Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-05-31
WAsH1HaroH NEWS AND GOSSIP.

over from the Sd of July to the third Monday
in October. The object of the resolution is to
avoid the physical inconyeniences of mid
summer legislation. With the thsrmometer
at 100 in the shade-perspiration starting AT
every pore-shirt collars dropping and DRIP
ping-thirst eternal and heat, Gnfsrhai' we
had almost said, J it is almost impossible to Oh
tain quorum in either branch of Congress
Besides. tndsr such peculiar circumstances. 1t
is a critical experiment TO bring together a
body of men, no matter how enlightened by
education, under the supposition that they
will listen patiently or vote understandingly.
What chance has the Pacific railroad with
members suffering from the prickly heat ?
| How could saint or senator listen to speech
on the French spolatien bill, after he had
read an account of the last coroner's inquest,
with the accompanying coup de soteit verdict
Who would not demand drink in preference
to the previous question How could the
House dfUtde, in the face of multiplying mis-
cries In the petulance of excessive caloric
is it not likely that the House would kill Sen
ate bills, and the Senate kill House bills, in
order to bring about GOODNESS between the
| two branches? --
We have conversed with several members of
| the House on the subject, and few seem to re-
gard With favorable ayes, the resolution adopt
cd by the Senate. The proposed adjournment,
or recess, does not diminish, but will to some
extent, equalise the time to be consumed by
the two sessions of the present Congress 1t
takes about six weeks from the long session to be
added to the short session, and gives prefer
ence to pleasant over oppressive weather for
the purposes of legislation. The project is a
new one in our history, and promises fair-if
put into execution-to work advantageously
for the interests of the country, and the health
| and comfort of all parties concerned. 1t is
luton until after the recess
No Interest Allowed on Demands Against
the United States.-It is settled rule in ad-
Justing claims and accounts against the Gov
eminent that as interest is not part of debt
| nor a necessary consequence of a debt, and as
the Government is presumed to be always ready
to pay its obligations on proper proof of in
debtedness, no interest can be allowed by the
accounting officers, unless by special authority
| Of Congress This principle is enforced by the
| opinions of nearly every Attorney General OF
| the United States since the foundation of the
Republic Interest, when claimed of the Gov
eminent, is in the nature of damages for with
holding money which it ought to have paid and
did OF pay. The United States will not pay
damages on account of the mistakes or Laches
| of its officers. This rule is spoken of by At
| to-Aey General Legare, in an opinion given
April 2, 1912, as "a stern, but necessary rule
| adopted everywhere in the practice of Govern
ment'
The National Era's Defence of the Murder
ers.-We copy the following from the Ma
| tionat Era, of this city:
"Not upon the fervent speeches of Senator
Sumner, in behalf of good faith, of justice, OF
| liberty, not upon the movements of Abolition
lists, in behalf of the rights of man, rests the
blame of this violence. the real culprits, the
men who, before God and posterity, will lie
held RESPONSE bic for the tumults, the disorder.
| the bloodshed, that have attended the execr-
ton OF this Infamous act, are Franklin Pierce
| and the members of Congress, the repealers OF
the Missouri Compromise, and Willard Fill
more ald the members of Congress of 1850
| who forced upon the People an act repugnant
| to the Constitution, subversive of all guaran
ties Of personal liberty, and abhOrrent to hu-
| manity.n
This is decidedly cool, Charles Summers
fervent speeches " in behalf of good faith, OF
justice, of liberty - As we'll might we ex-
pect honesty from thief chastity from har-
lot, truth from perjurer, or tenderness from
patriotic conduct from this " Mr.. Manager
Carker," Of the Abolition party. With the
principles of an incendiary and the courage
| of poultry purloiner, he unites in bis person
| all that love of fnery which has made Beau
Hickman 30 famous, and all that desire for
newspape or notoriety which distinguishes Pro-
fessor Robertson's persevering annoyanc es
1t is possible that Col. Benton may yet show
some symptoms of consistency it is possible
fer the Tribune to cease its unvarying bowls
and the Herald to give accidental utterance to
truth 1t is possible to wean the Galphins and
GARDENERS of the country from the full breast
of the treasury; and it is even possible thai
| Giddings may yet resort to clean Language
and linen, but to expect faith, truth and honor
in this man Sumner, is like expecting the
| flowers to bud and bloom upon icebergs.
| The National Era and other kindred Jour
mails may falsify the record, but the basenes
of the act will not prevent posterity from
awarding full justice to those patriots vito
were willing to jeopardize personal reputation
and to sacrifice political influence, in order tc
unite the various conflicting sections Of TIL;
| great republic in bonds Of fraternal love and
strength. The last compromise act was passed
in 1850, and its provision for the capture ard
remanding of fugitive slaves was regarded By
the great mass of the citizens Of the free States
| not as q boon or as concession to the South
but as an honest recognition Of plain conati
tutional right. A few silly old women shrek
ed, and q few crack-brained parsons groanet
at the shocking idea of a person claiming ans
obtaining possession OF his property, no mat
ter where found or by whom retained; blu
their rawlings did not, at first, prove contagious
1t was not until Sumner and his tribe, unit
Giddings and his followers, sent forth appea
after appeal to the people to resist the la,
and to smite its officers, that the worst of feel
ings Of the worst of men were excited int
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