New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-16
FROM FASHjlV0 TON.
FROM Our Own Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March il, 1851

WASHINGTON, March ia, lSo'.
The clerks in the Treasury had regular reIolc-
irg Yesterday over the superSedng OF Peter ".
Washington. the Assistant Secretary. Dressed in
n little brief authority his ambition seemed to be to
exercise power for the torture and humiliation OF
those who unfortunately came within It's reach.
No public officer more general. Unpopular,
and This fact was sufficiently impressed upon MT.
Cobb. before taking the Treasury seals, to deter
mine his course and TO save the Department from
n share of the odum it had incurred through bis
agency. Mr. Clayton, who has been appointed 10
tbe Mace obtained Office under Gen. Taylor, through
tbe influence of Crawford, ToOmbs and Stephens
and on the mutations OF party Went WIN these gem
tlemen Into their new alliances. Although IL mas
been very much the fashion to say that inns ana
other Offices here would suffer seriously by changes
pxperience has always proven the reverse OF the
Drapcs,ion. There is hardly place under the
Goyerbment which man of ordinary ability INDUS
trous habits and method, may not fill Just AS WELL
after a ehort training as the most competent oi
hoastful ncumbents. There is system OF exag-
pcraton prevailing here i'll regard tn the dihcuitics
al ofhcisl life which has a selfish object for its IN
.n;r;,o motive There are Thousands OF clerks IN
Newly ork who could carry on the whole treasury
Business, with more order promptness ana success
Than any Secretary has practically Illustrated o
late years. Bot let tins he no encouragement ior
young men Of respect able qualifications TO come
here seeking Office unless they are prepared To set
fc down into an xstence of vegetation, to give up
every prompting of honorable AMBITION and to be-
come mere hewers OF wood and drawers OF wafer
without independence or eev ltion.
A selfconstituted committee, consisting on MT
Butlcr. Mr. CritteHdcn, Mr.. Rusk and VIZ. Mason
rndertook TO reconcile the adjourned question OF
honor between Mr.. Davis and Mr. ToOtnbs, which
has been pending for three ycar'. lms Is sensi-
ble besde being convenient mode ot determining
such POINTS. especially among gentlemen VINO nc
knowledge the code. In speech winch M COMBS
Cf Georgia made comments were uttcreuW hlch MI
Davis appropriated a. personal, and he lmmedla'ey
1cnnunred their author in such terms as was sup
Dosed must provoke a meeting. MIR. Ioom0s re-
aied with all accumulation of harsh phrases, and the
difficulty has remained in suspense ever since; the
friends Of Davis contendmg that the OnuS OF chii-
lenpe rested with T0on bs and vice verss. IL gem
temen of high character and commanding posiAoh
Vould always interpose their good Offices, not only
t. reconcile personal differences, but to discounte-
nance the bloody relic of barbarous age, by whlch
tbey are too often settled, under msnamed rule
nj chiyalry, they would aid materially IN bringing
fbe practice of ducing into the dlSrepute which IT
d, serves. While the present notions prevail anian
uhose moral convictions may be against this resort,
10 coerced by a false and morbid opinion TO yield 70
The necessity. or to incur personal disgrace. While
4L;s hoard Of honor hal their bands in II might have
been lust as well 10 have closed up IN tue same
satisfactory manner the cd trouble between Col.
Risscl and Gen. Davis. There was no reason Tor
exception.
No uisc,ying is entertained that the British Gov
arnp,ent will moi accede 10 the amendments made
nv the Senate 10 the Dallas-C Clarendon Treaty.
1hey 90 not disturb the ma erlai basis oil the NJ,
raretnent as it originally stood but were INTENDED
mainly to meet minor objections that were urged
asa reason for its rejection. The and grants n,aue
tbrcupb the British Consul on behalf OF the Mos
Quito KIM are not recognized British power in
the Mosquito Reservation is coinrolled' aud Tue
Jurisdiction conferred in such a manner upon MIA
rseua as to prevent The possibility OF It's eXpanson
The treaty made between Honduras ana Greal
Britain for the recession Of thu Bay Islands, was
lot before the Senate hut the sovereignty was rec
Sgnized in Honduras, and in way To turn sharp
corner for the Subtraction of the South in regard
tothc future prohibition Of Slavery. Mr.. Wade and
few others refused 20 swallow the sugared pill.
One article of the treaty provd ne for an iHyidiouS
distinction between Costa R!ca apd Nicaragua, Ill
case of the currenct of one or other within
= limited time, in the arrangement. was stricken
cut And the article recognizing the British rights
in Belize though discussed. was allowed 10 stand.
The phraseoogy of0ther articles was modified, bu,
not To change the substantive purpose. There is
now a better appreciation IA England o. The nature
and embarrasSments of Thu Central American queS-
ton than existed there when 4 was discussed be.
tween Mr.. CLAYTON and Sr Henry Ba,wer and q
better disposition, too 10 briae Il 70 conclusion.
IIel &c no fear is felt about the notifications.
And il Lord Napier is with nv ll power to accept
these changes, few week viii only he required 4
close them up by CORE oondence A. Mr. Dallas
conducted the original negotiation Of course he
will be permitted NJ couclde IL, and by that Il ne
lie may be- prepared 70 receive the e0Rgf, which
has been prepared for him ince the No,omber elec-
ion. Mr.. Buchanan may be- torgying but he is
not Of the forgetting order Toe old rivalry is re-
rendered and i;s preGdiccs are nor quite cxlu-
guished
There will be no important changes IN the For
eign appointments until May or June. The rush
has been Unprecedented, but the President has
been in no condition 10 enter upon this task Of dis
elimination. Indeed bis health il more seriously
affected ihsn the hat'erers about the White House
admit. la the first place he is several years