Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-06-05
Our Washington Correspondence.

Great Cry and Little Wool the British Outrsges-The
Fort Smelling Military Commission-SensationP Para
graph by Rce-The Fort Crawford Reserve Nx-up-
How our Members were Admitted-Medary's Double
Certificates.
WASHINGTON, May "a, 1858.
To tho Edtsors Of the Asmnssotiam:
DEAR SIRs Since Kansas left Congress,
and the Minnesota question, with the admis-
sion OF her Members concluded, we are set
tied down to the ordinary routine of regular
business. Toombs wants badly to hang up
all the English, and perhaps would like to
commence with Lord Napier, for their audac-
ity in firing into some of our merchant ships.
Old Father Crittenden talks little saucy at
times and appears willing to burn little gun
powder if it. would suit we'll all round. War
Tor an argument is very nice way to ex-
plode knotty questions.
In case of any foreign and domestic trou-
BILE, hav'nt we got glorious Secretary of
War? What kind of estimate does, or can
he place upon the spirit of true man, by
holding and clinging to his Office, when he
knows that he is the object of universal dis
trust, and contempt by the nation. Congress
has already put its mark upon his forehead,
and published his shame to the world and
still he holds on, leaving the President no al
Tentative but to kick him overheard, or share
his disgrace.
Certainly the country nor Congress will
show no respect to the report of the Com
mIssioners recently sent out to Smelling to
help him patch up that matter. It is very
we'll understood these men and Floyd had
settled the whole affair before any of them
lett Washington. While the affair was be-
fore Congress Floyd tried to overcome the
military testimony against the sale, by such
men as Rice, which only led him into further
disgrace. The Report of the Investigating
Committee plainly says to Mr.. Rice and the
Hon. Secretary that their trickery was cul-
pable and deserved severe reproof Though
publicly condemned they try another artifice,
aud seek to overcome military testimony by
military testimony, but they will fail. No.
body cares three straws about Smelling, ,wheth-
er it be sold or retained. 1t is the fraud
practiced, by men high in Office, that Congress
is in pursuit of, and the guilty in trying to
cover it up plunge in deeper and deeper
Rice, when he pursuaded Floyd to follow up
the sale of Smelling by the immediate sacri-
fee of Ripley for few cents per acre thought
be had hit upon most mastery artiffce, but
the game was too thin and laid the whole ar
tifice bare. The object of his new military
commission is just as palpable 1t won't
work. tell you the mark of Cain is upon
him, and sooner or later he must go. Lucky
will it be for Breckenridge if he escape
There is great deal of foul air about him.
He has evidently gone to confession before
Toombs, Bright, and Benjamin, and made a
clean breast of his completely with Rice in
these north western frauds, and they have
sworn to protect him ifpossible. They may
succeed in preventing an explosion in the
Senate, but woe to their dreams of greatness
should the House enter upon the natter
The House could not impeach Breckenridge
nor expel Rice, but the country would get
the facts.
Have you not noticed that Rice's letters
and reports to Floyd about the twenty five
cent business, were dated and made up after
he found the Iowa people were in pursuit oil
him, which shows that he and Floyd in their
various meetings to whitewash the thing
over, have eventually fallen into their own
trap. Let the sogers alone their days are
numbered.
BY the way, see one of Rice's tribe, a
man know we'll enough, who is more cele-
brated for stealing apples than any other
good quality, and who wants a little govern
ment aid for broken down family, has start
ed paragraph in the eastern papers, that
Rice's constituents i'm Washington have pre-
sented the senatoress with $1,000 car
riage. This is similar to the ruse a year ago,
when Rice was in St. Paul, and by some
means got pair Of government horses, that
were parraded in a southern paper as a gift
from his constituents. have inquired here
and can find no constituents who have given
dollar, or know anything of the fact.
What triumphant humbuggely Howev-
er, don't blame the fellow. This false glare
and fictitious show has always taken we'll in
Minnesota, and he knows it. I never saw a
mln could manufacture tinsel to cover up
his intellectual Deficiencies so skilfully as
Rice. 1t is so artfuly done at times, as to
invest him with mythical character.
Our members have got in but there were
some under ground facts which the Repub-
lican members tried to get before the House,
but the democracy were too much scared at
the consequences to allow it. In the first
place the former succeeded in preventing by
parliamentary tactics Phelps and Cavenaugh
being sworn in for two days. The reason
for this course was, that the majority under
took the commission of an unheard-of out
rage After the question of their right to a
scat had been referred to the Committee on
Elections, they came in, demanded and car
ried the previous question, which prevented
the three elaborate reports Of the Committee
from being printed or euen read, and required
the House to vote utterly in the dark. The
Republicans of the body told them in reply,
just postpone the matter for day or two un-
til your reports can be printed and we can
have time to examine them, and then we will
come to direct vote on the question. But
the leaders of the party said no, you shall
vote now, and then the Republicans told
them they could have no vote till they should
have full time to examine the matter. The
Republicans commenced their dilatory mo-
tions, and on the goth and 21st forced an ad-