New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-26
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS.
Specialize the New Orleans oresccnt.l

speealtothe New Orleans Crescent.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1861.
Mfr. Edf0r-Last week was by long odds, the
most exciting of the six that have elapsed since
the session began. The excitement eliminated
on Saturday with Stewards speech. Knowing
how impossible il would be to get seat, did not
even make the attempt, but stood outside waiting
to hear the fate of the nation, which seemed,
indeed, TO hang on this mans lips. Every inch Of
the Senate Chamber was packed and crammed,
the floor as well as the galleries. the House being
almost empty. Many others, like myself, were
waiting. AS the House members, who had the
privilege of entering, came out, they were seized
by their acquaintance and eagerly questioned.
At last Congressman Of my State emerged.
sssWell! what does he say?'' Just clarifying
the Union,n was the reply Then came the Rep
resentatiye from your city. .tAll is LOST" he
answered as inquired the news Of him. Next, a
member from Georgia issued from the door.
g IL is a declaration Of war; said he to me, ex-
citedly, and by-! we'll march an army of
100000 men to New York next summer. Well
teach these wretches that there are two sides to
1ght.n Lastly came Vrginan. His lips were
compressed, his cheeks blanched, his gait hur-
| 3ried. He made some indistnct reply to my ques-
| ton, and pushed on through the crowd, anxious
! to telegraph the sad news to Richmond without
a moments delay. Ihad seen and heard enough,
and walked slowly and thonghtfully home to din
ner.
| From Saturday afternoon until Monday morn
ming, and down to the present moment, this
speech has been the theme of every tongue. 1t
gives no satisfaction to Southern men, yet I am
constrained to say that the feeling is less bitter in
regard to it than it was two days ago. Even
Georgians have been heard to say that it was
pacific. Gov. Crittenden's view is perhaps as Just
as any yet made known to me, viz: " 1t offers no
proposition worthy of being entertained by the
South, but it leaves the door open for concilia-
TOM This is a fair estimate. He does not admit
that the Constitution recognizes slavery, will not
vote to extend slavery into the common Terri
tories, much less protect it tere but at the same
tiEle the temper of bis speech shows that he would
not be sorry if the peace could be restored at the
expense of his (soealled5 principles. He in.
Inmates that he cares very little to retain the Gulf
States, and by inference, manifests great anxiety
to keep in the Border States
X So, what with the natural tendency of the mind
to react after intense excitement, the soothing
eAscto OF Stewards speech and other emoilients, in
the shape of an abandonment of the coercion
scheme By the President the return Of the Star of
the West from Charleston ete.,-what with all this,
there Is decided sense of relief to-day. ! heard
at dinner that VIM. O.. Butler, of Kentucky, had
accepted HE post Of Secretary Of War with the
understanding that the Federal troops were to be
Withdrawn from the seeding States. # this be
So II sill do more torestore peace and bring shout
racohstructon than the armies Of the whole earth
combined. One effect 1t will certainly have, and
that arrest the secession Of the border States
which, judging from the recent action OF Virginia
and Tennessee, have very little idea Of going out
anyhow. The end, however, Is not yet; and
single hair may turn The scale. The prediction
made n to.dey's issue Of that profound paper, tie