Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-02-06

"H - 80 Correspondence Of the Times.
The Executive Mansion-Csns ress-Know Nothing
ism-Mr. Misunderstanding Lecture ON Turkey
.... WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 1855.
The Executive Mansion was, as usual, open or
the lst inst, for the reception of visitors; but
the number who called was much less than usual
and of n somewhat different character. No fe.
male was present, am informed, to receive tht
company, but some of the relatives of the family
| 1t is reported, were ensconced where they coulC
see and make their remarks upon the crowd
which they did in a free and facetious manner
There was not as much visiting generally as
have usually seen, though the day was calm and
mild The winter is a dull one to fashionable
people, for two reasons; first, the present occu-
pants of the principal executive Offices, add little
or nothing to the society here, under the present
regime, and secondly, the times are too hard to
indulge much in the luxuries of Larties and balls
Economy and frugality are the order of the day.
Congress have been sitting since the lst-three
days, but have spent the time almost wholly in
both halls, in talking, not working. In the Sen
ate the bill to extend the bounty land law has
been thus far on the tapis without coming to any
definite conclusion. In the House the tapis has
been miscellaneous, though the speeches made
have been chiefly in attack and defence of the
AMERICAN PARTY, by some called Know Nothing
ism. Mr.. Keitt, of S. c., opened his batteries
upon this party yesterday, and Mr.. Sellers, (uot
Sollens) returned his fire to-day. Who has been
injured by this bombardmcnt, am not informed,
unless it is the democratic party, which is des-
tined to suffer from the agitation oe this subject,
while the American party is increased thereby.
Agitation is just what the latter wants it is the
new and rising party and the more the evils which
gave rise TO It are discussed and exposed, the
more rapid will be its growth and the wane of its
antagonist. What has taken place during the
last year, is known, but what is likely to take
place next season, can only be guessed at by such
as have the means Of Judging. have already
told you that Mr.. WISE would be defeated in Vir-
ginia. That event is rendered more probable by
the Wings of the State declining to run candi-
dates for State Offices as their own, as it is now
understood they will. In Maryland, such is the
progress of American;sm, l am assured by a gen
tlcman of the highest standing, the probability is
that that party will come into power by major
ity of not less than 10000!
| understand the President has oved Mr..
Warren from the Office Of District Attorney of
Minnesota; if SO you are probably better inform
ed on the subject than am. Mr.. Cushing un-
derstood, was in no very amable mood in regard
to the manner in which the Minnesota rail road
suit was sent up to the Court here.
The Hon. Geo. P. Marsh. late Minister to Con-
stantinople, delivered an interesting and nstruc-
tive lecture here the other evening, upon the Turks.
The large new lecture room was denscly crowded,
and the President and his cabinet, and large
number of Senators and Members were present.
Mr.. NJ. among other matters, gave us de-
scription of the various classes of people consti-
tuting the Ottoman Empire, end especially char
acterizcd the Turk, the Armenian and the Greek
In doing this he ran foul of and knocked over
old and frmely rooted prejudces, and into the
darkened holes heretofore occupied by these,
threw rays of intelligence and light. He placed
the Turk much higher in the scale of humanity
than we have been accustomed to rank him, a
more moral, docle, amabe and humane being
than we have usually considered him. According
to Mr.. NJ, the Turk is habitually brave, honest,
frank, faithful, sincere, religious and moral.
They arenow strongly inclnedto adopt the Chris
tian faith, and anxiously read the Bible which is
now printed, circulated and read freely among
and by them. The Armenians are superior'to the
Turks in point of intellect, but are sycophantic
and servle They are the principal merchants
and bankers, and are avaricious and mercenarv,
They are christians.
The Greeks, whom we have looked upon as far
tO tho T,rks in md ;n{o1 o1
pacity, Mr.. M. represents as greatly inferior to
them, especially in their moral qualities. They
are quick, lively and mercurial in their tempera-
ment, but faithlcss, treacherous, mean, cruel, vim
dctive and avaricious. They are called, and
call themselves, christians, but are destitute of
morality and religious principles. Their religion
is to them what democracy is to democrats, and
whigism is to wings, party designation. and an
antagonism to something else. That something
else is, to them Mahometansm,-no that
they care whether Christ or Mahomet should be
worshippcd, but as the Turks are Moslems they
must be Christians.
Mr.. NJ looks with no favorable eye upon the
Greek Church, and believes that if that form of
religion were fastened upon Turkey, her hopes
of escaping from the darkness of superstition
and ignorance, would be forever blasted. On the
other hand, if the religion of western Europe
and especially professionalism can be given the
lead in the reformation of that country, she will
rise to an elevated position among the nations of
the earth. The Turks themselves believe that
Mahometanism approaches its end, and are looking
anxiously to the introduction of other forms and
systems of religion.
cTFA. T. Stewart & Co.. tue great silk mer-
chants of New York, have opened a soup kitchen