Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-03-23

MR.. EDITOR Al Inc close OF my last lei
ter, ntimated promise to assign reason
why the House of Representatives have not as
yet taken up the Presidents Message seriatim
and referred it TO appropriate Committees. Be-
fore do this let me say, what you very well
know, that this is ordinarily done in very ear
ly part of the session. The debates that spring
up on these questions of reference, are among
the most interesting of the whole session.
There is freedom of discussion proper on
such occasions, that is not allowable OH others.
Many Of the members are present for the first
time. They are more or less inexperienced
They are strangers to each other, and often to
the necessary details of business. The free in
terchange Of sentiment-the clash of opinion,
on these occasions is profitable. Drawn togeth-
er as members are from such wide extent of
country, with interests and feelings and modes
of thought so diverse, the wide range Of debate
necessary in these preliminary matters, gives
occasion and affords time for acquaintance, not
only with each other, but with the wants of the
whole country. Each contributes to the infor-
nation of all. How then are many subjects
thus brought up, and spread out before the
House not only, but before the whole people,
which could scarcely come up in any other way /?
certainly not as welin any other way.
But during this whole session, so far, there
has been studied avoidance of this entire sub
ject-or rather of this phase of discussion.-
Why is this? That is the question. have
given close attention to that subject, since l
came here, and believe the reason is duo-un-
ill., First, every man is afraid of the introduce
ton of slavery, from the interminable character
of all debate on that topic; and secondly in or
der, but first in rank is the fear Of the influence
Of any discussion of that subject on the Presi-
Dental question. Nothing that either party
says or does on any subject, but especially on
that, but must be carefully studied in reference
to its bearings on the great question who shall
be the next President Gen. Foote, before he
went home to governhi own State, in the blind
ness of his fanatcal zeal, endeavored to drive
Congress to the Reimbursement of the compro-
mise as a fnality, but he had not learned his
lesson we'll
Among the interesting things that have at
tracted the public attention here this winter, not
the smallest, is one that have hitherto omitted
to mention. have seldom been more interest
ed than in the Lectures of DR.. Kane, before the
Smithsonian Institute. The DR.. is surgeon
in the Navy, and was attached, as such, to the
Grinnell Expedition, in search of Sir John Frank
lin. The thrilling incidents of that VOYAGE
Z" the har-breadth 'scapes," I" the moving acct
dents by flood and ice field" (do | quote it
right? took deep hold Of the sensibiities of
the audience. 1t was feast Of norel if not fat
things. A large portion of the elite of the city
were present, especially to hear the third lec-
ture.
On Frid lay, Feb 20, President Fillmore COM
municated to Congress vouminous correspon-
dence in reference to Kossuth and his voyage
from Constantinople to Gbralter, on board of
the Mississippi. have not words to express
my contempt, my scorn, my utter detestation of
the undesirable little souledness of Commo-
dore Morgan, as exhibited in that correspon-
dence. If any of your readers think use too
strong language, just publish for their edfca-
ton, the Comlnodore's letter to Consul Hodge,
dated Spezzia, Sept %. Such a letter in ref
erence to such a man as Kossuth The impu-
dent political hermaphrodte-hal American
half despot He ought to be sent on a five
years cruise to Symmezonia; or made boot
black to the old Nick OF st. Petersburgh.
read and re-read that letter, and though know
nothing of the Commodore habits, | confess |
can only account for the style by supposing a
superlative inhibition of sold south SIDE" In
other words, that he was drunk. Do publish
that letter. Let Americans see who represents,
and who misrepresents them in Europe, in these
days of struggle between despotism and liber-
ty. Yours, G &c.
| a. The following article from the Detroit
Free Press coinmends itself to the notice of
our readers in this neglected part of. the State,
and should rouse to action those of us who
possess means and influence, to hasten the con-
struction of road to connect us with the +" rest
of mankind )" and develop more fully the abun-
dant natural resources of the North, opening to
settlement vast tracts of the choicest land, now
held, unproductive, by the Government-for the
want of an outlet to market. Railroads Gre
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