, 1856-05-02
Yours in haste.
WASHINGTON, CRY, D. c.,
FebruaTv 9, 1856.

Y February 3, 1856.
Ny DEAR FRIEND-The California mail
closes tomorrow at 2 P. NJ, and cannot
resist the inclination to give you hearty,
though autographed, shake Of the hand
and watt you my heart-warm New Years
greetings.
Two months since arrived at the Capt.
tai City, and, with thousands for my COM
pany in anxiety, have waited patiently and
impatiently for the organization of the
House and not till to-day, on the l33d
ballot, was the long agony ended, in the
election Of Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts,
The House, as you have read ere this, is
divided politically as follows l10 Black
Republicans, 10 Democrats and 81 Know
Nothings Mr.. Banks is of the former
stripe, hence his election will be considered
as the signal, or in fact the greatest tri-
umph ever attained by the Abolition party,
(for Black Republcanism and Abolition
ism are Synonymous terms.) >And while it
Is matter Of rejoicing to large portion Of
the North, it is, on many accounts, source
Of sincere regret, not only to the whole
South, but to the conservative and national
Of both sections, and all parties in politics
But everybody is glad that a speaker is
elected. It will be, however, some days
before the work Of legislation proper will
commence, as the officers of the House
have to be elected, and the committees ap-
pointed. There is vast amount of work
before the House, accommodating as it has
been for sixty days. But the House has q
great deal Of practical working talent.
am happy to say that our Delegate in
Congress, Hon. ]. Parton ANDERSON, is
ven, and constantly at his post, ready, able,
and determined to advocate the wants Of
his constituency, and SO to present the
claims Of our Territory to Congress, that
they shall receive immediate action. In
my daily intercourse with him, / am more
end more persuaded thes he has at heart
the welfare Of our great Territory, and the
success and prosperity Of str inhabitants
He will use his utmost e;fertion TO have the
appropriations made by the last Congress
for establishing Light houses at Cape
Flattery, Duuginess, and Smiths Island
take effect immediately !" and at the ear
lest day possible, will introduce bill es-
tabliShing one at Point Wilson, at the en-
trance Of Admiralty Inlet.
The settlement Of the boundary line ques-
tion-the appointment Of commissioners to
settle the affairs Of the Puget Sound Agri-
cultural and Hudson's Bay Companies
claims or interests in our Territory, are
measures which will receive his earnest ad-
vocacy-in which, as in every measure
having the Development and good Of the
EOrth,west Territory for an object, he will
be ably seconded by the Hon, JosEPH LANE,
Delegate from Oregon, Steamboat in him
sslf, and decidedly one of the most respect
cd, popular and influential members of the
present Congress.
In relation to mail facilities--the chief
Of our citizens wants--COl ANDERSON and
myself have not been inactive. On our ar
rival here, we made It our principal and
first business to call on the. Postmaster
General, and with such charts Of the Ter
ritory es we had been able to procure, and
what verbal Information we could give him,
endeavored to convince him Of the absolute