Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-02-01
WAsHINGroNNRWs AND GOSSIP.

erto to impose their incredible SANDER on the |
attaches of the press. The publication of the
alleged "details" will, no doubt, be followed |
BY complete vindication of the parties in
volved, and will convince this community at |
least. of the wickedness of circulating such IN
founded rumors as are calculated to destroy |
private reputation, to the end Of satisfying |
morbid public taste for scandal.
The Secretary Of the Treasury has commu-
nicated to the Senate an official statement that |
the numer of American vessels engaged in trade |
with Africa during the last fiscal year was
thirty-one, and the total of imports paying
duties valued at 81, 42O, 900; and those free val
ued at 1912, 900. The duties paid amounted to
nearly $4,000.
1t is stated that the report of a caucus hav-
ing been held recently at the residence of Judge
Douglas, in which the views of Colonel Forney
were voted down, &C., is utterly without foun-
dation. No such caucus was held; and at least
one Of the gentlemen alleged to have been pres
emit was out Of town at the time when it is re-
ported to have had its session.
Still another rumor Of the disintegration of
the Cabinet has obtained currency, but we
place no confidence whatever, in il. although
the generally well-posted correspondent of the
New York Herald speaks of it as being we'll
authenticated. 1t assigns to Attorney General
Black the seat on the bench of the United
States Court in Pennsylvania vacated by
Judge Irwin. No person is named as bis
successor in the position he now occupies, but
the opinion is expressed that the change is to
be followed by thorough reconstruction Of
the Cabinet.
Among other rumors in circulation here to-
day, is one saying that Secretary Cobb is to
retire, and that the Hon. Erastus Corning, Of
New York, is to occupy the position thus to be
made vacant. We have been unable, 80 far,
to trace this rumor to aught but the intermin-
able propensity of sojourners here, active in
political intrigues. to gossip interminably ON
such sui jects.
P. S. On more thorough inquiry, we have
satisfied ourself that this rumoris as unfounded
as all of the same class that have been 90 float
ing around loose" for the past year. The dis
tant public may rest assured that there is to
be no change whatever in the Cabinet, not
caused by death, until the end of President
Buchanan's term Of Office.
A ROWLAND FOR HIS OLIvER.-The Chicago
Herald Furnishes Senator Douglas with really
overwhelming severity in defending those gen.
tlemen whom he is understood to have assailed
in their personal character with so great bit
terness, in executive session Of the Senate on
Friday of the week before last. The point of
the Herald is, that up to Senator Douglass de-
sertion of the Democratic party a year ago, he
had been for twenty years on most intimate
terms with Mr.. Isaac Cook, postmaster of Chi
cago, whom, on the Friday referred to, he took
the liberty of denOuncing as being worse than
horse thief The Herald further shows that
Mr. Douglas is more indebted to the constant
friendship and liberal pecuniary support of Mr..
Cook, than to any other one man living; and,
lastly, that Mr.. Douglass only cause of offence
at Mr.. Cook, is the fact that the latter refused
to sustain him in opposition to the Kansas policy
of the Democracy.
1t seems that Senator d is most unfortunate
In his "splurges," one and alI-in none more
30 than in the various results or his effort TO
turn Senator Pugh's little a" milf 4" to his own
advantage. No one can read the Chicago
HeTaldS exposition of bis former personal and
political relations with the gentlemen he has
seen fit to denounce as worse than horse
thieves, without being satisfied that his in
dictment against them was really based wholly
on their refusal to throw away their personal
and political character to the extent Of aban
doning the Democratic party for his personal
advantage.
z. s. The Herald of the 2Sth says:
fostnasteI Cook, OF this city, has promptly
forwarded to Washington afidavits refuting ali
n ma ali
tor Douglas. Mr.. Cook has preserved copies of
these afHdavts, which will be published in due
time, II not read In the Senate, as we hope they
will be, TO show TO the world how low great
man can descend in the moral scale -
We understand that these afidavits will
show that the only documents bearing the
frank Of Mr. Douglas, which Postmaster Cook
detained in the Chicago post office, were franked
and left by him in Chicago to be used by others
during his absence from that city, which was
In violation OF law. The only blame attacha-
BILE to Mr.. Cook in tho affair, was on account
of his failure to prosecute Mr.. Douglas and
those assuming the right to post mail matter
bearing his frank, for those misdemeanor..
The BOUNDARY CoMMisSIoH.-TheI Interior
Department is in receipt of letter from John
Ii. Clark, Superintendent of the commission to
survey and establish the boundaries between
the Territories Of the United States lie saws
that the parallel, from which the survey com.
msnces, has been fixed approximately, and the
party arc now at work on the base line, and he
hopes in a few weeks to be able to advise the
Department Of the establishment Of the initial
point and the tracing and marking of the boun-
Diary as far as it can be done from the valley
OF the Rio Grande. On account of the severe
weather, the thermometer having for a few
preceding days ranged as low as 50 degrees
below freezing point, he fears they will be
unable to leave the valley, and 90 on the
plains where there is 10 wood and as they
nave no corn for the animals, such a step
would be likely to prove disastrous.
Mr.. Clark urges the necessity of having an
armed escort, as the Indians are troublesome
and impede the progress of the work greatly.