Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-11

assist in any such correspondence with intent
as aforesaid" shall be prosecuted. and if con.
victed. shall be fined 5000 and imprisoned
for three years; should be rigidly enforced
This act should be republished to admonish
those disposed to violate it. of the penalty for
such crime A great deal of rniechief is done,
and difficulty created by combinations of spec
ulators of different kinds often composed of
men of little means or personal character, and
of less social or political character, who inter-
NEEDLE in our relations with other govern
msnts, and seek to plumber both under the
pretext Of undertaking "great patriotic en-
terprises.'' The United States should not
entangie itself with such speculations, and
American citizens who embark in them should
be made to understand that they are not to
anticipate the prostitution of the treaty max
ing power of the United States to sustain their
private bargains as public agreements of
National character, to promote their selfish
ends All such treaties, from the famous
Assieuto arrangement, made more than CEN
fury ago between England and Spain, by
which the latter was allowed to furnish a GER
tain number of African negroes annually to
| the English West India Colonies, down to this
day, have been prolific sources of national
dispute and quarrel. The local authorities at
Panama, we learn, it is not unlikely, may in
volve this Government in trouble with that of
| New Grenada, in consequence of their imposi-
| ton of transit duty in that city in violation
of the treaty made to secure the right of way
to the United States Panama Railroad Com
| pany Great care and caution should be OBJ
served on this subject. r.
Mr.. McDonald's Speech caused quite SEN
sation in the House Hall yesterday. Indepen.
dent of the ability with which he sustained
his positions in favor of the Nebraska bill,
which commanded the undivided attention of
the House during his whole hour, his indepen-
dent criticism of the course Of his Legislature
| (of Maine) superinduced no little excitement
among the members. He must be prepared to
find himself the subject of denunciation from
a thousand newspapers. We saw the eyes OF
a dozen persons famous for acting as fuglemen
in such system assaults on public men, glance
hatred and revenge most Enthusiastically upon
| him, in the course of his argument.
A Navy Officer Resigned istant sur.
geon A. A. Franklin Hill, q. S. n, has re-
signed.
Mr.. Deans Last Declaratory Resolution,
and Good News.-The House acted wisely
yesterday IN sending to the Foreign Affairs
Committee the declaratory resolution of Mr.
Dean, upon the subject of the rights of neu
trails in case the impending European wal
proves an important one.
One of the first principles of successful
craftsmanship is that a government should
clog itself with as few declarations of purpose
or even ofgeneral views, as possible. Common
sense teaches, it will be recollected, that Thu
rule holds even good in mans ordinary affairs
On Saturday last VIC took occasion to mentor
incidentally, that we rested under an impress
sion that for some months past our Government
had been urging the subject earnestly on the
attention of that of England, if not on Other
transatlantic governments
We may now add, that among well Informed
gentlemen in Congress, an impression certainl,
prevails that the next or succeeding steamer
from Liverpool will bring out a convention
between the English Minister of Foreign AT
fairs and our Minister in London, unde,
which Britain assents, in the current Euro.
pean war, to the doctrine that both cargo and
ship shall be protected or covered by the flag
that free ships make free goods; renounce:
on her part, the so-long-coutested right Of
search for impressment as to American yes
sells; and comedies restrictions as TO the law
OF blockade. On our part, it is expect ed
that this convention will contain a pledge Of
strict neutrality, and non-interference, OF
course. Ii received as anticipated by those
members who look for it, it must be at once
submitted to the Senate, whose instant favora.
BILE action upon it is not to be doubted; for il
will embrace diplomatic achievements of per.
haps greater Importance to the future pros.
perity and peace of the United States than
have previously on any occasion marked the
history of our march on the road to greatest
national prosperity and Importance.
We notice that Mr.. Dean in his speech, said
And it is admitted on all hands that if Great
Britain, which is the power that has at all
times prevented its being established, will
unite with us in saying that it shall hereafter
be the law of nations-not By treaty, 5us B.
u proclamation, mt by action during this
'car-it will hereafter be placed upon the firm
basis of precedent, as we'll as of natural right
! and Justice
If MIR. Buchan has, however. made con-
vention, we presume it will be acquiesced in.
Stowe First, Stows Last, Stowe all the
Time Washington, for some days past, has
been the scene of the labors Of perhaps one
hundred Yankee abolition preachers-Congre-
gationalists, nominally-who came hither last
week, under the pretext of installing the Rev.
A. Duncanson, Seotchman, over the Congre-
gationalist congregation now occupying the
church on 9th street, formerly occupied by the
Episcopal congregation of the Rev. Clement
NJ. Butler. After sundry examinations of Mr..
Duncanson, this council sitting upon his faith.
have voted him a hereto as it were: and re-
fuse to install him, on the ground that the
condition of the finances of this church il such