Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-22
WASHINGTON NE WIS AND GOSSIP

TEE AFFAIR OF THE WANDERER-We find
that toe Government officers in this city, un.
der whose official cognizance the affair of the
yacht Wanderer properly comes, are satisfied
that though she brought no negroes herself
from Africa, she made the voyage as tender
10 vessel, since seuttled and SUM-, that did
bring the cargo, numbering 1885,, recently landed
on the coast Of Georgia and run up into the in.
terror, and already scattered on different plan
tations in Georgia, South Carolina, and Ala.
bama, 80 as effectuslly to defy pursuit and
reclamation, rs that is defed by the current
system Of spiriting of fugitive slaves by and
through the agency Of the underground rail.
road organisation throughout the North.
The Wanderers part of the affair, as under.
stood from what has reached the Government
officers here, was, on the voyage, to act as the
slaver's tender and decoy-a decoy whenever
it was necessary to spread sail and draw of
from the ship conveying tho forbidden cargo the
attention Of pursuing vessels, her appearance
at distance being just that of SLAYER; while,
on being ovsrhauled, nothing whatever to iden-
tify her with the slave trade could be found upon
her. On reaching the coast of Georgia, her
mission is understood to have been that of
landing the negroes from the other ship.
While we have no doubt whatever that such
IL the history Of her connection with the slave
trade, believing that the community-that of
southern Georgia-among whom her offence is
cogniEable to the law, entertain pretty much
the same opinion Of the law under which those
concerned In her operations must be tried, as
New England generally entertains of the fugi-
tive slave law, We are ipclinad to think that
the effort to execute the anti-slaye trade law in
her case will be as abortive as efforts to reclaim
fugitive slaves, by operation of law, in New
England are, now, VIGOROUSLY All this is en-.
insntly suggestive of '' food for reflection"
The WEArHER-though such in this region
for six weeks past as to give folks in the cities
" the blues, I'D to half smother those in the
country in interminable d,-has been really
q godsend to the public interest. For q long
previous season so little rain fell as not only
to destroy much Of the yield of Indian corn in
all directions that should have been gathered
in the fall; but to do infinite damage otherwise
We here refer to the drOught's effect in short
ening the fall pasturags in half the States
OF the Union, and in doubling the labor
OF preparing the land seeded down this season
to wheat nearly evsrywhere-and, further, in
rendering Improbable, for the time being,
every description Of mechanical labor-milling.
&e.,-thst required medium supplysof water
IN the streams to be probably conducted.
The drought was, therefore, really a national
calamity, though its DISASTROUS consequences
were not and never can be duly appreciated
by the populations Of the cities Until very
recently, 1t has injured the business of the
country, as We explain above. Again, how
ever, thanks to the disagreeabis weather Of
the last SIX weeks, the earth is saturated with
ram, the streams are full, and the wheat crop
has obtained from the extraordinary falls of
rain, the remarkably mild weather for the
season, and the total absence of fall fiy, (wher-
ever We have heard FROM a full start. finer
than almost any previous one within the MEN,
DRY OF man-a start which bids fair to make
mp 70 the farmers their losses from the extra
ordinary prevalence Of the rust that scourged
the country in all directions last summer We
are, therefore, no grumblers on account Of the
mud now in the streets Of W Washington, and the
late juicinsss and disagreeability of the weather
generally, because knowing we'll that these
tnings are but forerunners of increased ability
on the part OF our country neighbors to spend
money literally with those in trade in the
Federal Metropolis
MEMORANDA OF CURRENT ISrERKsr.-The
story that the recall of Lord Napier is the re-
suit Of his Intimacy with Southern American
statesmen, is q source of no little mirth here.
1t is worthy of the peculiar lgenius of Mr.
Charles Sumner, to whose fertile brain its au-
tnorsnip Is attributed. The on DIT il that he,
not long since, made q quasi complaint to tie
British foreign Office to that effect.
Secretary Cas- entertained the Comnittsez
on Foreign Relations Of the House and Senate.
at his residence yesterday, with a sumptuous
dinner
The corps d,piOmatique dined with the
french Minister, Count Sartiges, yesterday, at
his residence on Georgetown heights
Senator Wilson's amendments to the Pacific
hanroad bill seem to be ingeniously prepared,
win view to postpone its construction until
after the next Presidential election, when he
hopes Republican President will have the
selection Of the route.
The SENATE Post Office Committee, it is said.
wiz shortly bring forward proposition chang.
ing the present system Of ocean mail service.
and sbolishing the franking privilege. Their
intention il believed to be to allow NO more 20,
The transportation Of the ocean mails, in any
service, than the postage received from that
particular source. The Department is under.
stood TO sanction the adoption of such rule.
The Committee on Foreign Relations Of the
House, IL IL said, will report a resolution au
th'riIing consuls to receive presents from for
eign Governments, which, it is to be hoped,
VIII hs' pass as it may open the way for cor
ruptiOn o. Government agents abroad.
Judge Natrous is said to deny any in,sn,;o,
70 resign He will start for Texas immodiatslv
To hold Court at Galveston, On the FIRST Monday
In January.
TEE GREAT SoUrH-wEsrERN RAIL Roam
Rocrr--We are extremely gratifsd to be
able to say that the remaining gap in the di-
rest Railroad connection between Washing
ton city and Memphis, Tenn will be filed as
early ss the lst Of September next Already