Washington sentinel., 1854-04-26
A PANIC.

The Washington letter-writers got up quite
panic on Monday. They gave notice Of trick,
n stratagem, a fraud, by which the Nebraska
bill was to be passed in the House of Repre-
sentatives. The announcement of it did not
more astonish the friends of the bill than it
alarmed its opponents. Several of the anti
Nebraska journals took it mp, and urged the
return of the absent members to Washington
to defeat it. One of these journals, in its
trembling anxiety, set down the absent oppo-
nents of the bill at seventy, and despaired Of
defeating the scheme, unless they could be in
duced to return. Even our venerable neighbor
Of the Intelligencer shared in the general ap-
prehension. It's columns of Monday contained
the following:
"To-DAY.-If the representations of the
letter-writers may be relied on, this will be an
important day in the House of Representatives.
The intelligent correspondent of the New York
Courier writes as follows:
"sWhen the Territorial Committee, which
will be next called for to-day,] reports, its
chairman, Mr. Richardson, will present the Ne.
braska bill divested Of the Clayton and Badger
amendments. If all the wires work, the bill
will be passed under the previous question in
one hour
"Another writer the Washin gton correspon-
dent of the Philadelphia Ledger, who, from his
official connexion with one of the House COM
mittees, may be considered well-advised, writes
as follows:
"It has been resolved upon not to disturb
the Nebraska bills now before Congress-n
the Senate bill, which is beyond the reach of
the House this session, nor the House bill in
troduced some time since by Mr.. Richardson.
The plan is to report new bill from the Com
mittee on Territories, somewhat different from
the bill previously reported, and to put that bill
either at once on its passage, under the screw
driver of the previous question, or to place it
on the Speakers table, where the Senate bill
was, in order to watch an opportunity to pass
it with a thin house, when its friends are ready
for action and its opponents sick or absent
from the city. There is scarcely quorum
present at this moment and hence this is the
time to obtain snap Judgment on the ques-
ton. Next Monday the committees will be
called, and it has been so arranged that but
few will be able to report, or willing to yield
the floor till the Committee on Territories shall
be called Then viii be the time for the friends
of the bill to jump from behind the ambush,
and to make quick work with the opponents of
the bill, or those who may wish to discuss and
amend it. Telegraphic dispatches have in the
mean time been sent to all the absent members
within reach of the wires, and next Monday
will see an exciting scene in the House"
That there was no such device, those ac-
quainted with the rules Of the House cannot
but be convinced. Those rules are so compli-
Gated that they are study. We do not pre-
tend to understand them, but we know enough
of them to feel certain that such thing was
utterly and entirely impossible.
We are sorry that our respected contem-
porary Of the Lateigencer fell into the trap that
was set for the unwary. We are sorry that they
did not exercise their usual caution. If they
listen to the tales of the anti.Nebraska men,
they will find themselves misled, bamboozled,
and humbugged.
Monday passed without the falling of the
much-talkedof pitfall. There was no snare,
no trap. 1t was all an invention-an anti-Ne-
braska trick.