New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-23
WASHINGTON.
General observation-disclosures dsnf "itnara~'
Csrresposdenee IF The ". Y. rn5uss.

chyCrlcler or commentator AT wash
ing,on is something like man who Is watching for
4 pigeon-bed He has 70 wait for ms " maui" and,
unless he 10 particularly hard run, he does not choose
10 spring his net every time stray bird or two lights
before him He ats for a flock, that be may bag
| back.load and be done with II And as the duties OF
,uch person lie wi.hia the objective sphere-neSs-
paper-makers having holy horror Of abstract dis
QUESTION on the pan Of contributorshe is about as
dependent on things without his coatrol 70 supply
| his pouch as the pigeon hunter
In this respect has Washington been marked SINCE
the opening OF the Session. First, ,nere has been
an unusual want Of siO1o to the public life and,
second, the dominion OF Winter never so angri
ly and percingly asserted before during the present
generation. Perhaps the two have some connection
The winds are high and cutting snow falls aound'
antly and its dry sandy masses drIft IN heaps ana
| cover, and chill and blind the pedestrian, qnte
after the New Engan fashion. With the exception
| of the Kossuih advent AMI It's Accomplishments,
nothing has occurred 10 sir the sluggish Stream OF
Washington affairs We begin TO feel Wiling 70 hau
admit that Governor FoOTE is not an altogether des
Disable nan in political circles lie IS famous Tor
making great ado about nothing, and for pouring
out cataract OF words TO purpose, but perhaps
he does something useful in breaking up the slug
Rishness Of others We net quite sure he Is not
| Of as much use as tOddy- stick or fllp-iron IN
| ma ng stir.
II We excep, the brief mesmenc twitch and
| culver on KossUrH, may say that no subject Of
naior al interest has sgitated, and none now agi
occupies the attention of the congress of the
United States No great question OF public policy
is before 1t, and no party question divides IT, There
are Free-Soilers and Loco-Focos and Wings by
designation, in both branch and each party is
busly engaged in expressing It's preferences and
its hates 80 far as men are concerned And each has
within its own sub llvison strong likes and dis
likes on this score exist towards those
outside Of such subdivision. But as TO diyis-
ions on the Of prmcp'e Involving any activity
of antagonsm, as between pIrt'ss, though It does
exist 10 some extent be, Veen iadrifals there IS
none.
Congress presents a vast mass OF discordant oPn-
ions upon all sor,s OF topics. which ran IN eddies,
and circle in whulpOols l'ut which pour along n no
clear full stream in any particular direction There
is little Tanf feeling among those who are, o.
whose immediate constituents are 10 feather their
nests BY higher duties There IS sentiment off1vor
toward internal Improvements IN the breasts oitlose
who want the money appropriated therefor IN
| their Own localities. There ls some frce->0l! IL
quarters where Free S0lsm II paying lnyestme nt
| THERE'S desperately small sprinkle of atoms n
a small show Of fossilferous Hnnkerism, and
moderate amount OF halfway Interventionism and
Radicalism IN general Taken together, Congress
is Babel of opinions, but on no one does there
seem to be anything hAo general concurrence, or
| set of any strong current Of sentiment
Whether this state OF things arises from the Hani
Of forcible enuncaiion Of part cular doctrine, or
from whatever cause the fact o. the general disin
| NJ far a "a
Of measures and principles, very manifest. There
is 10 great leading idea which is the peculiar and
| exclusive characteristic of either party And IN
the coming Presidential contest, though they elch
may unite on particular man. they viii not unite
| uron any particular principle Of universal pary
| adoption The Wings will come the nearest 10
unity upon the one greli question o. the proe ',ive
policy euil important and vital II is, even this
will be subordmated TO personal and other conside-
rations in the approaching canvass
| 1.-Two look for exnlica,ion ~ THE state
of things We think one great cause OF II would be
found in the existing circumstances OF our national
! life and growth SO extraordinary AMI 50 rapid is
this life and this growth swelling Beyond all exam
| pie and all former reasonable anticipation, in the
developments growing out OF our Paclnc settle
! ments and the immense influx of immigration on
both shores OF the Continent, that our public men
to think it hardly worth while to trouble lhem-
selves with general considerations relating to The
nation progress The country is considered to De
! going forward with such marvellous ana constantly
accelerated pare - be expanding into such ullness
ard maturity 81 growth almost entirely upon IL, vn
hook so 10 speak that the National Legislature has
scarcely need TO DO any thing 5ut look and see i
| prosper and see Il grow.
The feeling is undoubtedly widely prevalent, thai
y syttem of public economy, founded on legislaron
is by no means essential to national growth ad-
| vsncemcnt prosperity and that so sure, 50 hrln,
so inevitable this result, that legislation of what
ever nature could scarcely reiaFd, could hardly
accelerate this progress and that while other ma
lions may Web be looking after their industrial con-
dton providing for their vast debts, checking the
streams Of grafton and otherwise keeping them
selves on an even keel AMI before faToTase gales,
| our youthful sses ana lus;iness Of growth, al
ready expanding Us to gigantic dmensoas, our free
| dom from the ~eGsness and symptoms Of decay at
iensaa upon old age. secures against every peril
10 Which the other nations OF the e1r:h all more
/ or less exposed.
From all which. l suppose, We are emitted TO con
cude thai there is more shallow observation than
| profound thinking, and more politics than states
manship. In Congress. To which reSgl, should We
perhaps have been lusti6ed in coming with shorter
| preamble.
Surveying the whole aelt, this thing, q, leas, IS
clear. There never was better opportunity for
strike in Congress than now. \ most excellent oD.
poriunity offers for somebody's isbal upon some
grand topic. IL is lifetime f1T political c'a2 Feil,
only that The reoeat associations with that term make
it too offensive 70 be spoken. great genius, or
even a man of grea, viii, could DO wonders in
reforming parties, which, even OF themselves, are
almos, Kaleidoscope IN their shifting aspects.
We think AZ the very least, that IL IS good time
for dip into European politics, discussion upon
MI BoNArARrEs usurPation, the doctrine OF Ihe non
Intervention Of Russia, the Rights of Man. and the
prospects Of the Old World II aSsiOns matters are
settled on this Contlnentto onI stisacnon we nay