Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-16
tempted to be justified, II 50 attempted only on

! tempted to be justified, il 50 attempted only on
the plea that due regard for the preservation
Of our liberties and the purity of our govern.
ment requires the largest possible license of
| debate when in committee. The true reason
why many gentlemen hesitate to give it up, is
because to do SO, would be to cut them of from
making speeches designed to strengthen them
| selves at home. This will be realized bv all
experienced men in Washington, who reject
on the unwritten history of what has occurred
In both chambers of Congress for years and
years past In this particular case, we know
| that more or less staunch friends of the Ne
| braska bill voted for the preservation of the
practice, claiming that its long continuance
had made it most emphatically ga House rule; ),
and that no "House rule'' should be altered or
amended in any way other than as the rules
themselvesprescribed. Wereally know nothing
else which has so much served to detract pub
lie respect for Congress, as the present at times
manifested disposition to put aside the public
business to make speeches on popular subjects
in advance of their regular consideration.
Mr.. Meacham's Speech, delivered yesterday,
was listened to with profound attention by his
fellow members. 1t well repaid attention, be-
ing replete with evidence of the high cultiva.
ton of his clear mind, and of the laborious
care with which he had prepared himself to
approach tho discussion of his important sub
ject in hand. Though it was sectional up to
1 ha
views are all based on those which governed
the federal party when Rufus King discoursed
anti-slavery in the same Chamber, it was full
of interesting information bearing on the
question, most of which was, of course, twisted
as it were, to serve his purpose for the nonce
Itwas evident that according to his theory, the
General Government have the right to discrim.
| mate for or against the interests of any State
or section of the Union. Such being the
basis OF his so able effort, all his arguments
went to show the propriey of acting on the
| Nebraska bill, so as to discriminate in the
final admission of the territory as State,
against the South. While there was little
indeed, in his effort to which. with our well
| known views as to the powers and duties Of
the General Government, we could subscribe,
we cheerfully do him the justice to acknowl-
edge the consummate ability with which he
defended his positions. 1t <Duld be we'll fol-
the public interest if the councils of the nation
had larger infusion in them Of the classical
and statistical attachments and the habits of
intense labor which PECULIARLY mark Mr. M
as public man. ....ea .. 49,.
No more Army Farms.-During Mr. Cal.
houn's administration of the War Department
under his orders, farming by the troops was
commenced ut Council Bluffs Three or fou,
years experience suficed to show that while
it sadly interfered with the military duties
required, it also failed to pay recuniarily. Sc
it was abandoned. A few years ago, it wa.
again essayed, by order, at nearly all remote
posts. Up to this time, it has netted the ser
! vice a loss of some thousands of dollars, while
its interference with5the military duties re-
quired of the troops, has not been less thar
during Mr.. Calhoun's time. Hence, we take
it, is the cause of the following general orde,
just promulgated:
No }ADJurANr GENERALS OFFICE
Washington, Feb. g. 1854.
1t has been ascertained, from fair expert
ments, that tho cultivation of farms by the
troops at remote stations as means to promote
economy, has failed to answer the expectations
which induced its establishment-the expenses
| necessarily incurred having much exceeded
the profits derived from the sale of products
1t is therefore directed that the system of cul
tivation known as % Farm Culture" Instituted
by General Order, No. l, dated January 8
1851, be discontinued. The officers in charge
of this duty, will, under the direction of the
several officers commanding, take the mos
effectual measures for the sale Of every specie.
of property appertaining to Farm Culture; and
| the funds thereby accruing will be transferred
to the Subsistence Department. Crops which
may be in the course Of growth ut the receipt
of this order, will be gathered in at maturity
unless just disposition of the same can bt
| made for cash. In either case, the proceeds
will be credited as above.
By order of the Secretary of War:
S. COOPER, Adj't General.
The Publication of the Gadsden Treaty, il
defiance Of the Senate 8 injunction of secrecy
proves the truth of much that has appeared il
the Star against the worse than useless custom
of holding executive sessions. The advocate
of such star-chamber inquisitions rely only o,
the necessity for considering such subjects will
closed doors to justify the custom. If We re
J collect correctly, every treaty so considered
for years past has been surreptitiously give,
!, to the world after the same fashion.
Fusible Auoy.-It will be recollected tina
the law for the preservation of life on steam
boats requires particular safety fusible allo,
to be used to prevent explosions of boilers
The Treasury Department originally had thi
alloy made in the navy yards. Recently, Prof
Booth has been employed by the Secretary o
the Treasury, at the Philadelphia mint, to per
feet this alloy by experiments. He is said t.
be rapidly approximating to satisfactory re
suits At the conclusion of his experiment
the alloy for the use of all steamboats, licensed
under the law will be manufactured at tn,
mint, we apprehend.
A Notwithstanding to the recent annua
showing of the condition of the finances 0
Switzerland, that Government has q surplus a
large as that of the United States in proper
ton to population. They are the only tw'
Governments of the world with any surplus il
their treasures. What a lesson upon the phi
losophy of government, this fact teaches!
The Current Operations Of tho Treasury