Newspaper Page Text
Mr. Filimorr in Xorlh Caroliua.
At an immense ratification meeting in
Granville county, North Carolina, a few
days ago, the Hon. Wm. A. Graham, Mr.
Fillmore's Secretary of the Navy, and the
Vice-Presidential candidate on the ticket
with Gen. Scott, was called out, and made
a powerful and telling speech in behalf of
the Philadelphia nominations. The Ra
leigh Star gives the following synopsis of
his remarks :
The distinguished gentleman said, that
when he came to attend Granville Court,
he little supposed he should be called on to
make a political speech. He was now en
gaged as counsel in a case of great interest
and importance, which almost precluded
the consideration of any other subject and
occupied his entire time during the inter
vals of the Court. When he was solicited
by several personal and political friends to
address this meeting, lie was taken by sur
prise, and had determided at first to de
cline, but upon reflection, lest his silence
might be misunderstood and his motives
misconstrued, he appeared before them to
give his hearty and cordial approval to the
nominations made in Philadelphia by the
Convention of the American Partv. The
-gentleman declared himself an old fashion
ed Whig of the Henry Clay school, and not
a member of the American party, though he
endorsed their principles in the main. And
if the fruits of his party was to he seen in
the nomination of such men as Mr. Millard
Fillmore, it was a party to do great good,
and every conservative citizen in the laud
should act with it. He did not care who
nominated him—whether he was the nom
inee of the Democratic or the Whig party ;
he was for him, for he was liis choice above
all men. That since the death of the great,
venerated Clay, be regarded Mr. Fillmore
as possessing more eminent qualities for the
office of Chief Magistrate than any man
among us. He knew him to be honest and
faithful and just, that his mind w as eleva
ted and capacious, and comprehended all
tiie diverse and vast interests of our great
confederacy of States. That he has been
severely tried at a time quite as dangerous
and threatening as now, and had tranquil*
ized the storm that raged so violently and
so fearfully. The distinguslied gentleman
continued in a most eloquent strain to eulo
gize Mr. Fillmore. What he uttered came
from his heart, lor his eyes glowed with un
wonted lustre, and his noble form was
agitated, by the excitement within, as he
spoke of the manly virtues, great integrity
and enlarged patriotism of his friend. lie
had been one of Mr. Fillmore’s confiden
tial advisers when President, and could
testify as to liis patriotism and ability—
how true and unswerving he was in his de
votion to the Constitution and the Union
amidst the dangers and difficulties that
surrounded him-—how justly and firmly he
exercised his authority in suppressing agi
tation and in maintaining the majesty of
the law. He (Mr. Graham) had nothing
unkind to say against the respectable gen
tleman who now filled the Presidential
chair, but he could not J'orgct, that whilst
Mr. Fillmore had turned -out of office every
Free idler in his own state, Mr. Pierce had
discharged from office the Collector of the
port of New York,-because Jte would md use
the patronage of his office in rewarding Free-
soilers. That Judge Branson was politely
informed by tire Secretary of the Treasury,
(a Southern gentleman, be it remembered,)
that there were two wings of the New York
Democracy to be consulted. The Hards
also voted for Gen. Cass in 1S48, and the
Softs supported Mr. Van IBuren, who was
nominated by the Buffalo Convention, as
Abolition a body as ever deliberated.—
Judge Bronsou, true to his country and
himself would not appoint the Freesoilcrs,
and was consequently discharged from of
fice. “This act,” continued the speaker,
“has given, in mv judgment, a greater im
petus and impulse to the Abolition party,
than any thing that has happened duriug-my
recollection, its effects were now visible
in the large and growing Black Republican
party of the North. Far the sentiments
as set forth in the recent message of the
President, I accord him due praise But, if
the south is safe in his hands, it will be still
more safe in the hands of Mr. Fillmore.”
The Hon. gentlemen was very impressive
and eloquent in alluding to the extraordi
nary claims Millard Fillmore had upon the
coservative men of the Union, and especi
ally upon the South. He, for one, was
prepared to give the ticket his hearty sup
port, and should vote for it with undisguis
ed pleasure. He alluded to the nominee
for Vice-President in terms of commenda
tion. He had surly, .vsliglit acquaintance
with Mr. D oriels on. He was a mau of con
siderable capacity and diplomatic, experi
ence, and was a sound Union Democrat.
He should vote for him most cheerfully.
The foregoing k bawdy a meagre outline
of the gentleman’s eloquent and fiuished
effort. He was interrupted by frequent
cheers, and closed amidst great demonstra
tions of applause.
From the Franktort (Ivy.) Commonwealth.
Andrew Jackson Douelson—Who is He?
Since the American National Conven
tion have nominated Mr. Douelson for the
second office in the Union, many of our Dc
moeratic friends cliovv a great perversity of
recollection as to hk public and private his
tory—some of them going so far as to deny
that he was tire private secretary of Gen.
Jackson during hk administration, and his
intimate, confidential, bosom friend, thro’-
oat the last quarter of a century of hk life.
For the their benefit, as well as to refresh
the recollection of our readers generally,
we will state a few of the more prominent
facts of Mr. Donel son’s life:
Mr. Do nelson was a newphew of tGen.'
J ackson’s wife. He was named after the
General, and was brought up in his fam
ily. When Gen. Jackson became Presi
dent, in March, 1829, be made Mr. Donel-
son his private secretary.
In 1844-’5Mr. Douelson was minister to
the Republic of Texas, and through him
the negotiations and communications which
resulted in the annexation of Texas to tl»e
United States were carried on. While yet
in Texas, he was appointed by President
Polk in 1845 minister to Prussia—an office
which he held until very near the close
of Polk’s administration. While miukter
to Prussia he was by President Polk in
j S48, appointed ministerto the Federal Gov
ernment of Germany, or German confeder
ation, and for a time he discharged the du
ties of both offices. Ill the beginning of
1849, President Polk transferred him en
tirely to the mission to Germany ; and ap
pointed Mr. Hannegan,z>f Indiana, to suc
ceed him at the .Court of Prussia. Upon
the incoming of Gen. Taylor’s administra
tion (March 1849) Mr. Donelson although
a Democrat was not immediately superse
ded but continued as minister to Germany
until the mission itself was abolished.
