Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-20

foes and run risks Of all sorts in his defence
against the talented, unscrupulous. and at
times threatening opposition arraigned against
him (Gen. H. in Texas ever since the battle
Of San Jacinto.
! We await with no little interest the election
returns from Texas, in the belief from our
knowledge of her politics) that the recently
! promulgated pronunciamento of Gen. Houston
'xerted powerful effect upon the vote Of the
state, only to be counteracted by the letter of
Zen. Rusk, If that was published in time to
nave co.emporaneous circulation with the
1ther. Houston has exercised, since 1888, a
personal influence in Texas hardly inferior to
hat of Mr.. Clay in Kentucky, and greater
han that of Mr.. Webster in Massachusetts,,
Turing the last ten years of that distinguished
mans life. We have no idea, however, that
Gen. Houston can give Know Nothingism
triumph in Texas, even temporarily-our Gu
ciosity being to learn how near he can come to
.he accomplishment of that purpose
The act of General Rusk, in throwing him
self into the breach in this case, will greatly
Increase his national popularity. He is very
little known out Of Texas, when one takes into
consideration his long service in the Senate,
ind the fact that his fellow Senators, including
| Mr.. Clay as well as Mr. Webster, have long
! -egarded him as one of the ablest statesmen
Who have graced the National Legislature
! ince the annexation Of Texas. He lis natu-
! tally an indolent man, and has an abiding
Contempt for the small squabbling of public
life, which, together, have kept his name from
appearing in the newspapers as conspicuously
Is those of dozens of his compeers in the
Senate possessed only of 1.-THE of his abilities
md statesmanlike attaInments. We are in
lined, however, to think that, next winter,
circumstances will compel him to take much
more active part in the political transactions
Of the Senate than ever before, in which case
re will rapidly become man of great distinc-
ton.
Aid fo- the Afflicted We are glad, indeed,
- hear that the Rev. Mr.. Donelap, the pastor
If st. Matthews (Catholic) Church in this
20 attend to the afflicted there, after his recent
short trip back to bis church in this city, to
install temporary successor in ministering to
his own large congregation. Five more Sisters
Of Charity left Washington this morning, also
destined for Norfolk and Portsmouth, where
they viii be welcomed with the heartfelt graf
itude of all remaining there of those comma
mites.
We heard accidentally, to-day, that the
Reys. Ulysses Ward and French S. Evans, of
this city, are now actively engaged in preparing
also to go there, to minister to the spiritual
wants of the sick and dying, who are SO desti-
tute of clerical comfort in their present terri
bic emergency four Of the clergymen of the
vicinage-who have more faith in their legs
than in the Lord-having ANONYMOUSLY fed
from their post Of duty when it became one of
danger They (Messrs. Ward and Evans) de-
serve great credit for thus demonstrating the
practical influence of religion upon their own
minds, hearts, and characters.
Interesting.-The General Land Office has
issueAinstructiOns to the proper land Offices in
Missouri concerning the lands outside of the
six mile limits the Hannibal and ST. Jo-
seph's Railroad to the following effect:
l. That all the vacant lands in the sections
bearing odd numbers, between the sic and
fifteen mile lateral limits of the grant Cthat
IL, within the nine mile strips on each side
thereby were selected, or intended to be Sc
lected, by the State, and the State will be en-
titled to said lands whether they have been
selected as yet or not; therefore, should the
land officers discover any vacant land in such
odd numbered sections, they are ordered not
70 restore them to entry, but to report them to
tho General Land Office, SO that they may be
approved to the State; nor will any of them
be subject to presumption, unless coming with
in the purview of the acts of Sd March, 1853,
and 9th March, 1854, referred to in the pub
lie notice.
That all the vacant lands subject to pri-
vate entry at the date of withdrawal in the
eysn numbered sections within the nine mile
strips, and the sections lying outside of the
fifteen mile limits, both even and odd num-
bered, will be restored to market, and are liza
bic to presumption as contemplated by the
above mentioned actions.
The Case Of the Barque Undine.-The
newspapers of both continents having, for some
time past, been discussing the refusal of Capt
Merriman, Of the American barque Undine, to
deliver up his papers for examination, and to
pay the toll heretofore exucted at Stade by
the HanOverisn Government, on all foreign
vessels passing up the Ebe to Hamburg, we
have to say that the explanation of the Ham
overian authorities, concerning the occurrence,
through their press, is that Capt Merriman
refused to pay the toll and submit his papers
to examination by the captain of the revenue
cutter stationed at Stade, only after an agree
ment with the Hanoverian customs depart
ment, that on the arrival of the Undine at Ham.
burg, his commission merchant should make
ba euatoYnarv pavuaDt