The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-28

j. Conversation the 18th inst, Mr.. Benjam
a reported to the senate bill for making IL
g provements, by contract, OF the Missouri, Mi
if sissippi, Ohio and Arkansas rivers Mr.. Be
d iamin remarked that, at the last session bill
S were referred to the committee on commerce
: provide for such objects. The committee b
: ing unable to agree on the subject, no repo
# was then made The propositions in those bill
S were to advertise for certain number of hane
4 to do the work of removing various obstru
7 tons in those rivers by contract, but the con
f mittee found great difficulties in the way
such system, and accordingly reported tb;
t now before the senate, the consideration whic
: we would ask at an early day. The bill pre-
poses to have the western rivers divided int
convenient sections, and then advertise, by cor
tract, for the removal of all distractions to tn
navigation of each section, whether from snags
stumps, logs, sunken rocks, or Of whatever ma
ture, in either of the main channels leading t.
the various ports and landings. 1t provide
that no money shall be paid on any contrac
until the entire work undertaken shall be com
pleted and inspected by suitable officers of tb'
typographical corps of engineers. The bill in
cludes various appropriations, which do not ex
coed 81 $1,000 per annum for five years. Fol
that sum the committee have ascertained thai
contracts could certainly be made, by which al
these western rivers could be kept entirely
clear from these distractions, at present so de-
structive to life and property. At the end OF
five years, when these rivers are to be delivered
up to the general government, entirely free
from distractions, continuous appropriation of
one-third that sum will keep them clear.
The Washington Star, semi-offical organ
of the Pierce administration, states that the Or
ders issued by secretary Marcy to commence
er, in behalf of the Nicaragua transit company,
amount to mere moonshine. Vanderbilt has
commenced a private suit against those parties,
which is docketed in the name of 'the president
of the United States" and green newsgathers
the'legal term literally, caused the
bogus news to be sent over the country on the
wings Of the lightning. The Star adds that
5he recent meeting in the New York taberna-
lie, to raise men and money for Walker, was
grand failure. Not man of the real public
men OF the country, announced to speak on the
occasion, attended,. the spouting being left to
'ur redoubtable friend Rynders ct id omne ge-
lus fillbuster. Some $500 in money was
and perhaps $500 collected; and it
vas duly made public, to the evident chagrn
# the sympathizers that, 'that white -livered
olltlcan, Marcy''-as they are fond of desic-
atlng the sheet anchor of the future of our
ountry's integrity and safe progress-had
Town their schemes to send off recruits for
Walkers army to the four winds.
1t is enough to make one laugh outright to
Fad the Stars assertion, that secretary Marcy
"the sheet anchor of the future of our coun
US integrity and safe progress.!" Heaven
clip the country. If its integrity and safe pro-
'ess' can find no more safe and trusty ''sheet-
lchor' than VIM. L. Marcy, shipwreck and '
are inevitable. But, government II
yans understand the science of 'soft-soapie1g' Il
cir employer particularly members of the
bnet The Star closes with the following s.
of official information: f
So long as William L. Marcy remains at the
tie department, at least, the neutrality laws of g.
S government will be infexbly administered,
ether IN case of efforts to recruit for the wars
England Nicaragua, or any government or
etended government. u
Cannot the Star also inform US what induced d
esldent Pierce and secretary Marcy to turn I,
elr back upon Walker and Nicaragua, after D
wing smiled upon both most approvingIy. b
A PEEP BEHIND TIE SCENEs.-Tbe fa;!urp W
the notorious broker, Jacob Little, has Gre e.
I'd furious stock. jobbng warfare between the az
w York Times and the Herald, which has u
1sed the Day Book-a journal at this time v
der the special care Of, and devoted to- south in
democracy-to draw the curtain, and make
following disclosures in regard to the bogus &C
oc'atlon which, under the imposing title of ex
enc Cullough Mining Company was puff: ov
into existence and public favor by New frt
rk journals, and then suffered to co]]anse N,
ndIlng the "bulls' and 'bears'' on change. thu
: News says: IN
Now 1t seems to us that the least said by aDv
is about Mccullough the better. The an
Torment, as we understood it at the time ritz
, to the money writer of the Herald, Mr.. Nh
lson, $50 shares; to Mr.. Snow, of the Tri snf
e, 25o shares; to doctor Norvall, of the IL,
les, 200 shares; to Mr. Gracen, of the Eve "'
Post, $50 shares; to Mr. Josephs, of the 50,
ress' IoO shares; to the DAY Book" SO ly
'es' These shares were all to be delivered pro
at the end of two months, at two dollars ter
are. The way Mccullough was pulled and h
'ed' and pushed up by the leading daily nc
srs during the next sixty days, was eau bu
to the bears, and before the time, Or hv the dec
these shares were delivered, it sold at Sill. the
ether the money writers took their propor R;o
nent at 50, and sold out at 81, we never ''0
v but we rather guess they did ~ ,'o:'
ne profits on the transactions instanced bv ~ Il
Day Book, supposing the writers to have se"'
at the advance, was as follows. '''o