In 1850-51. when the secessionists and
disunionists of tho South exhibited their
mad spirit sad dangerous designs at the
Nashville Convention, Mr. Donelsou head
ed the Union and Compromise section of
his party in Tennessee ; and by his aid and
the aid of many other patriots, this dan
gerous political heresy was effectually
“ crushed out” in Tennessee.
AY hen Mr. Ritchie—the great Nestor of
the Democratic party—retired from the
editorship of the Washington^!-mon, t e
partv selected Mr. Douelson as liis succes
sor. He discharged the duties of the posi
tion well and efficiently, ami to the satis
faction of liis party, until the secession
and frcc-soil appointments of President
Pierce made it impossible for him to ren
der the administration a hearty support.—
He then retired to private life. AYhen the
American party arose he recognised in it
the means of rescuing his country from the
dangers of foreignism and sectional broils
which threatened it, and he at once gave
his heart an! soul to the good cause. He
lias already done frequent and great ser
vice in behalf of its noble principles and
well deserves its honors.
Bat, say some, this Air. Donelsou was
not General Jackson’s adopted son.—
Technically, wc believe he was not. Gen.
Jackson’s adopted son is not called DoncI-
son at all, but “Andrew Jackson, Jr.” If
bis name was orignally, Douelson—a
point upon which we are not certain—lie is
probably a cousin of the the Mr. Douelson
of whom we have been speaking. 1 liis
adopted son so far as we know or have
ever heard, has never been in public life at
all.
But our Air. Donelson—the American
candidate for*Vice-President—is the Don
elson who was Airs. Jackson’s nephew
- —who was named for Gen. Jackson, and
reared and educated by him—who was
his private secretary during his adminis
tration, his bosom friend, his political son,
who has held three foreign missions by the
appointment of Democratic administrations,
and the editorship of the Democratic cens
tral organ, by the general wish and consent
of the Democratic party. This is the Air.
Donelsou whom the American party have
nominated. No intelligent man can mis
take his identity ; no honest man will mis
represent it.
Tiie Richmond Whig upon Mr. Wisp.
AA'e would invite the attention of the
reader to the rich, rare, racy, short, and
spicy retort of the Ricmond IVhig to
tlie uncalled for attack of Air. AYise up
on the American party, and the Southern
Americans in particular. Air. A\ ise we
think has got as good as he sent.
WISE ON COLORS—A PRECIOUS CONFESSION.
From the last letter of Gov. \\ ise, which
we published on yesterday, we extract the
following sprightly, interesting, and soul-
stirring paragraph ;
In the next presidential canvass there will be
new issues presented by three parties: the white
man’s party—the democratic; the black man’s par
ty—the blft'. k republicans : the mulatto party—the
cross of northern and southern know-nothings—the
ticket of-Messrs. Fillmore and Donelson. All na
ture abhors vacuums and mongrels: and so do con
scientious, conservative and consti.ution-biving
whigs of Virginia. They can put np better with
pure Africans—wool, flat nose, odor, ebon, skin and
gizzard, foot and all—better than they can bear
that cross of the Caucasian and Guffey which you
call a—mulatto !
Here is the written language of a man,
who, we were told last spring, would in@ke a
genteel and respectable governor, if noth
ing more. In other words, that if the peo
ple would elect him they would have a
gentleman at the head of the State Govern
ment—an event, as was then contended by
many Democrats, which had not happen
ed for many lung years. And this consid
eration, we are lrank to admit, did exert
no inconsiderable influence over a few of
the Democratic voters of Virginia ; and we
make -the admission in justice to those few,
withexceeding pleasure. But we are equal
ly frank to say that many of those few
have Latterly found out their mistake.
They have found out that their new Gov
ernor is in his natural element only when
personating the character of a hlackgarJ.
And we may here state that we have nev
er known any thing, since our connection
with politics, to he received by the public
of all parties with more intense loathing
*nd disgust, than the letter of Henry A.
Wise upon which we are commenting.—
We h ave heard some of the best Demo
crats in Virginia declare, vehemently and
indignantly, that it was a disgrace to its
author and a shame to the whole State.—
We have yet to hear of a solitary man of
any party undertaking to defend it. Such
disgusting blackgardism is utterly inde
fensible, come from what quarter soever it
may—hut to he indulged in by the Chief
Executive officer of the State is reprehen
sible beyond the power of words to de
scribe. It was bad enough, while engag
ed in a heated canvass, for our dirt-loving
Governor to denounce nearly one half of
the people of Virginia, as “lousy, Godless
and Christless.” But to proclaim, from
the Executive mansion, in a dead political
calm, and when incited by no provocation,
that nearly one half of the sovereign voters
of the State are “/uulattoes,” and Delong to
a '■'mulatto party,” is not only a mean and
'Outrageous insult, but is enough to cover
the foul slanderer with an infamy, limit
less and fathomless forever. A man who
could calmly apply such villainous epi
thets to one half of the people of Vir
ginia is already worse-and more to he de
spised than tire most graceless scamp of a
negro in the State, and deserves not the
respect of a dog. If we use strong lan
guage, it is because of the offensive and dis
gusting character of the language employ
ed bv the individual, who has provoked it.
If a Governor of a great Commonwealth
may be permitted to abuse and blackguard
one half of its citizens, and that without
provocation or excuse, editors of newspa
pers, who have provocation and have ex
cuse, may, we submit, lie allowed to give
him as good as lie sends.
