Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-11-11
Correspendence OF the Mercury.

WASHINGTON, November 4th, 1S08.-The re
ports of the recent elections in New York and
other northern States, have proved anything hut
agreeable to those who had fixed their-expecta-
tons upon democratic gains. Democratic losses
of serious character have occurred in each OF
the elections, diminishing the party strength in
Congress very much. In fact this defeat Is the
most universal and terrible defeat ever experien.
ced by the party at the North. HENRY WINTER
DAVIS and HUMPHREY MARSHALL, the leaders Of
the American party, have strong proclivties to-
wards the abolitionists they have generally voted
with them, and with them fought the democratic
party on nearly every prominent subject Of nation
at legislation. 1t would not be predicting too
much, therefore, to say, that there is every prob.
ability of their continuing to eoalesce with the
abolitionists, and that the democratic party in
Congress will again find itself in minority, and
reduced to the poor necessity of having hand-to-
hand contest over every measure, even to the ap-
preparation bills.
The speech of Hon. J. II. HAMMOND, at Barn
we'll. was read here with an almost universal e1-
preston of admiration of its power and style
Upon all matters involving political principle mere
ly the force of the argument is undoubted. he
is almost unanswerable But upon the matters
OF fact in which he encourages us to hope in the
certain decline of the abolition party and the final
triumph of the South on the great question OF ne
gro slavery, while we would oil hope he may prove
correct, we are at loss how we can do 80 with
out disregardng the ominous signs that warn us
steadily Of the contrary. Upon the map of the
future may be unfolded to us in the Union the
great destiny he pictures for u.s. We oil hope and
would try to believe it, but we have little eyond
his own sanguine and unsupported predictions to
lead to the conviction its fruition will ever be III
the Union.
The Attorney General has recently given an o.
pinion upon the subject of pensions, which may
prove of interest to some of your readers. 1t has
been customary heretofore, when widows, who
were in receipt Of pension from the government,
married q second time, and applied for renewal
of the pension on the death of the second husband,
to grant them the pension throughout the period
Of second coverture. The Attorney General says
that such Interpretation was misconstruction of
the law. That the acts Of Congress were intended
to benefit only those who are "indecd widows" -
That in prohibiting married woman applying for
pension, it must have been intended also to pre-.
clude her receiving one. Consequently, that the
period embraced by second coverture Is not to be
paid for, and the semi iannual allowance con only
recommeuce from the date Of the second husbands
death. This opinion has been adopted as rule
BY the Commissioner of Pensions. and will result
IN 8 C0nSlQeTlDle bdVluR u tne 1Tthsuiy.
The friends of Judge Douglas claim that he has
secured majority on joint ballot in the Illinois
legislature, and are quite triumphant at what they
consider the certainty Of his re- election to the T.
States Senate. Should their boasts prove true
we shall perhaps have some additaual and stri
kingy Northern views on squatter sovereignty
enunciated in the Senate the coming session. des-
perate and successful effort to fetch in Kansas,
and in the year 1860 possibly an independent and
forlorn candidate for the Presidency Of the United
States. "Let him rip"
Gen. Paez, who for nine years has been an exile
from Venezuela has left Washington on his return
to his native home. He was entertained hand
somely by the President and Gen. Cass, and has
gone back to his country on an American national
vessel, filed with feelings of the strongest regard
and admiration for our government and people,
The life Of General Paez (who is now over 10
years of age) has been full Of stirring events and
romantic adventure, and would form an agreeable
ps ge in the bands of an able biograpber.
It is rumored, by those who pretend 10 know,
that the Presidents message will recommend n
modification of the tariff, but that it will not favor
any increase of it, as he believes it will be suf
cient to support the government, as soon as trade
shall have assumed a healthy TONE The tariff
will be leading question in the next session, and
the Southern people should be thoroughly aroused
to its Importance, and the danger of their being
made more than ever tributary to Northern enter
prise got up and pushed OH at their expense.