Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-05
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

D. MAMIE
| ER-The higher law" Of destiny mas mad
novel manifestation in the last month. The
doctrine of inevitable progress per fas. 0Ht
nsfas-manifest destiny, has made n singular
countermarch in Central America, in this affair
of Walker and Paulding. After having col
lected troops and stores on our Sou thern coasts,
steamed forth from our ports, and landed them
| on thecoyeted domains of Nicaragua, imperous
Destiny seems to have suddenly changed her
mind, picked up her expedition again, and
brought it back to the jurisdiction whence it
set forth~relievipg the ''gray-eyed man of des-
tiny" by another commander
0beying her DEGREES, Walker had taken the
law into his own hands, fitted out and led forth
his expedition. Obeying the same inevitable
fate, PauldiDg seems to have "taken the re-
sponsibility" in his turn, and brought Walker
and his command back again. If the authority
of destiny may be pleaded against the statute
book in favor of Walker, Paulding's sending
back of the expedition in pursuance of the same
preordained fate, must be welcomed with the
same enthusiasm as Walkers successful hegira
was rejoiced over. 1t is poor rule that will
not work both ways. 1t would be monstrous
to condemn Paulding for taking the law into his
own hands in a single instance, while exonerat-
ing Walker for habitual, repeated and ruthless
violations of the law. Paulding may, indeed,
be censurable under the law But surely
Walker and his apologists, if nobody else, are
estopped from invoking the vengeance of the
law upon him.
The path of destiny is devious an tortu-
Gus one at best, though it is probably unfair to
cite the history of SO unlucky a champion and
Incompetent general as Walker in illustra-
ton of the fact. His wiIdgoose expedition into
Sonora, and its ignominious termination the
suspicious beginning and beggarly ending of
his first expedition to Nicaragua, where imbe-
ellie generalship, consummate folly, and mourn
full incOmpetency, wrought out so pitiable but
so natural conclusion of failure, beggary and
misery the loss of twenty days in inertness
and idleness at Point Arenas after this last de-
barkatiOn, provoking capture from some
naval force possibly more ignominous than
that which is now the subject of so much arti-
fetal Indignation in few quarters-all prove
either that tho star of destiny is sinister one
to follow, or else that her late leader in the
central portions of our continent is as feeble,
incompetent. and unworthy of command in her
service, as fatally unlucky.
The advocates of a belligerent execution Of
the higher law" of destiny, in opposition to
the statute law and law of nations, must either
repudiate their higher law, or else discard the
incompetent chief who has assumed the leader
ship in of its service
Even If the interests of the Southern States O
this Union could be advanced by fiIibuster ap
erosion, conducted under authority of tibet
higher law" or manifest destiny, it might be
we'll for them to consider whether the unlucky
General who has led their cause to so MANY dis
astrous conclusions might not be proftably ex-
changed for another leader, not so identified
with failure or so renowned over the world as a
hero OF defeats. Not one of the military leaders
OF our Western border who enjoy well-earned
fame for proves against the Indian and Span
lsh races, has yet countenanced the expeditions
OF Walker, or endorsed his competency a, a
marauding leader by enlisting under his ban
ner. One rather clever General (Henningsen)
did, indeed, in ignOrarce of Walker s qualifica-
tons, join his first expedition; but he seems to
have avoided repetition of the folly, and We
believe was quietly sojourning at Washington
when Walker consented to take passage home
ward on Commodore Paulding's flag ship. II
the South should decide, we repeat, to adhere
to the ''higher law of destiny, in opposition to
the statute law Of neutrality and the common
law OF nations, and TO push her interests in
Central America under the filibuster rather
than the national flag it would be we'll, we
think, for her to welcome the destiny which has
brought Walker away from whence he could
achieve no good, as suspicious, and to commits.
sion some other leader Of her fortunes
Governor Browns SPEECH.-Yesterday
Governor Brown, of Mississippi, added another
to the list of speeches of great power and force
OF reasoning that Senator Douglas has drawn
out, in reply to his late onslaught on the policy
OF President Buchanan and the Democratic
party, on the question of the admission of Kan
sas with the LecOmpton Constitution In the
course Of bis effort the distinguished Senator
completely demolished the plea of Governor
Walker and his right-hand supporter, the hon.
orable Senator from Illinois, that in the ele,-
ton for delegates to the Lecompton Convention
fifteen counties of the Territory were disfran-
chlsed Wequestion much whether, upon any
side Of any debate, there was ever before de-
livered, in either House of Congress, series
OF speeches of so remarkable force of reasoning
and power as have 20 far been delivered con-
secutively on behalf of the Democratic Iarty
cause in this great discussion.
A CLINcHER.-A Washington correspondent
of the New York Herald states briefly one of
the arguments Of the late speech of Senator
Fitch, which created so orest sapsatiop boro