The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-05
Re-Opening OF Congress--The FiIibusters I'm
the House OF Representatives

Re-Opening OF Congress--The Frnbusters I'm
the House Of Representatives
The first day Of the Congressional session for
the year 1858 has opened with question which
is destined to divide the honors with Kansas in
keeping the political elements of the country in
q ferment The filibusters have shown their
hand, in part at least
A resolution calling upon the President for
information and papers relative to the arrest
of Gen. Walker and his men by Commodore
Padding, in Nicaragua, has passed the House
by large majority, and Gen. Quitman made
an attempt to introduce his bill for the repeal
of certain sections of the neutrality laws. In
addition to these facts we publish, also, in an
other column, certain resolutions strongly con-
demnatory of the course of Commodore Pauld-
ing which were introduced yesterday in both
houses Of the Virginia Legislature, and letter
from Gen. Henningscn on filibusterism in gene
raj, and its American phase in particular,
taking the ground that private flibusterism has
always been more successful than public ilibus-
terism.
The issue is thus made by the South,
upon the question whether Our extension
southwark shall be carried out by individuals
or through the national arm. The vote in the
House on the resolution calling for information
from the President is no test Of the relative
strength of the parties. This cannot be had
until we know the action Congress may take
after receiving the information it has asked for,
and perhaps not until vote is had on Quit
mans bill to repeal portion of the neutrality
laws, or on the ratification by the Senate of the
new treaty with Nicaragua. As a two-thirds
vote in that body is requisite for the ratification
of any treaty, the fllibusters may perhaps make
their first fight on that. The debate in the
House yesterday, and more particularly the re-
solutions introduced in the Legislature of Vir-
ginia, exhibit the strong current of public feel
ing in the South which the HERALD has 90
often pointed out. There is no question as to
whether we shall expand, but who shall direct
that expansion.
At this precise juncture General Lamar, our
new Minister to Central America, departs
to-day for his post, under special. in
sructions, unless he should be delayed
by orders from Washington. His imme-
date efforts will undoubtedly be directed
to the perfecting of the policy traced out by the
administration in the Yrissari treaty, and Sc
curing the establishment of our guarantee over
the Transit route. In considering, therefore,
the true question as to whether public or pri-
vate Intervention will be most favorable to our
national interests in Central America, we must
not omit to take into account the present con-
dition of the Spanish American countries south
of us. 1t is there that Minister of clear views,
backed by an able administration, may do
much-perhaps much more than all the private
enterprises that can be sent out from the ready
South.
They are rapidly falling to pieces, in both a
political and social sense. They look to us for
reconstruction-for that peace which shall
bring progress; and many of the most conserva-
tive among them even go 20 far AZ to desire to
provoke war with the United States, in order
that we may the sooner march in and give them
q stable government In Mexico the sentiment
that nothing will stand until the Americans
return" 10 often upon the lips of the
best men in the country. Nicaragua
has voluntarily come forward and asked
on the Atlantic, and San Juan del Sur on the
Pacific terminus Of the Transit route, not for
the simple purpose Of guaranteeing its neutrali-
ty, but in the confident hope of Turing the pro-
tecting arm of the United States further on.
1t is not simple question of Walker and his
Nicar aqua movement; it is a question of the
Inauguration of new policy by us toward
Mexico and all Central America Whatever
course the discussion Of the question may take
in Congress we trust that the higher views of
its bearing upon all the dissolving States south
of us will not be lost sight of.