The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-07-13
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

The Eaqairsr has leading editorial upon the
charges of corruption in Congress- In Washing
ION, IL s matter Of universal concession and belief
that members OF Congress are accessible to corrupt
approaches and that the passage of bills, bestow.
ing personal advantage, is frequently secured by
the purchase of the requisite influence and number
Of votes Thence the suspicion of the corruptibili
~ Of our public men 10 disseminated through the
country, and with the sanction of members them.
eelves is beginning to settle into an unquestoning
conviction. The Enquirer alludes particularly to
the debate on the proposition to extend the patent
for Colts pistol, in which Mr.. Clngman distinctly
alleged that large sums Of money had been offered
to gentlemen induce them TO vote for the bill or
20 be absent" very grave responsibility rests
with the committee appointed to investigate this
matter. That the investigation will be fearlessy
and diligently prosecuted, says the Enquirer, there
is a sufficient guarantee m the character OF the
chairman, (Mr. Letcher.) A rigid and relentless
inquiry into scandalous a charge, and fearless
outspoken verdict the country may consistently ex-
pect of him.
The Wing devotes q leader to an article in the
last number Of the Southern Literary Messenger,
the writer Of which enters into ingenious argB-
ment to prove that Sir John Franklin may be yet
atve--hemmed in by the almost impassible barriers
which surround the Polar Sea. The Wing wishes
for some more substantial reasons for entertaining
the same belief The arguments urged by the wri
ter In the Messenger, would have been very good
almost convncing-withn three or four years from
the time Sir John Franklin first set sail on this ex
petition. But the long lapse of time has efectuay
tbo Mo thano oil Ind m he nm
successful efforts to find Sir John Franklin; to the
fact that the British government has come to the
conclusion that he is dead; and that his name has
been struck from the roll of the British Navy The
heroic patience and constancy, and the unchanged
BILE affection of Lady Franklin, draw from the Wing
a warm tribute of admiration
The Penny Post gives extracts from the London
Times upon the war question; editorial correspon
de nee from Green Springs, Louisa county; and an
editorial upon the dull season.
The SANDWICH IsLANDs-NEUTRALITY PRocLA-
nATIoN.-By the latest arrival from California, we
have advices from the Sandwich Islands to the Doth
of June The King has made the following procla
nation of neutrality:
Kamehameha iii. King of the Hawaiian Islands
Be it known to all whom it may concern, that we,
Kamehameha ILL.,, King of the Hawaiian Islands,
hereby proclaim our entire neutrality in the
now impending between the Great Maritime powers
OF Europe, that Our Neutrality is to be respectfully
all Belligerents to the full extent of our Jurisdiction
which by our fundamental laws is to the one marine
league surrounding each of our Islands OF Hawaii,
Maui. Kahoolawe, Lanai, Moloksi, Oahu, Kauai,
and Niihau, commencing at low water mark, on
each OF the respective coasts of said Islands, and
includes all the channels passing between said Is
lands from to Island to Island !; that all captures
and seizures made within our Jurisdiction are un.
lawful; and that the protection and hospitality of
our Ports Harbors and Roads, shall be equally ex-
tended to all the Bigerents SO long they
our neutrality
Done at Palace of Honolulu, this 10th day of
May, 1854. kAMEHAMEHA.
A letter from Honolulu says:
The Russian frigate Diana is on her way to Sitka,
and merely touched here for REFRESHMENTS The
captain, Mr.. sewoppskey, Phoebus what name y
was presented to the King day or two since, and
expressed himself much pleased with the fact of the
government having issued its proclamation of neu-
trality, which, he said, he had no doubt would be
protected by Russian ships ofwar The wags about
town have been amusing themselves by getting up
buresque limitations of the government document.