Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-08
$247 81
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.

correspondence " Tue LttChHVOHU LHquHtF'I
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 1859.
1t is the current rumor Of the hour that the
President has determined on making the thirty
million bill and q modification in the tariff in
favor of specific duties, test questions Of the
Administration. If so, then he makes q direct
issue with the South, whose principles have
been always opposed to extravagant expendi-
lures Of the public money, and a tariff Of pro-
lection in place of one Of revenue. One would
imagine, that after his experience on the Le-
compton "test," a similar attempt would not be
repeated during the remaining half Of his term
of Office. The hopes, however, of every ma
tional Democrat, Of seeing a total abandon
ment Of so hazardous a process of coercing the
independence Of freemen to q seryile concur
renee with the Executive will, are not to be
realized during the existence Of the present
Administration. This is certainly the epoch
Of tests and ~te,tiness, Of petulance, pride, and
the persecution Of honest differences Of opinion
on political questions Of no intrinsic value to
the Democratic party, in a party point Of view,
il we except the tariff, which it is sought to
alter, for the benefit Of the protectionists.-
What is to be the end Of this policy it is not
difficult to foresee. With Douglas testified out
Of the party at the North, because he refuses
to swallow Lecompton, a cheat and q fraud, as
it has been since then pronounced by Mr.
Hammond, Of South Carolina in his Barnwell
speech, though he spoke and roted for it, knou-
ing it to be what he describes it; and Clingman,
Slidell ct i'd omne genus, testified out of it at
the South for opposing the Presidents views
on the tariff, where does the Administration
stand? No where, but in a state of betreenity,
not knowing to which section Of the country
to look for support in its difficulties. Verify
at no time since the days when
"pyrrhu, cured his t,ty eourtiers with a kick"
has the Executive of o nation foot-balled its
parasites about with so serene an indifferenceto
their convictions of duty to the country as Mr..
Buchanan. 1t is either Lecompton or the gull
lotine; the thirty million plumber fund, or the
same, and the modification Of the tariff in ia
vor of protection, or there is no room for the
rebels to n in his affections. 1t is time, sure
ly, for this state Of things to cease, and for him
to carry out in good faith the principles Of the
party as ~enunciated in the Cincinnati plat
form, and thus save it from dissolution, upon
the verge of which it now stands, and which it
is destined to suffer if the leaders in Congress
do not forthwith come to its rescue.
In connection with this subject, | will men,
ton the fact that, although the States Of this
city endeavors to give Mr.. Hunter the sole
credit for the introduction Of the resolution Of
fered in the Senate caucus last week, declaring
it inexpedient to make any modification in the
tariff, to Mr.. Clingman alone does all its honor
belong. The history Of the affair is simply
as follows: The Senator from North Carolina
suggested to Mr.. Hunter a few days before the
caucus met that it was necessary the Demo
cratic members of the Senate should have a pri-
yate meeting in order that the views of all
should be ascertained on the question, and re-
ouested him to direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to
notify them. Mr.. Hunter promised he would
do so. No one Of them, however, received
any notice from the Senate's officer to
meet in caucus for some days, when Mr..
Clingman appealed to Douglas to have ii
done. who promised to attend to it,
In the interim, it was ascertained that
the especial friends Of Mr.. Buchanan, includ'
ing Messrs. Hunter and Slidell, wished to
avoid the issue, which such o test was likely to
create between them and the President and
hence the delay in conforming to Mr.. Cling.
mans proposition. Mr.. Clingman in the mean'
time, had the notices sent out, and when the
caucus was called Mr.. Hunter made a virtue oil
necessity, and offered the resolution which the
States gives him credit for. 1t is understood
that the President has promised Mr.. Hunter
his support at the Charleston Convention, fol-
the nomination for the next Presidency, il
he will consent to q modification Of the tariff
in accordance with his views. In the mean
time, Mr.. Hunters friends are about to orga
nize for the promotion Of his pretensions fol
that office, for learn that Lewis c. Harvie
of Richmond, is here, making arrangements tc
establish a Hunter organ in your city, fol
which it is in contemplation to buy out tht
Office of the Examiner. Mr.. Goode is talked
of as its editor, if Mr.. Pryor, whose service:
in that department are sought and expected
should prove intractible. Thus has the Presi
Dental campaign been fairly begun, by thu
movements above stated. ARIEI"