New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-05-03
WASHINGTON coRREspoNpENcE.
WAsnlnaroS Anil q 1s6t


city. Night before last the Democrats were the hap
piest fellows in the world. 1t was known that the
committee Of conference had agreed not to report
bill unless the certainty Of its passage was ascer
tanned beyond peradventure English had given
notice that he would introduce the bill at l O'Clock
yesterday. Therefore, the matter was settled. The
Douglas Democrats had given in and the great Dem
ocratc party was once more to be united, and, un-
terrified" as ever to rule the destinies Of the Union
for years, perhaps centuries TO come.
The next day, yesterday how changed the scene!
English introduced his BILL moved that it be printed,
and made the order for / o'clock Saturday. Fol-
lowed then great uproar among the Black Repub-
licans. Hill of Georgia. was compelled to go home;
his family was sick; he therefore moved the bill be
postponed until the second Monday in May. Carried
by majority of three-Hill, Trppe, Quitman, Bon
ham, Shorter, voting with the opposition and Eng
lish, with seven other Douglas Democrats, voting
with the Administration. The Democrats com.
menced to flibuster with motions to adjourn, and
finally succeeded
During the progress of this flibusterism, Hill and
Gartrell came near having fight, and it was more
than ludicrons to hear Speaker Orr shouting, or
rather imporng at the top of his lungs for the Ser
geant-st.Arms to come and take Messrs. Hill and
Gartrel into custody. Moreover it was gratifying to
know that the hubbuboo in the House was sus-
tanned by a corresponding hubbuboo in the Senate,
between Green and Broderick, both hubbuboos
growing out of the same poor little, nofensve bill
Of the committee Of conference.
But the interesting and instructive part Of the
mornings entertainment was exhibited in the move
ments of the leaders of the two sides of the House.
English undertook to lead the Administrationists and
the lead Of the opposition was entrusted to Howard
Of Michigan, who with Seward, disagreed to the Con
ference bill. When the growl of the opposition grew
pretty strong English had to give way to the weaz-
ened little Stephens, whose sharp, Jack Randolph
voice, cuts like rapier through any uproar and will
make itself heard. There he Stood with his short,
crooked skeleton of body, his corpse-like face,
oddy.cropped hair, and strange, black, piercing,
Gaullike eyes calm as marble, his person presented
sideways, duelistfaRhion, to the enemy, whom he
handled with ease and with gloves on.
Poor Howard did the best he could, but that was
very little, although Winter Davis sat behind him.
prompting him. The opposition have no tactieian
comparable with Stephens, and it was unfortunate
for the Administration that Mr.. Buchanan, by his
opposition to Gen. Walker, should have alienated
perhaps the very ablest Democrat in all the House.
AT critical moments, Stephens has stepped into the
breach because there none other to fill the port
but be has been lukewarm, never fighting with bis
full strength.
The motion to reconsider the vote to postpone the
Conference bill until the second Monday in May and
lay the vote upon the table, comes up to-day as
finished business. l heard Democrat, who ought
to know, say this morning that the motion to post
pone would be lost, and that the vote would be taken
n,,t, Holt
Kansas is in question how believe any one else
Should it be postponed, opinions are, of course, divi
ded as to what the result will be.
have heretofore given yon the substantial features
Of the Conference bill 1t is the Senate bill, without
the Green amendment, and with an amended ordin-
ance by which the amount of land donated to Kan
is cut down from twentynine to nine millions of
acres In submitting this ordinance to be voted
upon as was done in the cases of Wisconsin and
Iowa, the extreme Southern men held that it is a
virtual submission OF the Constitution ITSELF and if
these gentlemen maintain their position, the fate of
the bill is sealed. For myself l cannot but regard
the Conference bill quite as good if not better than
the original Senate bill To say to a people, you
shall come in under the Lecompton Constitution with
the amended ordinance, you shall wait an indein-
lite number of years. Is better than to say, come
in under the Leeompton Constitution with an out
rageous land ordinance, and with the distinct under
standing that you may change your Constitution at
will By adopting the Conference BILL Congress
avoids the evil which it seems quite willing not to
escape, Of asserting the right of revolution Con
stitutiona right, TO be made first precedent, and
next an established principle. volative of the spirit
and endangering the permanence of even the Federal
Constitution itself Moreover, we know that the
slavery clause has been the fountain head of the
whole agitation and in this Conference bill slavery
is utterly ignored
There is one aspect of the question in which sus-
pect the true secret of the opposition of the extreme
Southern men will be found. Vote down the Confer
ence bill and Lecompton is rejected. Alabama is
pledged, and Mississippi, too to call secession con
yenton in case of such rejection. The day of dis
union is then fairly inaugurated. But will it not be
inaugurated under circumstances most adverse to its
success? There the question hinges, and upon q
hinge not sufficiently well oiled to secure smooth
and proper turn of the popular feeling "The sug-
gestions of expedency," much they have been be-
rated, must not be overlooked when matter of so
high and momentous import is pending. Grant the
dsunon sentiment all the rights and privileges it
claims, but for Heavens sake do not grant il the
privilege of failure.
The Intelgencer of this morning contains the gist
of Cass' reply to Lord Napier touching the matter Of
the slave trade can give it in line, though it is
said the whole letter occupies no less than fifty manu-
script pages Cass says that the slave trade is very
wicked and wrong. No doubt But the United
States have done all that they promised or intended
to do to put stop to it. If Great Britain will com
pei Spain to make Cuba quit buying slaves, the trade
will perish of ITSELF 1t is questionable whether the
expense of money and life incurred by the African
squadron has returned any equivalent in the way
Of suppression of the traffic. The old fellow (Cass,
seems to think the Liberian colony, It encouraged
will become very superior slaye-trade suppressinl
institution, and winds up with something abou
"small military posts or blockhouses, garrsoned from
the acclimated population to be built at or near TIN
places to which the course OF the trade has beer
directed
Apropos of this subject, the Republic, sturdy abo
ltion print of this city, out yesterday in dole
full requiem over the decline of the abolition spiri
throughout the world, and the corresponding rise o
a disposition to reopen the traffic in flesh and bloo
and immortal souls, Affirming that England AM
France are already engaged in this A" inhuma
barter" it asserts that Mr. Buchanan and the entir
South are in favor of it, and frankly acknowledge
that New York, the city at least, is heart and sou
with Mr.. Buchanan and the South in this matter.
! loo