Georgetown weekly news., 1855-03-15
Arrival of the Cortez.
CHANGE OF BRITISH MINISTRY; HOME NEWS &c

The news by the arrival of the Cortez is
of but little interest to Californians:-
The weather had been extrsmely cold in
New York and all through the North and
East The 9th of February was the cold
est day since 1916. AT Boston, the ther-
mometer was on that day II deg. below
zero; at Ogdensburg, n. Y, 33 deg. below;
at Buffalo, 20 deg. below, In Philadelphia
the weather was colder than had been
known for many years; and in Baltimore,
colder than at any time within the last fif-
teen years.
On the 9Th ult VIM H. Seward, was re-
elected by the Legislature of New York to
the United States Senate for six years from
the 4th of March next, by majority of ten
votes-hve in each branch. He received
the votes OF fifty-nine Wings, seven Know
Nothings and three Democrats, in the AS
sembly; and of thirteen Wings and five
Know Nothings in the Senate.
Mr.. Breckenride, of Kentucky. recentIv
appointed and confirmed as Minister to
Madrid in place of Mr.. Soule, On the Sd ult.
announced in the House of Representatives.
that he had declined the honor. Hon. ?
Augustus G. Dodge, of Iowa, was nominated
and confirmed in his stead
In the. House, bill appropriating sixty
thousand dollars for the purchase of four ad-
ditional revenue cutters was passed.
The Senate, Feb. II, passed an amend
ment to the Indian Appropriation bill for
the colonization of the Texas Indians.
The House passed the Senate bill, author
izing the President to confer the Lieutenant
Generalship on General Scott.
A bill to incorporate the Pacific Railroad
Company has been reported favorably by
committee.
The reply of Secretary Marcy to the let
ter of Col. Kinney, asking if the govern
ment proposes to arrest the Central Ameri-
eau expedition is given in the New York
papers. Marcy says if the expedition is a
mere peaceful emigration, it is neither the
duty nor the desire of the government to in
tertere with it; but if it should assume a
military character, it would devolve upon
the federal authorities to inquire if it be not
a violation Of the neutrality act.
A resolution, reprehending the course of
Senators Douglas and Shields, for advoca-
llIS IilC lOPCdI vi tIlC N1lOSOull
passed the House by a vote of yeas 81, nays
u.
The Prohibitory Liquor Law passed the
Indiana Assembly on Friday, and is now
the law of the State A Prohibitory bill
also passed the Illinois Senate on the same
day.
The abandonment of the Coalition Min
istry by Lord John Russell, says the N. Y.
Tribune, is but the prelude to the entire
dissolution of that heterogeneous body
This event could not much longer be post
poned, and Lord John has the merit of hav-
ing quit before the final crash. The utter
inefficiency with which the war has been
conducted, and the frightful disasters by
which incompetence and disorder have been
allowed to horribly consume the finest army
England ever sent out, must suffice to over
throw any Administration, and accordingly
we may expect te hear by the next steamer
that the whole Ministry have tend,r d their
resignation. Who will succeed them is q
matter of specula ton, but the general belief
is that Lord Palmerston will head the new
Government. Quite as likely, we think,
Lord John will be the new Premier, while
Palmersen, as the sole supreme War Minis
ter, will replace all the present conflicting
and incongruous branches of that depart
ment with the unity and energy of single
mind. In such a combination MIR. Glad
stone would still hold the portfolio of the
Exchequer, and Lord Clarendon that OF
Foreign Affairs. But few days will prob
ably substitute fact for conjecture, and in
form us whether new life and vigor are now
to be infused into the British Administra-
tion.