The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-01-02
coseREss-To the infinite disgust of the en-

personalities are still engaged IN the puerlle ano
improbable advertisement Of balletlng Tor 9
, presiding officer. The house yet remains un
organized. and the question of the speakershiF
is as complicated as ever. This is the fifteenth
, day since the meeting of congress, and the
!: legislation of the country has been retarded
: that length of time, in consequence of the per
. tnacity with which the several party factions
hold OH to their respective candidates, vel
t knowing, that without effeetng some combina.
tion neither can succeed. The patience Of the
country is getting exhausted, and the sensibili-
ties Of the people sorely tried by the factious
and disorganizing spirit which controls then
representatives At this particular time the
public mind is unusually agitated, and in a
state of profound soicitude. as well from the
condition Of our domestic affairs; particularly
in the northwest, where the supremacy of the
laws has been condemned, and the peace and
good order of society outraged, as from the
uncertain and precarious state Of our foreign
relations. The people want to know how long
violence and ruffianism are to predominant over
law and order in Kansas, unchecked by the in
tervention Of the proper authorities; and they
are in state of still more painful anxiety to
know what credit is to be given to the rumors
that are current of serious misunderstanding
and difficulties with Great Britain. These are
excltable topics of public discussion, in which
the peace and welfare of the country, and par
tlcularly our widely extended and unprotected
commercial interests are intimately involved.
The presidents message would allay all ex-
element, and remove all suspense. 1t would
as matter of course, furnish all the informa-
ton which could with propriety be communi-
Gated on all subjects in which the people have
an interest; and yet this information is kept
from those to whom il legitimately belongs by
the refractory and reprehensible conduct Of the
members of congress in perversely resisting an
organization.
The high standard Of congressional qualifca-
tons has very materially deteriorated of late
years. The general run of congressman can
scarcely be regarded as fair representatives of
the virtue, intelligence or decency of their con-
sttuences Congressional associations have
rarely the effect of improving the mind or
mending the heart, or even imparting any in
struction or improvement in the ethics of morals
Or manners. Ignorance, corruption, and vul-
garity are as prevalent in the halls of congress
as they are in our State legislative assemblies;
and this is saying great deal.
The question may well be asked, is-there no
way ofremedyng the evil, of elevating the stan
dard of intelligence and morals, and assmila-
ting our national legislature to what it was in
the primitive and vrtuous days of the repub-
lie?
1t may SO happen, that as political morals de-
generate, and representatives become more OBJ
Iivious of their public obligations, the problem
may be started, should not DELINQUENT mem
bers of congress be made more Immediately
accountable to their constituencies; and in a
more summary manner than the present mode |
of testing their popularity by elections every
two years, be made amenable to reproof and
correction, when they wantonly abuse their
trust TCom. Bull.
Our FOREIGN RELAT1oNs.-We learn from
the N. Y. Journal of Commerce, that a report
was current in that city, that the British minis
ter, Mr.. Champion, had been dismissed in con-
sequence of the. British government having
refused to make the required explanations
n regard to the alleged violation of our
neutrality laws by that gentleman. The Phi
adelphia Ledger in noticing the above report
says We doubt whether any such action has :
yet been taken, though we hear from a source
likely to be well informed, that the correspond r
,ncc between the two governments On this and !;
he Central American question approached 9
nearer suspension of diplomatic relations be- .
ween them than was generally supposed. On
his subject, "Ion," the reliable Washington .
of the Baltimore Sun, says:
The response Of the British government to =
be demands of Mr.. Marcy for redress on &C !,
count Of the Violation of our sovereignty by -
gents Of that government, is not eyasive, as r
las been stated, but is so far argumentative
hat it requires reply. It meets the question
'ut instead of complying with our demands Il
or redress, argues that no offense. has been r.
aven, and also discaims the intention of CIV s.
n offense. 1t is for our own government to a
ccept this as an apology, or to prove that we a.
ave been insulted and insist upon satisfaction. u
t is not very probable that we shall, in the t(
curse of the correspondence, which has thus IL
ssumed new shape, obtain any further con- u
essons. If not from this source, from some q
Their, threatening foreign question may soon VI ',
pring up, which will hasten the organization 81
tue house and throw the Kansas war into =.
le shade. tt
---~~0-~-~-------.0-o-.-o- . la
MORE BLACK MAIL-It seems that the more ia
lametul example of the administration in le- p
ylng tax on the government employees to az
e used for purposes of bribery and corrup- G
on, has been followed by others in authority.
D doubtin compliance with instructions from cl
cad quarters. The New York Times gives O,
lie following instance Of another resort to This So
lameful means for the promotion of foul
2ject: .---. -" IL. .-.s#
Thursday last was pay day at the custom re
ouse. Salaries were wanted wanted forcoal Je
lis and winter clothing, and millinery and furs )"
+ the women, warm wrapping for the chill " "
EN-, warm shelters for all hands Thursday Vi
as rent day too, and landlords are impatient. IN
ever, consequently, was the face of the tax 50
'llsctor more offensive and frigidly unwel- az
me than when the proper authorised au- Ia "a,
critics announced to all and singular, the sl
ersy and laity of of the customs, that fifteen en-
r cent of the whole sum due each man must &c &c
!, devoted to the election fund: in otherwords II
at out ofevery $1,000 salary paid, $50 must an
} into the pockets of Cochrane, Rynders d u
D, for the behoof of Tammany hall. - an
And this is Pierce democracy se - IN
SOUTHERN Pacific RAILRoAD-The provi- 1t