The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-12

all the benefits of the Central Park, for which
they will have to pay so literally; and one Of
the most prominent benefits it presents ia the
facility for enjoying the delightful and invigo-
rating amusement of skating.
The First week I'm Congress-Thc ssIrrre-
Prcsstble Confiict' and the Prospect Be-
fOro Us.
The ventilation of the "iTepressible con-
fiict" during the first week of the Thirty-sixth
Congress will hereafter form a conspicuous
landmark in the history of the slavery agitation.
The proceedings Of the Senate were opened
ON Monday last by notice from Mr.. Mason,
Of Virginia, of the following resolution
Resolved, That committee be appointed to inquire into
the facts attending tho late invasion and OF
armory and arsenal Of the United States Harper's
Ferry IN Virginia, by band Of armed men, and report
whether the same attended by armed resistance to
the authorities and public force Of the United States and
by the murder Of any OF the citizens Of Virginia. any
troops sent there TO protect the public property whether
6uch invasion and seizure made under color OF
organization intended to subvert the government any
Of the States Of the Union what the character aud
extent OF such oganzaton and whether any citizens
the United States present implicated therein or &C
cefery thereto by contributions OF money arms NUM-
tons or whst were the character and excnt Of
the military equipment In the hands under the CONTROL
OF said armed band, and where and how and when
the same obtained and transported the place
vaded. That said committee report whether any and
what legislation may their opinion be necessary on
the part Of the United States for the future preservation
Of the peace OF the country or for the safety Of the
public property and that said committee have power TO
send for persons an papers.
In pursuance of his notification, Mr.. Mason
introduced said resolution on Tuesday, where
upon Mr.. Trumbull, of Illinois, submitted the
following amendment
After the word "nvaded," In the fourth clause Of the
resolution, insert
And that said committee also inquire into the facts
attending the invasion SEIZURE and robbery In Decem
ber 1905 OF the arsenal OF the United States Liberty
IN the State OF Missouri, by mob body Of armed
ano report whether such seizure ROBBERY
cd by resistance 10 the authorities OF the United Saies
and followed by an invasion OF the Territory of Kansas
ana the plumber and murder OF any Of its inhabitants,
Of any Of the United States by the persons who
thus seized the arms and ammunition OF the government
or others combined with these whether said
ROBBERY OF the arsenal were made under color OF any
ganzaton intended 10 subvert the government of any Of
the States or Territories of the Union what
acter and extent OF such amt whether any
citizens Of the United States present implicated
therein or accessory thereto by contributions OF money
arms, ammunition other wise what the character
and extent Of the military equipments the hands
under the control Of said mob, and how and when and
where the same were subsequently used by said moo
what was the value OF the arms and ammunition OF every
description taken from the said arsenal by the mob
whether the same or any part thereof had been returned
and the value OF such lost whether Captain La
Their Leonard the United States officer command the
arsenal at the time communicated the facts reat
its seizure and robbery to HIS superior officer and what
measures, " any were taken in reference thereto.
Upon these two propositions the sittngs of
the Senate during the week were consumed in
searching cross-examination by Southern Sc.
majors of such prominent republican leaders as
Trumbull, Wilson, Hale Fessenden, Simmons
and others, concerning the ''irrepressible con-
fict'' of W. II. Seward, as expounded by Help
er, and as put into practice by John Brown.
The Senatorial leaders of the republican party
being thus put to the torture, twisted and
squirmed, and explained, and protested, and
pleaded not guilty, and finally ran under the
shelter of TrumbulPs Kansas amendment; but
for all this, as the record will show, they were
pretty seriously damaged by the discussion.
Mr. Seward-in this connection the very man
of all men whose presence was most needed
was absent in the other hemisphere. His duty
should have brought him home ere this. His
absence can only be explained upon the as
sumption that he has remained away in order
to escape this first rough overhauling of his
bloody instructions upon his responsibility as
Senator of the United States and as an anti
slavery candidate for the Presidency.
In the House on Monday, after the first scat
tering vote for Speaker, Mr.. Clark, democrat,
Of Missouri, offered the following resolution
Whereas, certain members Of this House. now in nomi-
nation for Speaker, did endorse recommend the book
hereinafter mentioned
Resolved, That the doctrines aud sentiments Of certain
DOCK, called "The Impending Crisis of the Souh-How TO
meet it, purporting to have been written by one Hinton
Helper are nsurrectonary and hostile to the domestic
peace and tranquility Of the country that No member
Of this House who has endorsed and recommended it. or
the compend from it, is DIT to be Speaker of this House.
The immediate effect of this appropriate reso-
luton was like that of the springing of mine
under the republican side of the House. The
debates and proceedings which followed, from
day to day, have been communicated to our
readers. The hot and raking fire from the
Southern democrats against the republican
Congressional endorsers of Helpers infamous
book brought a number of them to
their knees; but still the odds were
against them upon the Speakership, until some
exceedingly charitable South Americans and
antiLecompton democrats came up to the res
cue. From that moment, however, it must be
confessed that the contest assumed different
phase-the unmistakeable phase of republi-
can, South American and antiLecompton
coalition, for the spoils and plumber involved
in the House organization.
We had hoped that the Southern opposition
members, if they could not affiliate with the
democrats, would at least be equal to the task
OF maintaining their ground as an independent
national party. But when we find such promi-
nent Southern opposition men as Davis, of
Maryland, and Nelson and Etheridge, of Ten
nessee, industriously working to clear the
track for the black republican party and when
we find the New York and Pennsylvania anti
Lecomptonites proclaiming their allegiance to
the republican creed, under cover of the ex-
ploded and obsolete Kansas humbug of "squat-
ter sovereignty" we perceive how vain are all
estimates of the tenacity of men to their profess
sions of principle, when the temptations Of the