The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-10


hitherto been held this season. -
We are already beginning to hear of the backward.
ness of cotton. A despatch from New Orleans an
that the decreased receipts thus far over last
year at this time amount to one hundred and six
thousand bales.
To days inside pages contain . lengthy document
from the Mexican Minister at Washington, with re-
gard to the recent extensive military preparations Of
Santa Anna Interesting Intelligence from New
Mexico; Fashions at the South Proceedings in the
Variou Law Courts, embracing curious Clerical
Slander Suit, the decision of Judge Morris relative
to Assessments, &c; and great variety Of Com
mercial and Miscellaneous News.
Mr.. GutIrie's Letter on the Custom House
Appointments.
There never was a more barefaced. shame
less attempt, made by any administration
not even excepting that Of the valiant
Captain Tyler-to gag public opinion, and
to cram men who have sunk in public
esteem down peoples throats, than at pre-
sent Never was the Cabinet and it's
menials more avowedly engaged in buying up
votes through government patronage-never
was the buying and selling Of places for rowdy
politicians and grog shop patriots so openly
sanctioned or officially enjoined. 1t really
seems as if the present Cabinet had run mad in
the sordid attempt to truckle to worthless fac
tions-as if, in their wretched fear of retribu
ton, they dreaded nothing so much as the
merest chance of being contaminated by princi-
pies. Marcy and Jefferson Davis act like men
who have no faith whatever in the people; they
treat the great body Of the population as an
inert mass, and the factions as the motive
power, which requires to be stimulated by
office.
The Secretary Of the Treasury--a man un-
known to fame, ignorant and inexperienced in
regard to finance, but supposed to be upright
and honest-after many fourishes of indepen-
dence and recttude, paraded in the government
organs has. on the very first occasion which
presented ITSELF capitulated to Marcy and taken
the lead in the prostitution of the administra-
tion to the intrigues Of faction. He has come
with unblushing front into the political sham
bles Of this great city and commanded the pur-
chase OF all the factious offal that has accumu-
lated since 1S48 He has given his orders to
make no further inrnstna ont in eUund and whole
some provisions, and has thereby shown his
stupid and faithless disregard for the health of
the body polite. The administration seem to be
ridden with the absurd and pusillanimous notion
that the free sellers Of the North and the seces-
sionists of the South constitute the great ma
jority Of the democratic party, and that the
whole skill of the government consists in salts
tying the malcontents. They Islander the ma
tional democracy by every official act and in
their moral idotcy imagine that they can save
the integrity Of the party by perpetuating its
diseases. The political quacks at Washington
believe that they are doing wonders towards
consolidation when they render an inf1amma-
tory distemper chronic, and will not stop in
their career of folly till they have rendered it
incurable.
But this letter Of Secretary Guthrie, while
base and contemplate in its conception, carries
in its tone and language an efirontery aud dis
regard for the common decencies of govern
ment, not to say of life, which, we are afraid
will mark an epoch in our history General
Pierce occupies the seat which before him was
occupied by Washington, by Jefferson, by Ma
Olson, and Jackson. Just imagine Alexander
Hamilton writing to the collector of New York;
g You must appoint your weighers, gaugers and
tide-waiters. your messengers and watchmen,
from the particular set, who, though untrue to
the constitution are willing to support me-"
and you will see to what depth Of moral degra-
dation the government has fallen under Marcy
and Jefferson Davis.
And then how utterly regardless of the usual
forms of politeness and decency is this letter of
Secretary Guthrie Not satisfied with using
insulting language towards man Of greater
professional reputation than himself he sends
copies of that letter to the Naval Officer and Sur
veyor of this port, and causes the publication
of the letter in the government newspapers
He seems to take pride in announcing the pros
titution Of his high Office to demagoguism.
With cynic Indifference to the respect OF the
world, be seems to enjoy beforehand the con-
tempt and depreciation of honest men of all
parties if thereby he can add to the mortifca-
ton Of the national democracy or to the exul-
taton Of the anti-national factions of the coun-
try. The Albany Regency, whose odious prac-
tices brought about the crisis Of 1910, is now in
stalled at Washington Query-will it meet a
better fate in 1856?
AS long as Marcy and JEFF Davis divide the
power of the State between them there can be
no Improvement in public affairs The country
has repudiated bo,a. and the mass of the people
have no confidence in their integrity as polti-
clans General Pierce is, no doubt determined
to stand by the country and its nationality; and
he is eclipsed by these fatal meteors, who have
no regular orbit round the sun, and must ex-
plode long before the earth has completed its
revolution. With the present Cabinet General
Pierce will be powerless in Congress. His
plans and views in regard to our foreign rela-
tione will lack the aupport of national mon