Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-01
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Diplomatic and Consular Reform Bill.
The Union, day before yesterday, contained
IA long letter from j. Randolph Clay, on the
diplomatic bill before Congress Mr. Clay
confesses that he is an interested witness, and
that what he says must DO taken with allow.
ance.
We have always respected Mr.. Clay, a. one
whose experience in the diplomatic service OF
the country rendered it desirable that be be
retained as representative abroad; but we
confess to disap pointmsnt and some little
modification at the tone of his communication
II 70 true of him what General Bayly said in
the House few days since, As coming from
Patrick Horny, Of some ono who had been
much abroad--he "has evidently staid teo
long abroad to like his natural victuals'
Mr. Clay illustrates in his want of knowl-
edge Of public feeling at home, and his insen-
sibility to tho really most Objectionable fea
lures Of our foreign service, the evil effect of
representative being too long abroad. His
only idea of the correction required for ex.
listing evils in our foreign service seems to be
an increase Of salary, OF, as he says, of "the
pittance" now given to ministers What he
objects to in the bill now before the House, is,
5eally, one OF its greatest recommendations
| Is increases salaries only at points where it is
| really required, and, by correcting abuses in
the details Of the system, at the same time it is
a bill of economy, in causing an actual saving
to the public treasury.
What Mr. Clay says Of the annual expendi
ture under the proposed bills exceeding that of
the existing system only Sl5,Sl6 "a, notwith-
standing the " missions lately established at
Rome, Central America, and Switzerland" is
Indeed in our practical way of looking at
things very great merit.
We sincerely hope the bill, as reported by
the COMMITTEES, uninfuenced by individual in
tersst, will be taken up and passed. We may
notice Mr. Clay's letter again.
The Prices Of Slaves in tho South.-The New
York EEpress quotes accounts Of recent sales of
negroes in Richmond, Va, and argues that they
must shortly fall in value, inasmuch as the
annual interest on the ruling prices and the
cost Of life insurance upon slaves, il, perhaps,
twice as high az the ruling wages of CORES
pondiDg labor at the North. The editors in
formation concerning the business and stats.
tics Of the South must be exceedingly limited
indeed or hs would know that the value Of
labor in any calling at the South has very
little to 10 with its value in the planting
States For twenty years past northern jour
nalists have been in the habit OF teaching the
laborers by whom they are surrounded, the
falsehood that labor il degraded at the South
that 1t amounts to degradation in the South
for white man to labor; or, in other words,
that it is degrading to a white man to labor
where slaves labor. Now at this very moment
ten thousand white agriculturists could find
at from $125 to $175 Der anpum
and their board, within circle of Fifty miles
around Washington city. They will not come
from the North to find such employment here
because the laboring population there belsevs
the nonsense taught them, as above expl aimed
Again, the wages of labor in the South have
not fallen, Is In the North, because the busi.
ness Of the South has not sxperieneed the trv.
Ing times which exist At the North The de-
pendenee on, OF connections with banks
manufacturing and joint stock companies gen.
orally, is very slight indeed, not sufficient to
make it, as at the North, the shuttle cock to
DO inflated or collapsed by every turn of tho
affairs of the spectators of the hour.
Again, tho stringency of the northern money
market has the slightest imaginable effect on
the value Of cotton. As long as that keeps
up, the prices of slaves will bs high, though
Thousands in New York and elsewhere at tho
North, may be go near the point CT starvation
from want Of work, Is that they are glad to
labor for one half the annual actual vaass of
labor ia slavsholding States
A Mares Eest!-The New York Herald
has actually discovered what all we'll informed
persons In Washington have known ever since
the annual message was sent in, viz: that the
President contemplated addressing Congress
upon the subject of our relations with Spain
as soon as certain desired information from Mr.
Soule reached Washington The fac. has been
published in dozen papers, until at length
the Herald learns Of it, and forthwith an
nounces that We are shortly to have q war
message.
Now, it strikes us that the Herald shoots
wide OF the mark in this announcement. We
have no idea that the President will advise
any particular course Of proceeding to obtain
Our nights from Spain. Congress, up to this
time, has evidently been inclined to differ
from him in estimating the necessities CT the
occasion; and as they have already assumed
the responsibility Of virtually directing our
policy with reference to our unsettled affairs
with Isabella's Government, we take it for
granted that he will content himself with sim.
ply acquainting the National Legislature with
all that he has caused to be said and done in
the premises in the name of the United States,
and its results, 80 far, leaving to Congress
the dukv IF dafaru,;nino NH ~ .ho1 L.