New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-28
TRos WASHINGTON.
THINGS IN GENERAL.
s-.,....,sss.s Of The N. Y. Tribune ma
WASHINGTON, March %, 1860.

- "a IA. Our foreign relations are generally In
80 health. With England we ha'e no question,
s,..ra about the little island near Vancouver.
VIII Spain we have no difficulty beyond trying to
Ia, mr. bully Cuba from bSr, and nothing is doing
new about the subject ssy way. Mr. Preston, our
Mni,ter to Madrid icon his way home to look after
Ia Seees,ed fathec-in.laws effects in Kentucky
uh;ch visit the ohd nuncs, always on scent for a
sensation thiDk, or pretend, has something special
!. regard To Cuba, but which has nothing at all to
40 with Il. With the rest of Europe we have not
,xord on sny topic The universal Diplomatic corps
resi- IaziN on their oars eat their dinners pick their
teetb ride out, and wonder when they VIII
go their way out of American exile INTO
pohter Courts in Europe. There is nothing
n Washington life or associations, for which they
care brass button. What is this dull Democratic
tewn Ia theml 1t is made up of traders, clerks,
sountrv members, and here and therea rich whisky
Syrt5o planter. 1t is widely frnged with negro
hints and washed by the shallow, muddy Potomac
There IL no cultivation of the soil visible on the de-
~aved and decaying landscape there are no
wealthy capitalists embellishing the vicinity, no
tirfty class of burghers or bOurgeOise whose foot
sepe are To be obs ryed within without the town
Bmits. Uncle Sam spends good deal OF money
and parts of his possessions are in order. Outside
Of that tumble down is the word, for the most part.
Ia nny wonder that our be-aced friends, the dpO-
mats. are eHnuye1 and impatient, and feel anx-
ieus to be through with their American ap'
prenticeshipl In word, foreign affairs
here are lust no affairs at all. Our
enly ruffle outside our domestic concerns is touch
ip,Nexieo We have done some stealing in that
direction therefore, and are ready to do more. just
chat time we shall commence fresh job of this
sort. and how much OF il we shall do, is not to be
fsretold by the best of prophets. Our scouts ore
ant and ON the wath with nothing else to do; and
tbof Satan finds nm mischief
NH for all such iders Our ships and officers are
IN the Gulf begging somebody to knock the chip off
their sboulders aid they seem to have been sue
sessfnl in one cae at least OF course we are the
injured party aftr such an outrage.
Inside Of Congress- they are running along on
innocent topic. Mr.. Dan. Sickess right to his
.eat has been tie leading theme for a couple Of days
IN the House. The preceding three or four were
mainly devote to cObbEng the rules OF the body,
IN ace IL someOf the distractions to business could
moi be remOvd. The members work by the job
.aw. and the are TO be excused therefore, for
tayng TO see time. Three intelligent business
men could tie all the public business before Con-
sress and & il up completely and thoroughly in
thirty dayslnd not work ten hours day either.
Suppose a tail trader wanted to buy a box of
shoes of tb Lynn strikers and was not determined
whether thave two or three rows OF pegs, all
rouud its most likely he would he able to decide
tse impOnDt quesnon III Inc course vi le" hours
Of Standardization.
Tbrovhe same question into Congress, and it
would bdebated week and then sent to the Com
xnittee ,the Whole for further consideration, while
= tof fellows would turn up in the course OF
the disCssiOn who would insist upon three rows OF
pegs around, or a dissolution of the Union If they
were FUSED. And if the House went for three
rows, e Senate would probably stick out for two
rows, and, finally, a Committee OF Conference
wOuleettle the question, and save the Union by
settlh upon three rows Of pegs half way round.
This the way Congress does things go far as bust
mas concerned When it comes to talking, that
can, had in any quantity, and of any quality, for
the lest men of the country no doubt, are in
CoFess.
1.-THE Senate, the Florida claims have been up
annie verbose Mr. Mallory has had his say upon
ths, and the wearisOme Mr.. Bayard is to have a
&sa fortnight hence 10 60 over the ground in rela
81 thereto, already thoroughly broken up, cross
plVed, narrowed, and pulverized Mr.. Foot of
VmODt discussed the question day before yester-
fully, ably, and with cOmmendable brevity.
L. Foot always talks to the point, and always
tbits great force of logic, precision of language
nd prOpriety of manner. No man is more earnest
srnifed OF sincere, and no one is listened to with
eater respect for his opinions Even the fire.
,ters are compelled to recognize his claims TO their
lspeet to such degree that they admit they would
)t think of dssOlying the Union in case he should
E elected President. Let Mr.. FoOts name be
dded to the Chicago list of candidates. But Mr.
loot is wrong on the Florida claims. Florida
SalOws from the Treasury a sandbank swal-
Jws water. She has enough and more than enough
"a her claims in general and on this one in particular
Int the Spectators will occupy just about SO much
If the time of Congress, one scheme or another
lust now the Treasury is short, and the gate is
more apt tObe shut down on them than when money
beasy.
The result on the Tariff the Pacific Railroad is
sur, to be nothing but talk. As to the Homestead,
sms way is likely TO be cOntrived to defeat 1t,
probably the veto, if no other. Mileage may go
thrGgh. The frankDg privilege will survive
this session and then die hard. The Presi-
deng engrOsses a vast deal of anxious attention
and controversy on all sides. Douglas stock has
not been quoted over 80 per cent this week and
the head OF the enterprise stated a day or
two igO that Just now there no sale at any
price There are saDguHe operators, however, who
believe it will 90 to par yet. Among Southern men
the least is said about Alexander Stephens This
Circumstance is in bis favor Mr.. Hunter is prOmi-
mcnt 1t Is reckOned to be too soon for Mr. Breck-
nridgt, and he is much that way of thinking him
self As to Mr. Guthrie, it probably won't do,
though Pennsylvania cast a longing, lingering look
no that direction. But TOOmbs says decisiyely No.
Pennsylvania intends to insist on her tariff inter
est Mr.. NOOrhead, of the Pittsburg District, made
m earnest effort in this direction, in the House,
few days ago. J. S. p.
THE NOMINATION AT CHARLESTON.
From Our Own Correspondent
WASAISGTON March "a 1860