Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-02-09
accompanied by the Sandman Minister, her

accompanied by the Sandman Minister, her
father, mother, and sister, being also present;
Judges Wayne and Nelson of the Supreme |
Court, and ladies; Mrs. Judge Bolton, Mrs. |
Judge Mclean, accompanied by her son, Ma
thaniel Mclean; Col. and Mrs. Pitt, of Phil |
adelphia, personal friends of the President;
Hon. Mrs. Bishop, of Connecticut; Mrs. Bass,
Of Mississippi; Captain Hudson, of Atlantic
Cable celebrity; Colonel Larned, Assistant
Paymaster General U. S. A; Mr.. Cartwright,
British Consul at Philadelphia; and many
others whose names we cannot now call TO
mind. A delegation of Pottawotomie Indians
were also present. who seemed to enjoy them
selves amazingly.
The wife of the Hon. Mr.. Bishop, of Conn,
seemed to be considered one of the most beau
tiful women present. and we heard particular
resemblance between the beautiful Piccolomini
and Mrs. D. E. Sickles, of New York, much
commented on.
1t is worthy of note that the next regular re-
ception comes on the anniversary Of Washing
toms birthday-the 22d inst.
The CAUCUS To-NIaHr.-It is very gener-
ally understood that a leading cause of the
failure of the last caucus of the Democrats of
the House to result in any thing definite, was
the fact that it was turned into an occasion
for delivering buncombe speeches-stereotyped
harangues that had been spouted, spouted and
spouted again and again in the Committee of
the Whole on the State of the Union through
out the last quarter of a century. Mr.. Branch
moved the five minutes rule; and though his
Iai IN
standing it was not enforced and more than
one gentleman, as consequence, took fifteen
minutes to elaborate what could have been
said much more pertinently and effectively in
third of the time. The object of a caucus is
simply to compare notes among its members,
and by familiar conversation to suggest points
of compromise likely to bring about harmo-
NOUS ASTON AS a mere oscape-valvc for pent
up buncombe, q caucus is worse than useless
leading to less, rather than greater unity of
purpose.
Apropos it is said that a portion of the
Pennsylvania Democratic delegation will not
be present tonight, though all of them are be-
lieved to have signed the call for the caucus.
We doubt the fact, because they cannot fail to
attend without placing themselves in the atti-
tude Of having refused to resort to every rca-
sonable and proper expedient by way of har-
monizing the action of tho party on the import
ant subject the caucus is to consider.
FACTS AND RUMoRs.-It is stated that the
Senate Post Office Committee have agreed to
authorize contracts for carrying the California
mail over the inter oceanic routes via Panama,
Nicaragua and Tehua ntepec, on the best terms
that can be made. They have also agreed to
let the Ocean mail service ON all three routes
to the lowest possible bidders.
The New York Tri6HNes correspondent,
under date of Feb. 7th, says that Mr. Slidell
declared to-day that he is determined to
force the Cuba question to debate, and to a
vote that if he cannot do so on the Thirty
Million bill as it stands, he will move it as an
amendment to one of the General Appropria-
ton bills"
Attorney General Black has given the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury an opinion upon the claim
of the Coast Survey to hold possession of Dud-
ley Observatory, at Albany. He maintains
that the Government has nothing to do with
the controversy; that no contract was entered
into in its behalf, and that tho Coast Survey
cannot keep possession of the premises without
the consent Of the trustees
COSFIRMED.-Last evening the Senate con-
frmed Samuel Black, Governor of Nebraska
Territory; Wilson McCandless, Judge for tie
western district OF Pennsylvania; and Nj
Amidon, Navy Agent at Boston.
TEE WEATHER.-The following report of the
weather for this morning is made from the Morse
Telegraph line to the Smithsonian Institution.
The time of observation is about o'clock:
FEBRUARY Q, 1859.
New York, N. Y..........cloudy.
Philadelphia, Pa. .foggy
Baltimore, MD. CLOUDY, cool.
Washington, ID. C......... cloudy, wind Ne
Richmond, Na...........raining.
Petersburg, Va..........-.raining, i6o.
Lynchburg, Va...........raining, i0o.
Bristol, Tenn. .raining, 3j".
KNOXVILLE, Tenn Training, 3iS.
Wilmington, N. C........cloudy.
columbia, = C-....... raining, cold.
charleston, ,. C...........Tdinin9, ST., wind w
Augusta, Ga...... training, coid.
savannah Ud.....-.. ...Iainin :, 50" ,windNW
macon I'D. CLOUDY.
Columbus, Ga. cloudy.
Montgomery, Ala. .Taining.
Lower Peach Tree, Ala. cloudy.
FROM THE WEST.
FREDERICK, Md. ......... cloudy, cool.