Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-04
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

are familiar, doubtless, with its provisions.
winch are known to meet the views of those on
whom, IN case of its enactment, will deyolve
the duty of administering the responsibilities
IL deiegates-the Executive branch of the Gov
eminent. Unlike the somewhat similar pro-
position of Senator Douglas, it only accords the
use OF extraordinary means and powers in
cases of necessity arising in our official inter-
course with nominal governments we'll known
to be in the habit of scouting the obligations
of intern ational law and national faith. pledged
by treaty or otherwise.
Persons of good sense who do not realize the
power of Buncombe upon the minds of the Con-
gress of the United States. will, everywhere,
wonder at their failure at once to enact this
measure Of prudence, and, indeed, absolute ne
cessity, after all the "bood and thunder over
the condition of our foreign relations through
out the session. Thus they have talked: "War,
war;. war :" but not a dollar of money or a
soldier do they seem willing to vote to maintain
our national interests and honor The truth
Is, Buncombe incites them as powerfully to
make war speeches, rs to refuse to vote to give
the Executive branch of the Government the
power to do what, in their speeches referred to,
they proclaim to be necessary to the mainte-
nance of our international rights and interests
Buncombe is, indeed king-exactng from Con
gress that it shall virtually stultify it's If after
TINS fashion, as occasion may require. If,
during the recess, the public interest happens
to suffer from the failure q Congress to do its
duty in connection with Senator Mason's bill
or resolutions referred to above. no amount of
future " blowing about war! war, war. will
serve to shift from the shoulders of valiant
takers who do not back their orator cal pre-
LESSONS with votes showing emphatically that
they are in earnest, their due responsibility for
the damage to the public that may ensuc there
from.
HE VIRGINIA MILITARY LAND WARRANTS
As there has been some difference of opinion
concerning the construction proper to be put
upon the act of Congress of August 81, 1852,
which makes it obligatory on the Secretary of
the Interior to give scrip in exchange for bounty
land warrants which had boon issued by the
proper authorities of Virginia, previously to
the 4th of March, 1852, - because it enjoins that
the Secretary shall satisfy himself that the said
warrants were issued fairly and Justly, ac-
cording to the laws of Virginia" that officer
recently applied to the Attorney General for his
official opinion on the subject. This opinion
was given under date of May 80, 1858. and the
Attorney General therein declares that it is not
made incumbent on the Secretary. by that act
to 60 behind the record of the proper authori-
ties-the Governor and Council-of Virginia,
to re-examine the testimony in each case but
only to satisfy himself that the laws of Virginia
have boen complied with in the issuing of the
warrant by the Register Of that State That is,
that no fraud has been committed in the man
nor OF the issuing of the warrant, on the deci-
sion of the Governor and Council, but that all
the prescribed requirements have been honestly
and regularly fulfilled
The opinion is quite lengthy, and the argu-
lnents TO prove that no other construction of
the provision of the statute is warrantab!c. are
full and lucid; embracing a complete history
OF the subject, and simplifying the impractical
bility Of reviewing the evidence in each case.
after lapse of three generations from the
period when the services for which the bounty
is paid were performed. The decision of the
proper authorities of Virginia. is declared
to be final, and admitting of no appeal
The Hon. JOHN APPLEroN.-The Uniou.
this morning, exposes the malignity of men
dacious personal attack upon this distinguished
gentleman, recently appearing in the columns
OF the Philadelphia Prcss--the conductor Of
which, were be capable of being Influenced by
the sense Of shame, should be the very last
man to permit the charge of vcnality or cor
ruPtion to be made against gentleman in the
columns of his journal.
70 five aofb ;Sr
the very heaviest load the Democracy had to
carry, was the general belief of the country
that he blackmailed everybody and everything
coming within his reach, either in the discharge
of his official duties or in the exercise of his
facilities of social intercourse with memters of
the Executive and Legislative branches of the
Government. Without pretending that the
charges against him in this connection were
well founded, we fearlessly assert that they
were, take them all in all, the very heaviest
and most odiOus load the Democracy have had
to carry in the last decade.
SO far as Mr.. Appleton is concerned, such
aspersiOns upon him are but emanations from
the black heart Of disappointment at failing
to clutch what their originators hold to be
public plumber printing, Govern
C..
BRITISH AGGREsSIOSs.-The bill which Mr.
Douglas measure in the Senate yesterday re-
wives, is the same as that confering extraordi-
nary powers on President Van Buren,, with the
exception that the words 60 visitation and right
OF search" are substituted for the word s.bound
airy, as the question of dispute during Van
buren, administration was the Northe astern
boundary. 1t puts at the disposal of the Pres
ident, to be used when necessary to resist the
claims ofGreat Britain, the naval and military
forces and the militia of the United States and
authorizes him to call into the service 30 600
volunteers. 1t also places at his disposition ten
millions OF dollars, with authority to borrow the
same; also, II he deems it necessary, to send
special ambassador to Great Britain. 1t is to
continue IN force for sixty days after the meet