Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-25
CONTRIBUTION FROM PETERSBURG.

template them.
CONTRIBUTION FROM PETERSBURG.
Mrs. S. U. Paul, lady manager, of Petersburg,
has sent to the vice.Regent Of Virginia $3.50
collected by her for the Mount Vernon funl.-
Mrs. R E. Robinson, lady manager Of same
place, sends $3.50 collected by her.
--O~-
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Enquirer.
WAsuIScroS CRY, Feb. 90, 1859.
Messrs. Editors-It is a striking fact. as illus.
trative Of the degenerate tendencies Of the times,
that our national holidays are rapidly becoming
few, and that each succeeding year, instead Of
creating in the public mind a more fervcnt zeal
in their observance, in its manifestation of the
necessity of periodical recurrence TO the grand
| simplicity and peaceful calm of early days. as
an antidote to the s%trifrs, corruptions and ex-
travaganccs Of the present, marks only 4 success.
sive step in the progress Of great and growing
national irreverence, and disregard Of the 81.
cred teachings of the past. No where, perhaps,
. in the United States, was the truth Of this re-
mark more forcibly cvinced, because no other
bOhu III IA SOuAiti PNooSS'N' - w s''"N
spiritual connection with the men of the past,
! and especially with him, the anniversary OF
whose birthday has just passed, than yestcr-
, day in this same city Of Washington.
There was no spontaneous uprising to greet
the return OF, | may say, the resurrection morn
| of freedom incarnate in the person Of Wash.
! ington. All the operations of bargain, barter
and sale were conducted as usual. The Depart
ments were open for the ordinary transactions
| of business. Congress thoroughly ignored the
day by continuing its sessions, and by failing
to make any, the least, reference to the occa-
! sion that was Transporting; and the only notable
features Of the days proceedings was the re-
! ception and entertainment, by q few generous
! spirits Of our 'raw and undisciplincd' District
! militia, OF a visiting military company from
Baltimore, the Shields Guards; and, | may
| add, to the eternal shame Of our municipal au-
th~orities, the driving through our streets, in q
kind Of triumphal chariot, Of a horde Of lewd
women-lhc worst kind Of Cyprians-without
interruption from the police.
In noteworthy contrast to thiss state Of things,
however, was the observance Of the day in
Alexandria. There, the ringing Of bells, pro-
c~essions, dinners, toaSts and speeches, pro-
claimed the appropriate general f~estivity and
Joy.
At Liberty Hall, an eloquent and patriotic
grafton upon the life and services Of Washing
ton, was delivered by John Marshall, Esq, 4
grandson of Chief Justice Marshall, after the
reading Of the Farewell Address," by DR..
Chancellor, who prefaced it with a few apt and
feeling remarks.
At the City Hotel, a grand public dinner,
under the management Of Mr.. Hcflleblowcr, the
proprietor, was given, at which Hon. John
Letcher was expected to be present But,
owing to his other more pressing public en-
gagements, that gentleman was obliged TO forego
the pleasure, which he had anticipated in this
glorious re union. The absence Of the child
OF Mount Vernon" the lamented Gusts, was
much mourned. During the closing years Of
his life, his presence never failed to cheer such
assemblages.
Large numbers, likewise, in celebration Of
the day, repaired to Mount Vernon.
Dispatches from the Paraguay squadron
were Yesterday received at the Navy Depart
ment Little Of interest in connection with the
objects Of the expedition occurs in them, OK.
cent that the health Of the various crews is ex-
%ceilent, notwithstanding that they werc dctain-
cd twelve days at quarantine in the harbor of
Montevideo.
The latest adviccs, however, report it as the
confident expectation Of the officers Of the fleet,
that there will be a brush with the Paraguayans.
Pesident Lopez is said to enjoy the sympathy
of all the surrounding nations, with the eScep.
ton Of Buenos Ayres; and, encouraged by the
weakness Of our force, continues still TO pre-.
serve his war.like attitude. We are denounced
as a horde of Northern barbarians, whose ruling
passion, and all sufficient motive for any enor-
nifty whatever, is the almighty dollar. Such
being their opinion, the moral power OF this
Government will exert no influence whatever in
the settlement Of the pending difficulties.
Since the question, then, is reduced to one OF
mere physical force, we may well contemplate
the propriety Of making acccssions to our
strength in that quarter; for 1t is said that
Lopez has at his disposal forty thousand eiicc-
tive and disciplined troops, who, if opposed to
so small an array of Ignorant Jack Tars as that
which we present, could easily prevent any ap-
proach, by land, 10 Assuncion, tho capital,
whereas, at the mouth Of the Paraguay river,
the only remaining route TO that point, there Is
situated q fort Of great dimensions, heavily
mounted with guns of the largest calibre and
constructed after the latest patterns, and garri-
soned by twelve thousand of the flower of the
army, which, if it did not utterly destroy our
fleet, could so thoroughly cripple it as to seri-
ously damage its efficiency.
1t is not unlikely, therefore, that ere long We
shall hear Of additional cause for the calling Of
an extra session Of Congress.
1t is confidently expected, in the best in
formed political circles, that the President will
either to-day or tomorrow send in his veto Of
the Agricultural College bill. The same fate
is said to await the Homestead and 'Old Sol
dlers' Pension bills, should either or both pass
the Senate. But it is now generally believed
that the latter will sleep quietly on the table
of that body, while the former, if 1t receive a
hearing, will be rejected.
The Pennsylvania Democratic members OF
Congress bctray, it is understood. a disposition
to defeat favorable action on the appropriation
bills, should no scheme for the revision Of the
Tariff be adopted The avowed motive OF this
revolutionary procedure is a protested dislncli'
nation to appropriate moneys which, they as
sert, will not be in the Treasury. The real
object is to enforce concurrence in their pecu-
liar views under the penalty, already indicated,
of an entire stoppage Of the wheels of govern.
ment. This is preserving the equilibrium of
the States with a vengence.
At the suggestion, and under the energetic
direction Of the Postmaster General, the Post
Office Committees have prepared q bill, estab-
fishing q weekly. mail line with San Francisco.
This object will be accomplished by the crea-
ton of two semi-monthly lines, one between
New York and the Pacific coast, via Panama,