New-York daily tribune., 1858-08-06
From flashing
from Orr seeti,I Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, Aus. 3, 1853.
In commenting upon the hostile movement
against Paraguay, and the persons who we're sppi-
cants for tie SIC. 900 Commissonership authorized
by Congress, il was Incidentally stated in this cor
respondence, as a general objection to one Of the
number-H S. Sanford-thAt he was the "sgent
Of Hopkins" This was mistake, and arose FROM
the fact ths! Sanford bad bean and perhsps still IL,
an agent Of a claim against Yenezuels by which
means he was enormously and accidentally con-
founded with Paraguay He is entitled TO this cor.
rection. but not TO immunity for so trivial cause,
| in seeking the columns Of THE TRIBUNE to adver
| tise consequence which IS not shared IN public
estimation, or to convey impression which IA
wholly unfounded. The material fact was that he
and those named with him were seeking the spe.
cial mission to Paraguay, and that has not been,
and will not be denied. He has filed his application
for that appointment, and backed it up with recon-
mendations. and ! apprebend has not been wanting
in employing the customary arts OF Oifice-seekers.
If Mr.. Sanford intended to create the belief that
the offce was seeking him, aud not lie the office he
has most signally failed.
tax is regularly assessed upon the Office holders
here to pay for the distribution of political docu-
ments and other electoneerng purposes. 1t goes
hard with some of the incumbents to submit TO
this extortion, but they know that the penalty of
made on behalf of the Treasury Department, in
one of the evening papers, but it amounts to moth
ing more than that no threats of removal were
made, as if they did not and could not remove
without threatening. This is a very small busi-
pess, considering the margin given in the army con-
tracts for political purposes.
Much and proper comment has been excited by
the extra allowances made to the Democratic Ser
peant Arms of the House of Representatives, un.
der an opinion given by the Attorney General, which
enables him to fob some twenty or more thousand
dollars a wear. He is said to have claimed and re-
ceved mileage for summonlng every witness before
the various Investigating Committees, although the
service was performed by deputy, who only got his
actual travelling expenses. These claims were al
lowed By the Committee of Accounts in the House
which allows everythiDg-but demuIred to by
the officers of the Treasury, until Judge Black over
ruled them with an opinion. When the Clerks OF
the House, under the same usage and principle,
claimed extra pay, allowed BY the same Committee,
it was refused on an appeal to the Att0rney-Gen-
eral for conflicting with the act of lSi3. blr.
Gossbrenner appears to have been in better luck,
however and consoles himself with the reflection
that Congressional investigations are by no means
the Improbable things csptlous citizens represent
them to be.
Il was as long ago as Tayors Administration,
that the agents of the Hudsons Bay Company came
here TO sell those "possessOry rights which all al
once have loomed up so largely in the columns OF
one Of your cOtempOraries, as matter OF the dam
tiest and freshest intelligence, never before made
public" In those days, they offered to sell for
fraction less than 100000, say, even, SiOO, 900,
with discount if necessary. And the eX-pryate
secretary Of President Polk, better known a. Knox
Walker was one of the principal managers OF that
operation, and could tell what became OF the
$50, coo which were brought here to smooth the
way for negotiation Nobody ever knew what the
aforesaid "possessOry rights" were. and ii they
have since been ascerained, the secret has been
maryeously well kept. They never had foundation
enough to get up decent pretense for sale, with
all the laundering and short-sightedness OF Uncle
Sam. Even George Sanders dropped them IN
despair. and after that no more need be said.
The principal parties in the Tehuantepec scheme are
confident Of being able TO open the route in October,
as promised. The arrangements now in progress are
only temporary being designed to establish the com
municaton first and then to follow tup, iisucoessiul,
with railroad and other appliances as at Panama.
he money is mainly furnished by those who advanced
the 5000, Geo to Sloos agent for the Mexican Gov
ernment upon the assignment of his grant, as
means of securing themselves. Without this or
some other efficient mode the grant would have been
worth no more than so much waste paper. After
Hargous the capitalists mostly interested are Mexl-
cans ard other foreigners. OF course the Company
and all the clap-trappery appears to be American,
but il is no secret who furnishes the slnews OF war.
If the route should prove success is anticipated,
the American stockholders will have an opportunity
of providing large part Of the means TO build the
projected railroad lNpEX.