Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-05
WASHINGTON NEWS Ard GOSSIP


WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Senatorial Caucus This morning, at III
A. H., the Democrats Of the Senate met in
Caucus upon the subject of choosing Presi.
dent pro tenn. At II N. and 40 minutes, they
had not lett the caucus room So it was Judged
that they did not have the most harmonious
time OF it. Up to that hour we heard no one
spoken OF for the position in opposition to SEN
ator Bright. The difficulty is supposed to
have grown out of the indisposition of Senators
70 elect any one, in view of Senator Atchi-
sons expected return to Washington In few
weeks. S|a
P.S.-Itwas determined to elect Mr.. Bright
for the time being, and then to re-elect Mr..
Atchison on his return
A Pro Tenn. Presiding Officer Elected.-
Just before We went to press, Senator Bright
was duly elected President pro tenn. of the
Senate. Mr.. Chase had six votes, Mr.. Foot
two, and there were one or two other " scat
tering."
The Message. -Presuming that most of the
Stars readers have psrused the annual Mes
sage, las We sent to each of our subscribers a
copy yesterday afternoon,) we shall be very
brief In our comments upon it. In the present
state Of the world, our foreign relations are
the most important topics of which it treats,
and it really shows not only most gratifying
state of things in that respect, but one proving
that those now intrusted with the Government
Of the United States are in all such matters
guided by enlarged and statesman like discre.
ton, Is well as q truly american public spir-
it. The plan Of the Government with refer.
ence TO tho current European war has been
hands Of, and no direct or indirect alliance
even of Government sympathy with either
party to the contest. In the course of this
war, strenuous, and, in some cases, entirely
ucceSsful efforts have been made to bring
Europe to acknowledge and subscribe to what
are known as American doctrines as to the
rights Of neutrals and the right of search
Russia and Naples enter heartily into them.
France and England say that for the occasion
Of the current war, they, too, subscribe to them.
They admit their abstract justice and pro-
priety, it seems to US, and having given their
sanction to the principles involved in them,
their full acquiescence can now only be a
question Of time. Prussia, too, subscribes to
them, and asks US to go further-to agree
never again to employ or license privateers
To this the President objects, as only keeping
the skeleton Of an army and navy in time of
peace, we depend as much on privateers at sea
a. on volunteers on land when we get into
war, our navy being only ons-tenth of that of
the European nation whose commerce on the
ocean is equal to ours The Administration,
in answer to this request, say, that " henever
Europe is ready to subscribe to the doctrine
that, in war, ships and property Of Govern.
ments only, shall be taken or destroyed, the
United States will meet them on that broad
and philanthropic ground. This was wise
and statesmanlike reply, and will meet the
hearty concurrence of all true friends of peace
and international comfy. Yet we have no
reason to hope that any other nation is pro.
pared to take this step, which, if taken, will
virtually put stop to most of what are known
as the horrors and evils of war on the ocean.
France and Spain are treated kindly, and it
is made clear in the Message that at present
We are on terms with them in all respects sat-
isfactory.
The President announces emphatieally that
he is governed by the Monroe doctrine Is re.
CARDS European interference in American con.
tinental questions, and explains, in his ilu.
sions to the Greytown affair, that he considers
the duty of protecting American interests and
rights abroad the one of prime importance
and necessity. His statement of the Greytown
affair is one of the clearest and most crushing
expositions of the propriety of tho course of
Captain Hollins, conceivable. He shows that
nothing else-no other course, whatever was
left to be pursued and also that the free
hooters of Greytown got precisely their de-
serts, and nothing more. That the President
is keenly alive to the national importance of
giving all the world to understand thatfree
and uninterrupted intercourse between our
Atlantic and Pacific sides, over tho transit
routes across Central America, will DO insured
to our citizens at all hazards and any COST
ALI must by this time understand that such
policy is of vital Importance to our we'll beirg.
Fillibustering, as might have been expected,
receives no countenance from President Pierce,
whose tone in this respect should be sufficient
to assure Mexico and Spain, that, during the
present Presidential term, their territorial
rights are to be kept as sacred from illegal
American onslaughts as though their posses
sions within striking distance from Us were
surrounded with cordons of troops.
The Homestead Question MIR. Dawson, of
Pennsylvania, has jumped at his work al
ready. He has given notice that he shall
promptly introduce substitute for the pend
ing homestead bill, and shall press its imme.
date consideration.
By the by, from the present signs of the
times, we think it highly probable that this
subject will not be disposed of except in con-