Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-10
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP


ASSAULT Tho editor of the junior organ
Of the administration was severely caned by
Major Heiss, late Of the senior organ, yester-
day afternoon, in front Of Willard's Hotel
We did not learn the cause of the attack
We have to say that this statement is
wholly destitute of foundation in truth.
The truth is as follows, viz On going into
Willard's to dinner on Thursday afternoon
and passing in front Of tho Office, we were
overtaken by John P. Heiss, who has recent
ly returned from Nicaragua, coming with the
Padre Vigel according to the newspapers.)
As be was passing US We gave him q friendly
sslutatiOn as usual, having been up to that
moment on as friendly relations with him as
with any man living, as far as We had any
knowledge of his sentiments from his course
towards US or otherwise. His reply to our salu-
tation was an oath and denuncation, follow
cd by blow on the head from heavy blud-
geon which felled US to the ground. By
ISLANDERS Immediately rushed in, and tho Hon.
Mr.. Spinner Of New York. seized him by the
arms behind. holding him thus, whilo others,
We know not whom, raised US up, covered
with blood from the blow. To have properly
retaliated even such blow from q powerful
man given under such circumstances, he
being In the hands of those who had iuterfered,
would have deprived US Of the plea of self.
defence, and subjected US to the charge of
manslaughter, position in which we were
not disposed to place ourself
On leaving the hotel, after cleansing the
blood from our person and dining, we wore
met by Officer Boss, who informed Us that on
going to the hotel shortly after this occurrence,
he was met by the assailant, who remarked
to him that he supposed be (the officer vas
looking for him; and that he answered that
he (Hiess) had probably better 20 with hir {.
They proceeded Immediately 10 the Office of
Justice Stevens, where j. P. Heiss gave bonds
to answer at the Criminal Court for this act
On that act We do not choose to make com.
ment, leaving the reader to judge of it from
the facts we state above, and leaving the very
appropriate tribunal before which it SO prompt
ly found its way without our agency, to deal
with it according 20 its judgment on its deserts
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Col
Manypenny, the Hon. Mr.. Spinner, and other
gentlemen saw all that passed, and we refer
10 them as witnesses that we here only state
the simple truth concerning the affair
We hear that We were thus assailed for the
publication OF the following article, which ap-
peared in the Star of the day before yester-
day:
TIE PADRE VIGsL.-We are not a little
mi All ut f., ott. IL:
with which the fllibustering press lust now
are filed. There seems to be no end to the
wonderful stories concerning him the newspa-
pers are manufacturing, the most amusing of
which is, that he claims TO be an Aueyic1ru
rather than Roman Catholic priest; or, in
other words, that he scouts the discip inc of
the only Catholic Church known as the Catho-
lie Church In ChristeDdom-tbat is, the &C Ro-
man Catholic Church, Without pretending
to enter into a disquisition upon its claims to
be the only real Catholic Church, the intelli-
gent and well informed reader will bear us
out In saying that the priest who denies the
binding force of its discipline is always de-
Prlved quickly of the functions Of its ministry
1.-The Padre Vigel, at home was mixed M
with the revolutionary party, and became one
OF the few native partizans Ct the fllibusters;
going to the length Of inviting the perform
ance o. Protestant service in the church i'm
dranada under his pastoral charge. Had there
been any thing like ecclesiastical authority
IN existence in Nicaragua during Walkers
rule, OF course the Padre Vicel would have
been depOsed from bis living as summariIy as
an Episcopalian minister among us would be
deposed tor Offering his pulpit to a Methodist
or Baptist preacher for Offering his tn 4 Uni.
tartan or Universalist So he is, in the eyes
OF all true Roman Catholics Of every country.
no longer entitled to administer tie functions
Of their priesthood. In this country, while
aarv -laI,,
macy In Rome, they all look TO Rome. and
only to Rome, for theiT church disipIine. as
well as their doctrine and not q man of then,
can regard the Padre Eigel as being aught.
enthusiastically, than an uufrOcked priest. We
may truthtully add, that the stories told in
the pro-filibusteriDg newspapers of the great
influence OF this gentleman at home, his re-
Inarkaole talents, nc arc on par with the
bogus accounts of his present position in the
church He may be a very worthy man per-
sonally, for aught We know but we are yery
sure that up to the time he permitted his hatred
for his Government to load him to unfrock
himself, he was quite Us obscure as any other
pastor in the city of Granada. All the fuss
being made over him, personally in the news-
papers is therefore mere humbugpery, " of A
piece" with the accounts of the condition Of
things IN Nicaragua which are transmitted
from thence to aid the waning cause of the
hllibusters.''
In conclusion, we have only TO remark fur
Their, that habitual mis-statements of the per-
sonal affairs Of parties opposed to it in politics
so grossly and malieiOusly false as this, that
makes it our duty to ourself to allude to the
affair in the STAR is one of the prime causes
Why the Washington Organ fails to enjoy the
confidence. respect and patronage of its politi-
cal friends in this community; who preferring
manly opponent to a nominal friend so sneak
ing and disreputable in its practices, patronize
me Star in its stead; until its the Organ 81 ad-
'ernans business has fallen away to nothing,
ana i's circulation has so duindled down, that
according to notice in it's issue of Yesterday.
its agents in Washington are throwing up the
management Of their routes in disgust, as
business that won t pay FOR the shoe leather
worn out in is prosecution.
Mr.. Ravens Letter letter from M,
H. - u~,.. of