The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-01-09
Correspondence Of the N. Y. Courier and Enquirer.
Interesting from WashingtOn..The SUI
preme Judgeship-The Administration
and Douglas.

w WASHINGTON, Dec. ~.
1t is pretty we'll determined that Nathan
Clifford must pay muster as Judge OF the
Supreme Court. Since the President was
known to have appointed him from personal
partially. rejection would have involved as
much discredit upon one as upon the other
Hence when Mr.. Hale opened his raking
broadside, steps were at once taken to repair
the damaging effects, and every influence eX-
ertcd to secure his confirmation. To this
end, the favor of Chief Justice fancy and
some of bis colleagues was impressed, and
they have certified Mr. Clifford would make a
respectable and acceptable Judge. Demo-
cratic Senators who We're inclined to reject
have yielded under such persuasion, and the
nomination will go through with some TWEEN
ty or more negative votes on the recOrd-a
censure to which no former candidate has ev
err been subjected. In strong party times
nominees for the Judgeship were rejected for
pnlitica! reasons-Mr Crittcnden among oth-
ers-but never were blackballed for unfit
ness as in this instance will be done.
Tie Administration is greatly exercised at
the turn of things in Kansas, and Cabinet
meetings, Senatorial conferences and the like
are Of frequent and sudden occurrence. AS
yet no information has reach here, verifying
the rumor of bloody conflict, but the indi-
cations point to such a catastrophe as by NJ
means improbable, if not actually impending.
General Harvey has posted troops at points
where the least collision would lead to blood
shed, and with the Interpretation given to
rebellion" such a collision might be provok-
ed with little if any cause. If the Free State
men decided not to participate at all in the
election on the Dist, it was of course one
sided affair, which involved no contest, and
therefore nothing but some wiful and medi-
tated outrage could lead to disturbance.
Every influence from this quarter was ex
erted to poll large vote for the Lecompton
Constitution, or rather for the clause "with-
out Slavery" and emissaries we're dispatched
to the Territory with the Kansas portion of
the Presidents Message before it was deliv-
cred to Congress, in der to accomplish that
result-the object being to arrest the North
ern detection in the Democracy, and to kill off
Douglas by flank movement. These agents
report that the vote may reach five or six
thousand, but other intelligence discredits
this sanguine estimate, even with the polls in
the hands of Calhoun and his confederates.
The great cause of apprehension here is
that the election ordered by the Legislature
wi completely extingush the pretension Of
that under the Convention, and show up in
true colors the gross frauds heretofore per-
pctrated, as well as the actual disparity be-
tween the Free State and Pro Slavery inter-
ests And in order to provide for such q
probable contingency, and give the Admins
tration a locus penhs'tia, it will be observed
<1 s,,.fr d,1
protection to this election like the other, and
that Mr.. Biglcr and other Senators, as well
as the Union, have asked delay for the devel-
opments from Kansas before making any
further committals. And Mr.. Douglas, not to
be outdone in the way of warning, suggested
the other day that when the Lecompton
Constitution came here, Southern gentlemen
might not be so jealous in their support of
the Presidents policy, referring to the scheme
of nominaily prohibiting slavery.
Applying the doctrine of Popular Sover-
eighty if the majority of the people of Kan
sas vote down the Constitution, under au-
thority Of law conferred by Legislature
admitted 10 be legal, Congress dare not adj
nit Kansas with the i.ecompton cOntrivancc.
And as the returns of both elections will be
sent to Congress direct, and not to the Pres
ldent, he will escape the responsibility OF
making Recommendation for either
Though conmitted to Lecompton, he cannot
narsue it beyond a certain o nt even though
the returns should apparently figure out a vote
as imposing as it was ordered to be. What
then will follow !? The elections being a
rull,ty, Mr.. Douglas will seize that occasion
to press his enabling act, as the means Of
extricatinn, and of presenting himself as the
Great Paciicatrr-a character which Clay,
Webster aud others personated to such little
practical advantage.
Whenever that point in the game is reach
ed the Administration will combine all its
force, direct and indirect in opposition, upon
the ground that it is Intervention and that
the people of Kansas have right to form
their own institutions in their own way
That is to be the argument by which the ia
bes are to be turned up,n Douglas, with the
Nebraska bill as the lever. Looking ahead a
little beyond the mist of these complications,
the prospect is, that the session will EXPIRE
without any satisfactory legislation for Kan
sas, and the fear and expectation in court cir
cles is, that the Legislature will order new
Convention, frame a Constitution, form .
State Government, elect Senators under it,
to appear here next winter with demand for
admission. They are waiting to give an en-
aiding act if Douglas will repeal so much of
the Nebraska bill as authorizes the people to
regulate their OVID institutions in their own
way, knowing we'll that an impossbility is
required, aud that only taunt is intended.
The OreUOn EIectior