Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-07-03
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

or pain than va can express, We nave to say
that the earthly career Of this venerable, esti.
msble and 30 widely beloved gentleman Ii
nox rapidly drawing to close. Yesterday,
the faculty Of speech left him, We hear, and
to-day, he ceased to be abe to recognise the
sympathising friends who surround his bed.
We should have Informed the public of the
state of his health regularly, of late, but for
the fact that it was out of our power to lead to
hopes of his ultimate recovery, and We were
indisposed to publish, for his own reading, sad
prognosticationso of his approaching dissolution.
Up to within few days past, he has been
able to read, almost with his former we'll
known intense avidity for books and newspa-
pers, and to write much, as we'll as to converse
with the few friends whom his physician has
permitted to have access to him. His arrange
ments for the sad coming event have been
made for some time, during which period he
has looked forward to the going out Of his
taper of life, wi the perfect calmness, resigna.
ton, and Christian hope, which should right
fully mark the exit of man SO pure and up
right as Thomas Ritchie-whose mind and
heart as all who knew him intimately will
restify, were from the beginning to the end of
his long career as public man, incapable Of
entertaining a sinister thought or sentiment.
P. S-We learn, on sending up a few mo-
| ments before going to press, that he died at
at about half past u M, to- day.
Tho Fisheries Treaty-We regret to have
to say that our impression is, that there is a
growing indisposition on the part OF members
IF the senate to act promptly on the conven-
that in Mr.. Webster's time, in the State De-
partment, serious apprehensions were enter
tanned by the business interests of the country,
that the questions which are understood to
have been happily adjusted by this treaty,
might ultimately lead to q serious breach of
! the good accord between the two Governments.
The fact that it settles these questions, strikes
u.s. should be sufficient to induce wise states
men not to loose a moment in making it the
law Of the land, if on one examination they
(the Senate) shall determine it to be wise 80 to
do. Besides, there never was a time when it
| was more important for US that every plsusi-
BILE plea for British antagonism to our interests
| should be removed. We are vanquishing her
| in the industrial race, now that our under
| standing with her is all that can be desired
On the principle of taking due care to conserve
our national interests as involved in our reia-
| tons with her, therefore, it is surely the path
| Of wisdom not to loose a moment in ratifying
| that convention, if it is to be ratified by the
Senate of the United States
Whole and Hall Blood In the settlement
Of accounts at the Treasury, it is held that
| when balances Of pay, DC, or arrearagss in
the nature of debt, are due from the United
States to q deceased person. the right of con-
| nection of the whole or half blood to inherit,
must be determined in conformity with the
statute law of the State of which the deceased
| was a citizen. The Roman civil law admitted
| the half blood to an equal participation in
the inheritance, until an ordinance of Justinian
which allowed them to inherit only on failure
of the whole blood. In Connecticut, New Jer.
sey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, Indiana
Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, though
the right of the half blood to inherit is post.
poned only, and not entirely excluded, yet a
preference is given to the whole blood by the
law Of desceuts in these States. In the case
however, of gratnity granted by act Of Con
gress to the relatives Of deceased persons, like
extra pay under the act of July 19, lS4S, the
| LOT lofi hot oT tho rloIn
half blood, are held to have an equal right te
participate in the order pointed out in the act
A Stampede. -Members of Congress ar
taking advantage Of their fourth Of July ho!i-
day. Saturday afternoons and evening"
public conveyances took many Of them out O.
Washington, travelling in all directions, tt
spend the GLORIOUS four h" at distant points
New York, Philadelphia, Saratoga, Newport
Cape May, Baltimore, Old Point, and Rich
mond at this moment each contain more OF
less OF them; while those who can reach thei
respective homes in twenty four hours, have
very commercially gone to spend the fourth
by their domestic fresides. The rather warm
weather which was upon us last week, was
/
journeys. Yet it strikes us that if the current
week shows as high state of the thermometer al
during the last, nine tenths of the absentees will
shortly be painting to get back to the breezes
of Washington, which, owing to the plan OF
the city, are greater luxuries than are usually
to be enjoyed in any other American town it,
equal in population.
State Of the European War-According
| TO priyale ad,ices reaching various of tn, LIE.
| cations here, by the last Liverpool mail, it is
believed that the allies intended to land at
Odessa, and make directly over land for the
rear Of Sevastopol, beseiging that most i'm.
portant point regularly from the land side
while the allied feet shall lombard it from
| seward. 1t is therefore not conceived, in we'll
informed circles in Washington, that any at
| tempt will be made to relieve Silistria, on the
ground that that ratification is safe from Rus
sian success
In the matter Of the operations in the Bal
tic, 1T is also understood in the same circles
that as soon as the result of Manteufel's mis-
sion is KNOWN if it be unfavorable, the troops
OF the allies will land at or near Koenigsburp
Tin Prussian POland,) and attempt to march
over land for ST. Petersburgh, with view of
attacking the Bear in his very den, as it were
Bogus Washington Kews.-The New York