New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-04-18
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
FR or EouR sPEGIAL 20 OR EEsPoMDEN.

WASHINGTON, April 10, 1856
& The sessions Of the Senate, on Monday and Tues
day, were occupied mainly by MI. Geyer, Of Missouri,
in a strong national and conservative speech Mr..
Geyer is at present the only Senator from Missouri
the Legslature having failed to elect successor to
Mr.. Atchison.s AS the gist Of the Black Republican
agitation consists in the alleged invasion Of Kansas by
tia border ruifians Of Missouri it was very proper
that Mr.. Geyer should be heard on the subject In
addition he is one of the best constitutional lawyers
in the country his practice in the Supreme Court
being greater than that Of any ether member of the
bar His speech occupying two days in its delivery,
mastery production. His views Of the recipro-
cal relations Of the government and the institution Of
slavery were profound, bold and unansWerable. He
is not much of orator. in the ordinary meaning Of
the ord--but he commanded the closest atteltion
from the Senate and the crowded galleries from the
commencement to the close. '32c
Z Yesterday we had a reply from the /" magnus
Apollo )of Black Repubiicanism, William q. Seward
Seward has more brains, as well as more tact and
cunning, than all Of the balance of his party COM
bined. He is not SO Fabid in the expression of his
views as most others on his side, but lie is far more
deep and designing, and his Interior purposes much
more wicked. He speaks fuently and well, and was
listened to with great deal Of interest. His main
position was that Kansas should be admitted into the
Union under the revolutionary Topeka constitution,
On Monday the House was entertained with
South Carolina speech from Mr.. Keitt of that State
The politics Of South Carolina, as you know, are
5eminently peculiar transc endental and incompre-
hensible. Mr.. Keitt entered into an extrayagant
eulogy Of slavery and roYed the AboGonists up salt
river He also declared himself in favor Of the
denomination of Gen. Pierce, and pronounced the
modern Democratic principle Of one term only for
Presidents to be a great humbug. He speaks with
great ease and uency, and some Of his passages were,
indeed, brilliant. He is very young man, and being
true exponent Of South Carolina politics is destined
i think, to attain high honors in his party. .4
Mr.. Zollicoffer, of Tennessee, followed on Tuesday,
in reply to his colleague, Mr. Smith, who attacked
him a few daysago. The unfortunate Mr. Smith was,
asI predicted, completely demolished Nothing but
small grease spot now indicates the place where he
has been heretofore found 1t is true whenever his
name is called in the roll, sepulchra voice is heard
speaking feebly "Aye or but as for any vital
ity being left in him. do not think it could be dis
coveredwith what the younger Weller denominated
"a double hextry fortyhorse power telescope" Mr..
Zollicoer also made able defence Of the American
"a copy. 0 e
a memorial from the bogus Legislature Of Kansas
was presented in the Senate, few daysago ,purport-
ing be from the "Senate and House Of Representa-
tVes of the State Of Kansas" Mr.. Butler and others
said that not being aware Of the existence Of any such
State they would vote against receiving and printing
the memorial The intervention of o special order
interrupted the debate and the question has not yet
been disposed of.
Some time since the House passed resolution call
ing the President to communicate to Congress any
information he might have touching the Central
American question. It was known that important
movements were going on in Central America, in
which this government would be deeply interested.
On yesterday the President sent in message saying
that nothing had been received at the State De-
partmen relative to this subject and that consequent
ly he had nothing to communicate! Think of that !!
Nothing new taking place in Central America YER
lily, Mr. Marcy is one of the oldst and seepest of old
fogies Events ofstartling and
following each other in quick succession in all parts
of Central America, and yet Mr.. Marcy has nothing
on the subect This, too in the face Of the fact
that war has been declared between Costa RIGA and
Nicaragua-that diplomatic relations have been sus-
pended between the Nicaraguan government and Mr..
Wheeler our Minster-and that Cornelius Wander
bit has been besegng the State Department for four
weeks in relation to the difficulties of the Transit
Company? I would like to know what Mr.. Marcy
considers "new." / wonder if he has yet heard Of
the war of the Revolution? But his aversion to new
things is not recent action. 1t dates back to the
time when, as Governor of New York, he charged
the State half dollar for patch upon his old panta
looms, rather than indulge himself in the luxury of
new pair.
The truth is, our Government has determined to
have nothing to do with the Ncaraguan revolution in
any manner or form. 1t has thrown cold water upon
it from the very beginning. And as this has been
done at the instigation of Mr.. Marcy, the prmus Ell
prnceps" of an Administration distinguished for its
bungng management Of our foreign affairs, its feeble
ness and imbecility ii 4uz
An important constitutional question was decided
in the Supreme Court yesterday, affirming the right
of the President to commute the punishment of
criminal under that clause of the Constitution Which
gives him the power to " grant reprieves and par
| dons." During the Presidency of Mr.. Fillmore
man named Wells was convicted of murder in this
city, and sentenced to be hung. Mr.. Fillmore, com
muted the punishment to Imprisonment forlfe, if thu
prisoner would accept the condition. The prisone
| on the ground that the President had no constitu
tional power to commute punishment or to grant
conditional pardon The Circuit Court refused t.
discharge the prisoner on this ground, and an appea
was taken to the Supreme Court of the United States
The Court yesterday held that the President had sucl
power, and that it was within the meaning of tb'
constitutional clause on that subject. Justice Mclean
alone dissented.
The Connecticut election has resulted in the defea
of the Democrats Notwithstanding the visit of three
Congressional missionaries from this city.
A law was passed by the last Legislature of Viz
gina requiring all outward bound vessels from tn
rivers and harbors to be searched, with the view Q
preventing the escape of runaway slaves. Most Q
the fugitive slaves from Virginia have escaped by &C
ing off in Yankee vessels which sail on her waters
and the law was necessary as a measure of proteo
ton. Three days ago the captain of the schoone
Maryland from New York, refused to submit to tn
Search and in consequence the crew has been seized
and the vessel carried into Norfolk. Great excite
ment exists on the subject. 1t will probably give ris
TO long and interesting controversy. It is much
be feared that the whole affair will be made ridiculor
by the crazy proceedings of the lunatic Governor
| Virginia.
| A bill to remit duties on goods, wares and me
chandise destroyed by fire, passed the Senate Tue
day, and it is expected will pass the House withol
difficulty. ESSEX.
P.s-The Senate Is o'clock P. NJ has just d