The true Democrat., 1854-06-13
Letter from Washington City.

cusson of the Nebraska bill, though not intend ed for publication, is so full of interest that take the liberty of laying it before our readers. Every thing upon this great and important ques- tion is interesting to the citizens of the South. This letter of Mr. Sebastian to us, though writ ten in haste, is so eloquent and beautiful, and goes so much into particulars, that the public cannot derive from elsewhere the same interest ing information.
 Washington City, May, 25, 1854. DEAR JoHNsoN:-The Nebraska bill is now at length in the last stage of its progress, and will soon become law. It has passed the House of Representatives as an original bill there, and comes to the Senate for it's concur renee It will pass this evening" say evenang when morning lasts until o'clock by usage that assigns all that part of the day before din- ner to the morning, and the other to the evening" This bill has caused many sleepless nights to the members of both houses. It passed the Senate at o'clock in the morning, at the end of session which began at noon and lasted all night. In the House where the struggle was ar duOus and fearful-between the friends Of a great principle on one side and determined lactious opposition on the other, the contest upon a preliminary question lasted through an entire unbroken session of 36 hours. It ended in a truce occupied by earnest and full debate for a week. when, by common consent, the Uotlng came-that test which few lodged and many dreade l, having northern constituencies. With them tie struggle is one which promised little but peril. Many of those gallant spirits will meet with immolation. They have wrecked their political fortunes for triumph of the con- stitution. They bore themselves manfully as became men, who resigned all for the faith that was in them They acted up to the require ments of national organization. They were without the support of the prejudices of their constituencies. These were to be conquered, not courted-reasoned with not obeyed. It is a subject of wonder and admiration, this spec tacle of men fearlessly pering all for the truth, and the consciousness of doing right.
 It may be well to say here that the Senate bill authorized foreigners, who had merely de- clared under oath their intentions to become citizens of the United States, and taken the oath of allegiance to support the constitu- tlon, the right of voting at the first election in the proposed territories.
 An amendment offered by Clayton of Dele ware was adopted by which this clause of the bill was stricken out, and in this form 1t was, although distasteful to northern friends of the bill, cheerfully supported by them. In the House it was ascertained that the bill could not pass unless this feature was restored. The Se- nate bill was not therefore reached, but the ori- ginal bill of the House taken up, with this clause restored, and passed by the united Southern and Northern democratic vote, clear mai rity of the democrats voting for it. and thus it came to the Senate.
 olc Fl servative fears of the Southern members, whom their institutions make watchful of innovations, which may produce mischief in the future.- Still they abandoned their opposition to secure ! the full and entire support of the main ques- ton and leading principle of the bill, the repeal of the Missouri compromise and the establish ment of the principle of local self-government. The friends of the bill who voted for this Claw ton amendment ill the Senate, will abandon it now, and pass the House bill untouched It is almost certain that any amendment of the bill requiring the return ol it to the House. would be fatal Its friends could not be rallied again. Such a repetition of the struggle would be boot less. The game Is not worth the candle. Its friends intend to secure its passage now tonight before the session closes and not trust it upon a journey back to the House, "that bourne from which" 1t would "never return.' Thus will be pronounced the final divorce from the slavery agitation. May it be eternal.
 | The discussion to-day has exhibited some violent and exciting scenes not very creditable to the American Senate. The venerable en- cie,ts of the body were the prominent actors- l he scene was rather amusing to Lord Elgin the Governor-General of Canada, who was pre- sent. His gravity was a little disturbed by this interruption of the order of ''the first delibera- tive body in the world.'' It $ to be hoped when such a scene is to be repeated, that it may find a more lit opportunity. In a domestic quarrel, 1t Is not meet strangers should be pre- sent.
 After this discussion closed, in which was brought to light the proceedings of a caucus of Southern whig Senators, whose object was to arrest the violent freesoil tendencies of the Na- tonal lntelligencer in its opposition to the bill, MT. Wade of Ohio, disciple of the Chase and Sumner school took occasion to announce the dissolution of the National whig partv.-- He proclaimed himself henceforward, an abo- htlonst, and that the Northern whig party, un- trammelled by its nationality would beat down the national democracy, and win back all they had lost and little for interest,""
 He alluded to the eclipse of the sun which occurs on tomorrow, and said 1t was a fit en- blem of the moral darkness which would oc- cur on the same day. Mir. Benjamin of Lou isiana replied in an eloquent and brilliant spe. clmen of oratory, in which he said that he feared no dangerous agltaton-that 1t would soon pass away, like the eclipse of the bright orb Of day, whose rays would burst forth again only the brighter, because of their temporary obscurlty"
 It was late in the evening and the chamber was getting dark as if the eclipse was already upon us, when, just as he concluded that sen- tance and resumed his seat the magnificent chandelier was suddenly lighted up, and bril- liant and gorgeous flood of golden light, from its thousand jets, illumined the old chamber- The effect was electric. One must have been more or less than human not to feel the force of this beautiful incident A roar of involun- tary applause spread all around. This demon stratlon was against the rules of order of the Senate. "Order," cried the venerable Presi- dent " order" repeated several other voices. It was in vain. Human nature will vindicate it. self. The heart cannot be imprisoned within | rules. It was a SDOntanoOuS e,ch of fool;,u