New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-07
FROM WASHING TON
vru Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 4, 1859.


WASHINGTON, May 4, 1889
The Post Office Department isremarksbly secre-
tive in regard to the proposals. for the nine months
Seeap service to San Francisco, from New-York
and New.Orleans. Until Saturday, the second last
day appointed for receiving bids, very few had
been presented. That morning, ten or twelve were
received and the result has not yet been announced,
upon the pretext that the publication would enable
the defeated bidders to combine against the sue
erssiul once This is rather curious reason to az
sign for an omission which is quite exceptional In
the practice Of the Department Beside the bona
kde bidders there is aclass of specula Ors without
character or capital, who are understood to have
obtruded offers, merely for the purpose OF selling
them out, il successful. The name OF Wm. Chase
Barney was carefully sent over the wires as one OF
the competitors for the Nicaragua route. Every
body here knows that this is nothing more than
straw bid, sBd it 10 about time the Postmaster
g, neral turned bis back upon sdyenturers VINO are
not. rious in this ana other communities.
BriasdieJ- General George w. Bowman OF the
PepLsylvaria Militia whose lilustrious name figures
at the head of the Presidents paper as editor aud
proprietor" has not retired from the Superinten-
deDcy Of Printing, as was expected he would do on
the lat of this month. Though guaranteed a re-
with Mr.. Wendell IT, al I 10 sustaining the Con
,ttutioD" he has still considered il most prudent
~ retain The Office 10 which he was first appointed,
and the duties OF which, it should be Understood by
the public, have always been performed by the
Chief CLERK, Mr.. Towers. This method oil pen
sioDiDg the ostensible owner OF the paper on the
Treasury, and supporting the paper itself by an
assessment on the Executive printing and binding,
nav be very convenient to the President, who does
mot care 10 spend any portion Of the $5, 900 which
he saves annually from bis salary, but 1t IL quite
likely 10 be overhauled by the next Congress,
with the many other matters that will then require
thorough ventilation.
The President is greatly perplexed at the inteli-
seuce from Mexico, following "a 1t does, 80 closely
upon the heels Of his recognition OF Juarez. He
Aad hoped the influence Of that demonstration,
would have settled the political future there, and
at lea,t have enabled him 10 make treaty for the
acquisiti, of Sonora and Chihuahua. His blow
was ss unfortunate in point OF time as was the
presence Of Gen. Robes after the fall OF Zuloaga,
" bO left the Mexican mission here with the full
expectation of being chosen President. Mr.. Nc
Lane, who went with the enthusiastic expectation
Of concluding a treaty and returning home 10 ENJOY
the hoDors aud profits Of that anticipated success,
has already become disguised both with Juarez and
the prospect Of the yOmito. lie has left Vera Cruz
t. whit the turn of events, but will have occasion
for the exercise of all the patience he can COM
mapd, since that turn is not likely to happen in
hurry.
There is no reason why the country should be
disturbed by the belicose fulminatons 10 the Pre-
sident's New-YOrk organ, concerning the threat
ened presence of one or two small vessels at Vera
Cruz, even if they have returned victoriously from
Paraguay. When squadron was fitted out for
the Gull last Summer for the protested purpose Of
stopping the acts Of visit committed by the British
cruisers, the Instructions of the Navy Department
tied the hands Of every officer, so that none dare
exercise the discretion of resisting that "aggres-
sion" except in the presence of forcble
search, but at the peril of Court Martial. 1t is
not very likely that any stronger orders viii be
issued now, since We oil know that the thoughts OF
this Administration are turned on peace Doubt
lees great excuses were committed during the re-
cent battles, but they are incident to the condition
of evil war; and both sides are equally responsible.
So far as the injuries alleged to be done to Ameri,
can citizens are concerned, those statements should
be received with allowance. When the forced loan
was levied by Zuosga, similar stories of outrages
were circulated upon the authority of Mr.. Forsyth,
but were pot sustained before the Department OF
State MramoD, as the de facto President OF Mexico,
had quite as much right to lreyoke the erequatnr OF
our Consul, Mr.. Black, as Mr.. Buchanan had to
supers.de his Charge dAfaires here, in the recog-
milton Of Senior Mata, who represents nothing but
the name of Government. That IL no oftense al
oil and cannot be tortured into one, with all the
disposition of the President to force quarrel on
Mexico, in order to appropriate her northern