Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-14
WasnIsereH Erws AND ooss1P.


same time forcibly struck with the boldness with
which the writer essays to turn them to the ad.
vantage Of Senator Douglass hopes Of obtaining
the Charleston nomination. Were this feature
Of them confined to what he says Of things
politics-it would not he worth while to critcse
the writer's speculatioHs; but he cannot essay to
describe any gentleman personally, known as be-
ing decidedly opposed to the nomination by the
Democracy of him who coaxed Messrs Hickman,
Haskn Adrian, CO., to the verge Of the preci pice
from which they leaped into the arms of the
Republican party, without grossly misrepresent-
ing them. This trick Of the otherwise clever
writer in question, is most glaringly apparent in
his recent sketches of Senators Fitch and Gwin,
whom he caricatures most numerically, and in
so doing exhibits a total lack Of that knowledge
of the individual public history of American
statesmen of the times, which every native born
citizen connected with the press has Of course at
his fingers ends.
The fact that such misrepresentation Of gentle
men is essayed evidently for the benefit of Senator
Douglas, will do his cause more harm than good;
for public opinion will Of hold him morally
responsible for It, he is held respons BILE for the
monstrous stories concerning the state Of Demo-
cratic party sentiment throug bout the South with
reference to him, so industrously written from
this city, to screw his would be paItizans in
States that cannot possibly give Democratic party
maoritie> up to the work of seriously undertaking
to thrust him, as the Presidential candidate upon
the States that will vote the Democratic tic ket:
every one OF which repudiate him as heartily as
they repudiate his doctrine that Territorial Ieps-
latures made by abolition aid societies tools.
may lawfully exclude slavery from United States
Territories
The SOUTHERN MAILs.-We do not know that
there was ever before 30 general complaint as at
present concerning the irregulari:y and dlatori-
ness Of the Southern mails. We are usually in
disposed to give ear to such complaints, because
the trouble is generally not fairly chargable upon
the Pest Office Department. Now, in this case the
Inability OF the Department to keep its engage
ments with the contractors has placed it at the
mercy. As they are not being paid of course they
will pay less attention to due observance of the
regulations for their government The fault is
with Congress altogether, which has failed to
enable the Department to pay them, and the
country Will very properly hold that body res
sibic. and not the Department. In the matter of
the great Southern mail, however, the Department
does seem fairly chargable with the fact that the
mails between New York and New Orleans are
now regularly two days behind passengers be-
tween the same points. The latter take the new
Soutn railroad route, and thus travel from Wash
ington to New Orleans in three days The former
are transported over the old route, and require
five days to make the journey. We do not know
that the Department has lawful authority to
change the route of mail until the expiration Of
the full term Of the existing contract for its trans
Portation. II it las, however, its failure to avail
the mails of the SO much greater speed of the new
route will continue, and very justly. to generate
invidiouS comments wherever the public are in
terested in having the great mails of the country
keep pace with the progress of the times in the
matter Of speed.
We doubt not that until it is in the power of the
Department to make a regular and formal contract
with the companies forming the route they will
transport through letter mail for merely nofni-
nal compensation; as it seems to be clearly their
interest 10 demonstrate to the Government as they
nov" already demonstrated to the travelling public
that by patronizng their route quite -ffths of
the present travelling time Of great Southern mail
will b. s,ved. The fact that the business public
have deep interest in this matter should induce
the hope that the Department will at once make
some su.h arrangement.