AA"e have no doubt that AYise correctly
describes liis own tastes in the paragraph
quotedabove. We have no doubt that “pure
Africans—with wool, flat nose, odor, ebon
rskiu and gizzard, foot and all”—would be
more acceptable personal associates to him
than “mfllatfoes.” To a man of his filthy
turn of mind, the “odorV of a “pure Afri
can” is probably the pleasantest perfume
•on earth. As far ourselves, we have no
hesitation in saying that, if we yvere com
pelled to choose between them, we should
most decidely prefer the mahogonies.
Butthe idea at the bottom of all this fijtb
and dirt of our gentlemanly Governor is
this—that AYise would prefer the success
of the Black Republican party, in the next
Presidential election, to that of the Amer
ican party. We have no doubt that in
this at least he tells tlie truth. He is said
to have preferred the election of Banks as
Speaker to that of anv American. And
AVise. in giving utterance to such a senti
ment, speaks the sentiments of nearly all
the Democratic politicians at the South.
We call the attention of the Southern peo
ple to the sentiment here publicly pro
claimed for the first time—that the Demo
cratic politicians of the South prefer the elec
tion of a Black Republican President to the
election of Millard Fillmore !
But more on this curious subjeet hereaf
ter.
Pnn$f!it Debate in Ike United States Senate.
Washington, March 14.
Mr.~Johnson, (dem.) of Ark., reported in
favor of printing thirty-one thousand copies
of the majority and minority reports of
the Territorial Committee ou Kansas affairs
being five hundred copies for each mem
ber.
Mr. Trumbull of III., opposed tlie motion;
lie thought the minority report presented
the slavery question in a masterly manner,
its position being unanswerable; but it
was not written as a reply to the details of
the majority report, and he was unwilling
to send out, yvitli the endorsement of the
Senate, a document containing so many
un warrantable assumptions, en-uueous de
ductions and inconsistencies.
Air. Wade, of Ohio, asked Air. Trumbull
to yield the floor for adjournment.
Air. Douglas, (dem.) of 111:—1 hope not ;
the courtesies of the Senate have been ta
ken advantage of, on account of my known
absence, to make an assault on me.
Air. Trumbull—No, sir; I knew not
whether you yvere present or absent when
I was commenting on the report. I did
not introduce the subject, nor did I know
it yveuld come up to-day.
Air. Douglas—My colleague daresto say,
in face of the fact, that lie did not know I
was absent.. He acted with unfairness in
in attacking the report when I yvas detain
ed from the Senate by ill health. I would
ask him, within wbat reasonable time his
speech will be printed ?
Air. Trumbull—I think it will be publish
ed by Alouday.
Air. Douglas—If I can ask a postpone
ment of the. question till Alonday, I will
reply to Air. Trumbull’s speech on Tues
day.
Mr. Seward—Take your own time.
Air. Douglass (quickly)— I understand
that game “take your own time.” The
Senator from Massachusetts took his orvn
time to write and circulate a libel on me
when the Nebraska bill was reported. I
and eistand my colleague to sav be came
here as a democrat. That will be neyvs to
the democracy of Illinois, and is a libel on
the democracy of that State.
Air. Crittenden, (K.N.) of Kentucky, in
terposed saying the debate had transceud-
statement that they had not time to exam
ine the bill of which he (Douglas) complain
ed. That address attributed to him a base
purpose, self-aggrandizement, and not a
proper sense of public iluty. The Senator
from Massachusetts did uot consider that
libellous—oh, no. This might accord with j
his ideas of a gentleman and a Senator.
Air. Sumner—I shall enter into no con- j
test here or elsewhere as to the character ;
of a gentleman. This Senate shall decide j
whether the Senator from Illinois is the j
proper judge of the matter. It is not true j
that I went to the Senator’s seat to make
the request to which he alludes
Air. ~ ' * ”
while pretend
the Nebraska bill, had previously franked a
grossly libellous pamphlet on that subject.
Air. Sunnier said tlie address was predi
cated on the first bill and not on the last.
Air. Douglas remarked that the reasons
assigned by Air. Sumner for the postpone
ment of the Nebraska bill, were not true,
in fact.
Mr. Johnson’s motion was then adopted,
and the Senate adjourned to Alonday.
step into the late shoes of the Transit Com
pany and pay a good bonus for the privi
lege*
These are the developments from Nica
ragua fraught with great interest to the
people of this country.
The Republicans were again defeated in
in tlie House to-day. The Chairman clos
ed the debate as he thought on the motion
to send for persons and papers in the Kan
sas contested election case, and moved the
previous question, but Ins friends broke
and all the skill of their driver could not
bring them to their work. The result was
that the previous question yvas lost by a
Douglas repeated that Air. Sumner. I majority of twenty odd, and the debate still
pretending he wanted time to read i goes on much to the discomfort of tlie Free
Soil leaders.
Settle Between Trnmbull and Donrias.
’I he AYashington Correspondent of the
Savannah Journal writing under date of
tlie 14th inst. says : . i
I have just returned from the Senate j
Chamber. The session was continued un- j
til near sunset, at least two hours later than j
usual, because of a protracted debate on ;
Kansas affairs—one of tlie most harsh and
acrimonious debates to which I have ever
listened in that body.
On Wednesday as you have learned, the
majority report by Senator Douglas, and
the minority report by Senator Collamer.
on Kansas affairs, were presented to the
Senate.
To-day when I entered the gallery, tlie
nerv Senator from Illinois, Air. Trumbull,
yvas making a speech upon the proposition to
adopt the majority report, and print thirty-
one thousand copies of both. Air. Tnim-
Washi.vgton Alarch 19tli.
The House to-day adopted, in lieu of the
majority and minority reports, a resolu
tion authorizing the Speaker to appoint
a- committee of three to proceed to Kansas
and take testimony in relation to the Kansas
contested election, and appropriating ten
thousand dollars for tlie purpose. The re
solution also requests the President to af
ford military protection to the committee,
if necessary. It was adopted bv a vote
of 101 to 92.
ed the rule of decorum. The Senator
had charged a libel on Mr. Trumbull.—
(Sensation.)
