New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-03
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WAsHlNGroN, March IS, 1860.

s. Ed. C,esceat-The effect Of the vote in the House
on MIR. Blake's resolution :. to give freedom 70
every human being was to unmask the BLACK he-
publican party in Congress, and to exhibit IN an
important and startling form the advances q IN
mitigated Abolitionism in TIE North. The conse-
quences of this display cannot be but disastrous
to the political fortunes of the Black kepubhcan
party; and the members of that party IN the House
are keenly sensible Of this and fully alive to the
Importance OF the confession that has been ex-
torted from them, and the application that will be
made 81 II to the Presidential question. IT is diff
cnlt to understand what was the precise object of
the mover of the resolution. He attempted to
withdraw it from vote when 1t was 100 iate. IN
deed, l know positively that Mr.. Bake's resoiuuon
was surprise that no Warming notice q com
munication had been given about it and tnere ls
but little doubt but that hunghng attemps ~
bunconbe had the effect OF giving vital blow TO
the Republican organization. There has been no
such political stroke for many day the Helper
book resolution cannot even compare with II IN
effect upon the public mind. The Black RepuDii-
can members were placed in the most ludicrous
distress. On the one hand they were anxious to
keep up their little reputation for impostured con-
seryatism: and, on the other hand, they had to
vote with an eye to home effect. 1t was the pres
sure of this latter consideration that extorted from
nearly twothirds Of the party representing public
sentiment in the Nerth the declaration that the
chattelizing Of humanity (the latest hyper-poet
cal definition of negro slavery in the South) was
the sin of the age and that it was the duty OF Con-
rress to frame law to give freedom to every
human being''-an extent of Congressional juris-
dction, it may be remarked, quite absurd in its
application to the South as in its grammatical
comprehension of the rest of mankind.
The Oregon and Washington delegation are
busily occupied with the attempt to obtain an ap-
preparation from the public treasury Of the original
awards Of the commission to ascertain and report
upon the expenses incurred in suppressing HOSTILE
1 ties in the Territories of Oregon and washington
in the wear 1856. 1t will be recollected that the
\ awards of the commission were considerably re-
duced In the report of the Third Auditor. The del
] eeation, however, take the ground that the faith
| and honor Of the Government are pledged to pay
fhe full awards of the commission, because 1t held
forth, by the creation of the commission, the prom
ise that It's awards would be conclusive evidence OF
the Indictment of the Government, unless fraud or
want of jurisdiction should be shown on the part
Of the commissioners to yitiate their action. The
this extraordinary proposition for the payment Of
the war debt of Oregon and Washington. The
House, however is likely to prefer to go into the
general question as to whether the hostities were
| commenced for purposes of speculation, before
saddling the general Government with debt q
six or seven millions.
| The project for the levying Of tunnage duty
for the Improvement Of the ship channel Of tht
Mississippi, which, in the last Congress, was pro
posed by Mr. Miles Taylor is effectively carried on
4 BY the provisions of the bill for the improvement
| of the Pass L'Outre, introduced into the Senate
4 by Mr.. slidell. The bill authorizes the compan.
chartered by the Saate to levy ten cents per tut
4 upon vessels drawing over twelve feet of water.
win be reported back at an early day, and vii
probably be acted on at the same time with an
A other of similar character, which had been intro
dneed in reference to the harbor Of Mobile. Th
subject is likely to be presented in some importan
aspects as initiating policy in respect to interna
improvements, the remarkable feature of which
that II places the tax on the interest that is to
particularly benefited by the Improvement.
The increase of the pay Of navy officers is sub
iect of animated debate in the Senate. The fac
is that great prejudice exists against the increas
of nav in this branch of the public service, o
account of the large number of officers above til
grade of lieutenant who are on leave or waitin
orders, half of whom receive, as is alleged, $3.50
per annum for doing nothing. This is probably
extreme statement; but there is no doubt but thu
the list Of commanders is redundant, and that unit
it is cut down by retiracy or some other e1pedieI
there is not much chance for increasing the nav
! pay, the benefits Of which go to the large numbt
of officers of this rank occupying the eompar
lively sinecure posts Of lighthouse inspector
ordinance duty, ETC., or doing nothing. Y.