The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-09
TWO CENTS.
THE AMERICAN SEARCH QUESTION
From tho London Times, June 81


proper to conduct its business both general and local. by
the agency of weak government There is consequent
y wide field open for administrative abuses nor is any
impeachment placed in the way OF popular extayagance
but on the other hand corrupt and incapable ohclas
have comparatively little power to do har and In the
absence OF external PRESSURE temporary passions explode
without causing any serious mischief According TO re-
cent accounts the great city of New orleans was IN the
hands OF an armed mob which had initiated the pece-
dent established two or three years ago at San FRANCISCO
by supersedng the local authorities similar proceed
ing the continent OF Europe would be the commence
ment OF revolution, and the news would set armies IN
notion but in America newspapers discuss the OCCUR
renee as an interesting novelty which deserves 10 De cen
sured or approved according to its probable bearing on
tho interests OF parties The irregular provisional gov
ernment OF New Orleans after holding It's ground Tor
time and correcting some OF the abuses which have form
ed the excuse Tor thus movement has disappeared and
by compromise, or tacit abdicaion the ordinary NUM-
cpa system Is restored In the case OF the Californian
committees OF vigilance the movement was protest OF
the respectable populaon against successful BODY OF
demagogues; but, whether the disturbance rs ring OF
serious such measure never involves any uger 10 the
general peace OF the state or Oh the Union.
The ederal government represents Inc aggregate OF
many communities which possess the same loose political
organization and lt Is not surprising that he proceedings
OF the administration and OF the different representative
bodies should bear traces 81 their origin Ihe American
senate contains as large proporuon Oh men OF aplity as
any deliberative body IN the world but on certain occa
sons all its members seem TO rival each other IN the
rashness and exravagance OF ther language. IL Is I'M
possible to suppose that any 10 the character OF
statesman desired 10 provoke an mmeuiate colslon
with the English fleet at point where the American
force would have been doupy p lts adver
sary nor is it even likely that the ingenious arguments
in fAyor OF war which would secure monopoly 70 ma
tive manufacturers produced much impression on the
Senate Unluckily the orators OF Washington have ac
cusomed themselves TO indulge 70 an nexcusane extent
In the national weakness OF biusterng exaggeraon Ac
cordngy the friends OF the administration boased that
orders had been given to repel force by force in q
case where IL was perfectly known that no orce was
to be apprehended on the part OF the Enghsh feet;
but even in America there are degrees OF exemption
from responsibility and the opposltlon can always
afford to outbid the government in noisy patriot
ISM Mr. buchanan generaiiy receives the support OF
The southern senator's ana the great
districts have always certain regard ior the English al
lance IL was therefore reserved ior the iree-so sena
tors and especially for the aboonss to reproduce with
the most startling effect the famous Pogram defiance
Better that the sea should swarm with slavers and that
the American nag sh0uia DC ost'ued plratcai pur
poses tnan that the lis non snouid venture 10 roar
in presence OF the American eagle Dspassionate rea
soners on this side OF the water who depecate an un
profitable quarrel in an unjust cause, are naturally de-
nounced by hostile eoquence as partans OF slavery but
institution are those who have often threatened to dis
solve the Union rather than share IN the guilt OF perpe
uating negro slavery lher eloquence has fortunately
tended 70 produce areacton IN the ieengs or the IAN
guage OF the rivai party IN the techmch language OF
American ponhcs the oPpostion mas buiied the gov
enment OH the track on IN other WORDS mas outdone
NJ deercnce 10 rei or supposed popular prejndces
and lt now remains for the resdcnt ana hs friends TO
recover oy thc dspay Oh temper ana craftsmanship
the ground which they have lost by their inferi-
ority In the art OF vituperauon lhey nave probably
done enough 10 sasy tneir southern supporters that
they have no intention Whatever OF cooperating with
the English navy In the active suppression OF the
slave trade ana they are perfectly aware hat the Stewards
ana the wilson's are not 10 De conclated ny any lrtber
display OF unprovoked zeal III deience OF the natona
nag 1t Is fair to admit that within It's own bounds the
federal governments does not view with entlre ndiiter
ence the VIOLATION Oh the laws against the slave trade
Ihe secretary OF the treasury mas recently directed the
collector OF customs at New fork 10 refuse clearance 10
vessel bound for the coast OF Africa with the ayowed
purpose OF loading on account OF notorious slavetrad
ing firm, cargo OF negro emgrants The impudence OF
the request is easily explained by the desire to take ad
vantage OF the clamor against the English squadron in
the Gulf OF Mexico FIhe owners OF the proposed emil
grant vessel have lost one or more ventures by legal
re, and it was hoped that the government, by supply
ing them with the necessary papers, would lay trap for
the obnoxious cruisers but American ntrgues are re-
markabe rather for ingenious audacity than for pro-
found cunning and Mr. Secretary Cobb had no difficulty
in understanding the nature of the proposal which he
was invited to sanction.
There is reason to suppose that the agitation is begin
ming to blow and that the display of patriotic
thusasm at Washington has sufficiently served its turn
The newspapers have recently published several contra
dictons of the rumors which for considerable period
formed the most interesting portion of every successive
number and the certainty that the great majority of the
narratives will be found apocryphal scarcely fail to
influence the language of the government 1t is ortu-
nate that the English Parliament has wholly abstaned
from an undgned imitation Of noisy and vulgar chal-
longes proceeding from irritation The conversations
which have taken place in both Houses prove that all
statesmen agreed not only to the rule OF nterna