The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-01-12
BIC h nj 0 N D, VA:
FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 70 1855


debates is the sedulous avoidance of the sub.
iect propounded for discussion, which every
man who speaks upon it refuses to touch with
forty foot pole. The text is a place of de-
parture, and the sermon vessel, which leaves
the text out of sight in a very few minutes, and
goes leisurely on voyage round the world. 1t
seems TO be the purpose of each of the de-
baters to eschew all familiarity with the bill or
| resolution under discussion, and TO speak of
| anything and everything else rather than
| that bill or resolution. Thus, to take one in
stance out of multitude, we learn that on
| q certain day lately the House took up the
| bill for the relief of the purchasers and To-
| Gators ofswamp and overfiowed lands" Let
lis see what the House did with this bill after
| they "took it up The first speaker was a
Mr. Harris of Mississippi, who, coming from
| that region of country, doubtless knew some
| thing about swamp and overtlowed lands
| But, if he did, he took excellent care not to
| tell what he knew. The first remark he made
| was, that 'he got up to shut the door against
| Southern treacEery." The connexion between
swamp lands and Southern treachery is not,
at first sight, discernible. Swamps are some
| times spoken of as treacherous; but it is not
| probable that Southern swamps are more
| treacherous than those Of any other section.
The speaker, in pursuance of the subject of
| swamps, declared that he was opposed to the
| government mediating in the European war,
and that we had better settle our own difficult
| ties at home before we undertake to adjust
the quarrels Of others, or we might get ours
selves into a "hodge podge.' This 'hodge
podge' was the nearest approach to swamp
that was made by the speaker, and he soon
| sunk out Of sight in it.
| Mr.. Sellers of Maryland followed Mr.. Har-
ris, and he proceeded to throw a flood of
| light upon the subject of swamps and over
| flowed lands, by declaring that he wanted to
| speak of the triumphs Of that despised and
| Objectionable sect, known as Know No
| things" He then went on to vindicate the
| Know Nothings, with much earnestness and
| cloquence from the assaults of Mr.. Keitt of
South Carolina. BY what association of
| ideas the speaker was reminded by swamps
! of Know Nothingism, we are at a loss to
comprehend unless it be the uncomfortable
character of that mysterious fraternity and
the prompt manner in which it swallows up
unwary travellers
Old Mr.. Giddings of Ohio next pitched into
| the Know Nothing swamp, and declared that
| the people of the United States had right
to know the principles of that party He
said nothing about swamps, but was very
much opposed to Know Nothingism, and en-
deavored to be impertinent to Mr. Solers
who treated him with as much Indifference
as stage coach would manifest to yelp-
ing flee. Having exhausted himself by his
malignant effort, the cid gentleman from
Ohio, who, in venom and impotence, reminds
us of the venerable Mr.. Smallweed in Dick
ems BLEAK House relapsed into his seat.
Mr.. keitt of South Carolina illustrated the
subject of swamp and oyerfi0wed lands, by
replying to some remarks of Mr. Sellers about
secession and abolitionism, in which he paid
an eloquent tribute to Calhoun, McDuf1ie,
lIayne and Preston. He declared that he
only owed allegiance to his State, and
through his State to the General Government.
This was highly satisfactory and conclusive
in the matter of swamp and Overflowed
lands
The debate was concluded by one man,
who had actually spoken Of the bill and of
nothing but the bill, which the House had
taken up" Mr.. Letcher of Virginia said
'he imagined that not one out of five men in
the House had thought of the pending bill
since the discussion commenced. 1t was to
relieve purchasers and locators of swamp
and OverflOwed land. Throughout his re.
marks, he confined himself to the principles
of the bill
Oh rare John Letcher The first Con
gresham we ever heard of who confined
himself to the principles of bill," under
discussion. Congress, itself, is but vast
swamp, overhowed with CAB, in which every
thing useful is sunk.
Col Alexander w. Brandon, who served his
country in the last war with Great Britain and in
the with the Greek Indians, died in Salisbury,
N c., on the 29th ult. Hs was the only son of
Capt. John Brandon, who fought side by side with
Davie and the Lockes in the Revolution, and was
wounded and his clothes cut to pieces in leading on
he Whigs to victory at the hard fought battle OF
Ramsours Mills. In digging grave for the re.
tliaiio VI NOt ~, tue ehuu vi MS Idtn6T was eS
humed. TWAS the fashion forty years ago,
for gentlemen to wear their hair long, confined be.
hind by comb. A tortoise shell comb was found
in the decomposed hair attached tc the SKULL in a
perfect state OF preservation.
Col Brandon left legacy of $1,000 to tie David.
son College Of North Carolina.
The ARmY.-1he army appropriation bill pass
by the House of Representatives on the 9th ut
contains the following prominent items:
For the pay of the army 50. DOG e06 |
For subsistance in kind nd.--......... | 1O4 a55
For clothing camp and garrison equpage 57ia7G |
For regular supplies OF the quartermas |
ters department. Observation-Disclosures 600 600 |
I,or incidental expenses 375 3G3 |
For transportation nf the army, &c... 200 900 |
For the manufacture OF arms at the ia.
tonai armories. s.--.-........e. 10000 |
1 of the Capitol extension. 325 900 |
Posr OFFICE ADyEHrrsINa-A despatch from |
New Orleans states that the Delta has been award.
cd the post Office advertising having the larecs,
CITY circulation The f-o,, .h