New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-28
FROM WASHING TON.
From Or Own Correspondent.

made on the Kansas question. The more timid Or
the more prudent Of the slsvehcdins Director q
the President are beginning to feel alarm a he
ominous look Of the storm they have raised; and
though the fre-easen continue to urge them Cor.
ward. they foresee and hesitate. A eonadssash
portion Of the Southern leaders are not yet rps fer
the scheme Of disunion and civil war which . 6
the bottom Of the attempt TO drive the Frec-Sts1s
men Of Kansas into initiating revolutionary move.
ments. Their plans hitherto have extended no for.
tber than the intellectual and moral suhjusation u
the Democratic party to sthoroushgoing and svowea
Pro-Slavery policy. with the hope OF nominating
and electng STAKEHOLDER ~ the Presidency In 1850.
Their object has been sufficiently accomplished ~
TIE ready scquiescence. or rather active co0pen-
ton. Of Northern President, the Northern mem
hers Of the Cabinet, and majority Of the Northern
Democratic Senator's and Representatives, and a
Northern Democratic presses In the atfeape -
force Prc-Slavery Consttution upon kansas-an
attempt persisted in not from any expectation q
practical success. but simply to degrade the North.
ern Democracy and purge il OF any lingering no
msins of opposition TO the supremacy Of the slave.
holding aristocrscy. In spite of the resistance Of
Messrs Douglas and Walker, the Southern wing o.
the party has achieved decisive political victory
over the Northern wing. far as the party alone 10
concerned. Satisfied with this triumph. and with
having driven Mr. Douglas into position utterly
destructive Of his prospects before the Chanosses
Convention in 1860. the moderate Southern ncn
ara Disposed to withdraw from the coutest, and
abandon Kansas to the Republicans. r...t
They are waiting to hear the result OF the enc.
ton in Kansas before they finally develop their plaza
of evading the issue. The mode which win probaS
bly, be adopted has been partially indicated in con-
versation within few days past by the President
and Secretary of State. The project seems 70 b
this: The Lecomptcn Constitution, in whatever
shape it may come 10 Congress--if il como at ~.
which there il some reason TO doubt--wiu b. cent
back to the people Of Kansas for ratification or 10
lection by fair vote, accompanied by an act pro-
vidng for the contingency of its rejection, BY author
king the people to elect new Convention and forn
another Constitution. ..a. ..Fg
The 6re-eaters, no doubt, viii oppose 10 the -.
mo~t such solution OF difficulty from whose
continuance they expect the opening Of an opporsa-
nifty 10 put in operationther plans Of breaking up
the Union. But they can bc oyerruled N
Congress, except in the contingency Of the sucee.
at the recent election Of the Constitution WITH
Slavery" IL the Lecomptcn Constitution ID tnss
form comes here, an Undertaking and anquAine9
scce ptance Of it will be demanded BY the unisea
South. Above all things the Administration dreeds
this contingency, and agnets were long ago sent 20
Kansas with instructions 10 avert it, II possible, ~
persusdinq the Pro-Slavrry men not to vote, AID
| they did ,Utr. BY persuading Mr.. Calhoun TO put
the Constitution In his breeches pocket, aud keep
there, rather than to send so nfammsbe doco-
ment to Congress to add inextnguishable fury b
the flames Of discord that are consuming the Demo-
cratic party.
The Democratic aide Of the Senate gave yestex-
day n striking illustration of their keen sense o
the financial state of the Treasury, for the relic
of which they have Just asked and obtained an ex.
traordinary ssne Of Treasury Notes. II was pro-
posed by Mr.. Brigs: Of Indiana to make the clorks
Of the Senate Committees permanent, and 10 givo
tim aalaries Of 8, 500 and 1880. DIR. Fessen-
den strongly and clearly exposed the improperly
of this. and DIR. Benjamin of Louisiana openly do
nouDced it a. an attempt to provide slnecures Tor
the friends and dependents ofSenators. He thought
il would be much more manly TO propose out
right an appropriation for granting money to Tia
hangers-on Of Senators. II would be better TO Do
the thing openly than TO attempt to cover It mp.
The proposition WA voted down, all the Republ-
cans opposing it. The salaries proposed woah
have amounted to about So, 900 per ainurn.
From Our Own Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Friday, Dec. q, 1857.
Christmas was ushered in last night by discharges
Of firearms and fireworks in the manner, though
not 10 the extent to which the Fourth Of July y
celebrated in the towns Of the North. This morn
ing there il genuine and appropriate Northern
celebration Of the day in the shape Of driving
snow storm, the first OF the reason.
The proceedings Of the House Of Representatives
in relation 10 Utah seem to have been bssty and IL
advised. The formal declaration by Congress that
Utah ia in state of open rebellion is equivalent b
declaration Of war against that Territory. It
needs no argument 10 show that at all times and IN
all circumstances declaration Of war against any
III ~. h. Nat sts fursS
without the greatest consideration and full and
authentic knowledge Of the state OF tho case. A
declaration Of war by the Federal Government
against Territory or State Of the Union IL an
especially serious matter, though in the case OF
Utah its chief practical importance Is It's
future possible significance "a precedent
If, in the beat and passion Of newspaper
excitement, Utah can be summary declared
to b. in open rebellion, 40 may Msssachu.
sets, or Maryland, or South Carolina or Virgins.
In the case of | tab, fs rernoteness, the peculiar
character and srnal amount Of It's population, make
il unlikely that any serious Immediate detrment
will result from putting il Under the ban OF the Re
public; yet in principle there Is exactly the Sane
feasop .or exercising caution and prudence IN GA.
ing with Utah az with the most powerful State o.
The Union. Brigham Young and his disciples arc
doubtless trait0rs in intention but Congress has yee
no ofcisl knowledge of any overt act OF rebellion
On their part And Of overt acts alone can the Gov
ernment constitntonay take cognzance. The
plunder and destruction Of train OF CONTRACTOR
wagons is an set Of robbery, which subjects ito per.
petrstOrs 10 severe penalties; but a. me train va
rot under the AZ Of the United States il is not
treason. II nsy BIZ morally just to hold the Terri
tory of Jtah responsible for the acts Of these bandit.
Ii. but il certainly is not legally right without morn
satisfactory evidence than il yet before Congress.
A House that would declare Utah in rebellion b.
rsuse Of the plumber of baggage train and Of Big