The New York herald. [volume], January 30, 1854, MORNING EDITION, Image 5

About The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920

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NEW YORK HERALD.
flail GORDON B1RI1TT
PHOPHIKTOH AND EUITOK.
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?B1AB CALLBBY OF, GBRIBTIAN ART-MS Bnfc4
New Yoik, Monday, Janworjr 30, WM
Tie M?w?.
An iwiditional graphic account of the ten i ble din
aster at Ravenswood , Long lstand, on Saturday last,
to given in to-daj'a paper. This fearful tragedy
gimnw teach some salutary leooua iu regard to the
we of powder in large quaatities iu the midst 01
habitations. Although several were suddenly hurned
M the grave toy this catastror he, yet it is fortunate
that it wafl not greater than it ia, considering the
dtetanx to which the aluge T.'ere thrown by the torce
?of the explo.-ion.
Full details of the extensive fires which took plaoe
?a 8aturday night aud yetjterday morning are given
fp another page. It will be seen that the actual
?mount of loan, when computed by dollars and cents,
'was not so frieat as mi Ait have been anticipated;
'not when we take into consideration the great suf
iSwing of tbe numerous poor tamilies who were this
suddenly deprived of domicile, and a large portion, if
BOt all, their worldly goods, the seri-us conse
quences of the calamities are beyond all estimate
By telegraph we learn that a lifge block "f new
buildings, valued at thirty thousand dollars, was
also destroyed by Are at Worcester yesterday morn
log. The houses were occupied by various stores,
-offices, Ac., whose owners probably lost only about
flfteen thousand dollars, most of their property hav
tag been removed in time to prevent general destruc
tion.
The steamship Ohio arrived yesterday with late
and important news from Australia, Central and
Booth America, the Darien Surveying Expedition,
the Lower California filibusters, Ao., comprehensive
totalis of all which are contained in this number of
gu paper.
Decidedly the most striking feature of the intelli
gence from Australia, and one that may lead to very
important lesults, is the announcement that a French
Admiral, stationed in the Pacific, has formally taken
possession of the island of New Caledonia, in the
of Napoleon 111? thus unexpectedly nipplug
hi Ave bud the schemes of the English for oonvertiug
this island into a new convict settlement. The first
tatimation given tj the Australians of this extra
ordinary proceeding, was by the arrival or a vessjl
chartered by the French commander to obtain sup
plies for Louis Napoleon's new naval station. New
Caledonia is among the Islauds discovered and
named by Capt. Cook, and although considered
as legitimately belonging to Great Uritul.i,
the Datives have hitherto been permitted to
retain quiet possession of it ; they being only oc
casionally vhited by Eugli-sh vessels, the owners of
mum of which had, we believe, a few trading posts
among them. It is described as one of the richest
and most fertile of tht Polynesian group, and being
tke limits'* ocubtij to the Australian coast is of
worse of gnat importance as a commercial depat in
that portion of the globe. The inhabitants or Aus
tralia were in the greatest state of excitement on
the subject, at last accounts.
The rumors of revolutions In Bolivia and Peru are
eon filmed. In the former country the administra
tion of General Belzu has been deposed, and the re
volutionists have taken the management of na
tional affairs into their own hands. In Pern the ui
aurgents accuse General Bchenique of inexcusable
procrastination in the settlement of the difficulties
with Bolivia, aud dcclnre their determination to
compel him to abdicate. They are believed to be In
Maaeenion 0f about balf a million or dollars, which
wttlmo,t likely enable them to earry their inten
tioas Into operation. On the other hand, we have a
proounciamento from Gen. Soane, which avers that
Bchenique 's policy was becoming more popular
every tfay. . .
By way of New Granada we have received ac
counts of the progress of tie Darien surveying ex
pedition, together with the startling announcement
that a portion of the party belonging to the English
ahip Virago have been massacred by the Indians.
?We hive also many other item* relating to naval
matters, aflkirt in Central Americi, Ac., all of much
taterest to the people of this country.
Bat that portion of the Ohio's n*:ws which will, in
all probability , command the greatest attention in
Mw>?t ef the world, Is with regard to the move
MDta dl the filibuster* in Lower California. C doael ,
er President, Walker had been relieved fr ?m
tots embarraMing position at Enclnado. Having at
)Mt advices been strongly reinforced, he was carrying
all before him. The Intelligence or t^ie Gadsden
Weaty toad, however, already reached Acapulo, and
II waa therefore supposed that Walker's ns * republic
would soon ae numbered among the things that have
keen.
