New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-19
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.


saioa--5sage se of Qse Bacl. Republicans at he
seet,onat ,l Ftdefay Of Southern me,nJers-7z
a1peaa,,.g r." psa ps.,. esssm1ze Me,geny Heeags at
Prestdleat and Senator Dougtos--Ihe Case Of
Juetge Wdtro,ss -AD,ericda citizens O,.tl1,red.
Special to the New Orleans Daily cresceut.i
WASHINGTON, Dec. II, 1859.
NJ. Editor: The first week of the session of the
seth Congress has expired, and no Speaker in the
House of Representatives has yet been elected.
The contest for the organization Of the House has
been greatly envenomed by the acrimonious de-
bate Of the last week, the points of which will
shortly be developed.
Mostmembers of the Southern Opposition openly
disclaim any responsibility for the extraordinary
resolution offered by Mr.. Gilmer, Of North Caro-
Ina, enjoining silence on the slavery question,
notwithstanding and in the face Of the bloody
facts Of the Harper.s Ferry outbreak. and tho
further fact Of the circulation of handbook of
servile insurrection by sixty-eight members Of
Congress. This resolution was introduced ON Mr
Gilmer's own responsibility and the eager adyo
cacy given it by Winter Davis. of Maryland, would
seem to imply Black Republican dfctation or infu-
ence IN inducing such monstrous proposition
from the South. With the exception Of few rec
reants the Southern Opposition are not dsposed
to resist full and free discussion of the slavery
question, especially under the urgency of nresert
circumstances: they agree that such discussion i
not only just and natural, but also imperative
they agree that the liberal endorsement Of hand
book OF treason by the Black Republican candi-
date for Speaker was properly noticed in the con-
test for the organization of the House.
The Black Republicans are terribly enraQed he
cause Of the sectional fidelity Of the Southern on
position and the positive refusal Of the large ma
Jor1ty OF that party to unite with them in any
n on
venomous Abolition sheet, published in this CITY.
under the name Of " The Republic, = is perfectly
savage over the disappointment Of its party il the
organization Of the House, and attributes the aver
sion Of the Southern Opposition to the vile advances
OF Sherman's supporters, to the interposition and
| urgent advice OF Mr.. Humphrey Marshall OF Ken q
lucky, who ia here. 1t abuses Mr.. Marshall like
pickpocket; but if its charge be true, or in any
measure true, the Kentucky gentleman could
surely not be doing more patriotic duty, or earn
ing more substantial glory that lending his Efforts
to erect inseparable barriers between the Ameri-
can party in the South and the Ioathsome Black
Republican factions Of the North
If John Sherman should be elected to the
digniied and powerful post Of Speaker OF the
t Rouse of Representatives, the most disastrous
! consequences are predicted, as il has already
been stated, with an air Of authority. that I
number of Southern members would secede ~
withdraw from the House in that event. ao
not, however, anticipate any such extremity. Il q
t obvious, however, that the election of Nj. Sher
man would assure great disasters to all parties pro
Tossing attachment to the Constitution and that II
. his faction get possession Of the House and IL
Committees, and with this the power Of getting, mn
electioneering capital initably the result ~ ,e
!, coming Presidential campaign-.. the imnendnv
Il crisis would be by no means certain ~ sas.
i, 1t is generally considered here that the late
called conservative meetings held IN ph;,o,s,
e phia, New York and Boston viii have INT ,;,,Ia
l. effect on the Southern mind to convince 4 - ~
loyal spirit or healthfulness Of pube sentiment =
If the North Southern men are unable tn resixt te
d impression that these meetings are wholly merce.
{: nary, and animated by nurelv commaro;a, ra..a.
i. than patriotic, motives. These :;
}, behalf of the South apnear to he necul;ar i ~
h cities and the commercial classes nf ~ No.,,, .
ID tey are by no means popular Il comnos;,;on :,
u eA'ehs' au' WIN great ueSree OF unth at least,
D. they may be SAID to signify regard rather for
Southern dollars than for Southern rights In Phil
ILL