Air. Douglas—I should have been bet
ter satisfied if the Seuator from Kentucky-
had, when black republicans denounced us
in coarse terms, rebuked them for want of
courtesy.
Air. Crittenden—To what do you allude?
Air. Douglas—AYhen they made coarse
and vulgar partisan assaults on the demo
cratic side of the Senate.
Air. Crittenden—It was no more my bu
siness than that of others to call Senators
to order for personalities. This is not tho
place for vituperation. Such matters should
be settled elsewhere.
Air. Douglas—I do not regard the Sen
ator as good authority in Illinois politics.
I was speaking of events of which I am
better capable of judging than lie.
Afterfurther colloquy, the Chair decided
that ATr. Douglas’ remark was not personal.
Air. Douglas—So far as I am advised,
and as I believe, my colleague yvas the can
didate of a miserable sect of abolitionists
and Know’ Nothings, which are one and
the same thing.
Mr. Crittenden—I wish the Senator to
understand that I co-operate yvitli the
American party, and, standing here as a
gentleman and Senator, and claiming all
the respect due to my honesty as a freeman,
I repel yvitli scorn every imputation of that
kind, as intended to embrace me and my
political associates.
Air. Douglas explained—I spoke of what
Know Nothingism is in Illinois, and said
it might he otherwise in the South. Eve
ry Knoyv Nothing lodge in Illinois has
Government Expenditures.—Economy
in the public expenses of the general gov
ernment is one of the planks slipped into
every democratic platform. Upon this
plank they have stood and preached
year after* year, especially immediately
preceding every Presidential election.
The text is a good one, the sermons have
probably been well enough, but the practice
of the party has swelled tlie expenditures
to an amount almost beyond the sober be
lief «>f the people.
The fact is revealed by the estimates of
the administrations that the expenditures
of the federal government for the present
year will he at least strenty-one miliums of
dollars. .Some years ago, when the public
esteem which the British Minister justly enjoys
here in other respects might counsel the latter
course, more especially if t*-s British government,
assuming tin- lespot.sibi.ity of his acts, shuuiu
thereupon printed lo tender, in its own name com
plete and ample satistacuou for having authorized
or permitted such a flagrant wrong as the systemat- f
ic attempt to recruit military force in the United
States by the instrumentality of tlie Lieutenant-
Governor of Nova Scot.a.
expenditures of the government reached
bull appears to be about fifty year! old.— u » fraction of twelve million dollars, a hue
lie is rather tall, straight and slender, and
pale and student-like. His voice is some- |
what husky and incapable of much modul- j
ation. At first I was not favorably iinpres- j
sed. I thought for a time that lie was simply j
a dry matter of fact speaker. But I soon j
found that lie was master of all the facts in 1
the case, ingenious and logical in liis infer- i
ences, and gifted withal with an appreeia- •
tion of* the ludicrous aspect of things. He I
was reciting the history of Kansas politics. |
and reviewing and criticising the conduct ;
of the Administration and its friends with :
reference to that Territory. Presently j
AH. Douglas, his colleague, entered tlie i
Chamber and embraced the first opportu- j
nity to (.(enounce the Senator in the sever
est terms for assailing him in his absence.
Mr. T nnnbull responded with energy, and
from that moment to the end of the exciting
debate, he rose in power and effect. Air.
Douglas provoked pungent responses from
Air. Sumner, whom he accused of trick and
insincerity, and from Air. Crittenden, who
had called him to order, and whose “Amer
icanism” he was understood as assailing.
Air. Douglas was vehement, and impas
sioned, throughout, and even fierce and
denunciatory toward his colleague: but
when the contest ended the impression was
very general that the “Little. Giant” had
been mated, and the free-soilers of the
Senate had received^ a reinforcement, one
who is more likely to lead than follow,
those who were there before him, if not by
virtue of his intellectual abilities, at least
because-of liis courage and moral power.—
But Air. Douglas is to have a fair chance
at him in a few day.s
The House was in the, mean timediscuss-
ing another branch of- the Kansas subject,
the right of either Reeder, or AVhitfield, to
j the seat of a delegate from that territoiy.
- -j j . . , i Both the contestants were present. AL.
adopted an abolition creed ; and that is the ,, . . ,, , , l , , .
■ 1 j, r ., , . , ’ ,, \\lutheld is a tall, pleasant looking man,
miserable taction which sent mv colleasrue I „ . 1 . , e ,
i of southern deportment and manners, and
apparently but little over thirty years of
age. Air. Reeder is scarcely of medium
height, perhaps forty-five or forty-eight
years old- precise looking, and formal, and
even pompous in his deportment. It was
remarked by Air. Letcher of Virginia, that
the free-soilers had no sympathy for Reed
er,wind were moved solely by opposition to
Mr. AAMiitfield and his interest. Of this,
there is no room for doubt. They do not
trust in him, but desire to got rid of him,
regarding him as the heaviest burden they
have to bear. But some of them praise
him with about as much sincerity as they
propose the re-enactment of the Alissouri
Compromise line.
here. The Senator from Kentucky mis
understood me, else he would not have
conceived my remark as personal to him.
Air. Crittenden—The gentleman did
not make the qualification lie now does.
Air. Douglas—The gentleman must have
understood me as making a distinction. I
said nothing about Southern Know Noth
ings.
Air. Trumbull—I shall not permit such
remarks as those from my colleague to
pass unanswered. I shall suffer no man
here or elsewhere to state of me things
which are absolutely and totally unfounded.
