New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-02-16
FROM HasHLWG TOW.
Special Correspondents Of thr Erm orltans greser

l
WASHINGTON, Feb. s, 1854
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the wea-
Their, the Senate was crowded at an early hour
in anticipation of q speech from the Massachu-
setts Senator who noWaflls the seat of Mr..
Webster.
Among the business of the morning hour was
the passage of two bills granting lands in aid of
railroads; the first, in aid Of a railroad in
Michigan, was passed by a vote of yeas 30, to
nays IA; the second, in aid of the railroad OPP.
poslte your city to the Sabine, was passed
without count.
Mr.. Hamlin, of Maine, called up the French
Spoliation bill, and had the same read and
assigned for tomorrow.
At this point an amusing episode occurred
which could only be appreciated by those pre-
sent. The Senator from Texas, MI Houston,
| (who has recently cultivated his Whiskers with
| much care and presents a juvenile appearance)
| rose to a motion, which he submitted with
| much gravity and pressed with extreme earn
| estness upon the gallantry Of his c0ntreres,
| for the admission Of ladies upon the floor Of
| the Senate, large number of whom, he said.
were now anxiously waiting at the door
Now it must be understood that as this
motion involved change Of the rule, of which
no preaious notice had been given, it required
objection was fatal.
Mr.. Dodge, the elder, hoped that the consent
would be given.
Mr.. weller, Of Cal, rose, not to oppose the
motion, but to express hope that if the ladies
were admitted they would endeayor to keep
quiet. [Laughter
The Chair was about to put the question, and
the attendant ladies were breathless with
anxiety, when
Mr. pa++it Of Ia b;s oo,,,,o
yet with atrembling voice, solemniy protested
against the notion
The ladies gave vent to their pent-up signs,
and general movement Of Senators and audi
tors testified to the disappointment that fol-
lowed. Sam Houston, especially, looked dis
consulate, and no doubt felt as wrathful towards
Petit as he ever did towards Santa Anna
But my readers will no doubt ask how it was
that the Indiana Senator alone had the temerity
to brave whole host of danes and damsels duly
arrayed with fans and feathers, while all sorts
of fires were darting from their piercing eyes
The truth must be told--even if your CORES
pondent should withhold it, the ladies will bla.
zon it forth If Vulcan had at all resembled
Mr.. Petit, Venus never would have fancied him
Mr.. Petit is old, round shouldered, squint- eyed
and bald-headed, and he knew well, that if an
hundred ladies should be admitted to the floor,
it would be hopeless for him to think of winning
o smile from single one of them--henee his
malice towards his better looking brother Sena-
tors, and especially to the hero of San ia
cinto
Mr.. Everett then took the floor and spoke for
about an hour and half His exordium and
peroration were truly beautiful, and the whole
tenor of his speech, which was kind and concl-
iatory, was rendered extremely effective by the
mild and persuasive tones Of his voice His
style of oratory struck me- however, as being
better adapted to the pulpit than the Senate.
He began by doubling the propriety of any bill
at this time, for making Territorial governments
in Kansas and Nebraska; but this, he admitted,
was only a question of time He next dWelt
with much force upon the magnitude of the
work in which they were engaged--in the Ian
guage of Lord Bacon, they were the condsfores
tnaperi0runi, and to be the founders of States
was the greatest of mans labors. These terri
tories would be in the future to this country,
what Media and Persia formerly were in Asia,
the centre of q vast empire.
He alluded to the Indians in Nebraska, most
Of whom had already been removed once and
some of them twice, and he hoped if their SOL
EMMY promised permanent home was to be again
invaded under the tyrant plea of necessity, the
Government would strive to deal literally with
these children of sorrow and oppression
He criticised with great force and discrimina-
ton the last amendment of Mr.. Douglas, which
declares the Sc compromise of 1920 Inconsistent
with that of 1850 and therefore imperative and
void"
lie quoted from Mr.. Webster's speech of 1850
and read etter written from here in 1920 by
MIR Chas Pinkney of s. c., in which the writer
spoke of the passage of the Missouri compromise
as great triumph for the South. In conclud-
ing, lie expressed his conviction that although
what he regarded as an evil, which was the
growth of centuries, might not be cured in a
few or many years, yet that Providence would
in the end yindicate its highest prerogativc,
g out discerning evil still educing good 8
Mr. Everett was listened to with much atten.
ton; several of the foreign ministers were
present, Mr.. Champion occupying seat on the
floor.
The House is still on the Deficiency Bill.
CHRONICLER