The description and details of the awful ravages o
tte yellow fever al Hamilton, as furnished by our
Hm 11111 ill correspondent, will be read with melan
choly Interest. It appears that over six hundred sol
*ers and civilians died ot the fatal epidemic at ti.at
-lace, during the sea*?n. At last dates the health
of HaniUt jo was very good, b it the continued warm
weather caused a prehensions of a renewal of the
work of the dreadfnl scourge at no distant P**4*1
The discussion of the Nebraaka Territorial bill,
which propjxes to annul the Missonri Compromise
act rertrieting the extension of slavery In the dom*'n
acquired fromn the French, will oommenee in the
United Wales Senate to-day, the question having
keen made the special order from this time forth till
fially disposed of. The extraordinary excitement
prevailing on the subject In all parts of the cxintry?
oar own as well as one or two other Northern State
Legislatures having taken preliminary steps against
the main feature of the hill as last amended by the
oemmittee. of which Judge Douglas Is cHaruu li
censes the reports of the c jming debate to looked
for with unusual anxiety. It being genenily
admitted that the perpetuity of the Uulon and t>ie
preservation of the constitution ar* in ? m rt
?ctscn . d*p?nuent on the lave of this bill, lite
ehiel men of a!l ?>?"ie? are naturally taku.i srom, ??
aadprr^rirr- frrtbe ?tran?:le. The opp." wit
Ifcs r,ew Mil are to a mv meeting at the lor
w-mgbt, wiuoh demonstration wi.l afUJ
some Idea M to their probable strength in this eity,
and at the same time will give publicity to their plan
of future operations. Among thoae who have el
re a 1y defined their position is Oapt Rynders, one of
the chief leaders of the Tammany Hall party, whom
straight-forward letter on the aide of the Union we
pnblit-h *n another column, and upon which, together
with the principles involved in the issue, we have
commented in a leading editorial
The severity of the cold weather waa experienced
more keenly in this region of country oa Saturday
and ' uiiday than at any other period daring the
present Beaton. The ice formed In such immense
rakes in both the North and East rivers that it wax
with the utmost difficulty that even the ferry boats
could f:rce their way from one thore to the other.
Indeed, several of these boats were so badly crip
pled that they were compelled to lay fey for repairs.
Various Railing vcsels have been greatly damaged by
the toe? among them the clipper hark Grapeshot,
wh??!>" was loaded and ready to leave for Australia,
had her bows stove in and was sunk At Boeton, yes
terday morning, the thermometer noted four de
grtes below zero, and so remained, with but little
Taxation, till the close of our despatch last evening.
The merrnry was ten degrees below zero at Wor
cester; and as evidence of the intense soldness in
this eit\ , it is ouly necessary to remark that the gas
meter lo ated in a warm place in onr office, frose up
for the fir*t time last eight, thereby delaying ths
printing of cur paper beyond the proper hoar this
morning.
Our Erie ccrrespor dent to-day furnishes graphic
descriptions of the otrioui scenes and incidents every
da> transpiring in that vicinity. Instead of allaying
the exdtement, the discharge from custody of the
men cuveyed before the United States Judge at
Pittsbnrg, seems to have imparted fresh vigor to the
rioters', and thin circumstance, together with the
tacit -and open enoouragement they receive from the
Legislature, and the city of Philadelphia and other
parts of Pennsylvania, undoubtedly leads many of
them to believe they are really justified in their
unlawful outrages against the railroad company.
The triumphant reception given to their com
patriots on the return of the latter from Pittsbort?
last Friday, the attempted demolition of a bridge
during tin ceremony, and the warning they gave
to Messrr. Tracy and Walker, railroad directors, to
leave the pity, clearly establish the fact thtt the old
spirit of Jiscord is still rankling in their breasts, and
that the general government may yet find it abso
lutely necessary to protect the United States Mar
shal in the performance of his duty, by force of arma.
The movements of the Order of "Know-Nothings"
bavir.g of late attracted considerable attention in
this community, we elsewhere publish, for the'editi
caticn of onr readers, the constitution of the secret
organization, as extracted from the Freeman's
Journal.
The last European news has had the effect of
nimewliat reducing the price of breadstuff's in this
and otLer markets, as will be seen by the reports
elsewhere. The ra'.her more peane'ul aspect of af
fairs wi'.h regard to the Eastern difficulty, owing to
the non-recall of the Russian Ministers at Paris and
London, though operating unfavorably towards flour
speculators, suddenly Imparted quite a spirit of
buoyancy among stock operators in Wall street. The
Asia, being in her sixteenth day, Is now due at this
port with three days later advices. Her arrival is
looked for with much anxiety, particularly by dealers
in breadstuff*, cotton and stocks.
The decision of Judge Harris, making the injunc
tion against the Broadway Railroad aompany perpe
tual, is published in extenso in another page.
The third anniversary of the Protestant Episcooal
Mutual Benefit Society was celebrated in St. Bar
tholomew's church, last evening, the Bight Reverend
Provisional Bishop presiding. A report was read,
and a termon preached by the Reverend Samuel
Cooke. Want of space obliges us to defer the pub
lication of our report until to-morrow.
