New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-12-15
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, Dec, I. 1876,

day next at which time the vote IS to he taken, IN
consequence OF the arrival of Southern members now
absent. Whitfield will probably be admitted by a
majority of five or six, and thus this vexed question
will be finally disposed Of In view of the fact that
this is the short session. and that in addition to the
usual business many matters of the last session have
yet to be considered, it cannot be denied that
than week devoted to this subject is a prodigal
and unnecessary waste of time. The members, how
ever, seem to proceed the assumption that there is
occasion for activity in the dispatch of the public
business whatever. Thus, the House adjourned over
from Friday to Monday, notwithstanding the whole
week had been thrown away in useless contention
The House appears to cherish the scooboy tradition
that Saturday is necessarily holiday.
The Senate has been engaged in much the same
waste of time. The debate on the Presidents mes
sage running already through the first week. is again
underlined for Monday morning. In fact, the Senate
seems to be launched on Of endless debate, all
founded on the immatcrial question whether ten thou
sand Or fifteen thousand copies Of the Presidents |
message shall be printed. On Thursday, the subject
was discussed in lengthy speeches from Messls. Fitz
patrick, Butler and Rusk on one side and Wade and
Fessenden on the other. None Of the speeches dis |
played extraordinary ability, though is but just to
Fessenden to say that he made the best defence of
Black Republicanism have yet heard Fessenden is
young Senator and young man. lie was formerly
! a Whig and represented a district in Maine in the
lower House of Congress- In the evolution of parties,
when Black Republicanism began to acquire strength
in the North, Fessenden taken up and elected TO
the Senate by a Legislature nomnaily Democratic.
He is infinitely the superior Of his colleague, Hamn,
and is in fact, more dangerous than Hale or Seward,
or Sumner. Hale is buf1oon and trler; Sew
ard and Sumner, though men of ability, are fanatics
| Fessenden is neither. He is cool, calm, earnest ad
vocate Of the tenets of his party--quich in debate
thoroughly informed-bold, and scrupulor&y fair and
courteous. For such antagonist Southern Senators
have respect He is loeman worthy Of their steel.
The side discussion, on Thursday, between Fessenden
on the one side and Brown and Pugh on the other,
was fine specimen of Senatorial digadiaton.
His colleague in the debate Wade of Ohio, deserves
no such terms of eulogy. He is the appropriate rep
resentative from Northern Ohioa region filled with
the worst type of emigrants from the New England
States. He is scarcely the superior OF old Glfdnss
in any respect and it is said owes his present posi-
ton solely to his personal prowess He is one OF the
few if not the only one of the prominent public men OF
the North, who accept the code of honor and recos
nzes their responsibility the field for any injury
they may intlict
The constitution of the Cabinet still continues to
he the engrossing theme Of conversation in political
circles. 1t has been semiotfioally denied by Gen.
Cass that he is to be Secretary of State nevertheless
the position WILL in all probability, be rendered to
him, and think he will accept it. Gen Cas- has
been so long in public station that retirement would
be the death of him. There are few Of our states
men who ever voluntarily retire to private life. MI
Clay Mr.. Calhoun, Mr. Webster and Mr.. Clayton, all
died in political harness and Col. Benton, old as he
+he
to the Senate FROM the next Legislature OF Missouri
Floyd Of Virginia, will also probably 90 into the
Cabinet As for the rest they will be selected here
l. and there principally from among the conservative
% old fogy wing Of the Democracy. Mr. Buchanan
with characteristic caution and timidty, will seek Il
y surround himself with men Of the same cast Of char
'r acter.
MI Hunter has been suggested as likely to to b
selected from the OLD Dominion-but NJ, Hunter ha
Is his eye on gtterIng prize than seat in tn
Cabinet In former days the oecretaryshp Of State wa
generally in the line succession for the Presidency
but in lacrtimes the best steppngstonc the Senate
d Mr. Hunter is statesman Of splendid abilities and
~ high character; and if the next Democratic cand
F date should be taken from the South, as will cctAnl
be the case if the Union survive long, Mr.. Huntt
of will very likely be the man.
nd Mr. Morse the new Commissioner to New Glen;
" da-who believe is a resident of your city-elt t'
DIS his destination yesterday. His principal bushes
it is said is to make satisfactory settlement OF OF
difficulties at Panama, and obtain some sutlcle>
-, guarantees Of the safety Of persons and proper
i transported across the Isthmus. This is all We
nal we'll but cannot help entertaining suspicion tn
gin the Administration is disposed to lend COVER
mcnt aid to the Panama than to the Nicaragua rout
f. The success Of Walker in Nicaragua is not suppos
e to be particularly agreeable to Mr.. Marcy and il
'o check can in any way he put upon the adVanceme
al. and prosperity Of the Nicaragua Republic so it
, by the legitimate exercise Of governmental power
dds it is not unlikely that it will be done.
be In this connection the late movements of Cornell
Mr.. Vanderbilt, of New Yorll-commonly called Conn
dore Vandcrbt-are very curious and sugSest
Vanderbilt it will he recolIected, was President of
" Nicaragua Transit Company at the time that Wall
m coniscatcl the property OF the company for the p
i,, ment Of heavy arear of debt due the GoVernmt
according to contract. This bold step on the part
ING Gen Walker stirred up the bile Of the Commodore
Her such an extent that he has ever since exhibited
most deadly hostility to the regeneration OF Mica
qua. All last spring and summer he was trequen
q d in this city and had several interviews with
y'S Marcy. The Government, however, did not go to
. extent that he wished in the matter and since tlc
is generally supposed that Vanderbilt has been
accessory before the fact to all the hostile moSemeI
oc leagues and combinations which have been prolcc
Inc in Central America and South America for the
h, termination Of Walker, and his election from pov
rwes This supposition is strengthened by the fact
jew Vanderbilt is immensely rich, having the conro
% nine or ten millions of capital, and the further
pes that none of the Central American States were
II such pccunialy condition as would justify the
"se arged plan of operations which they conceived
N. Walkers overthrow. 1t it be true, as has been
have pored that another New York slcculator has entt
hose the ring for the purpose Of heading Oft Vanderbi
'eAs equally as rich and equally as energctie--lo les
parsonage in fact than the great steamboat man, Ia
an unsuccessful politician and candidate for the
~ silcncy - Live Oak George Law-the contest
% fair to be one of great interest If 1t should he
nd j, ccrtible Of proof that Vanderbilt has rendered "
part, tetia aid to the enemies of Walker he will be 81
of that very violation of our neutrality laws aga
- g. which he acclaimed 50 vchemently last spring W
, recruits were sent to Walker from New York.
bon 1t was rumored here day or two ago that
10 for Fremont had sent Senator Toomhs, of George
erred challenge TO mortal combat. The report is Eenei
dishclieved. Mr.. Toombs has not yet made his apr
D., at ance in the Senate.