Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-30
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

adopted at the last meeting Of the caucus of
the Democratic members of the House of Rep
on Saturday evening last the
Chairman, Mr.. John Cochrane, named the fol-
lowing committee of twenty-half for the Kan
sas otate bill as 1T came from the Senate and
half for amending it-Messrs English, Kett,
droeSbeck, Stephens, Craig, Owen Jones, Cock
ereil, Branch, Dewart, Quitman, Foley, J.
CLANCY Jones, Pendeton, Houston, Clark, Be-
cock, Hall Of Ohio, Stevenson, McKibbin, and
Corning
This committee met at last evening, when
a general interchange Of views took place.
Various propositions were mooted and discussed
sufficiently to give each member of tho commit
tee a just idea of the peculiar views on the sub
ject, of all the others. No vote was taken on
any Of them nor was any vote Of the committee
designed to be taken, as represented by various
newspaper writers from the Federal metropolis
They will report to the Caucus, which again
assemblies tonight; when the Democracy of the
House will finally determine upon their line of
action on Thursday next, on taking up the
Senate's Kansas State bill. Last nights ses-
sion OF the committee has done good; insomuch
as 1t has made plain the fact that there exists
much less difference of opinion among the De-
mocracy of the House on the Kansas question
as that now stands, than was imagined
We continue to be perfectly satisfied that
there is no earthly doubt of the passage of the
bill through the House, with no amendment
viOlative of any principle contended for by the
sound Democracy of either House Of Congress
Our CITY.-The measures adopted by the
Washington Councils last night for the SUP
preston of the state of things existing here in
the way of rOwdyism, will meet the appreciation
of every good citizen. The next thing to be
done is for substantial citizens to become MEM
bers of the patrol guard determined on men
whose positions in society will have due weight
with youth disposed to violate the public peace
And then the magistrates will have their share
Of the work to perform. No more must be
heard of the discharge of persons of suspicious
character, identified as rioters and assassins, or
as aiders and abettors or companions Of rioters
and assassins, on straw bail, or with light fines;
else the Vigilance Committee so freely talked
over at present had better be raised for the due
punishment of such officials, by way of prevent
ing the recurrence of the deeds of violence that
last week struck all here with horror 1t is
very certain that public opinion is just now d.
rected perhaps with most force against some of
the magistrates, apparently with Justice
The juries of the District of Columbia too
have the responsibility resting on them If
they suffer politics or sympathy to interfere
with the rigid discharge of their duty in the
trial of persons indicted in connection with
such lawlessness in our midst as transpired in
the course of the last week, the labors of none
others for its suppression can possibly prove of
avail. Judge Crawford has set them. in the
discharge of his duties in the same connection,
persistent example that should be followed
and has thus fairly earned the gratitude of all
our fellOw-citizens who realize that he has done
all in the cases of the rioters Of the times tried
before him. that an officer of the law in his
position can accomplish. If our authorities
prove incompetent to the task of preserving the
public peace, it will be very certain that it is
time to divorce our police system altogether
from politics.
We are no believers in the idea that energy.
activity and unlinching fidelity to their trusts,
on the part of those commissioned in various
ways to preserve the peace Of our city, backed
by the assistance of such patrol guard as the
Councils propose, can fail to redeem the char
acter Of the Federal metropolis now offered up
as a sacrifice to the relentless spirit of rowdy-
ism.
They Design CHEATING THOSE THEY WOULD
MAKE THEIR DUPES.-It is we'll known that
the amendment proposed by Mr. Crittenden is
designed to be the weapon with which the Re-
publican party!Of Congress purpose, if possible
to STAY the Kansas State bill. Knowing well
that most Of the handful Of South Americans
on whose support they calculate, will never
dare to face their constituents after having
voted outright against the Lecompton Cons;i-
tuition, and that more or loss of their sore
headed Democratic allies occupy a similar po-
sition at home. They have evidently brought
themselves to the point Of voting on this coca
sion to permit the people of Kansas at a SUBJ
sequent election to select their own institutions
But they have no idea whatever of being
bound by the precedent to be involved in so
voting-not they.
They adopt the Crittenden amendment, not
because they are willing to subscribe to its
pledges Of obligations upon them, if a MAORI
ty of the people of kansa, should choose
pro-slavery form of government at the proposed
future election or voting; but as the only means
left them Of securing Southern cooperation in
their work of Frustrating the co-equaIity of the
South under the Constitution
These facts are evident in their familiar con-
versation. We know not how to explain them
so well otherwise, as by quoting the following
brief paragraph from the Gown" Washington
correspondent Of the New York Times. wi o
openly prOelaims, in advance it will be per-
ceived, that the Republican party propose to
vote to authorize Kansas to choose her institu-
tons, with the determination to refuse her adj
mission into the Union unless she shall choose
to exclude African slavery under her organic
law.
We need scarcely add that this is an avowal
in advance of the purpose of cheating the South
Americans who may ''rat' to them, who, with
such avowals as this and others VIC have of late
taken occasion to quote from Republican party