The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-16

,osanssosDsxo. OF THE sspusl,c.l

MAY n, 1858.
Colonel Benton 10 IN high hope With reference
10 The result Of Lieutenant Beale's proposed recon
noissance of Fr6mont's route, with view to as
certain the facilities it Offers for the Pacific rail
road He 10 firmly of opinion that it possesses su-
perior advantages to any other possible route, and
that we shall have MIR. Beales report upon 1t ssbe.
fore'-to quote the colonels characteristic words
''the typographical engineers. who are to survey
routes by order of the Government, will have
finished laying in their goodies at Gautier's
Though the Postmaster General some time since
notified the contractors for the great express mail
between New Orleans and Louisville that he con.
firms their contract prepared TO be signed between
his predecessor and themselves, he has not yet de.
cided whether to insist the of low pressure
boats for the service or not. The law leaves that
point entirely optional with the Department
Having advertised for bids for the service in both
descriptions of steamers, the contractors (Mather
and Glover's) proposals were lowest-lowcr even
than any merely propoaing to perform the ser.
vice in high pressure boats, which are far less
expensive than low. pressure boats to run on the
Mississippi. 1t appears that the question of the
feasibility of using low-pressure boats for the ser.
vice is doubted, not only at the Department, but
throughout the Mississippi valley. A large mum.
Der of letters have been forwarded to the Depart.
ment from experienced practical parties in all the
Mississippi and Ohio river States, except louisa
ma, expressing the conviction that high pressure
boats only can be employed successfully there.
These come, for the most part, have reason TO be-
lieve, from past and present steamboat owners
and officers. On the other hand, parties whose
bids were too high for acceptance have been
busy in New Orleans in getting up petitions in ia
vor of having the contractors forced to make the
experiment with low-pressure steamers which, 90
far have never been used successfully on the Mis-
sssppi or either Of its tributaries above New Or
leans though the sea steamers plying from that
city, and the boats employed in towing upon the
river bslosD the city, are Of that description.
II is a somewhat curious fact that though New
Orleans is the great commercial capital of the Mis-.
sissippi valley, in which millions on millions of
river steamer stock is owned, hardly dollars
worth of it is the property of parties in the city of
New Orleans itself; the river steamboat. men being
located up the country. So far, this contest is be-
tween those thus deeply interested in running the
river on the one eide, and, on the other, those
anxious to make the river risk their property
In grand experiment for the application of the
Ito them) new principle in the steamboating bust
ness upon the western waters. Not being compe.
tent to form an opinion on the facts before me,
refrain from drawing conclusions in the premises,
merely stating the circumstances as they are
known in Washington.
The Secretary of the Interior Department has re.
Gently decided pension law question on an ap.
peal, to spoil very extensive antcipations of
"big hauls" Gin the aggregate) from the Treasury
of the United States. The question may be summed
up follows, viz: The law of January or of July,
l848, granted pensions to the widows of revou-
tionary officers and soldiers who married before
1900, and the law of February last O853) granted
pensions in the same manner under the laws of
ls4s, to those widows of revolutionary officers
and soldiers who married subsequent to 1900. The
pension agents contend that the words 'sin the
same manner" &C., in the body of the law of the
present year, give it retroactive effect; emitting
under it all revolutionary widows to arrearages of
pensions from the date of the passage of one or
the other laws of lS4s. This reading has been ig
nored-first by the Commissioner, and next by the
Sec rotary an appeal. The pension laws, where
they retroactive, usually state specifically the
time back to which they shall apply. The law of
1853 is silent this subject. So the Commissioner
and Secretary, without the Intervention of an
opinion from the Attorney General, decide that no
pension commencing before its passage can be al
lowed under it. 1t was thought by Congress,
different construction of the statute would cause
the payment of an aggregate of So, 900 from
the Treasury under this law account of arearages
all of which will now be kept safe in Uncle SAM
pocket until Congress may explain their action
differently, or until another administration NAV
abandon the neutrality-suspicious. given by Mr.
Secretary McClelland. Of the s., 1900, 900 above
mentioned, the agents would get an average of
quite 20 per cent, or more than $500, 900 among
them. As matter of course, therefore, this ruling
disgruntles quite number of gentlemen around
Washington.
The appointment of Mr.. Anderson to be post
master at Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania, and Mr.. Parks
at Harrisburg, will doubtless cause no little sput-
teration in ofice-hunting circles. The opponent
of Mr.. Anderson was Mr. Harper, editor of the
Pittsburgh Post who went his way from Wash
ington, shortly after the Inauguration, rejoicing
in the full belief that this Office would surely fall
to his lot. He has been exceedingly happy in
this impression up to perhaps a fortnight ago,
not knowing how many spiders were being slip.
ped into his dumplng. Major David Lynch, who
It will be remembered became somewhat famous
account of his connection with that same poet
office during Van 0nren's time, has managed
Anderson's canvass for the place here. The ma.
jor, who was a member of the Baltimore Conven.
the nomination of Mr.. Buchanan is capital ia ker
He argue Mr.. Harper out of all the audience
rooms here we'll all the chimney corners at
home. Aye, with Mr.. Phillips-Harper's partner,
who has managed for Harper at headquarters
thrown in to help, Harper. So the major hascar-
ried the day. poor Harper being left to reflect the
value Of his real efficient services through the Post
during the last canvass. They were indeed efficient
services, the remembrance of which must now
suffice for consolation for the result of his aur pas
in failing to be Lynch man as well as Buchan.
ante. But Mr.. Harper, trust, will remember
that he may have " better luck next time" the
offices not yet being all filled everywhere. in
Pittsburgh. Mr.. Mckinley, editor of the Harris
burg Union, was Mr.. Buchanan's candidate for
postmaster at Harrisburg; while Mr.. Barrett,
(Winnebago,) editor of the Keystone, was Mr..
Brodhead's candidate. If / am not mistaken,
Mckinley was Mr.. Folks postmaster there. It
strikes me that nothing but the fact that he had
previously enjoyed almost surfeit of good things
from " the party" could possibly have induced the
appointment of Mr.. Parks his application
Parks is also a Buchananite, and a man of con-
siderable popularity at home, where he was
member of the State Central Committee during
the late canvass. Though Mr.. Buchanan did very
naturally cling to the fortunes of the estimable
Mr.. Mckinley, his (Buchanan's) veteran shield