Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-21
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Ex-SEcRErARr MARCY AND SECRETARY

WAsHINGToN, May II, 1S57-It is said that
Mllnam Il: Marcy, former Secretary of the De
Bdlnen' oil state, is about going over to the Black
Republicans, and is, at thi IN Sment, meditating
the step. This information comes from arI-
thoIlty mere entitled to considerable credit, and
with such concurrent evidence that, altogether, l.
am not disposed to treat the matter lightly. =,
We find the letter of which the above is the
opening clause in the columns OF the South,
with as much regret as we saw therein not long
since letter from Georgia, making an on
slaught upon the Hon. Howell Cobb. This re-
greet arises not because we entertain the idea
that it is possible to breed dissensiOns of moment
in the ranks of the Democracy at this time, but
because we deplore the publication of aught in
any Democratic press likely, in our view. to
initiate against the true interests of our section
of the Confederaey. The cause of the south is
surely deeply involved in the harmony and con-
tinued ascendancy of the Democratic party
while the latter 5 affairs are administered upon
the principles with reference 10 the slavery
question, which are no less clearly those of the
present than of the last administration.
The correspondent from whom we quote
above. on the strength of an it-is-said" story.
and deserved praises for the ability. frmness
and integrity of his administration of the State
Department showered upon him even by the
opposition press of the North (now that he is
again private citizen labOrs to create the i'm
preston that the Hon. VIM. l.. Marcy is about
to leave the Democracy and become a member
of the Republican party! Now, we have to say
that he has been most eSregiously imposed
upon. Few persons know VIM. l.. Marcy bet
ter than ourself. and we know we'll that he has
DO m i1poa of hud vir ,,,b g..
hOnored political faith on which few have re-
iected greater credit than himself, than of emf
grating to kamschatka for the balance of his
life lie of the south, who, upon the faith in
such statements and surmises as we find in the
| letter on which we are commenting. imagines
| that VIM. l.. Marcy has not always been and
| will not always be true man in his politics.
knows too little of the history of the public men
of this era to be competent to judge them in
! telligibly and reliably.
| We may not inappropriately add. that quite
/ as little good for the south is to be achieved by
| Democratic assaults on the Hon. Howell Cobb
! such as those embraced in the Georgia letter to
which we refer, as upon Gov. Marcy. Mr. Cobb
holds his present position, with, if we remember
correctly, nearly the unanimous appreciation
!
OF Congress, whose candidate he was for the most
part, tor the post of Secretary of State, when it
was Judged here that President Buchanan had
determined to select that officer from southern
| state. They advocated the policy Of placing
him In position SO distinguished and response
BILE, because, though widely differing from him
a lew years since, they have entire confidence
In his unhinching devotion to the rights of the
south IN the great controversy upon the slavery
question now raging, in his stern personal in
tegrity, his sagacity, intelligence and never
failing allegiance in other things, great and
small, to the time-honOred political principles
Of Thomas Jefferson.
! We were among those most sternIy and &C.
lively opposed to the organization with which
Mr.. Cobb acted at home shortly before being
elected Governor of Georgia. Yet we advocated
his advancement to his present position with all
our heart and soul, knowing well that his sub
sequent career gave him a fair title to the con-
fdence and support of all who desire to have
the Government Of the United States continue
to be administered in good faith upon the Gin
cinnati platform, upon the maintenance of
which in ascendency we sincerely believe the
Union hangs. Surely, Mr.. Buchanan Mr..
Cobb, and all the rest of the Government here
are discharging their duties so that no reason
| able southern man has cause of complaint
great or small. That this is the unanimous
opinion Of the States-Rights Democracy of the
! south, IS evident in the fact that, except a
single correspondent of single Journal, no other
Individual has published line through any
other southern democratic journal against a
single act or sentiment in connection with the
slavery question, of any member of the present
| Government.
We had not intended to have written so much
on this subject, but the &C ;ason demands it at our
hands, We think; SO we will strike out nothing.
do not wisdom, patriotism and good faith re-
qulre OF US all who claim identity with the States
Rights democracy to accord to the administration
afuli, frank, hearty support? Has it budged an
inch from the professions Of the inaugural upon
the slavery question! And does not its each
succeeding act, so far, serve to increase the re-
spect and confidence which all Democrats should
place In it! We are glad to have it in our
power to write thus of it, for we have been and
shall continue to be jealousy watchful in be-
half Of Southern rights as likely to be affected
by the action Of either branch of the Federal
Government.
AMisrAkE-The Union, this morning, says:
| Commodore Mervine, of the Pacific Squad ron
| has addressed letter to the editor of the New
| iork Commercial Advertiser, in which he vim
| dlcates himself from the charges contained in
pamphlet recently published by the American
| duano Company with regard to the practicabiIity
| OF enecting landing at Bakers Island whittier
| ne was dispatched last year to examine the AL
| legged guano deposits. lie contends that a land.
Ing Is Impossible at the season Of the wear, when
MS snip was in the vicinity Of the island, &c.n
Our friend of the the Union, we perceive, is
not posted as to the real facts involved in this
controversy. The letter of Commodore Mer-
vine referred to in the above extract, was writ.
ten at Panama few days before there arrived
there some six tons of guano from Bakers
Island, loaded at the very season of the year
during which, according to Commodore NJ, it is
utterly impossible to land on the island The
six tons were part of the cargo of 100 tons load.