The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-29
FROM THE NATIONAL cAPIT4L.

| q
The Aggressive Policy OF the Admins
tration-The Drift of Events-Acquisi-
ton OF Cuba Means War with France,
England and Spain-A Naval Collision
Apprehended-L o o L n Forward to
the Irish Vote-The Porter-Borie De-
partment-Senator sprague and His
Opponents--PluckyT Talk.
The well informed Washington correspon'
dent of the Baltimore Gazette writes to that
paper under date of the 25th instant:
It has been several times intimated in this
correspondence that the main feature Of the
political policy Of the present administration
would be an acquisition Of the adjacent terri
sequences. 1t WAS predicted that the absorp-
| ton of British North America would finally be
attempted to be made the basis OF the
settlement of all our diff :ulties with Eng
| land, and that the immediate annexa:.
tion of Cuba would be sought to be brought
about by direct and indirect aid to the ne lnsur-
rectionists in that island. Recent intelligence
| from Paris and London, by cable, indicates
that the Governments of France and England
| have been heretofore better informed as to the
drift Of events on this side of the Atlantic than
the mass Of the American people, or than even
those whose political positions and great imam
| cial interests would seem to have placed them
in the way of obtaining clue to the real pur-
poses OF General Grant and his particular ad-
yyisers, which are now, however, no secret any
where. Ill.
The country need be in no further doubt
upon another and very important point, name
": that We cannot acquire either the new
Dominion" or the Queen OF tue Antilles;
without brush OF considerable magnitude
with Great Britain, France and Spain. Besides,
pretty definite information to this effect, made
known to the public generally through Euro.
pean dispatches, ! have specific Facts enaDll1g
me to say that our government IL not only
aware of the threatened bellgerent att!tuoe
of these powers, in the event OF persistence
| in the proposed policy OF this government, but
has taken action by certain naval orders, which
is meaningless under any hypothesis than
| other apprehensions of not very remote lla-
| val coIlisionl "Let the war come! What
can these Powers do with the United
States? What damage can they inflct? They
might possibly force US to use the sponge lree.
ly, even to the extent OF wlping out our present
Indebtedness. They might destroy our com,
merce. Would not this be o positive natural
advantage? Do we export anything to any
appreciable amount except poods and goio
Do we import anything but luxur1es, when
may be very we'll dispensed with? And, IN the
meantime, what would become OF the COM
merce of those trucuent monarchies, now
| hanging on the verge OF dissolution from
intestine connections? At any rate the Re-
publican party will secure the rlstN vote, Which
will be worth at least @ few hundred millions or
dollars in 1872" Such is the argument OF the
friends of the administration.
A spirited Democratic cotemporary OF this
morning takes q somewhat different view OF
''the situation" 1t says:
"After the lapse orfour years OF peace, dur
ing which they have utterly failed in their pre-
tended efforts at reconstruction, they see that
they have Only helandizeG the South. And
what do they do to throw dust into the eyes OF
our overtaYed peoplep They furiously demand
are even ready to 20 to war and seize the Can
adas for collateral security. They propose to
annex Cuba, in order to assist the Republican
cause in Spain and obtain some more hadlcai
negro votes"
The Navy Department, from the foregoing.
and other causes, has boon OF iate polnt VI
intense interest. I understand the reHponsl-
bility is duly appreciated by its head, or heads,
(which ever you please.) 1t is rumored that
Admiral Porter is decidedly of opinion that
-e~o .a,.l.;.. o.Avasli -ior-ass s-o.Ao
ever her size. and is by no means dlsposed 70
discharge the duties Of mere "ofhcer OF the
deck" 1t is further said the venerable Bore
threatens resignation. I do not credit the lat
fer report IfGeneral Grant could only review
his decision that no mau should occupy two
distinct positions under the government at the
same time, Bore might resign and the Admiral
might be assigned to the quarter decK OF lne
NAVY Department in sole command. IL coulo
not be expected that he would be Wiling
to throw up his rank IN the naval service and
thereby 90 ahead OF Stewart in sclf-sacrlhce
Grant cam )t do without hlm. He must there,
fore remain with some nominal Secretary ana
with whom could he "get along 80 well as
with the present amiable head OF the depart
I inclined
doubt the rumored appointment OF General
Sicsles to the Spanish mission. L he General
was recently "retired" upon full pay for life.
Will he give this up for an cphemeral embassy
that may net, and probably " II not, last sl1
monthsf And the Presidents determinations,
we all know, are as inexorable and lasting as
the laws of the Medes and Persiaps
The little game cock Of Rhode leland is
doing wonderful business in The way OF "cTt-
ting the combs" Of his antagonists. Il
not, however, commence personalities. "bruwn
and Ives" now 30 famous, might forever have
remained in blissful obscurity if this man Fri
day, the President pro tenn. Of the Senate, had
not ugerstepped the prophecies OF newspaper
discussion. am glad 10 learn, from modern
Lewis JenkinaS who has recently interviewed"
with the lively sIittle senator, that no two-penny
Quarrel with siBrown and Ives," )" or with the
whole 'caboodle" of his Rhode Island enemies,
set him upon his present course. Th's JENKINS
III have no fondness for a long life, and
have no particular ties 10 bind me here, but
intend to live long enough to get my plan
through, or, at least, understood before tne
people. 1t IS right, it is certain to prevail; l
had no vanity in proposing it: have stud!ed
it ont. and have como to It alone, but l tried
to have others than propose it. talked 1t
over TO members Of Congress-. saturated
committees with 1t. tried to influence all the
Caonet with it. stroye TO get it through the
head of the President, but he is gone case,
and the politicians own him. What did / en-
countorP Argumeatp Answer? No, but per-
sonal abuses and ridicule, and family war
upon Inv business. Then retorted, and show
ed that put Anthony himself into the Senate;
that paid the requisite taxes OF $40 ,0e0 which
were necessary to elect Burnside governor.
he stands to-day on my pocket-book."
Anthony is managing fellow, indeed. be
thus seems to have reached the Senate through
the breecbes pocB ct Of Mr. Sprague, and reach
@ | the chair OF that august body by defaming
his benefactor. The avowal OF Senator Sprague
that he had "no fond less for long life" has
reference 10 the public threats Of the Dragado-
cia Abbott. The following plucky talk is fully
sufficient to paralyze the very gizzard of the
North Carolina carpet.bagger:
81 intend to be diverted by no personal
quarrel from bringing my plan before the
country. After that is done, will fight the
whole caboodle Of them. slnglY or alone, just
as they wish. | do not believe that any man
thinks am coward. I have been under fire,
aud have been wounded. I do not tn INK my
c,urase admits question or needle vindication;
therefore shall not attempt to get engaged in
a street braWl; but do not intend TO avoid my