New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-03
FROM WASHING TON.
BUCHANAN's CONNECTICUT AND RHODE
ISLAND ELECTIoNs-CHARLEsToN CoNvEN-

BUCrANAN's MRssAGE-CoNNECrICU AND RHODE
ISLAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CoNvES-
TION.
Prom Special Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, April 2, 1860.
Three TOPICS at the present moment seem to
possess the mind of tho political world at the Ma
tioDal Capital namely, the Presidents protest
against the House IOyestsa.iDg Committee; the
coming elections in Connecticut and Rhode Island;
and The approaching Convention at Charleston. A
word of these, in their order.
/. Public opinion seems generally to concur IN
the sentiment, that the President started before no
was sent for and that j. Il" ia not Andrew Jack-
son. When Jackson sent his famous Protest 10 Tue
Senate, defying Clay, Calhoun, Webster, ana the
followers of the Great Trumylrate, the neart Oh tue
people beat responsive to his glowing words because
| he was wagipg war up0aa mammoth moneyed cor
| poraton. which they believed was endeay0rlng 10
| corrupt the country and subvert It's liberties
Then too there was q berOism IN the OLD mau
| mode of attack upon these powerful chiefs Whicn
gave to the conflict the air and aspect OF battle
among giants. And Jackson was the idol OF his
party; while there was a majesty IN his men ana
a MAGNETISM in his personal contact which aroused
uuprecedented enthusiasm in the masses More
over, the great body of the nation, and especially
| the middle classes, believed he was honest beyond
most public men, and not only proof against corrupt
appliances in his own case, bat had never stopped to
their use upon others.
Now, in all these essential points, there is not
merely no resemblance between Buchanan and
Jackson, but the wide difference between the men
and the contest in which they engaged strikes the
| most casual observer. Buchanan is skuking away
from his foes; he is seeking all candid spectators
think to hide corruption and roguery from the pub
lie gaze; he ia trying to shield from exposure gross
attempts to subyert the independence of the people
and the purity Of the ballot-box by bribery; he is
barely tolerated by portion of his party, and is
heartily despised and derded by the residue; he has
not the slightest hold upon the popular heart; while
an attempt to arouse enthusiasm IN his behalf
among the masses would be as hopeless as to seek
TO excite an nsurrectiOnin graveyard by whisting
to the tomb-stonss. Having thrown down the gauge
of battle the Committee will not shrink from taking
IL ND Indeed It would not be wonderful II he
should be summoned before them to give testimony
mot of course, to crminate hi nsel) in regard to
the grounds of his statements in the Pittsburgh let
ter Why not Is the President above the law
III. The impression prevails very generally here
that the elections in Connecticut aud Rhode Island
will have potent influence upon the Presidential
contest. 1T the Republicans carry both these
States, after the tremendous assaults which have
been made upon them by the Democracy, then
shrewd calculators admit that the prospects of the
Charleston nominee will be dimmed, and those Of
the Chicago candidate Frightened, by the result
Thu most intense interest is manifested in these sig
nifcant contests, and all eyes strained thither
ward.
III. Some politicians argue that if the Democ-
racy lose Connecticut and Rhode Island, it will aid
Douglas at CharestOn; while Others claim that
such a result would operate precisely the other
way. But the prevailing opinion seems to be that
Douglas is doomed past recovery, and that the
struggle is narrowed down to Hunter, Guthrie,
Breckenridge, and Lane, with the chances in favor
of the former.