New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-27

diplomatic intercourse, Tor DeitDef uOfei iii7u
Will trust that to the wires. We hs'e Ans no use
for The lire, or very resr to nO-e.
But, it is argued, We cannot send what few mes-
ssges we may have until Great Britain is served.
urless we nGw agree to pay SO OOO per annum.
The memorandum Of the British Government says
no such thing. II simply declares the United
States shall not stand upon az equality with Great
Britain ia transmitting messages unless our Gov
ernmen. nal Is an agreement with the Company
similar in principle to that made by TIE English
Government Is that o stipulation that the sum
paid by each shall be equal7 The British author-
ties were no such fools as to pretend that the tele
Graph in question YVES to be OF much use 10 this
Government az 10 that. We doubt very much
whether The parties 10 the existing ding
ever supposed this Government would do more
than furnish such aid 10 the enterprise as could be
afforded by some Of our war steamers How
could they have supposed this Government would
give an equal annual grstuiy with England to a
private company, for service which every man
can see cannot possibly amount TO tenth Of that
required by the British Government
All that the United States need do TO obtain
all the advantages Of the contract made by En-
gland, Is 10 do what everybody would be glad
to see them do, did in laying down the cable, and
pay for the service Of the line in proportion to the
use made Of it. To do more than this is simply to
egislate the public money into the pockets of pr-
solely, and without any good reason for the act.
But all views that do not embrace the idea Of q
lavish expenditure Of the public money for all sorts
Of magnificent objects, are reckOned narrow III tbes
laiitudes. Economy in administration ia no lOnge
esteemed virtue The Treasury bags are too full
J. s. P.
From Our Own Correspondent. an
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Jan. o. 1851.
We have access once more TO civilization. The
,nOw sejge is rased the railroads are thawed out;
accumulated mails come, Ike great leyiathau',
founderipg along, and the cold term has in
yited truce. During the week in which Wash
rgton has been barricsded with drifts there has
been little fdgid excitement, growing out Of the
proceedings before the sitting InqaisiOn. But thai
subsidized within twenty four hour,, and people are
now more interested in knowing what happened in
the outer world during this suspension of inter
cOurse, than in the results Of personal matter
which no longer has the attraction OF novelty. A
State prisoner is curiosity however familiar may
have been his proportions 90 private person, uu-
til The first morbid taste has been gratiiied. Afer
that he soon settles down into former individuality
In discussing the bill for enforcing testimony,
much stress was Ibid in the Senate yesterday upon
the invasion Of constitutional and personal rights,
and The danger Of the principle ingralted. Tae bill
may be imperfect in some of lis details aud this
was conceded by it's peculiar friends. But no man
will pretend to deny, unless it was designed to
render the pending investigation just such
farce as oil IFS predecessors have proved to be, that
some efficient agent was necessary to carry it out
properly now. If it be defective or OppressiVely
stringent, public opinion, the great reyiser of law
in this country, will soon suggest remedy. There
was force in some of the amendments proposed by
Mr.. Seward, and in some Of the objections urged
by Mr.. Pugh, but every body knows that the inten
ton of the act would have been practically de-
feated by protracted legal refnements between the
two Houses. There are those who believe that
this very law instead of asserting any increase of
power on the part of Congress, really limits that
which already exists in either House to punish for
contempt of its authority. But that power I'M
defined as il is, never has been exercised with ell
feet, and never could be, while the public sympa-
tlly would always take but one direction in con-
troversy between Congress and an individual.
Hence the necessity OF drawing the line, fixing the
penalties, and describing the obligations OF wit
nesses.
The President has abandoned hi, intention of
visiting Cuba after the 4th of March. a sea voy-
age il pronounced hazardous TO the health OF MIS-.
Pierce, aid the family will therefore seek repose IN
some retired part of the South, until the Transition
TO New England may be made without danger. 1t
is probable that Aiken, in South Carolina, VIII be
chosen for their sojourn.
In consequence of the severe burns which Judge
Daniel suffered at the time of the fatal accident to
his WIFE in the effort to extlnguish the fames, he
has not since then attended the Supreme Court or
received am company. For this reason there has
been no formal consultation the Missouri case,
and il is scarcely probable that Judgment Will be
pronounced until near the expiration of the Term.
II is now doubtful if any general measure Tor Inc
Improvement or extension of Ocean Mail service
will be adopted at this Session. The bill which
Gen. Rusk reported last Session, limiting the pay
for This service 10 that allowed the Cunard line,
and giving discretion TO the POstmasterG General and
secretary of the Navy to determine the routes,
while encouraging an extension of those on this
Continent lies on the table OF the Committee, ana
without any disposition being manifested to give II
vitality. On this as upon other projects OF National
LEGISLATION. there seems to be either Indifference
or q desire for pOstpOnement until the advent oil
the new Administration The House Committee
have repeatedly met, and often without a quorum.
The Chairman and minority are n favor OF OPEN
inc the Ocean service TO the same mode OF cOnpe-
ttion that is observed for land service. Others
different plans, so thst there Is no concert OF
opinion. and hardly likely to be any well devised
project. Mr.. Barclay is now preparing report,
PARTIALLY founded upon inquiries addressed Ia the
Postmaster. General, whose answer has been sent
to TIE TRIBUNE, in which his endesvOr will be to
how the great benefits conferred upon the country
by the Collins line. the saving TO the Government
in hostages and the like and the consequent duty Of
purchasing the steamers, or Of putting them upon
more advantageous footing. Mr.. Collins is upon
the ground endeavOring to bring Congress tn a
recognition of what he regards as obligations re-