Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-04-18
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
wAsH1NaroN CRY, April 10, 1860.

WASHINGTON CTrY, April Is, 1860.
The proceedings in the two Houses of Congress
during the past week have been dull and uninterest-
ing 1t was expected that when John Hickman, of
Penn, presented his voluminous report upon the
Presidents protest that a lively and exciting time
would ensue; but it was received by the House
with degree of indifference which must have been
anything but tattering to its INSCRIPTIONS author.
After going into long, tedously elaborated argu-
nfent' he closes by recommending the adoption of
the following resolution
Res0lred, That the House dssents from the doc
trnes of the special message of the President of the
United States of March % 1860; that the extent
Of power contemplated in the adoption of the reso-
luton of inquiry of March 8, 1860 is necessary to
the proper discharge of the constitutional duties
devolvcd upon Congress; that judicial determine
tons, the opinions of former Presidents and uniform
usage sanctions its exercise, and that to abandon
1t would leave the executive department of the gov
erament without supervision or responsibility, and
would be likely to lead to a concentration of power
in the hands of the President dangerous to the
rights of free people.
The whole report is pretty artfully prepared
document but fails, it strikes me, to combat or
weaken the position taken by the President 1t is
very true that Congress has certain supervisory
powers; but the mode in which these powers shall
be exercised is plain and simple and were never
designed as the aids to further q mere partisan
movement. No one believes that this step has been
taken'by the republican party with view to the
Presidents impeachment; no one can believe that
HIGH patriotic motives ndaced this savage scent af
ter corruptions and wrong-doing by officials it is
clearly diSreputable attempt to mske capital for
the Presidential canvass and is only dshonorable
scheme to cast undeservcd odium upon the demo-
crat party. The disgrace which these republicans
.abor to fasten upon those opposed to them poti-
,ally will fail to attach ITSELF and the INSCRIPTIONS
men who have pursued this mean warfare will re-
Give the condemnation of every far-minded man.
tetrbutOn will come, and the des of November
will teach these wretched plotters that 1.-THE race is
OF always TO the swift the battle to the strong"
he cost of these investigating committees will con-
titute quite snug sum TO be drawn from the pub
C treasury already the committee Of Ways and
leans are asking an appropriation of 1orty-eight
hOusdnd dOttdTs to meet expenses incurred in the
rosccuton of this matter. BY the time their la
'ors arc ended and the testimony printed tcO HIM
red thousand dollars will not in all probability,
over the expense. Men are brought here from all
arts Of the country, at heavy expense to the
government on the most frivolous pretexts, and
when examined before these committees have moth
ng-literally nothing to testify. The last batch
hat John Covode treated to free visit to Wash
'ngton with 1.-THE freedom of the city," were men,
oers Of Mayor Woods New York police; every low
ru7an, runl-mill-keeper and shoulder-hitter in the
large cities has only to intimate he knows some
thing which he could tell" when straghtway he is
sent for and comes on when the result shows he has
no disclosures to make Washington, with its in
lux of politicians, Charleston bound and this vile
of Northern cities, resembles perfect Botany
Bay Colony.
The bill admitting Kansas as State has passed
the House by large majority. The entire North
Carolina delegation voted against its admission. 1t
is supposed that the Senate will give it pretty
thorough ventilation before voting upon it, and that
it may fail to pass that body.
The Homestead bill is still under discussion, and
is most tercely opposed by the entire democratic
side from the South, excepting the two Senators
from Tennessee. Senator Wigfall, who seems to
derive much pleasure in discussing this bill and
worrying his friend Andrew johnson, who fathers
this pet-Schcmc, made quite lengthy speech yes
ter;lay in reply to the Senator from Tennessee. He
deprecaes and refuses to recognize such democracy
that preached by the Senator from Tennessee and
was particularly severe in animadverting upon his
assuming to declare that this homestead policy
of democratic origin. 1t will, in all probability,
pas the Senate when it will be vetoed by the Presi
Dent; at least such to be the general impress
sion.
In the Senate yesterday, on motion of Mr..
Brown, of Miss, bill for the benefit of the public
schools of this city taken up, when Clark, of
n. H., moved to amend it so to extend the pro-
visions Of the bill to free cOlored children. This
gave rise to some excitement, and was most SIREN
ouSly opposed by the democratic Senators the
Senate adourning without taking any action on it.
There has been great deal of rejoicing among
the democracy here in consequence of the largely
increased vote given recently in Hartford Conn.,, to
II. C. Demng, the democratic candidate for Mayor.
At the last Mayoralty election this city gave the
republicans 22 majority this spring it gave Sey-
mour (dem) $50, and now it gives Deming (dem) 449
majority. This is gaining quite rapidly; it is a
gain because the aggregate vote as large as usu-
ally is. There seems some promise that this gallant
StatG,wl rote the democratic ticket in November
next.
There are numerous rumors af1oat in regard to
anticipated due! between Pryor, of Va, and Pot
ter of Wis. The difficulty between them occurred
by Pryor's charging Potter with interpolating the
record. This led to running debate resulting
finally in Pryor challenging. The whereabouts of
neither is known and all sorts of exaggerated state
ments are banded about the streets.