Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-07-07
ID PERKINS.

This gentleman, in accordance with previous
notice, addressed our citizens on Saturday last,
on public affairs. He reviewed all public mat
ters relating to this District, while he repre-
scented it in Congress, and also gave a very in
teresting account of the various Departments
which constitute the Cabinet, and recapitulated
the services which each had rendered the coun.
try; he was highly euIogistical of all the Sec
~retaries. The gentleman commenced his adj
dress by saying that if there were any present
who expected to hear any abuse from his lips
Of the Know Nothings or any body else, or to
play the demagogue in any shape, they would
be mistaken. We cannot exonerate him in the
latter respect altogether. Exhuberant and I'M
deserved clustering" of p~artizan leaders, is as
much a specimen Of d~emagogueism as any,
thing else. We hardly expected from Judge
PERKINS such fulsome and wholesale adjula-
ton Of a President and Cabinet, known, and
admitted by many of their party, to be both
weak and corrupt to a notorious extent.
The Attorney General was an exceeding greet
man, and one of bis greatest acts was the deci-
sion be gave, that a slave escaping into the Ter
ritories did not consequently make him free;
wedoubt if CALEB ever before had such an
eulogist in the South we should have been
pleased if Moiie had been present; we opine
there would have been a difference Of opinion
between the two gentlemen.
The Postmaster General, against whom, in
the South, there had been such serious and just
causes of complaint, evidencing his iucompe-
tency and unftness for the Office he holds, and
rightly emitting him to the appellation Of be-
ing the most perfect agranny" that ever had
anything to do with the (males) mails, got a
full complement, also, of 'soft sawder !" his
reign has been distinguished, said the gentle.
man exultiugly, by the law requiring all letters
to be prepaid.
The Secretary of the Treasury, said Judge
p. was a man of rough and not very captiva-
ting manners, yet he had great ability, had
proved himself to be a most competent fnan-
ceer, aud altogether one among the best officers
of that Department that we ever had. He had
effected several important reforms. We have
nothing to gainsay with reference to Mr.. GuTH.
RE. a7. a
The Secretary Of the Navy had also proved
himself to be an excellent officer, 1.-THE truth is,
against Mr.. DoBBH and the latter gentleman
we have heard but little if any complaints in
their respective Departmental his term had
been signalized by the laws creating a retiring
list for the old naval officers, lit would have
been well if the law comprised all classes Of
officers who were unworthy or i~ncompetent)
and the navy apprentice system-creating a ma
val college. where boys are instructed in the
of seamanship, gunnerys. &c, especially
the purpose Of manning our national ves-
sels. The Judge is wrong, however, by say.
that such boys entering the navy SO humbly,
nave the chance at a future day ito walk the
leck ~ . commander.s This assertion has
been previously made and denied. The high.
'st grade they can reach is that of a ,carram
Or forioard officer, such ~ boatswain, gunner,
Ec., which 10 inferior to that Of Midshipman:
ind accnrding to the rules Of our service, it is
impossible for a person to become a comman-
without entering the service first as q Mid
In time Of war, there might be rare
Of the President appointing a boy
9 this grade who had been an apprentice, but
would be caused BY extraordinary gallantry.
But the Secretary Of War was, perhaps, the
avorite with the Speaker. This Department
equired q man to gil it Of varied and e~xtraor.
mary abilities. and JEFF. DAVIS was that man;
'as educated at West Point, had been q mem.
or Of tho Senate, had shed bis blood in Mex.
DC. &c, and consequently be was the man
all~nen to Gil the station be occupies. He
effected great reforms. and two new regi-
'ents have added lustre to his reign.
The Secretary Of State was no less desery-
Of universal applause. Old MARCY, &C.
riding to Judge PERxus, has been the worst
used Cor bsst abnsed) man on the Continent I
g had guided ~ through dangerous issues. I,
ID averted the horrors Of war, while be had !
imperishable renown, both for himself !
ID the Administration, in consequences Of the
national measures no had effected. wei J
nture to ssy. that since the day be- presented
? bill for patching his breeches,n MARcY 9
never before painted ID. such beautiful Coz 2
r. His frst sct was to sxtricate rs (in 9th. :
words TO back us outa)) from the difficulty
'ich tho clunsy and wsr-like letter Of DAN
Z WEBsrzR (ys Gods to place two such i,
mes in jnxtapcaitioa y to the Britain Cab. :
: had placed as, relative to the Fishery Cues. 4
g. The Reciprocity Treaty was the resalt 9
als diplonacy-it made the fahing grounds
e 70 our ffshermen |; they could dry their q