
efectuay stopped the writing Of political letters,
| think you ought TO introduce the author per
sonaly to the public, that he may receive his
just deserts.
I'd. AS to the Hudson's Bay Company. BY
the Oregon treaty, the United States guaranteed
to the Hudson's Bay Company their posse sorry
rights in Oregon, as enjoyed prior to the treaty
The company were Disposed to sell their rights
TO the United States. Governor Sir George
Simpson desired me 10 act as agent ia the ar
rangements sought 10 be made, preliminary 10
AaGnifiva Dafnsa A.
his proposition, consulted several of the lead.
ing men Of both parties at Washington
Amongst them advised with the late Mr.. Cal.
houn, who gave me a letter Of introduction 10
Mr.. Pakenham, then the British minister, and
expressed his approval Of the proposed mode Of
extinguishing the claims of the Hudson's Bay
Company, and Of my acting as agent, as sug.
gested. Sir George paid 10 me an inconsidera.
Bile amount, and rendered such services as
could. My position was known TO all, and |
acted openly and above board. The proposition
was presented to Mr.. Folks administration, and
brought before the Senate in secret session, but
the overwhelming agitation Of the slavery quest
ion affected 80 unpropitiously all territorial in.
terests, that ! advised its withdrawal NV
agency has long since ended, and am in no
degree interested in the matter more than any
| other citizen. | do not know that the terms
once offered would now be agreed to by the
Hudson's Bay Company and the British govern.
ment; for the companys properly and the Brit.
ish possessions on the Pacific have become en-
HANGED vastly in value, since the discovery OF
gold in California; but do know that the price
then asked for the REIMBURSEMENT, by the com.
pany, Of all their rights Of property, and herds
and hocks, and their forts, and the exclusive
navigation Of the Columbia river, was less than
Al a
10 adjust the claims Of the company and lis en-
ployees, In Oregon, and TO erect barbados and
the necessary forts there, within the next FIVE
| wears the companys rights still remaining in