As usual, we to-day publish a great variety of tele
graphic despatches and other interesting matter, to
which it is impossible to allude in detail. A glance
at the headings of the different articles will generally
enlighten the reader as to the nature of their con
i tents.
The Keopctiliig of tile Ml* very Agitation nt
the fabfrnuic to night.
The meeting that is to be held to-night at
the Tabernacle will be the first gun fired in the
new anti-slavery campaign. Its thunder will
be echoed over hill and plain throughout the
North, till the ominous sound reverberates from
the virgin forest of Wisconsin to the seagirt
shores of Maine. More than one among thoae
who .are thus reopening the war were a few
j ears ago members of the committee convened
at Castle Garden to avert the very danger they
are now courting at the Tabernacle. We hew
them utter all sorts of pretexts for the change:
but each additional excuse reveals their short
sighted policy in a clearer light. They talk of
opposing the extension of slavery but disclaim
any hostility to the system. What double-dyed
hypocrisy is here ! If slavery be not bad Id it
self, as the Courier , Exprest and others as
sert, why on earth prevent the people ot Knu
sas from establishing it. if they think it better
suited to their climate, condition and
wants than tree labor ? But it would
be asking too much of the leading
men who have called the meeting of
to-night, to expect from them either can
dor. consistency or sound reason on such a
subject. They are the mere puppets of others
behind the 6ccnes, who pull the strings when
their own private ambition prompts. One sin
gle spark of political understanding would show
the merchants and other citizens of New York,
that the measure they assemble to-night to
oppose will really be the means of settling
finally the slavery controversy, and excluding
it forever hereafter from Congress. But they
know nothing of this. They know the price of
cotton, and the value of breadstuffs: can specu
late shrewdly in NUaragua and dabble know
ingly in Erie; but of the real position of the
slavery question, and the practical effect of the
Missouri compromise they are as unconscious
as infants. Hence it is that they meet to-night,
at other's bidding, to reopen the war. to protest
against any termination of the slavery quarrel,
and to prolong an agitation which has already
twice shaken the Union to its base.
Had this measure of Senator Douglas'
emanated from the Cabinet, we could under
stand how the citizens of New York felt bound
to oppose it. Distrust would naturally attach
to any administration measure. Bat so far
from sharing the Pierce taint, it has been forced
upon the President, and there is actually
ground for fearing that for some private motive,
the Cabinet will endeavor to strangle it. It
comes from a 'Northern Senator. It will com
mand a large measure of support from the in
dependent men of every section of the country.
Men who rise above the trammels of local or
sectional prejudice will see in it an honest at
tempt to repair the fatal mistake of 1821. and
to revert to the sound doctrines of the constitu
tion. Western men will perceive that if the
principle embodied in the Missouri compromise
is Fullered to remain uncontradicted, a future
Congress, controlled by Southern influence,
maj resolve that slave labor shall be estab
lished in some new territory adjoining Wiscon
sin or Iowa A combination of influences such
as that which begat the Missouri compromise
might bring about such a result within a very
few years. Northern candidates for the Presi
ency, seeking Southern favor, might advocate
a violation of the constitution by establishing
slavery north of the line 44 degrees, just as
other Sonthern candidates of 1820 violated the
constitution by prohibiting slavery north of
36 degrees 30 minutes. As soon as the first
burst of passion has passed away, re
turning reason will convince all hut
fanatics, that the only true safe-guard
for eitber North or South lies in tb e
final establishment of non-intervention by
Congress in the affairs of the States. I* eace
can only be"secured'{on; these conditions. The
Missouri compromise declared unco^t'iV itioual
and inoperative, and the principle frankly
recognized that each and all of the ae w States
which may solicit ^admission lev the Uniou
shall exercise the Bame independent right of
selecting and controlling their Comcntic insti
tutions as New York iaed Virgiuia have exer
cised, the anti-slavery agitation would die out
at once. and? the demagogues who have lived
on it would fall to their proper level. But this
liappy condition of things cannot be obtained
so long as.tbe.Jaw of 1821 holds out a prece
dent of successful rebellion against the con
stitution.
Yet_the merchants an J ;6thers who meet to
night at the Tubeinack; insist on retaining the
Missouri |Oetnpromise In foil force Do they
know whatlthiy are doing ?^They, who have
clamored eo .long and so loudly against this
slavery agitation, and its baneful effects upon
trade end the material prosperity of the coun
try, to irtand up to-night and say they will not
Consent to the settlement of the question ! They,
whit have been deploring the sad consequences
of sectional jealousies and strife for ever so
many years, to protest against the termination
of tbose.'jf alousies and the end of that strife !
