Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-03
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

N.Lt
That is, in " ashington. This speedy change
is the result of the eo-existing moral certainty
Of the enactment of the bill in such shape as
will leave the slavery question there, to be
wholly settled by the people who are to in |
habit the territory; the General Government
formally proclaiming that it will not interfere
directly or indirectly to shape or direct their
determination. We find net only the Demo-
cratic party in Congress coming with great
unaninity up to this position, but also q large
wing of the Wings of the National Legislature,
| including all who hail from south of Mason's
and Dixon's line; and, we believe, not few
from north of IT, The abolitionists in Congress
have not yet recovered from the effect of the
spetch Of Senator Douglas, and we do not
perceive the slightest likelihood that they can
rally SO as to make even u s1totc Of a fight over
| the bill. Their plans were carefully laid, and
boldly essayed though they miscarried woe
| fully from the outset. 1t was their purpose to
create the impression that many others in Con-
gress besides themselves, endorsed the gross
ms-statements and false views embraced in
their original manifesto, so utterly demolished
| by the Illinois Senator. Pill" sss@' H't
So far, they have apparently been unable to
induce u single member of either party to trust
himself in their boat, on this bill. They
staked all on the move. On attempting to ex-
tract snap Judgment from the North, while
under the false impression that the mass of the
northern members had joined them in putting
4 6, \, ~, A.
| scheme to deceive seems to have been deliber
| ately concocted, and was carried out by means
of false Geographic dispatches sent in all d.
rections throughout the -slayeholding
STATES. The exposure of the trick has utterly
ruined their game; for public opinion is even
so early reacting upon them with terrible
force. Indeed, the country is most indebted
to tho mendacity with which they attempt to
deceive the public in this matter, for the eager
ness already being displayed throughout the
North, to place the peace of the Union for the
future wholly beyond the reach of their labors to
disturb it, by fully, firmly, and finally settling
the slavery question as an issue between the
two heretofore somewhat antagonistic sections
of the confederaey, by fixing it forever among
local questions, to be determined by the local
ity wherein the question: may arise 49,.
Custom Houses. There appears to be a
very general understanding among the mem-
bers of the House, who represent districts in
which custom houses are to be built or i'm.
proved, to get all they can from the existing
surplus to that end The scene in the House
yesterday, when Extra appropriations for such
purposes were being considered in Committee
of the Whole, was rich. Such gentlemen hang
together manfully; backed, too, by many o.
those representing sympathizing districts The
act Of increasing the allowance for the Louis
vile custom house from $4,000 to SI55, 900
thus effected in committee, will prove unfortu
nate, it strikes us. 1t is evident that twenty
or thirty members voted for it, apparently in
order to get the sum allowed for custom houses
Il IN which their districts may be interested, in
creased; rather than because satisfied of tn,
justice and proprety of the particular propo
sition before them. Acting upon such impulse
is what is very properly termed s. log rolling
here, a practice which, in the end, 1nficts in
> jury on the public interests. However luck,
combinations TO that end may here and Their
tickle particular constituencies idea Of tn
! efficiency and success of their representative
we regret to see the current disposition of tn
House to lavish money on custom house build
ings any where, if but because it sets all ex
ample of extravaganza in the construction o
public buildings, which is necessarily infec
tious. -.s ti
Reorening Accounts.-A respected CORES
pondent sends us long Communication, dis
putting the soundness Of the practice prevail
ing in the Treasury Department, with refer
ence to reopening accounts which have BEEF
adjudicate therein. We are without space
in which to publish his favor, much Of which
by the by, is by no means material to the poin
in issue, being an argument against what h
: regards as the faults of the Government
general system of doing business. He, how
ever, quotes an official record bearing directl,
upon the subject matter of rcopening &C
counts, and we here publish his quotation a
showing the views of Mr.. Secretary Ewin;
. upon the point 1t is as follows, viz
, Heads of departments have right, and i
! is their duty, to review their own decision
). when proper cases are made such for example
. | as would induce a court Of equity to review
and reverse their DEGREES, and that right is no
lost by change in the head of the depart
9 mcnt. The sound and sensible rules which
n | govern the courts Of justice on the subject O
appeals aud reviews do govern, or ought t.
govern heads of departments, except only
where an erroneous decision in favor of an in
| dividual right, so vests that right as to put i
: out of the power of an executive officer to cor
1 rect his error. l have, on one occasion, re
E viewed and reversed my own decision for wha
D [ deemed sufficient cause, and would as read
lily (but no more readily for a like cause re
view and reverse Ike decision of my prede
cessor. See Cong Globe, z. %, p. 656
Such also were not only the sentiments, bu
the uniform practice OF Mr.. Calhoun, admitted
ly, on all sides, the most able administrative
officer excepting General HamiltOn) our Go
: vernment has ever had ta '.tEt-
Feb 2, 1854. AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM
Protested Bills On the Goyernment.-It ha
been the settled and uniform practice of th
Government, in the settle inent Of accounts, NO
to allow interest or damages on protested bills
under whatever circumstances they may hay
been drawn and protected; nor are costs O.
protested bills paid, exc pt in compliance wit
a special act of Congress.
A Grave Mistake Corrected. The Washing
Il