If he means to say I am, or ever have been
a Know Nothing, or connected with any se
cret political organization, the charge is
basely—I will not violate the rules of the
Senate, but say, untrue. He proceeded to
speak of the politics of Illinois saying she
was and always lias been a democratic
State. In the Eighth Congressional distict,
which gave Pierce nearly 5,000 majority,
he j i murbull) was elected a member of the
Honse by more than 2.GOO majority. He
ran as the Anti-Nebraska candidate. How
did his colleague know he received every
Know Nothing and abolition vote? He
(Air. Trumbull) did not know it.
Air. Douglas—My colleague said the rea
son why he did not accept at Salem my
proposition to resign our scats last year to
test by re-election, whether he or I repre
sented Illinois, was,that Governor Alattison
would appoint me and another democrat to
fill the vacancies. I fell him I will sign a
resignation now to take effect at the next,
meeting of the Legislature.
Air. Brown, (dein.)of Alississippi—That’s
right.
Mr. Douglas—I’ll give him till Alonday
morning to think of it.
Mr. Weller, (Dem.) of Cal.—That’s bet
ter.
Air.*Douglas—I said fnv colleague re
ceived every abolition and Know Nothing
vote in tho Legislature. He dare not de
ny that statement. Why equivocate ?
After some further remarks,
Air. Douglas said (hat his colleague had
become a chief of the Black Republicans
Air. Trumbull—I ask my colleague to
explain.
Air. Douglas—Was not the gentleman
voted for by abolitionists and Know Noth
ings from all parts of the State?
Mr. Trumbull—I tell him no, to his teeth.
I never was a candidate of the abolition or
Know Nothing party. I have been voted
for by members of the American party,
and it was so with the gentleman ; but that
1 was their candidate is not true.
The colloquy was continued further,
when Air. Sumner replied to the remarks
of Mr. Douglas, that lie (Air. Sumner) had
obtained a week’s delay of the Nebraska
bill in order to circulate a libel on him
(Douglas). Air. Sumner said that it was un-
true-tbat he had united with othermembers
of the Senate in sending an address to tlie
people of the United States expressing the
true character of the hill, and predicting
many of the evils which havp since en
sued.
Air. Douglas said that both Alessrs. Chase
and Sumner, on the occasion referred to,
came to his seat and asked him to postpone
the Nebraska bill one week, in order to
give them time to examine it. He did so
—but the day after, he discovered they had
written an exposition of that measure, and
scattered it broadcast. It was the false
W’rshirgtcn Correspondence Charleston News.
Central America—Walker and the Transit
Company-—Defeat of tlie Black Republicans.
Washington, March 14, 185G.
The news received by the arrival of the
Prometheus from Nicaragua, is of highly
exciting interest. It shows that Walker
lias determined to bring things to an issue
at once, and to stand upon the live-long or
dic-right-offprinciple. He has hurled defi
ance into (he teeth of Britain, by laughing
at the mockery of her Mosquito protecto
rate, and taking possession of the country
which she has assumed to protect. lie will
now very soon settle the destiny for some t>>
come of the South American Republicans.
They must either recognize his govern
ment .and show a disposition to cultivate
relations of amity with him, or else make
ail aggressive war upon his dominion in Ni
caragua, failing to do so, they give him
time to marshal such an amount of forces as
will enable him to make war-upon them.
Walker is a shrewd man. He, docs fear
England, though lie knows that a contest
between his forces and hers, would be like
that of a pigmy contending with a giant.—
lie taunts her for the very reason that lie
knows that the very moment England at
tempts to assume any power in that region,
that moment the United States would
have to maintain the integrity of the .Clay
ton and Bulwer treaty by force of arms if
necessary. In that contingency it would
he the policy of the United States to recog
nize Walker and his government.
As for his seizure ot the property of the
Nicaragua Transit Company and the re
peal of its grant, no one li is any sympathy
for it. It never fulfilled the conditions of
the grant providing for the payment by the
Company to.the Nicaraguan Government
of a certain sum annually. The failure to
pay these sums involved the forfeiture of
the grant.
Indeed it was the accumulated non-pay
ment of these yearly amounts which had
reached an extent so as almost to preclude
the payment of it on the part of the com
pany, that caused it to aid in substituting
Walker’s Government for the preceding
dynasty of Nicaragua. It has indeed
placed a stick in Walker’s hands to break
its own back. He justly contends that
debts due the the old government accrue
to the new, and that the failure of the
Transit Company to pay his government
what they owe it justifies the confiscation
of its property. This right of way and
grant which the Transit Company has
solely enjoyed formany years is a valuable
one, and by it alone the government, if it
hires it out prudently, can sustain itself.—
There are many new companies who would
and cry was raised against tlie administra
tion of J. Q. Adams, and on the promises
then probably made of reform retrench
ment and economy, he and his party were
literally kicked out of office by the demo
cracy, who since, that dav, have swelled
the. expenditures to suelt fearful millions.
We have some curiosity to kmw, if ti e
party, when another platform is framed
at Cincinnati, will have tlie unblushing
hardihood to include the same old plank
about economy.—j Columbus Enquirer.
lotltr from Garret! Davis.
This truehearted patriot, who was among
the first persons spoken of* for the Presi
dency after tlie organization ofthe Ameri
can party, and who had tens of thousands
of friends all over the Union who hoped
that he would be nominated by the late
National Convention, has written tlie fol
lowing letter, worthy of his noble nature,
to the editor’of the Georgetown Journal.
Air. Davis, we know, had many strong as
surances that he would in all probability
be the nominee of the convention, and un
questionably he feels a proud eonciuusness
of his own high qualifications for the dis
charge of the duties of any station to
which the voice of his countrvmen may
call him, yet he permits no disappoint
ment of any expectation he may have
cherished to interfere for a moment with
liis devotion to the great cause which he
deems the cause of the Union. The Amer
ican party contains many gallant and
cbivalric spirits, but none more gallant and
chivalnc than ho. He is yet young, and
we believe that the lofty honors, to which
lie is richly entitled, are but deferred for a
season.— [ Louisville Journal.
