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

which have thrown ope n their doors for the re-
cepton of their friends all having first paid
their respects to the President at the Execu
tive Mansion, and then TO most Of the Heads OF
Departments, who welcomed all. citizens
strangers, complimenting them with call and
the congratulations Of the season. Pennsyl-
vania avenue never before wore an air so bril-
liant Bright and shewy equipages are dash
ing. as We write, hither and thither over it, and
its sunny sidewalk ia literally covered with
thousands Of pedestrians Of both sexes, all in
g best bib and tucker" wearing smiles of joy
Gus feStivity upon their cOuntenances-being,
indeed. evidently rs happy as even such an oc-
casiOn justifes.
At II a m, the usual Diplomatic reception,
and that of the Justices of the Supreme Court
Of the United States, took place. All the For
eign Ministers, Charges, Attaches of Foreign
Legations of all grades, with the ladies Of their
respective households. now in Washington, were
of course there. Their various uniforms and
elegant equipages made the scene upon the
great north portico of the Mansion, as they sue
cessively reached it, a brilliant one. Within,
when the company described above were assem-
bled to greet the distinguished and dignifcd
Chief Magistrate of the United States, by whom
they were cordially and frankly received, the
scene was eminently imposing.
At noon, the great gates Of the grounds sur
rounding the mansion were duly thrown open
and the impatient crowd that had long been
waiting TO obtain early entrance, rushed up to
the yestibule arranged for their admittance,
and at once pouring into the mansion, for
nearly two hours, the stream of thousands on
thousands, some on foot and others alighting
from carriages, was swept five or six abreast,
gradually into the entrance hall of the man.
sion, where the Marine Band in full regalia,
were as usual, discoursing their best music
from thence into the phrlor, where all were
separately introduced to President Buchanan
and the ladies' to his accomplished and dig
ni6ed niece, the mistress of the household
Thence, the pressure Of others entering, swept
the human wave into the vast and gorgeous
g East Room, from whence, after remaining at
will, they proceeded to the passage by which
their exit was made from the mansion In the
. East Room" the visitor for the first time had
an opportunity to comprehend the oxtent Of the
crowd Of which he formed an integer On the
whole, the day was a most into resting and eY-
citing one, and will long be remembered as
perhaps the gsyest New Years occasion so far
occurring in the Federal Metropolis
THEIR Mock HEROICS.-The New York
Tunes contains an exposition of the stiffness of
the mock heroics in which those sympathizing
with the flibusters have INDUCED on account
of the extradition of Walker and his marau-
ders, well worth attention. Who doubts that
Walker escaped from the United States in gross
violation of law, What honest man, even
though he desires the acquisition of Central
America by our fellow citizens, is not aware
that Walkers former career in Nicaragua was
one to cause true ehivalry to blush, humanity
to shed tears and the spirit of hearty, honest.
true Amerieanism, to hide it's face in shame OH
account Of the heinOus crimes against life, lib
erty and property committed by Walker and
his alders and abettors here and there, in its
name' What man is there, of common sense
who does not realize that while none but the
Government of the Territory said to have been
invaded by Commodore Paulding has a right
to complain Of his act that Government and
people will hail what Commodore Paulling has
done as an earnest that the United States mean
In good faith in honest truth all that the
President takes occasion to say in his annual
message on the subject Of flibusteringl
We quote from the article referred to above
in the Times. as follows:
The seizure was made upon the territory of 2
foreign Power. The case was precisely the same
as II an American official were To- purSIe a Grim
mai INT" Canada and then arrest him and bring
him bac a within the JuI isdiction Of the Cavern
mrnt whose laws he had violated. Ia every sucb
ease the Power whose dominiOms are thus inva-
ded, has Il valid ground of complaint Great
bT'ain' IN the case supposed, would unques-
nonably demand redress from the offending party
Tor such a tfcsPaSS upOn her sovereignty But we
do not very well see how the party arrested could
avail himself of this violation OF international
INV. TO secure immunity from trial and from
punishment if cOnvic ed No wronu lad Ieen
done 10 him directly. He had placed himself
undrr the protection of foreign Power and
might. perhaps. complain if that Power neglect
Cd 10 enforce lis own sovereign rights and thus
come 10 his assistance. But we do not ser boyy
he could. At amy bar, plead the Illegally Of his
selZhft as defence against the crimes for which
NE might he brought To trial Nor is IL any mo e
conceivable that. u such Il case the Government
IN whose nam" the arrest might he made shouIJ
irPudiate and diSavOw it, except to satisfy the
rover against whom alone the wrong had benn
directed 1t could not object TO havin" tue Grim
mai within its Jurisdiction. unless indeed il SYM
PATH with his crime
In the present case there is no doul, tina,
".
by Tres passing upon the jurisdiction of the Re-
pubic OF NicardgUd. He had no ri" ht 10 invade
tue son oil That country, for the purpose even of
afrestlng Tug tive from American Justice lie.
had no more night to capture Walker AT Point
Arenas than the city police had to arrest Bake
upon The high seas for the murder Of Poole And
IL tue government of Nicaragua Were to make
complaint OF tins tTespass, she would he entitled
To redress and Teparation at the hands of IN.
united states: Our Government, in that ease
G"u,d MOI avoid the duty Of apologizing for the
anu
'rnulh2 perhaps even I" the punishment of the
Other by whom il lad been committed
"of course no such complaint has been or will
ne made Instead Of resentiug the invasion of
brr territory, Nicaragua will thank US for relry-
Ing II from an enemy whom the lax administra
ton OF our laws had permitted TO land there
STRONG THoUGHTS.-John Van Buren, is a
man OF pungent thought, if such man exists
HIS speeches are always replete with strong
points well put to influence the mind of the
people. None of his never to- be forgotten