New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-30
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, Thursday, Apnl D. iE5
| Ii must be going toward year since | ceased to
discourse to you upon political affairs from this capital
Since then we have had some changes The country has
roused shook itself and resumed its composure In
deed it has gone quite asleeppoliticay Washington,
itself looks very much like the Washington of lS49,
when there was another set of gentlemen here the
same errand that has brought the oaers that throng
the streets and besege the President and the Depart
mens. But there is now, then, the same quiet and
steathy talks the same fearful approhensons the
rosy hopes of day. followed by sinking depressons In
the next There were the same predictions that the Adj
mnistraion and the Cabinet 90 to utter ruin if the
claims of John Shocks were overlooked in the dispo
sition of the Bungtown Post-Office. There the
same running up and down the Avenue the anxious
injuries as to the best mode to get Mr. Biteemsylys
influence or Mr. Dusenburys aid infayor of Simon
Squeak, ESQ., late Post-Captain on board mud-scow
for the office of Deputy MOp-Squeezer on somebody's
steps The Offices not yet all distributed, and the
expectants wait in squads sometimes sauntering about
hesuburbs with slow and melancholy gait sometimes,
twilight approaches and pretty maidens throng the Ave-
nue. roOsng underline portcoes ofthe hotels There may
be seen Senator's and Members of the House and ex
distnguGs of all sorts mixed up in these crowds all
ously figuring away at their several problems and await
ing the decision of the Cabinet councils.
Ii is mean business the whole OF it and one wonders
how gentlemen of sufficient genius and attalnments to
shovel COAL wood dig clans at low water, or fill
any equally important niche in the distribution of human
employments, can stOop to such business.
Young America don't fancy the existing regime The
Administration is fast enough for it, They complain
that Gen Pierce defers Mr. Marcy in every thing
ating to foreign affairs, and that Mr.. Marcy is so old
fashioned that he don't approve of pitchpong affairs OF
State They think those affairs need little circus
training They want man in the State Department
who can ride at least three horses abreast and who
instantaneousy metamOrphOse himself from jolly jack
tar TO Mercury with wings on his hees-with the ami
mails on dead run. They think Marcy is not more
than four-knOt man, who will adhere to the antedu-
Wan custom of walking with his feet under him. instead
of emuating the more agile motion Of rotating cart
wheel fashion, the clown does, with his heels u the
air at least half the time Hence their total dssatis
faction They aege that in leaving foreign affairs Who'll
ly to the Secretary of State the President virtually
abdcates his office as after the offices shall have been
disposed Of domestic matters will be of small account.
They proane to say and even swear that
Marcy is in fact President.
But General Pierce is by means to be sneezed at.
| He is well meaning gentleman of honorable purposes
and generous sentiments. He is a square-cut party
man. and nobody could manage the politics of village
better He has showed himself to be dabster in let
ting out the offices to every division OF the ring
streaked peckled and motley crowd that elected him.
If every body isn't satisfied he is not TO blame, for he
has given every body something's and it was this kind OF
expected friendly recognition that induced everybody
to support him We cannot see that any charge OF po
litical reputation lie against him. He has credit
ed every division of his party with the votes they gave,
and paid their bills in Offices the current coin OF the
party realm When he shall have got through with
this little adjustment Of balances we don't see but he
will have about accomplished his mission The assiduity
with which he has devoted himself to it shows thet he
himself attaches small Importance to this brar IN OF
his duty in ntrusting the management OF our foreign
relations to such men Marcy and Buchanan, he has
displayed great good sense, and in holding his Prime
Minister responsible for their management instead OF
assuming personal supervision, ne at once relieves
! himself and shows his wisdom We expect Mr.. Pierce
will give us quiet moderate, conservative, unexcep-
tionabe good fornothng kind of Administration, to
which nobody will think Of making any especial objec-
tion or opposition and that by the close of his term
there will be pretty general fusion of all parties. The
cakes of all sides will have become dough, and
I
As to the Fillibusteran differences drawn from Mr..
Soules appointment, they no more substantial than
smoke His mission will come to nothing. There
never was any great thing done advertisement All
the world knows that SOue is after Cuba, and therefore
he won't get it, The anticipation that has been raised
over his appointment reminds us of the story OF the
Fox Reynard saw vapor arising from some warm
water which had been poured upon ice Humph," said
he that will be fire when it burns" We reckon it
will be pretty much so with Mr. Soule's mission.
The only remaining Department of the Government
about which much comment is just now made in pollti-
cal circles is the Treasury. Mr.. Guthrie is making
| his mark He has the reputation of being straight
! forward lawyer of integrity with no knowledge OF
trade or finance or affairs But he has ability, and
will get on Meantime he is about as flexible as
man made of castrOn. He is called the Prairie
! Plow" He cuts a straight furrOw, and don't mind
whose lilies or daisies he spOls He changes estab-
lished CUSTOM abrOgates contracts strikes arbitrary
balances and carries CONSERVATION generally in his
path. Doubtless be will be softened in time. He is
verdant enough just now to suppose that the Sub
Treasury System was designed to be carried out to
the letter and he proposes to do it, The general I'M
presson among nayigators is that it is easier to sail
roupd ledge than to 90 it, especially if it be en-
trely out of water Mr.. Guthrie has doubts on this
head. He presumes they will be removed after
few times trying to jump his craft over the rocks Mr.
Peter Washington his assistant, is inclined to second
Mr. Guthrie, and especially rip up the customs and
acts of the late Secretary Peter was turned out OF
Office by the Wings and has some old scores to pay off,
IL u,x