Georgetown, Ky.. Feb. *25,1856.
J. Foster. Esq.— Dtur Sir: 1 an* in receipt of
your tH‘fe referring to the proceedings of the Amer
ican Convention at Philadelphia: and a few hours
before, bad seen the names of the nominees an
nounced in the newspapers. I deem the nomina
tion the strongest and best that could have been
made, and every trne member of tlie American or
der will give it a hearty, active and enthusiastic
support.
My opinion had lieen that it would be best to
postpone the nomination until the 4th of July, but,
when tho convention bod assembled, there was an
intervening necessity for an immediate nomination,
and to have jiostixincd it would have been a great
mistake. I so thought and expressed myself be
fore the nomination was made. The convention
promptly and w isely mot the necessity of tho case,
by nominating for the first place, a man who had
titled it, and whose administration will “stand the
test of time, of talents and of human scrutiny.’’ In
wisdom, moderation, firmness, patriotism and sne-
oos-s, no administration of the government excels
Millard Fillmore’s, save that of Washington alone.
It rose in majesty and strong as a rock from the
deep foundations of and high above the stormy sea
of polities, and the mad waves of faction broke
harmlessly at its base. Its spirit and scope were,
in accordance with the constitution and laws, to pre
serve the Union and to develops the growth, pow
er and glory of the whole country. It won the ap
proval of good and patriotic men of all parties at
home and tho respect of every foreign power: and
at this time of perils, threatening from within and
without, oar country could Itave no better promise
t»r peace, prosperity and safety tlnui its reproduc
tion.
i should have preferred that the platform of
June last had remained untouched. The one
adopted in its stead embodies ail its principles, and
gives u more distinct and belter expression of sev
eral important ones. Bat our true and practical
and liv ing platform is Millard Filiinore and his past
administration of the government: and this is in
finitely more valuable and more to be trusted than
any platform w hich any convention could frame.
% Disunion was formerly threatened from the South,
now it audaciously rears its horrid front from the
North, and it is daringly proclaimed that the re
striction ofslavery is j aramount to the preservation
<>f the Union. All who declare that the extension
or the restriction of slavery is paramount to the
preservation of the Union, have the hearts and
ought to die the death of traitors. We hear too
the low mutterings of the storm across the deep.
Our ancient enemy and our ancient friend are in
strange alliance: and they both turn upon us low
ering countenances. The cloud that is gathering
within our own bosom, and is rising above the hori
zon in England and France, may unite In our
borders to break to pieces our glorious Union.
1 lie pilot to steer the gallant ship and to weather
such a storm is Millard Fillmore.
fiLithfully, vour friend,
GARRETT DAVIS.
Another 8picy Convention.— Our good
neighbor, the Register, has been terribly
exercised at the undignified and exciting
proceedings had at some of the sessions ot
the Philadelphia Convention. His sense ot
propriety was greatly shocked at the unre
fined demonstrations of Parson Brownlow,
and sundry others. Indeed, he was intolera
ble disgusted with the whole affair. Now, we
are not going t" quarrel with our friend
in this matter of taste, for we confess our
selves much to prefer order and courtesy to
rudeness and vulgarity of any sort. And
we desire to call his attention to the pro
ceedings of another Convention—held
since the adjournment of that of PhilaGel
phia—a convention of his own party
friends, assembled it*, the capital city ofthe
“Old Dominion"—we mean tlie State
Democratic Convention of Virginia. The
proceedings, according to the reports, of
first dav, were anything but harmonious
and orderly—but ou the second day, they
are said to have been racy, spicy, uprori-
ous and interesting. The occasion was
the arraignment of Gov. Extra Billy
Smith, on the charge of KnownotbiiigLm
and the scone is thus portrayed by the
Richmond Whig: Mobile Advertiser.
The iu'.iictrnent being read—which iu substance
declared that the ex-Govemor was not entitled to
an admission into the convention—a scene ensued
which licit her pen nor pencil can portray. Yells,
hisses ana beilowings mingled, mingled, mingled,
while the sound of the chairman’s v oice and ham
mer was drowned in the universal noise and con
fusion of the assembled Bedlamites. Never before
in earth, California, or the infernal regions, has
there occurred such a wild, magnificent scene
of disorder, angry contention, horrid grimaces,
threatening gestures, shaking of fists, whooping
ami hollowing, as prevailed throughout tl:e spa
cious hall \Ye expected fora moment that when
the meeting adjourned not less than from three to
live hundred Locofoeo carcasses would be stretch
ed lifeless upon the floor. Some one made a motion
that tlie great Know-Nothing criminal be heard, j
while hundreds rri • 1 ‘‘No, no but finally the vote j
of the iqiectators decided the quesljon, and the j
Governor mounted the rostrum amid a shout of j
appiar.se which sounded like the mighty roar of i
cannon at Sebastopol. •
learn that there were several sjfov, ,
previous to the. heavy shock e q., e U
shock was preceded i»v a sound ns. *’* ;;
gust of wind passing through tl lfc <U ' '.
of a vessel, and the motion was ace ^
ied by a rumbling noise like that prol^"
by a heavily freighted vehicle '
rapidlv over a wooden bridge Ti
occurred at twenty-four iniuutss r
o’clock, apparently ranging from _
to northeast, and lasted about Jo gec , ^ I
T he motion was horizontal and ’ 1 ' i 1
tmg.
fo rre persons describe the
^cuj,. I
A Washington letter savs it is no longer j
, . ,. - , .. 1D °fion a s .*
whirling nature, but tins could not k
been the case with.*.t cccasioninir ,
greater damage to the masonry 0 f tf e
and stone buildings. It is evident ti
the violence of the shock was differ ,7"
experienced in various parts of the r: '
In some localities in the suburbs ip* ' "
of violence was much greater than in^f
eis. In several instances the Tibratf^’
were so great as to overturn heavy
of furniture. Again, the motion is C „T ! ?
ed to that produced on shipboard wherfo'
side*of the vessel is struck by a beavv
—a sudden shock without vibration p *
few persons escaped being aroused"Lv ^
shock, but some there are of whom itiL ’
that thev slept on undisturbed throne
whole. e
Some estimate may be formed oftheu
oleuce of tlie shock, when it is stated t 1 •
a man sleeping on the third floor • '
Custom House building was thrown;?
