Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-26
CORRESPONDENCE or A i 81 srANnARD.

Gently Perpetrated BY English ships Of ~ sr upon g
ready disposition is evinced by them 10 grant such
. authority and afford such means rs the President
may deem requisite to redress wrongs and etfec
tuafiy prevent repetition of them. The President
has sent brief message to Congress in relation to
the matter, and will Immediately demand Of the
English Government an unqualified disavowal Of
these insoent acts, fitting rebuke of the meddlng
officers and full compensation where injuries have
been sustained. We could afford to be lenient and
for6earing with the little Paraguan State which we
could annihilate at single blow, but with an equal
we must allow no Infringement of our rights in
suit to our bag to pass unredressed or unavenged.
Dur patriotic President is prompt to act and in
pllance with his directions the Secretary of the Ma
w has ordered the United States Steamer Fulton,
guns; the Race Savannah, "a guns Brig Dol
phin guns; and steam frigate Wabash 40 guns, to
proceed at once to the Gulf and protect our inter-
ests in that quarter.
The Home Squadron, in and about the Gulf of
Mexico, is inadequate to meet promptly the require.
ments made upon it and necessity for its increase
is daily becoming more apparent. In the Central
American States, where an almost monthly change
takes place in its rulers, attended by strife, blood
shed and anarchy, the vast interests of citizens
are but too frequently jeopardized and imperlled,
and strong naval force is needed to maintain in
violate their rights and privileges. With the great
extension of our Pacific possessions, without cor
responding increase in our little Navy, is difficult
to meet fully the demands upon the naval branch of
OUT ueteuCeS yet IL tuc pldu WHICH Is IaVOfaOly re-
garded by members of Congress, be adopted, Of re-
ducing the Mediterranean Squadron, and dispensing
entirely with the African Squadron, we could then
concentrate in our Southern waters a formidable
force equal to any emergency.
The present aspect of our relations with Mexico
New Granada, Nicaragua &c., &C., and our deter
mination at very distant day to exercise sover-
eighty the bright Isle Of the Ocean, all urge
the importance and necessity of being properly
represented in the Gulf of Mexico, by an active
and efficient Squadron.
In the Senate Mr. johnson of Tenn, called up
his Homestead Bill, and spoke three hours in its ad
vocacy. His speech was curious medley in which
"Moses and the prophets" Adam, the tailor
"Vattell, ''Socrates" and "proud imperous Rome''
figured prominently, winding up with vehement
declaration that the North and South would yet
heartily fraternze and the northern States become
ADVOCATES for the permanence Of slaoery in the South
Good gracious, Mr.. Jonsing, of Tennessee! what
"Oily Cannon has been practicing his deceptive
arts upon you? What has "turned up " that you
should advance such opinion of the tractable dis
position Of Patriarch Joshuas ragged regiment?
But really had given Mr.. johnson credit for more
sound practical sense than either his pet Homestead
Bill or his rambling speech in its support would
seem to warrant. This Homestead proposition is a
miserable bantling of that pesterous brood of land
donating schemes which have obtained so much ia
vor, of late, in the Halls of Congress We have
had lands, lavishly and reckessy given to railroad
monopolies, to specializing corporations, to schools
have been wrongly fritttered away. The General
Government has 10 constitutional right to donate
the public domain for these purposes, and l trust
that the South will utterly repudiate and crush
der foot this systematic plumber so detrimented to
her best interests. But what can be expected when
southern initiate such schemes and play into
the hands of the north to the prejudice of their
section? am not surprised at anything I see or
hear, but am mortified when l see southern men
building up the north and neglecting the SOUTH. I
~ r;oo1 how Of
iatng with abolitionsts, Strengthening their hands
and catering to their interests, until have almost
been induced to believe that there did not exist such
thing as political faith and honesty.
The House of Representatives, for the past few
days have been almost at standstill in regard 10
the disposal of its business and it is highly probable
that the session will be extended some two or three
weeks beyond the 7th of June. The obstruction is
caused by the Black Republicans, aided by the Stun
ny Representative" who are opposed to action on
| the recommendation Of the Committee of Elections
that Phelps and Kavanah, members from Minnesota,
| be sworn in Their object is to force upon the
House the consideration of the Ohio contested case
first fearing that the accession to the democratic
| strength of the members from Minnesota would be
| death to Lew. Campbell's prospects. The demo-
cratic side will YIELD and the consequence that
valuable time is squandered by these abolition OBJ
structionsts, by raising trivial questions and de-
mandng the ayes and nays thereon, in order to
stave off action. From what can learn in converse
|
the point, but contest it 10 the last hour of the session.
The very able and interesting report submitted by
Mr.. Boyce of South Carolina in relation to our
igation laws and tariff system us free trade and d.
rect taxation is attracting universal attention. He
proposes an abandonment Of the protective policy
and of the navigation laws and entirely di.
rect taxation, for the support of the government
Under this system it is estimated that the expenses
! of the government would be reduced one.haL 1t
would establish perfect system of equality in the
| >f tho tka
States according to their federal population, and
would more efectually curb extravagant legislation
and check corruption than any means ~ devised
! The " dear " people would know exactly how much
money their representatives voted away by the
breach made in their purses, and having a " realiz-
| ing sense" of the cost they would exercise more
rigid scrutiny over the of the National Legsla
ture. 1t will, Of course require time to effect SO
great a change in our system, yet earnestly trust
that at distant day the reform may be successful
! ly inaugurated.
The Civil Appropriation bill has passed the House
after striking out the item of million of dollars for
the Capitol extension. Although the Senate will
amend the bill by inserting this appropriation and it
will finally pass the House, yet This action OF the
House is significant of their dsapproval Of the man.
ner in which this work is executed and their disin
clination to continue experimental house-bnld'ng
while our funds are so scanty. The new wings are
dead failures in every respect. The crnamentat'on
and furnishing are most execrably vulgar and map
propriate. The fresco arabesque work would offend
the good taste Of common sign painter, and as to
its,ventillang properties, which was point especial
ly aimed at in constructing the Hail. it is enough to
say that weeks sitting in the gallery breathing the
thick pestent atmosphere would disease the health.
est lungs. If your readers have ever visited
Thompson's or Taylor's eating Saloon in New York,
they have seen a fac smile of the new Hail. The
Civil Bill embraces an appropriation Of one million
Of dollars for the completion of the Washington
4 Aqueduct. The execution of tEis stupendous work
by the general government is long stretch Of Iegs-