Washington telegraph., 1854-04-12
From the arkansas Whig."
correspondence of the Whig.
Ma

The spring is opening here, and can see from
nv window trees green with leaves Only two
or three weeks since we had howlIng snow
Storm the ground was covered with white man.
tle of an average depth of eighteen inches, and
,rinter held undisputed sway. Now, pleasant SUM-
,bine and slight showers make us think that. by
came mistake, April has come before March; if
indeed, we nave not III aeVahce, an lnstaiment OF
May.
Your paper and others from home. come so ir-
aUrIlarly as TO provoke constantly into an ILL
bnmor. and. there being no offices to dstrib-
no we see few friends from Arkansas, to tell us
tbe news and gossip of the Town. Nor has the
nf,rmation which we have lately received. been
of snch character, as to induce us to long for
much more 'of the same sort" The sad disasters
rTbch have lately befallen city cannot but de-
nreSs and discourage every one who feels an in
farpst in its welfare. The late fires have been
cruel blow to the prosperity of a town. whose peo-
nie were already so much discouraged as almost
T. despair of the possibility of any further improve
,nent. Perhaps out of these mislortunes will grow
more harmony and liberation; and necessity may
;nInce greater development of our energies
II IS very likely that you will receive all that
s new here, through the papers, before this letter
-oacbes you. Ifso, you will at least give me credit
far good intentions. The House of Representa-
tyes some week or ten days since, refused to pass
tbe bill appropriating lands in Minnesota to the
purpose Of building railroads; and two days since
they shcired Blk granting lands TO Wisconsin, by
laying it on the table by majority of three or
f,ur followed by laying on the table motion to
reconsider. That of ends the matter for
e session. and seals the fate, it is supposed of all
similar bills. 1t is now the impression, that the
new States will get no further grants of land. un-
less they consent to make similar grants for pur-
noses of education and improvement, to the old
States The defeat of the railroad bills in the
House was anticipated by me IN former letter
50 that am not very much disappointed, much
As regret it.
Ii was understood that Mr. Robert J. Walker.
representing part of Wall street was interested in
tbe Wisconsin roads, and this, with some members.
produced prejudice against the bill. have heard
members say that thev would not give lands to
Wall street spectators. We may congratulate
ourselves that we have got what we have The
building of the roads from Cairo and from Mem
phis or Helena or both, to Little Rock and thence
to Fulton. is certain, though it may be distant
result The insane quarrel between the advo-
Gates of two roads, between which there neither
is nor ever was any real antagonism, has done
more to postpone their inception and erection than
every other cause and obstacle contrived. 1t is
strange that every measure proposed in Arkansas
produces quarrel But it has always been
and So suppose it will be to the end of the chap
ter The merit of every measure is, and always
has BEEN Judged of by the effect it would produce
and so long as that is the in any country,
that country cannot prosper
The members of the House are debating on the
Deficiency bill, IN committee ofthe whole, and the
merits of the bill establishing tfe Territories or
Nebraska and Kansas dc not think much can
be added to what has been SAID upon it in the
Senate. 1t is certain that Mr.. Douglas maintain
ed it there with great force and eoquence AT
bottom, many of the southern members feel great
doubt as to the expediency of meddling expressly
with the Missouri compromise. But, knowing
that the South has heretofore always defended it
and clmg to it. while the north has as constantly
and uniformly repudiated and "spit upon" it, they
look with contempt and anger upon these same
northern men, when they now clamor in favor of
it and accuse the friends of the bill of shameless
violation of compact. 1t is not for them to
charge that upon us. They have always denied
It's binding obligation, refused TO recognise 1t, IN
the case of Oregon, when it gave them all they
asked; and 1t is the extremity of impotence for
them to taunt us with broken faith. Like many
southern men, would not have introduced the
bill ous if being there, would have voted for it,
as an aPpfoaeh to justice. | recognise the right
Of the people OF a Territory to manage their own
local concerns; but thas ri ght is in nv view sub
ect to the higher right tho par of the south. to
carry its property OF whatever kiad into any fer
ritory purchased by the treasure and blood. as
we'll of the south as of the north well remem-
democratic friends, that the Nicholson letter of
Gen. Cass intended to assert the right OF the peo
pie OF a Territory to make laws excluding slave
property Ideny the existence of any such right,
as did hen but if the south yields that question,
and agrees to leave it to the people, the north has
not the slightest right to complain. The eonces-
sion of this right is giving them victory in the
matter OF principle.
But certainly never would have voted for the
bill, with the provision originally embodied, that
atenS having declared their intention TO boceme
citizens, should have right to vote. An alien,
owing no allegiance to this government, and at
perfect liberty, tomorrow, to return home. and
enterth armies of his sovereign, and there bear
arms against as. has no right to share in the 60
vemment of the country; and least OF all to de-
eide that or any other STAKEHOLDER shall not take
my slaves into the Territory in which he has
SQnatted We could submit to be excluded by
Congress; for there is something respectable in
that-or by our own citizens, because, we might
not feel degraded by that; but it is little too
strong TO enact that given number of Irish and
Germans, who not only are not, but never may
be, citizens, shall define and settle my rights, and
say that |, who am citizen, native-born, shall
not be allowed to go into a portion of the COM
mon Territory of the United States, without
thereby losing my property.
1t was wise and well in the Senate to strike
out this infamous and degrading provision. 1t is
II
DO hope southern Senators will reject the bill
with loathing and contempt In the meantime,
however, it is considered very doubtful whether
The House will pass the bill. The defeat of the
northern railroad grants will not help it much, If
II Is southern measure.
And also in the meantme no efforts are spared
Ia the north to excite and arouse public feeling
against the bill. Three thousand cergymen have
sent to the Senate, I'm the name of the Almighty
uoT,' protest against its passage This seems
10 me- one of the profane, as verging on blasphe-
my. 1t is strange assumption, that God has
commissioned them to speak in his name; for, was
not IN effect saying, that the Senate were to re-
gard the protest as the voice of God himselfspeak-
ing IN their midst? 1t was well enough to reprove
such arrogance; for the same claim, set up by fa-
natlcsm in all ages, has too often deluged the
earth with blood, and ssnctihed tyranny over the
conscience and the atrocities of the rack and the
stake Nevertheless, Douglas did himself an in
Jury by his violent denunciation OF the protest
and lis authors. II would have been wiser if he
r II