Lis bed to the floor. The walls of thk’-
mg are composed of masonry capalle •
resisting a broadside from a' ship 0I
line. Notwithstanding its immense i>
and strength, the building v. as tossed i :
a feather on the wave.
A gentlemanwho occupies a room in fl,
third story of a building on ilontgomerr
street, perhaps blessed with more than >
ordinary share of resignation and fortita.'-
was aroused by the shock and nas
leisurely opening his door as the inma:-
were flying hither and thither and jun ,
down the stairways. He calmly a-ked
w as the matter, and was answered by (.
occupants in thiswise: “ An earthquake
an earthquake ! Ilun ! the builoir.r .
coining down ! Don’t you feel it?” V
with the greatest apparent
ment, replied, “An earthquake! Ob. fl
it, is that all, I'm going led again,”m.
slamming tlie door violently as if
nant at the alarm of liis friend?, retired
doubtful that S.iutli Carolina will be fill I v • i , , , r
. ,, . - i was seen no more until 10 o clock, A >[
represented in the Cincinnati Convention.;
The whole congressional delegation, with .
The Washington Union publishes an
elaborate opinion of Attorney General
Cushing on the enlistment question at the
request of the President of the United
•States. The following are the conclu
ding paragraphs relating to the case ofthe
British Minister:—
‘‘On tlie whole, the case of the British Minis
ter, regarded in the light of established ruloeof the
law of nations, aud diplomatic usage founded there
on, would seem to resolve itself into—first, a ques
tion of strict right, and secondly, of discretion in
tlie exercise of that right.
“It clearly is not a case affecting the security
of the State, and thus needing or justifying tiiejii-
tci position of summary authority, as in the in
stance ofthe Prince of Uellaiuare iu France, (Gh.
de Martens, Causes Celebres, tom. 1, p. 139,) Count
Gvllenhcrg, in great Britian, (Foster’s Crown law,
p. 187,) And many other cases of historical and le
gal notoriety or interest. No acts of violence are
imputed to the British Minister, nor any purpose
or act threatening to the national stability ot the
l nited State-. What is cliargt u against him is con
duct improper in a public minister, illegal as re
spects the municipal law, injurious to the national
sovereignty. If sufficiently shown, it requires to
be repressed in sufch manner as effectively to vin
dicate the public honor. Of strict right, the Presi
dent may, as the Queen of Spain did in the case
of Sir Henry Bulwer, send his passports to the
British Minister, with intimation to leave tlie coun
try without delay : or he may well, in liis discre
tion, adopt the milder course, as President Wash
ington did in the case of M. Genet: that is, after
affording to the British Minister opportunity of ex
planation through the Secretary- of State, then, if
liis explanation be not satisfactory, to demand liis
recall of the Queen’s government. The personal
the exception of Uol. Keitt, are committed I
to that course. Air. Brooks has written an ;
elaborate am! able letter to his constituents !
recommending it, and favoring the renom- i
illation of’Gen. Pearce. Judge Butler has J
written in favor of a Convention, bnt j
against the expression of a preference fori
any- candidate. Air. Brook’s letter was t
first published in the official paper, which !
is complained of by Anti administration j
Democrats as a violation of neutrality. i
Hr. Fillmorf in R««r.
The European Correspondent of the
Savannah Republican, (J. L. Locke E»q.
former editor of that paper) writing from
Rome says :
“We have had the pleasure of seeing Air.
Fillmore here. He was accompanied bv
Dr. F oote and Air. Jewett—fellow-towns
men—the former once Charge to Vienna
and Bogota. Asa kind of supplement to
your friendly reception of him in Savannah,
I entertained hint at dinner with some ten !
other Americans. Air. Cass, coir Alinister [
here, held a reception at the Braschi pal
ace where he lives, to introduce the Ame
ricans to him—a very elegant affair, en
livened by performances by. some artists
from tlie opera. Air. Fillmore is now in
Naples, and will either go to Greece or;
via Alalfa and Egypt to Jerusalem and
Constantinople, returning by Greece to
Trieste.
I went out with his Excellency one day
to the fox hunt on the campagne, where
arc the largest foxes aud best bunting
ground in the world. The elub has forty-
four hounds which limit twenty two foxes
at a time. Then there are some good Eng
lish and native horses. The hunt had been
turned off before our arrival, so we rode on
some eight miles from Rome on the Appian
Way, and ascended one ofthe old Roman
tombs which line this road for 14 miles. No
sooner were we tlieie than we heard the
dogs in full cry corning right upon us.—
There were two foxes,which probaldy meant
to take the earth in the ruins about us. It
was immensely exciting to ?ee the foxes,
and the hounds with their noses down,clear
ing the stone walls, and. nearly as good a
one to see the alacrity with which Mr.
Fillmore sprang upon one to witness the |
chase alter it had passed the road. The fox- [
es separated soon, the dogs following tlie’
scent of the largest which gave them a i
race of aFleast sixteen or eighteen miles, j
lasting nearly two hours. The animal |
doubled in all directions, and finally es-j
caped by taking the earth, highly gratified, !
I have nut the least doubt, with the day’s
sport.
'
A favorite young Irishman, v.uo atteuj
to a suite ot rooms in the luiidin?, rj,
seen flying from liis apartments in iLec
most terror, and iu a state of half midiir
to the the street. AYhen Le returned ah,;
8 o’clock A. AL. to his morning duties, fo
was asked by a gentleman r.pnn whom Li>
attended, whether he felt the earthquake.
