Daily national Democrat., 1861-04-18
News by the Pony.


respondence of the New York Times, dated
March 3lst, contains the following:
Quite scene transpired at the Presidents
house yesterday On Friday, Senator Baker
of Oregon, presented to the President ten or
eleven men representative Calfornans.
who after he retired, recommended Senator
Baker to the Executive as a proper arbiter of
the California appointments. The President
then invited all Californians to call on him
yesterday morning. On Friday night, some
thirty Californians had an impromptu meet
ing at which they appointed a Committee of
live OF their number as proper persons to give
any information desired by the President as
to the qualifications of candidates. They also
adopted an earnest protest to the President
against Senator Bakers interference; first,
be cause he was not Californian; second,
because, as they alleged some of his recon-
meudatious were iniudicious improper and
unsatisfactory to California public sentiment.
This protest was signed by forty out of the
about sixty Califorhians now here j. W.
Simonton, of the S. f. Bulletin, was deputized
TO present this protest, with necessary re-
marks. Nearly sixty Culifornians met at the
Presidents accordingly yesterday morning,
when Joseph A. Nunes, of San Francisco,
briefly addressed the President, giving him
the names OF the Committee of Reference
agreed upon, and calling attention to the fact
that the paper was signed numerously 10y the
Republicans, who had held high position in
the history of the party in California. Mr.
Simonton then presented the protest with
some remarks in which he enforced it with
evidence to show that Senator Baker could
not be trusted to speak for California In
support Of this he charged the Senator with
having presented to the President, as u most
substantial and respectable man, a person
whose antecedents and reputation Simonton
denounced severely. He further alluded to
Senator Bakers nomination of his own SON
in-law for Superint endept of The Mint-a man
always known as an active working Demo-
crat, whose appointment could only be sus-
tanned on purely selfish grounds and at the
expense of the cause. As this is "A California
fight it is unnecessary to give all the particu.
lars of the remarks Suffice it to say that
both the parties assailed 10y Simonton were
present and it is believed they we're there in
the expectation of intimidating him. He did
not finch from filing the duty assigned him,
however. 1t was deemed imperative that the
President should be informed of important
facts under such circumstances, that he could
not be deceived by the suggestion that the
opponents of Senator Bakers policy were
making secret war which they dared not face
in open day. The statement was made, and
the responsibility is fairly with the Executive
OF course, the President was compelled to re-
sent the indignity offered to IA Senator pub
licly in his presence--that was expected
The President asked for Simontons private
memorandum from which he spoke that he
might burn it. The protest and memorial
Lincoln filed with his papers. Simonton re-
sponded that he had been accustomed to ac-
cept responsibilities, had performed his duty
in doing so now, and was content to abide
the result. Senator Baker inquired if there
was no one TO speak for the other side and
called upon Staples, of California, to yindi-
cate him by exposing the motives of the pro-
testants, but the President declined to have
any discussion. The breeze speedily blew
over and the President invited the Commit
tee appointed by the protestants to call at 3
p NJ. As one of the Committee, Simonton
returned to the White liouse at 3 o'clock, but
he declined to participate in the interview
unless invited by the President, as he had no
candidates to propose, but only desired to
oppose incompetent and disreputabe men,
The President subsequently invited him in,
and the interview was dignidcd and consis-
tent on the part Of the President, and graft
flying TO all The Times correspondent adds
that the facts are related with many unfound
ed embellishments.
The following is the version given by the
correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial:
The President had arranged, whether from
love of fun or sense Of justice, has not yet
appeared, that Senator Baker should tie
present, without the knowledge of the pro
testants. They were surprised to be placed
] flr n flfA wit b1t tad
their spokesman, Joseph a. Nunes, read
solemn protest, and accompanied it with an
emphatic but respectful eXtempore speech
After him, Simonton, of the San Francisco
Bulletin, stepped forward and read state
ment in which he denounced Col. Baker and
the politicians he intended to saddle upon
California as Federal office holders, in un-
measured terms. The President listened to
it quietly, but after its delivery walked up
toward Nunes and Simonton, took hold of
their respective documents, and remarked, in
substance: "Ihe protest deserves to be con-
sidered; but as to your speech" turning to
Simonton, "it is dsrespectful to myself and
Mr.. Baker, and ! can make no other DISPOSE
/ tion Of it than this" thrusting it with the
/ last word into the fire. An intense conster-
nation prevailed for some time after this
most unlocked for preceding. Simonton
] II ~
! thunderbolt, but finally recovered 50 far as
to say. Il have simply done my duty. have
nothing to expect from the Executive and in
doing what did, | merely meant to protect
! the interests of my State" After consider
able parleying and explaining, the material
irritation subsidized and a compromise was ef-
fected, according to which the President is to
confer with Committee, made up of mem
| bers of both factions, as TO the appointments
The affair created much excitement in polit-
cal circles. The prompt and decisive action
of the President is praised 10y many as a
| symptom of Jacksonism.
The New York Herald's correspondent of
! the 3Oth adds:
In accordance with the agreement made
in the morning, Senator Baker and l., Stan
| ford, John Satterlee, G. Wauou and Judge
Mott had a second protracted interview with
the President this afternoon. A compromise
was effected after considerable discussion, ac-
eOrding to w.ieh Senator Baker, Stanford
and Satterlee will constitute a Committee
| upon whose recommendations the California
! appointments will be made This will put
an end to the tactious squabble.
Texas advices state that Col Ford had been
reliably informed from Matamoras that Gen
Ampudia, with band of Mexicans, WAS sixty
miles off, marching on Brownsville Ampudia
had dispatched expresses, with placards and
handbiIs, announcing that Texas rightly be
longed to MeXico that she could no longer
seek support from the Federal Government
and now was the time to retaEe the State
Rentorcements in large numbers were rap
idly coming to him. Col Ford had ordered
all heavy guns and ordinance stores at Brazos