Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-21

much anxious consideration, and satisfied that there
is decided merit in the amendment proposed They
also satisfied that the conviction in the public mind strong
and almost universal that there serious evils nseparaby
connected with the existing provisions in this behalf that may
and should be remedied and believing that is now
calm in the political elements most auspous for tho grave
consideration Of this subject the committee deem due the
American people that Congress should propose them
carefully considered and well amendment the pre-
misses They therefore ask that their committee may be dis
charged from the further consideration Of the subject and
recommend the adoption of the following resolution:
Resolced, 1.-THE Senate concurng That select joint
mttee composed of nine Representatives and five Senator's
be appointed by the presiding officers Of the Houses
specvey to whom shall be referred the said resolution pro-
posing an amendment of the Consultation in the mode Of
eecng the President and Vice President OF the United
States with instructions take that matter and the subject
generally into consideration, and to report upon the in
such manner as to them may seem most expedient!
Mr.. McMULLEN moved that the report, with the ac-
companyng resolution be laid the table and printed
He stated that he submitted this motion preclude
any debate upon the ut this tne for he
willing that the morning hour should be consumed by
discussion His object was to economic the time of the
House.
Mr.. PARKER presumed that there could be no neces-
sty for this matter standing 1t simply ques
ton Of inquiry which he believed had ELECTED the
attention Of almost every American citizen There
not newspaper in the land that did not condemn the
present mode Of eectng the President and Vice President
Mr.. EWING said that the course proposed by the Ju
dietary Committee suggestion OF his When he
introduced this resolution he had it referred to that
mittee in preference to sending it to select committee
and contrary to the advice of gentlemen in the House
who professed to take some interest in the movement.
He had it referred to the Committee the Judiciary
because he believed that by explanation Of the pur
poses and the proper claims Of the change that commit
any other committee would the importance at
least of the proposed REFORM and the propriey of IN in
quiry into the matter He desired the opinion of that
emnenty respectable committee the question, belev
that they could bring the attention of the House and
country to it in degree which he himself could not Sc
He therefore desired that they should act upon it.
He went before them, and by the indulgence of ordi
nary degree of kindness and courtesy their part for
which he took great pleasure in making his acknowedg
ments he allowed explain the objects Of the pro-
posed change and they agreed to report in favor of it
but subsequently,, of their accord, they concluded
that perhaps it would be proper to make the report
which they had this morning submitted to the House It
was therefore their own proposition to refer this ques
ton to joint select committee IT, in intending to adj
the purpose he had in view the Judiciary Commit
tee had pursued such course would bring to pre-
mature end all inquiry in regard to this materor that
would be the effect of the inconsderate motion of the
gentleman from Virginia. should it prevail-hc (Mr E.
should regret and he the committee would also
regret that they had not attained the purpose they had
in view in making the report now before the House. If
they had made it he desired and best it should
be made perhaps it would not have been brought
premature end He hoped, however, the gentleman
from Virginia would not insist on his motion.
Mr.. McMULLEN replied that the gentleman had made
mistake in saying that he acting prematurely in
the matter For one he prepared to act upon this
subject now and if it was the pleasure of the House now
to consider it, he should persist in his motion. For
the purpose of testing the Of the House, he moved
to recommt the report to the Committee the Judica
ry and demanded the previous question.
Pending which (the morning hour having expired)-
DEFICIENCY BILL-NEw YORK POLITICS.
The committee then proceeded to consider the bill to
supply deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1854.
Mr. WALSH addressed the committee in regard to the
position occupied by the I" Hards" of New York. He
declared that the misrepresentation which had been
perseveringy circulated against their motives, their
acts eir nd
est men had been fragrant false and numerous
that he for could longer remain passive, and
ran from doing what he could to truth from the
deadly embrace of this miserable sophistry. For the
President of the United States he entertained personally
very high regard for he very pleasing kind AMI
agreeable man-what they would call in New York, in
common parlance, among the "rounders,' glubber"
The President what the ladies would term very po
te afable and pleasant gentleman far SO, he
afraid than would be his (Mr. WIS., lot. He had
always treated him (Ar. W. with marked kindness and
with something Of confidence butt since he had
tanned that this the Presidents disposition towards
every body he felt himself compelled to take off
tremey heavy discount from his apparent confidence
Laughter. ".'.
Mr. w. then briefly reviewed the history of political
affairs in New York. and referred to the platform of the
Convention which nominated Gen. Pierce to the Pres-
dency He said that when Gen. Pierce accepted that
mination he stated distinctly and emphatcay that he
did with the accompanying resolutions not because
they the condition Of the nomination, but because
they in strict keeping with every act of his past life
out in his appointments to Office? He denied that this
opposition from disappointed Office and de-
clared that gentlemen supposed there was any dspos
ton the part of the Democracy of the State Of New
York to make upon the Administration, they
wrong in entertaining such an impression
He then condemned the Administration for interfering
the local elections of the State of New York. and gave
definition of " Hards' and Softs.' What, he einquired
the Hard?" The best illustration Of any thing hard
diamond, and it fair illustration of the purity
and the hardness of that section Of the New York Demo-
cracy. They all knew what soft" meant. A man
soft in morals was open to any rascality A man
" soft" in politics was pretty much the same. Laugh
ter. They all knew that when said to be
soft in the head, had soft spot in his head it
meant intellectually. 'sSoft was simply an indivd-
ual whose morals in politics of broad character;
who ready commit himself to any form that pro-
missed to bring profit.
Mr. SMITH Of Alabama said that as this discussion had
been started he would ask the gentleman from New York
mr. WALSH to give explanation-tha. it might go
out to the country with the gentemanp rpeech his
own and that the committee and the people throughout
the Union might understand the mattercs The difference
between the New York ".Hards' and the New York
"Softs.'
Mr. WALSH. 1t is the difference between an honest
and rogue.
[Appause and laughter succeeded this answer and 1t
minutes before the Chair could restore order
The confusion having subsided-l
Mr. SMITH said that he must confess that the reply
of the gentleman little equivocal He did not know
which the gentleman intended the rogue the Hards
the Softs."
Mr. WALSH That must be ascribed to the gentle
mans understanding.
Mr. SMITH. Well, it is not matter of very much i'm
portance. think it is time that the Democracy of the
country understood something about this subject and as
l. being Democrat, claim be- really desire to be
informed upon this distinction as between the Hards
and Softso ~ hear from the peutlennap