Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-07-06

WAHIN6T0N NEWS AND GOSSIP. s
The Water Works.-The citizens of Wash-
lngton owe heartfelt thanks. indeed, to Messrs.
'ansant, Taylor of Ohio, CRAIG, Chandler,
and Smith of Virginia, who yesterday exertsd
themselves in the House hall, in aid Of the
water Works proposition. Mr. yansant
from bis former connection with the Baltimore
Water Works, the existence and remarkable
efficiency Of which are owing more to his en-
ergy, public spirit and business tact, than to
the labors Of any other of the citizens of the
Monumental city, earned for himself yesterday
a high reputation a An effective legislative
orator, really to the astonfshment Of most per-
sons in the chamber; his modesty having pre-
viously prevented him from taking an active
Dart in debate. 20 s-e
He addresses himself directly to his points,
using few words, and thus making his sen
fences exceedingly effective. We have known
the House for many years, and our experience
With the body satisfies us that the successful
legislative orator is, in nearly every case, tile
man who, having thoroughly mastered his
subject, presents his ideas in the fewest words
and simplest manner. The late James Mckay,
Of N. c., was striking example of the truth
OF what we here write. So, also, was the in
auence which Cave johnson was accustomed
to WELD in the House hall. Though the views
of the last gentleman we're always extremely
rigid-at times most unjustifably so. Such
was the force Of his style Of oratory, as to give
his positions great strength, whether wisely
taken or not. .tst.-- r....-.
We repeat, the people of the District Of Co.
lumbia, not only owe much, indeed, to these
public spirited members who struggled to
procure justice for them, but they will sndea.
vor to repay the debt.
Had the property Of the General Govern.
ment in the District Of Columbia paid city and
county taxes in proportion to those paid on
individual property here since the removal
of the seat Of government to this point, there
would have been no necessity for applying to
congressfor this appropriation, as quite twice as
much would thus have gone from the Treasury
of the United States for the benefit of Wash
ington and Georgetown, as has been taken
from it to that end. This is subject by no
means understood by many gentlemen of Con-
Agress. The fact, however, has again and again
been demonstrated by tables showing the as
sessed value of the individual and public prop.
erty here, the amount of taxation actually
paid by the former, and the amount which the
latter would have paid, had it been lawful to
assess it for local improvements and other city
and county expenses.
4r BENEFITS Land Bill.-This measure,
which was 30 very ably defended yesterday in
the House by its author, is hourly gaining
strength, though it cannot be that it will pass
even the House, this session, unless its immed:.
ate friends renew their old policy Of refusing
to vote for q single railroad land donating
measure, the friends of which do not agree,
in turn, to vote for that-the Bennett bill
Thus it is that such matters are managed here,
to greater or less extent. Before the Senate,
We regard the Bennett bill too weak to permit
the slightest hope on the part of its we'll in
formed supporters, that it can become law
Wehave never been the advocate of the Bennett
bill, though We can recognize the cogency Of
the points of its author, in the notorious fact
that such has been the course of legislation of
late years with reference to the public lands
as that the original object of their cession to
the General Government has been apparently
completely ignored. That is, all the benefit
the ceding end other States have been per-
United to obtain from the public lands, has
been indirect. They have been used almost
wholly for building up the new States; and
in building up the new States. the original
States haze been benefited. The States north
of the Ohio and west Of the Alleganies have
made the old States in great measure what
they are, in the matter Of the prosperity of all
descriptions of their business. We have no
space in which to enter into details to sub
stantiate these assertions. The axiom how
ever needs but to be stated to Tx itself in
mems minds. We are not to be understood as
claiming for the new States the credit of hav-
ing made all the remarkable prosperity of
their elder sisters-but due portion of it only
The Very Last Rentonism.-An Washing
ton have been laughing for some forty-eight
hours oyer the veteran Missourian' very last
his Petit letter-as embracing in very short
compass more decided Reatonian idiosyncra.
cies, than any thingi which had previously
emanated from his pen, now SO famous for
queer things. To thorough understanding
Of the point of the joke, as appreciated here,
it Gho9ld be known that Mr.. Benton's orator
icsl boasts With reference to his connect IN
with the present condition Of the Platte coun-
try, were taken by all men to mean that he
formerly regarded the act of relieving it from
tho snti-slavery restriction of the Missouri
compromise, as one of the very brightest
feathers in his senatorial cap. Thus, in so in
terpreting his otherwise ine1plicable words in
that connection, Mr.. Petit merely adopted the
nnivsrsal understanding among public men
in Washington. A in tho case of ex-Gov-
ernor Smiths recent quotations from the views
which Mr.. Benton has of late stultifed, as it
were, Mr.. Pettit's references to the former
positions of Mr.. B. on the PIatte-eountry mat
ter, operated as perfect settler to his latest