Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-16
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

iect. concerning the complexion of the voting
ON the 9TH inst, in Kansas, on the LecomptOn
Constitution, it may not be amiss for us to ex-
plain how it happens that nearly all the votes
recorded upon the question are against the
constitution on which the Territory will doubt
less be admitted into the Union as State.
Thus, we have to say that the LecOmpton
Convention provided that on the 2lst ult. all
the voting on the question it deemed necessary
to direct, should take place. On that day it
did take place. Subsequent TO that action OF
the Lecompton Convention, Frederick p. Stan
ton, Esq, acting governor, convened the new
Legislature to meet in advance of its legal
existence under the laws of the Territory, and
that body enacted that ON the eth inst,, the
day on which the State officers were to be elect
ed under the provisions of the schedule to the
Lecompton Constitution ordained by the Con-
vention, the people should also vote for or
against the Constitution.
The bulk Of the votes recognizing the Consti-
tuition as having been legally adopted, and not
recognizing the authority of the Legislature to
direct any such vote to be taken, refused to
vote upon it either way on the 9TH inst; con-
tenting themselves with voting for State officers
under the Lecompton Constitution as the Con-
vention had directed The Topeka-ites, how
ever, recognizing the Illegal action Of the Leg
islature, sustained it by voting on the Consti-
tution-of course all one way. The true vote
Of those recognising the validity-of the Lee
compton Constitution, is the aggregate vote for
State officers, which will be found greatly out
numbering the Topeka vote against that in
strument, we apprehend
WALKER AND HIS FILIBUSrERs.-While these
folks have been occupying the attention of the
House of Representatives for the past week,
most unnecessarily we think, the country Mt
large have also been making up verdict in
their case. We do not know how we can bet
ter explain the judgment at which American
public opinion has arrived concerning them
than by making the following extract from the
New York Commercial Adrertiser, which en-
braces a correspondence taking place at Nor
folk, Va, in which the flibusters figure con-
spicuOusly:
WALKER, HIS FoLLwERs, AND THE NAVY
OFFICERs.-The great flibuster and his mis-
guided followers are ungrateful as well as law
less. Commander Davis saved them from death
by starvation, or at the hands of the povernmen MT
they had injured, or from long imprisonment for
their crimes, when he brought them away from
Rivas and landed them in their own country af-
ter supplying their wants on the voyage. Yet
from the first until now has General Walker
abused and assaulted that officer for that act of I'M
merited humanity. Commodore Paulding, more
brusquely IL is true, but with no less real hui
manity, prevented w alker from falling into less
merciful hands, by taking him and his men I'M
der his charge, and sent them safely to country
| to which probably they would never have re-
| turned but for his patriotic action. General
abuses (nmmn6Ora Dan x.,it
mercy, and we now learn that his men, sent
home in the Saratoga, make poor return for the
kindness shown to them on the passage.
| The Norfolk Herald of January IL publishes a
letter from Lieut. Gherardi, of the Saratoga from
which it appears that one Of w alker's men, call
| ing himself % Captain w Buttricks, - and some
others, published a card on leaving the Saratoga
| declaring that they ''were forced to leave that
| ship for want Of proper provisions and COM
| forts" To this allegation Lieut.. Gherardi re-
| plies that Captain Buttrcks should be the last
| to make such complaint as when he broug hit
his wife and family on board Capt. Chatard in
vted them into the cabin, the port state room
was given up for their exclusive use, and they
took their meals with and had the same fare as
Commander ChataTd himself and the officers who
messed with him" AS to the men Of Walker
army they had the same rations the crew Of the
Saratoga, liquor excepted.
Another trouble seems to have sprung I'D with
reference to these men. Mayor Ferguson of Nor
folk has addressed a letter to Lieut. Bryson in
command OF the Saratoga, threatening him with
the infection of some penalty for landing s.pau
pers in that city, which had ELECTED the follow
ing correspondence
To his Honor F. F. Ferguson. the Manor of the
City of Norfolk
L. =. :. SARATOGA, Naval AnchoraDe
Norfolk, January 18th, 1853
SIR: Yours of this date has been received and
in answer would state that nv instructions from
Commodore Thomas A. Dornin Were to permit
Gen. Walkers party to leave the ship Those
instructions | have obeyed to the letter None
of those men who went ashore were forced to do
so will take the liberty of giving YOU the pre-
else words of the Hon. Secretary of the Navy.
which are: They are permitted to leave the
ship, as the Government has no authority IN de-
tain them" i will not permit any more o.
Walkers party TO leave without further ord, =
and Will enclose your letter to the CommC r =
AIN respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. BRYsoN, Lieut.. u. 5. ~
To his Honor F. F. Ferguson, Mayor ofthe GIN
| Of Norfolk
COMMANDAST's OFFICE, Navy Yard Gosport,
| January Sth, ISIS
SIR ~ our communication Of the 9TH inst nd
dressed a. To the officer in command of the 4 =
:. Saratoga has been referred to me by said Of
| iicer in command (Lieut A. Bryson J and beg
leave respectfully to state that it has not been the
| intention Of Lieut. BrysOn any other Of the.
onicers to violate in any respect the ordinances of
| the city of Norfolk.
should regret very much to see penalty in
nlcted on him for executing orders which il
would be dangerous for him tn disobey AGAIN
sir, Lieut.. BrysOn was not the person In COM
mand when the Saratoga was brought here but
Commander +. Chatard, and he not acting on
his own responsibility, but under the orders
OF his Immediate superior, Captain Pauldng :
therefore the onlv offence with which LETT
Bryson is chargeable is for permitting them to
| land. But how was he to prevent it, 7rbe laws
extend no such authority to him. nor can soc
that there is any ordinance inicting penalty
Tor doing other than bringing paupers into the
| city of Norfolk. Moreover, these men were not
brought here as paupers or persons likely TO be-
come chargeable to your city, but as persons who
| had violated the laws Of the United States. and
az such Liable to indictment before the q. :.
Courts. -
Certainly then you will not question the rights
OF the government officer amy one else to bring
an offender into your city for the purpose of being
tried, and, IT may be, punished by proper autho,
| rites. l do not assert these men OF General
Walkers have violated the laws for which they
could be punished, but that they were brought
here under supposed tiJIatiOn, therefore as pri-
sohers. not paupers; and az to their guilt or in
nocence, the commanding officer had no right To
enquire. only so far as his control them *
| tended This has been done, and Lieut. Bryson
notified that lac had no authority to detain them
What was he then TO do , How couId ne det,in N