“Did I feel it ?’’ said Tat. “Faithdidn't!!
And didn’t I run like a hare? Ee jaben,
and if that was an yearthquake, I niver
want to sec the like ot it again.” By tie
way, Tat never stopped rinmir.g radii
leached the Vlaza, w isere he found a la
titude of strong minded and strung nervd
men and women and children, who L*i
sought it as the great p illadium of sa:V:r
The consternation among the inmatesc:
the large lintels occasioned scenes v.b._
may be better imagined than uescribei:-
The population ofthe Ilasette HousenA
ed, tumbled or precipitated itself down til
stairway and into the street : and >aeliu
array of beauty snauorned was new b
fore witnessed in the streets of fian Fig-
cisco. This edifice, ij is sai l, shows m
marks of injury by the shock, 'ihe se»
at AA ilson’s Exchange, 8t. Nicholas il
and International Hotel were equally it
markable.
As an evidence of the alastn which 1
seized most of the residents above
1’laza, tor squares distant they were fin
at the New York Bakery, near the Mr
of Clay and Kearney streets, olainoi
for coffee as a sedative for their almost j
sied nerves.
In the vicinity of South Park the sin
was particularly great. Many of
dwellings veie severely shaken, amU
ot them partially stripped of the pk-:
ing of the ceilings. At the house
Ritchie a most affecting aud beautiful
cident occurred. It appears that i
chambermaid in the employ ot the is®
arose a few minutes previous to tie s!K
aud was engaged iu dressing. 'Iho »
dow of her room was open. Immediati
after the vibration of th* earth had teas
she was startled by a rushing, flatten
noise in the room, and on h*ii*{ 1 1
observed a pretty, white tufted pigeon*
ing in the window and fall appsr
Iiteless (hi the floor. She approached
and discovered that life was not estiu-
the frigthened bird by the violent p a 'l
tion of its heart. In a lew uioincuts is
covered and gave evident symptoiasoj
lief. The bird was unquestionably h z
cued by the quaking of the earth, 1
perhaps lucky in falling into the h 111 :
a kind iamity who will, or ought t® *- fl
ure it as a memento of the great =h^ e
February, 1S5G.
Citrlhqaiikc at Sun Francisco.
AYe gather the following particulars of
the earthquake in California from the San
Francisco papers ofthe 20tli of February.
The Herald says :
“The severest shock of an earthquake ever
experienced in this vicinity since the set
tlement of California by Americans, occur
red on Friday morning, at just twenty-four
minutes past five o’clock. In this city and
vicinity every building shook to its "foun
dation, and in some quarters the houses
were, swayed and rolled as vessels it a
heavy sea. The inmates of every dwell
ing were awakened, and some were even!
thrown from their beds, so violent was the
shock.
“Many persons rushed into the streets,
and but that the circumstance of their sud
den appearance was of a character to produce
sensations of terror rather than merriment,
the scene would have been most ludicrous.
1 he large hotels were depopulated in-
stanter, and in the general rush articles oi
furniture were thrown down, occasioning
noises w hich added considerably to the chit
From J*p.4N.--The schooner L'A i ""
rrived at San Francisco from Japa-
thc 14tli \i1Lk brings news of a
earthquake, which took place atv' 1 -'
the 11 th November, and desti Ayfi l- ^
houses, off,000 people and 54 t* : nv et ;-
broke out at the same time in tiiiity b
cut parts ofthe city. Ihe ;V
and closed over thousands ot juu; • r
their occupants. The shock wai - JU ,
Siuioda. Although the distance y 0u ‘’
do to Srfnoda is but sixty mile?, 11 *i
that no official account of the s * n f..
had been received at the latter place
time of t?5e sailing of the schooner --
December 10- }
The news was received through •
interpreter. The Japanese scenx - -'
tack but Littlo importance to
tropbe. Tho inhabitants of the l
the city destroy od were fare-wars^ .
’disaster, and many of them escape*' ^
buildings of Jeddo are chiefly of' ^
and constructed of very ligA
The temples of waisiiip. however,*^,
and in some instances are crust- 1 *'-'
heavy masonry.
courts of Illinois hav®
containing liquids were turned over, either
by tlie shock or iu the hurry of the inmates
to escape. Every disturbance was credit
ed to tiie earthquake, however, and it ap
peared to be an almost unanimous impress
ion that 8an Francisco was about to share
the fate of Jeddo, the howling of dogs, and
the fearful bellowing of cattle in the su
burbs, produced a fitting accompaniment to
the scene. Even the piss broke from their
pens and ran away grunting with fright.—
The horses tied iu stalls fairly shrieked
with terror, and’tried to break their halters.
Indeed everything animate and inanimate
was more or less affected by the shock.
AYe hear of some very remarkable inci
dents of birds seeking refuge from the im
pending danger by flight through open win
dows. From night watchmen and others,
whose duties kept them from sleep we
crat at AJtou subscribed 8'--5 -
Democratic pages, hut _ alter
id 5' :
to pay his-subscript lor. because^
views e£ Democracy dLA n ' J “,
with kisovvn- Thu sdiior
money- Several, prominsr.i
were called to th® stand, but t‘ ie
as to what Democracy wnS qVria‘ : '
incongruous and conflicting- -*
kisMc®^
a rich tims is expected in =! v «-
decided, ia flavor ofthe ®duo*« . j
scriber took appeal to a. Lur-ie 1 Lt
’• taking f’*’
- i- The Oim
nv on tho main question, t ^
to get at a just decision <' ^ t
problem is to saaameu Air. “ , ^ ?
ren and some distinguished
litician. If they are not compel® ^
fine Democracy as it is in 4 c - ut , l
the courts will be obliged t° s'
case as insolvable.”