Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-22
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The Debate in Progress in the Halls do
ing no harm, whatever. In their present
deadlock, an election, by majority vote, is
hopeless. That is, only to be effected by a
change or more or less votes; which in turn,
can only be brought about by such e1pIana-
tory arguments as have been delivered in the
hall, for some days past. We, therefore, be-
Heve that the current apparent wasting of
their time, in speechifying, is really bringing
them faster to the end Of solving their present
difficulty, than they can come through the
other alternative of interminable ballots,
without varying the result worth mentioning.
These explanatory speeches, have certainly
had the effect already, of concentrating heart
lily on Mr.. Banks, two or three votes, which
before, were thrown for him with great reluc-
lance; while they have, also, served to render
plain that though that gentleman may not
have given pledges to that end, he stands
fairly and squarely on the platform of the
caucus resolutions, Of which Mr. Giddings is
the author, and which Mr.. Campbell, of Ohio,
rePudiated in a recent speech, causing Mr..
Giddings. TO ask Gods pardon for having
The Clerk IN the Chair -" S." of the New
York Times, in his v Arlington letter on Fr1
day, INDUCES himself in a most ungenerous
fling at Col Forney, Clerk of the House of
Representatives, now holding sort Of chair
manship over that body. He complains with
great injustice Of TIE indisposition of the Clerk
to keep order, hen tie anti-Nebraska men
are speaking, and alIudes to the noise in the
galleries. Now We will venture to say that
the department Of Mr.. FOrney in the chair
has been generally commended, and we know
that IN his anxiety to preserve order in the
House he has taken all the steps consistent
with the fact that he mas no power to enforce
it The applause on the floor which of course
the Clerk does not feel disposed to arrest, has
been initiated by the galleries and unless
the House chooses to interfere, Mr.. Forney
himself ought not to be required to do So
His position is one Of great delicacy, end he
Is aware Of it. If the correspondent of the
Tunes would inform himself exactly as 70 the
course pursued by the Clerk of the House
since he has been in the chair, we are sure he
will be the last man to Indulge in unjust re-
Elections upon that officer
The Condition CT tbs Sound Dues Cues
tion.-The following, from the Augsburg
LHgenSetTe ZcitHng, leading Continental
Journal we have every reason to believe en-
braces pretty true statement Of the actual
position Of this Government on the question
berlin, Nov. 25.-In regard to the Sound
Dues Conference, it Is stated here that Dem
mark has, fer the present deferred the nego-
tiations, because on the part of America pro-
test had been made lin adrarceI against any
conclusion which might prove adverse to
American interests. 1t 10 also stated from
recent communications from Washington, that
the Government Of the United States position
In regard 10 the Sound dues question il, Of
late decidedly more determined than it has
appeared for many weeks past At Washing
ton. 1t was positively stated that the Cabinet
OF President Pierce was determined under all
circumstances 10 persist in the demand that
American vessels have the right 10 pass the
Sound without asking permission therefor
from Denmark, and much less to esquire the
permission by the payment Of a toll.
DR.. Cobb, CT Georgia The speech Of this
gentleman, delivered yesterday, vas a tri-
unphant v!naicstiOn of the position Of the
Democratic party of the House His point
was 10 prove that the main obstacle to Z union
between all Opponents Of tho restoration OF
the Missouri restriction against those gentle
men who claim the right to prevent Kansas
from becoming slsyeAolding State by action
Of Congress, is the result Of the fact that the
Know NOthings have hedged themselves in
with unconstitutional Piled ges, which prevent
them from acting il harmony with those with
whom they agree upon the question which
they freely admit to be the overwhelming
one, In its consequences, for the future of the
country.
Parker Il Frsueh.-This individual, after
remaining in thiE city for some days, at his
hotel, is understood TO have left Washington
FOR Rev York without essaying TO hold official
Communication with the State Department.
The English Of this fact is, We take it for
granted, that he became satisfied that the
present Government Of the United States arc
hopolsssly fixed against recognising the anther-
ity under wLich he came 10 Washington az the
minister from Nicaragua. This settles the
fact that nothing has been done by the State
Department 20 recognise the government. Of the
fllibuster Walker.
The Plurality We have 10 idea whatever
that either the Democrats or the Republican,
have yet seriously entertained the idea of re-
sorting TO the plurality rule in order to termi.
nate the present contastofcross-f firing Neither
of them have yet given up the idea that they
will be able to elect Speaker in the end by q
majority vote, whose political views are ia.
Yorable to their own policy. Whenever one
or the other Of them conclude that theil
hopes Of 80 doing have faded away, we shall
have plurality rule proposition respectfully
considered; bat not until thsn.
The Frigate Roanoke was last night, a