The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-12-21
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the POstl
w .arINoTON Dee II

"
Correspondence Of the Postl
WASHINGTON, Dee. IL.
At the date Of my last scrawl, did not
| think / should remain here until this time,
but the business on which / came has taken
such turn, that it will probably detain me a
month, or longer, and you may expect to hear
from me occasionally while l am scjourner
in this, the government city.
So far as an outsider may be capable of
J forming an opinion, the House is no nearer
an organization than when last wrote you
nor am l willing to risk guess as to when
that event will probably occur. 1t may hap
pen tomorrow or not until after the Christ.
mas Holidays You will have noticed by the
ballotings which presume you receive
through the papers of this place, that the
Democracy are sticking with great pertinaci-
ty to Mr.. Richardson, for the purpose, as
many suppose, Of forcing the National Know
Nothings into fusion with the Black RePub
lcans--s result which the leaders of the Adj
ministration party think would destroy all
hope of the Know Nothings carrying the
Presidential election of the ensuing year, and
upon which point am disposed to agree with
them. Richardson was the leader Of the Ne
braska party in the last House of Represen-
tatives, although his constituents were known
to be opposed to the enactment of that meas
ure 1t was thought by many of his friends
here that he would not be able to sustain
himself before his constituents, but the result
proved that he was He went home, took
the field against fierce opposition, and was
triumphantly re elected. There is one thing,
however, connected with his reelection which
it may not be amiss to mention. He is in ia
vor OF squatter sovereignty, and took the
ground in his last canvass that the Kansas
Nebraska bill was the strongest point that
had been made in favor OF ''human freedom"
as the abolitionists call it, and would PEG.
pie the territories with opponents Of the in
stitution, and forever prevent the admission
of any more slave States. Precisely the same
ground taken by Judge Douglas and other
distinguished gentlemen who apparently stand
very high in the estimation OF the Southern
Democracy. On the other side. Mr.. Banks.
Of Massachusetts, who has received as high as
LOT votes for Speaker, is Free Soil Know
Nothing, with Democratic antecedents. Of
course, he is anti-Nebraska and is for resto.
ration of the Missouri Compromise. Though
a man IS well qualified as any other for the
place, should regret very much to see him
elected as it would be regarded as triumph
in their mad crusade against the Constitution
and the South. There is excitement at times
in the House, though not rs much as those at
distance might expect from the protracted-
ness of the struggle for an organization. In
regard to the Message, it is said to be all
ready, and will be before the country as soon
as the House "comes to ORDER" unless it
should become spoiled by keeping" such an
unusual and unexpected length of time.
The city is crowded almost to a jam, and
every hotel, and stopping place" as we say
in Tennessee, is filled to its utmost capacity
There are thousand and one rumors about
the movements concerning the nominations
for the Presidency. At present Buchanan is
thought to be in the best condition with the
Democracy. Judge Douglas, too, has many
friends here, who. of course, are not idle, while
Marcy stock is pretty low down. President
Pierce, SO far as q denomination is concerned,
is entirely out of the. question. No one
dreams of ,tfclI contingency and II NAV he
truly said