Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-19

was the acknowledged chief of an emigrating
party, and was, to all appearances, q reliable
and responsible man.
"By existing regulations Of the War De-
partment, officers in these departments are al
lowed to sell to persons emigrating to Califor-
mia such stores as the state of the public sup.
plies wilfpcrmit, and with the conc urrence of
Brevet Major General Brooke, they sold to
the said French as follows ordnance stores
81 ,02l o., quartermaster's stores S519 93t,
subsistence stores SAG 90; for which said
French gave them separate drafts upon How
land q Aspinwall, of New York, which drafts,
having been forwarded for collection, were
protested for non acceptance. 1t was then
discovered that the letter of credit exhibited
by French was forgery, and all his represen-
tations were false. Several Of the best mer-
chants of San Antonio were at the same time,
and in the same manner imposed upon for
large amounts Of money, DC, and the impos-
tor has fed beyond the reach of law. 1t is
apparent that these petitioners in all these
transactions exercised due diligence, acted
under the instruction of their commanding
general, and that the money was lost without
any fault of theirs. The committee therefore,
recommend bill for their relief, authorizing
and directing the proper accounting officers
of the Treasury to credit their accounts the
several amounts Of which they were respec-
lively defrauded."
We need hardly add that a grosser impro-
priety could not be committed, than an act on
the part of the Government of the United
States, whereby an individual, standing as
French does on the records Of Congress, should
be received as foreign Minister at W ashing-
ton; thus officially placing all the many worthy
gentlemen, who represent foreign powers here,
on a social footing or level with him.
We therefore feel assured that even though
Walkers government, by maintaining itself
in power in Nicaragua, may eventually be
necessarily recognized" by that Of the United
States, it is utterly impossible that this Mr.
French can be received here as its diplo
matte representative. The moral perceptions
and sensiblities of public opinion have, Of late
years, we know, been becoming blunter and
more obtuse, day by day. But American
public opinion has not yet arrived at that
condition of moral obfuscation that would
justify French's reception by the authorities
here, even if they were so inclined; which lat
ter contingency, as a matter of course, is
among things that are impossible.
The Political and Social Equality Of the
Races and their Amalgamation.-We are
glad to have it in our power to record the fact
that Mr.. Banks yesterday repudiated lin the
debate) with emphasis, and, really, horror, as
it were, the sentiments and words published
as his in the official report of the proceedings
in the House hall on Saturday last That he
uttered those identical words on that occasion,
we believe was never questioned until yester-
day, if then. That in their length and breadth
they represented his individual sentiments,
we never believed, because he is a man of
cultivated and ell-balanced mind, and must
know that as criticism on the comparative
capacities and character of the white and
black races, they are simply the views of
total ignorance Of the history and physical
characteristics Of the human race and blind
fanaticism combined, disgraceful in these days
of general enlightenment to any one who has
had the opportunity to become well-informed
man. Though such sentiments, when uttered
by persons who owe their connection with
American public affairs wholly to their adroit-
ness in playing upon the most brutal pre-
JUDGES and the ignorance of the blind
est and most prejudiced portion of the people
of this country may be very good bunkum for
the ends they have in view, and though fear
of their lash may induce many honorable
gentlemen to remain silent when such indi-
Viduals in their midst are striving to emblazon
thaun 81 L. IL
party to which they profess allegiance, the
idea that such a man as Mr.. Banks is, would
receive and utter them as his personal senti-
ments, is too revolving to be credited for a
moment. We were, therefore, satisfied, that
as soon as he came to realize that on Saturday
last he had permitted himself to be worked up
to the point of proclaiming as his views the
most disgusting m0nstrosities that have char
acterized the Abolition idiosyncracies of Mr..
Giddings, in the hall, he would revolt from
them with horror, as he did yesterday.
1t is bad enough in all conscience that a
great party like the Republicans of the House.
should, for seven long weeks, york (chafng
under the lash of Mr.. Giddings. and the ever
O'CA SSOih6 VI WI oISclcyD W
force on the House, under the penalty of an
entire destruction-stOppage- the Govern
ment, programme for its organization drawn
up by his (Mr. Gidding's) own hand-as he
declared in the Ashtabula letter-and based
on the peculiar ideas of the fitness Of things
he has so pertinaciOusly ding donged into the
public ear for some twenty sessions past,
through the Congressional Globe, at the cost
Of the public treasury-it is bad enough that
all this should occur, without having the ad-
ditional stigma resting upon our legislative
history, that would be involved in having the
record of an accomplished, learned, and dig
nifed member like Mr.. Banks, remain stained
with the sentiments involved in Saturday s
report of his remarks In these days we
know public men will go to great lengths
for party. But for the honor of our country
we rejoice that Mr.. Banks, in his cooler mo-
ments, has declared his unwillingne.s to 90 to
the extreme length of that neculiar &C tatbar,,