New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-14
PRIVATE BILL DAY-FILLIBUSTER EMI-
GRAFTON.
rom Our Own Correspondent.

Our Own correspondents
WASHINGTON, Saturday, April -, 1856.
This is no-day in Congress. Both the legislative
shops are shut up, and the honorable gentlemen"
behind the counters are taking their ease in their
inns, as the gentlemen with capon-lined paunches
used to do in the good old times. The work of the
present week has been pretty hard, but it mainly
consisted in an endeavor to keep quorum in either
wing Of the Capitol. The account of empty benches
has been more than beggarly; and yesterday the
Sergeant. at Arms of the House was directed to
call the roll among delinquent members who were
discussing politics and tOddies in the neighbOring
restaurants As this functionary profits to the
tune of considerable fee upon every recreant, and
therefore keeps sharp eye upon the haunts of
bibaciOus legislators, it is not at all surprising
with what facility the seats can be filled after such
On order has been issued. They collected as fast
as hungry patriots do at the AstOr House upon
sounding the dinner-gOng, and they are not slow
The habit of excusing absentees is simply reducing
the whole proceeding to bald farce. Members
should either be required to earn their per diem by
at least being present during the so-caed delibera
tons, or they should be punished when detected in
palpable neglect of every real and pretended duty
There ia but one practical and efficient remedy for
this growing evil, and that is to call the roll at the
hour Of meeting daily, and to publish the name OF
every absentee. Congress is now in the fifth
month of the session, and no public business OF any
consequence has yet been accomplished.
Nor is there a prospect that 1t will adjourn
before September, unless the threatened pesti-
lence should appear, and brings members to an
appreciation OF their neglected trusts. This
fragrant disregard of duty has become not only
notorious, but positively damaging. 1t costs the
country millions every year, In the shape OF i'm
proper appropriations hurried through during the
closing hours of session, besides the money
squandered in time deliberately frittered away.
Ii may serve good purpose to give some of these
idlers and lOungers the consequence OF publicity.
They should see themselves, rs others see them,
through such looking glass as THE TRIBUNE.
The temptation of the war against Costa Rca
has already been made manifest by the large and
sudden migration toward Nicaragua as ostensible
adventures. but really to join the standard of
Walker. While he confined his operations TO the
impoverished State Of Nicaragua there was no
haste to enlist. The needy riff-raff assembled
slowly, and were only driven to that resort by the
most deperate extremity. Now, however, that the
reputed riches of Costa Rica offer prize as an
inducement, they go out by battaliOns, and will
continue to gather strength as they go.
As every citizen enjoys the right of self eXpa-
triatiOn. SO long as these emgrants go without
violating our laws of neutrality, the Government
has no power to interfere or TO prevent their de-
parture. The intention to compromise the good
faith Of the Government must be known before
its authority can be asserted in restraining any
such enterprise. II is easy to foresee, whatever
may be the fate of Walkers present movement,
that the nucleus of regeneratng influence will
be planted in Central America which no ordinary
agency can dispOssess. This is the first signal for
the political redemption of That country, and the
basis OF that infusion of new blood, without which
the redemption is wholly mpracticable. Wherever
the AnglO-SaXOn race fixes its stakes there it 10
apt to keep them fixed until it becomes necessary
to move on further and to make Terminus peri
patetic divinity. We may lament the instrument
alities by which Destiny will be precipitated in the
present instance, but Fate has her mysteries, and
il ia no part of human province to solve them
When the Red Man was driven from his council
fires and his hunting-grOunds by the sons of the
Pilgrims and PuritaDs, humanity shuddered. But
today Christianity rejOces as the descendants of
both smoke the calumet of peace and worship
one God.
There ia no reason 10 suppose, that the 0vertures
made by Walker to England, for al alliance, will
be treated with any particular Difference. En-
gland desires, of course, 10 possess the lsthmus
passes but not at the hazard of contest with the
United States. She knows that under no cOndl-
ton of things can we permit those countries to
pass into the hands of foreign power, and she is
not ignorant that the attempt would be followed
by immediate and serious consequences. England
has her hands quite full enough with Central
America already, and the peace in Europe will
leave her in position to seek relief from present
difficulties, and to avoid all further or future COM
plicatiOns. A great change has come over the
spirit of her dream in the last six months, and
every days experience only more painfully demon
strates how the mighty have fallen. Her thoughts
are turned ON peace, and her voice no longer for
war. INDEX.
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