The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-17

sgarded an second to that Of the Presidency;
and Mr.. Clay was advised by many leading
men that he could not, consistently with his ex-
allied position, descend into an argumentative
controversy with any person. II he was
second to the President, he was controlled by
the courtesies and conventionalities attending
that august parsonage. Since then, and in
consequence we would say of the fierce parti-
zan warfare Of mere politicians, the Speaker
ship-"the second ofice"-has fallen into sad
difrepate, insemuch that even now there are at
least twenty men in Congress who have strong
hopes that it may be conferred upon them, and
that IL will turn out literally the second Office
the first to follow it next year.
Meantime the power to make Speaker, and
year, is in the hands of the conservatives OF
the American party, that little nucleus sur
rounding Mr.. Fuller, and who az steadily
adhere to him as that immortal band of seventy
four, acting substantially from the same
motives, have continued to cast their votes for
Col Richardson.
The apparent strength of the black republi-
cans in the House is about eigbty-say one
third At least twenty-six of the hundred and
six votes given to Banks ON Saturday, are either
personal votes or the votes of bellwethers
sticking to the black flock in hopes of leading
them into the American pen in season for clip
ping Should they succeed, it is possible that
we shall have Congressional cl, tn not exact
ly silver gray, but an old-fashioned cheap mix
ture of white and black. In estimating the
strength of the Seward men in Congress, the
reader should not forget their defeat in their
own State, and that according to our showing
they stand no chance of controlling the Presi-
dency in 1856, should the Electoral Colleges fail
to elect Apolitical party without present or
prospective power is a sinking ship at best;
hence we may infer that the black republicans
at Washington are being put into their true
position, where in fact the last elections
placed them. The votes cast for Campbell on
the first day--about fifty in number--are really
indicative of their strength; the Banks votes
are sadly mixed-a kind of joint stock con-
Germ, with Cushing, Pierce, McClelland Sew
ard, Greeley, Webb, Weed and Ciddings for
managers. In such an operation somebody
will be cheated.
Thus the last two weeks contest for Speaker
may be considered the first ballot for the next
Presidency.
THE MAMMOTH TREE GROVE OF CALIFORNIA
The Duty OF THE STATE AND OF CONGRESS-
We published yesterday a description Of the
various monsters which make up the "Wash
ington Mammoth Tree Grove" of California
The finest, the most beautiful and symmetrical
of these trees Though not the iargcst,) has
been cut down, and fragments of it have been
exhibited here and in Europe by a set of spe-
culators. From this beginning, unless the
Goths and Vandals are arrested in their work,
the destruction of this Incompatible forest
will probably 60 on till the last vestige Of it
make is that the State Of California and the
Congress Of the Union should interpose to
preserve these trees, MS the living proofs that
the boasted monarchs Of the wood Of the Old
World are but stunted shrubbery compared
with the forest giants Of our own country. We
say that Congress should interpose, upon the
presumption that these trees are public pro-
perty, are on the public lands Of California,
and because Congress has already interposed
to protect the public live oak forests Of
Florida from the rapacity Of INSCRIPTIONS
Spectators.
These California monsters are, we doubt not
of the same genus, though perhaps not Of the
exact species, of the ancient cedars of Leba.
non. The California grove is in about the
same latitude, the same altitude, (4,5OO feet
above the sea) and has the same climate as those
mighty forests Of the mountains of Leban on
from which King Hiram supplied the timber
for the building of Solomons Temple. OF
those Lebanon forests only some half dozen
gnarled and shattered relics now remain
hear the summit of that lofty range; while in
California we have grove Of the most magni-
ficent specimens coeval with Solomon and
David. There they have stood, and have con-
tinued to grow, while Kingdoms, empires and
dynasties have risen and disappeared; and
there they stand, the living patriarcbs of three
thousand years To these venerable giants,
upon basis of seventy years, the discovery of
America was but an affair of yesterday, and the
birth of our Saviour an incident of some forty
years ago! The old "Hercules" Of the group
is still among them, of the respectable height
Of $50 feet, and with the extra aldermanic cir.
conference of l07 feet! Aud there is scarcely
one in thisimperial family less than three hun
dred feet from top to toe! What goose
berry bushes are the forests Of Europe, aal
even Of the Mississippi valley, compared with
this towering cedar grove Of California;
We repeat, that it is the duty Of the State Of
California, Of Congress, and of oil good citizens,
to protect and to preserve these California
monuments Of the capabilities of our American
soil. Let it be the law that this Washington
Mammoth Grove shall stand.
SENATOR DOUGLAS POSITIVELY DEcIINEs.-We
published yesterday short paragraph assuring
the hopeful democracy that Senator Douglas
had rnsnlvpd not IN trouilo tbop, for tha;r pro