The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-23

the lives and property of Americans in
crossing the bthmus to California. By
one of its provisions, on the failure of
Nicaragua to afford protection to American
citizens, the United States may, with the
consent or at the request of the Nicaraguan
government, its minister at Washington, or
the legal authorities thereof, employ such
forces as may be necessary for the purpose
Of protection, and no other, and in excep-
tional cases of interference, or where there
is imminent danger to the lives and proper
ty of American citizens, the forces OF the
United States are authorized to be used
without previous consideration. The treaty
was rejected by strict party vote, every
Republican in the Senate voting against its
ratification. England and France have
similar treaties with Nicaragua.
The Special Pacific Railroad Committee
of the House, held their first meeting on the
18th inst, and initiated their labors by the
adoption Of resolutions declaring that a
Pacific Railroad is necessary and expedient,
and that the construction of such road
should be undertaken by corporations, and
not by government also that it is expedi-
ent and necessary that the government
should aid the undertaking, both with money
and land. Mr.. FENroN, of New York, OBJ
jected to donating the public lands, and was
in favor of appropriating money. With
this exception the committee was harmoni-
GUS on the passage of the resolution. A
majority of the committee favored the cen.
trail route.
The Tribune correspondent says:
The report and bill of MIR. Nelson, of
Tennessee, on polygamy, is being printed.
The bill affixes severe penalties to the prac.
tice of polygamy in any of the Territories.
1t will come up for action in few days.
There is majority in the House in its ia
vOr.
Judge Robb, of Utah, has resigned his
place on the bench, and report says Judges
Sinclair and Cradlebaugh will also resign
or be removed. There is conflict of opin-
ion between these judges and Governor Cum
ming. 1t is said that the Governor is
Mormon and the judges Gentiles. Hence
the dispute.
News from the Rio Grande is of a more
pacific nature. COL Henry Brown has ar
rived at New Orleans from Brownsville, and
telegraphed on the 18th to the war depart
ment as follows:
II left Brownsville on the 9th inst. All
quiet on the frontier. Disturbances are
believed to be over, and Cortinas has given
up the contest, and gone to the interior of
Mexico"
Maj. Heintzlman has officially reported
the war ended.
Ola Southern Convention we have the
following luminous despatch
There was an adjourned meeting of Con
gressmen from Mississippi, Alabama and
South Carolina, tonight in connection with
the proposition of Southern Convention,
to be held in June. South Carolina, it will
be remembered, initiated the movement :;
Virginia declined to participate in it, and
Mississippi and Alabama approved it, and
arranged for the appointment of delegates !;
but the South Carolina Legislature ad.
journed without any such action. It is
understood that the object of the meeting
was to agree upon some plan by which an
attendance from the last named State can
be secured, although no formal proposition
was adopted. The majority incline to the
opinion that the Governor Of South Carroll
ma should assemble the Legislature of that
State to select delegates, and of this he will
probably soon be informed.
The Herald correspondent of the 18th
writes; ..
The election news received TO day from
New Hampshire, and two days since from
Chicago, electriies the Republicans, and is
received by the Douglas Democrats, accord
ing to the Interpretation of distinguished
Pennsylvania, as instructions to the
Charleston convention. This notice was
served today upon certain Southern Sena~
tors and Representatives, who profess to
ignore Mr.. Douglas, and the influence it had
upon them was of thoughtful tendency.
Senator Douglas has private dispatches,
overland, to-day, that Douglas>Latham
delegates to the State convention elected to
select delegates to Charleston will control
the convention by large majority. This
is considered signal defeat to Gwin, Well
Ter and Co., and is poetic justice to the
memory of Broderick.
Occasional" of the Philadelphia Press,
under dates of the 18th, discourses of Presi,
dental aspirants.
Mr.. Hunter, of Virginia, is again a can.
didate for the Presidency. I do not think
that his chances are good. While the
Southern politicians admit the purity of bis
private and public character, and bis un>
common abilities, they deny to him nerve,
or fixedness of purpose. They allege that
he is dreamy, tanscendental sort of states
man, and claim more resolution and consis>
tency as elements in the man whom they
will support with their votes at Charleston
and at the polls.
Mr.. Guthrie, of Kentucky, is said to be
in league with General Gushing, of Massa-
chusetts, and others, including some of the
politicians OF Pennsylvania, to put Jefferson
Davis, OF Mississippi, forward, and the latter
is evidently not ignorant of this plan, mas
much as it is evident that he has been plav>