Where is their common sense t . We ask not,
where isUbeir consistencyTJaut where is their
rcgardj for their own interests ?J^Can they be
blind to the Jact^that they are leaving desk
and counting-house in order to perpetuate an
agitation which has invariably militated against
th?;ir own interests ? Is it possible that none
among the number perceive that they are blind
folded and hoodwinked by ambitious politicians,
and ignorant journals.
It is} now twenty years since a youthful,
modest, bat aspiring lawyer ot Auburn, avail
ing himself ot a temporary excitement against
Masonry, aroused by the mysterious disappear
ance ol a man in the neighborhood, was elected
to the New York Senate by the strength of
lucal prejudice. From the tioor ot the Senate
he looked forward to hiB future destiny, and
firmly confiding in the principles which had
given him his first start in lite, believing that
ignorance and. passion were the only stimulants
or motives which combine the masses and ele
vate politicians to power, he built schemes of
future advancement, all based on fomenting
the agitation of local, fanatical, and sectional
prejudices. From that day forward, the modest
but ambitious young lawyer of Auburn never
failed to Fseize every temporary local excite
ment, and to place himself at the head of it
Thus he rode the billow which headed the tide
of antirentism. and was thrown further forward
by the first surge of anti-slavery. From that
day to the present, he has led off* every agita
tion which has convulsed this country. During
the controversy which began in 1847 he was a
ruinous spirit of evil, urging on fanaticism and
ignorance to the most perilous extremes. Foiled
on that occasion by the ripe wisdom of our
Northern statesmen, and baffled in his attempt
to violate the constitution afresh, William H
Seward's career was well nigh closed. It had
1 been ended, indeed, perhaps, had the compro
mise of 1850 been final, and had it left nothing
to be done in order that the spirit of the constitu
tion should be reaffirmed. Unfortunately, though
it was itself Bound, it did not go far enough :
the mistake of 1821 remained still to be repaired.
And here William H. Seward awaited fortune.
The moment it was proposed to complete the task
which 1860 had begun, forever to banish the ques
tion of slavery from Congress and to consign
its agitation to eternal rest. William H. Seward
took the field anew, and began once more to stir
up the embers of discord and strife.
The meeting of to-night is his work. The
journals which have provoked it are his organs.
Tbe speakers who will be heard are his tools.
The audience that will applaud will be main!?
composed of men who are actually saoriflcin <
their own material interests, and stultifying
themselves in order to strengthen his chances
as a future candidate for the United States Sen
ate or even the Presidency.
Tkc S?eret History of the OadidM Twrty
?Interesting lntlde HctcUUom.
When the Mexicans desire to illuminate a sub
ject they employ the term " vmti/as " which
means "to ventilate.'' This we propose to do with
the Gadsden treaty, because we think it needs
it. First of all, H is necessary to string togeth
er a lew facts. Our assumption is that it had
its origin in the fertile imagination'of Jefferson
Davis. It is well known that through hia in
fluence General Gadsden was appointed Minister
to Mexico ; that ever since the first Memphis
Convention it was a favorite scheme of that
venerable South Carolinian to connect Charles
ton by an air-line railroad with the port of San
ta Diego, on the Pacific. For this purpose we
find him sending a fortunate relative on a
journey of exploration, more than eighteen,
months ago, through the country he has recently
acquired from Mexico. It is not a little singu
lar that this gentleman subsequently received
tbe appointment of Secretary of Legation to
Qaneral Gadsden.
Independently of the commercial aod politic*
advantages that were to accrue to the South
from the developement ol ibis policy . theio were
private considerations sufficiently powerful in
the ftiture aspirations of Mr. Davis to have
made tbe appointment of General Gadsden a
matter of paramount necr ssity. Passing over
the existence of certain extensive landed pro
perty laying near the boundaries of Lousiana
and Texas which General Davis inherited, and
which were to be quadrupled in value by their
contiguity to the great Pacific road, we come to
the necessity of killing Col. Benton, whose
political antecedents, and who?e early associa
tions with ths name, and fame, and history of
Jackson, rendered him, not only a dangerous
enemy, but a powerful obstacle, to the Presi
dential aspirations of Jefferson Davis. To ac
complish this tbe gallant South Carolinian was
a most desirable auxiliary. His intimate asso
ciation in the military exploits of General
Jackson, bis long and unbroken enjoyment of
the old man's friendship, his participation In his
likes and bis dislikes, gave him opportunities
of knowing circumstance* calculated to in
fluence or check the intrigues of so skilful a
n!an as Col. Hen ton.
We find tbe first manifrHtatinn of antagonism
t? Col. Denton s uarli?> - uroject ? t&e Central
Pacific R'liiroad? In the indefinite foreshadow
ingB ot 'Jk administration's policy by Mr. Davis
?n thrJ celebrated tour to the Crystal Palace.
A U'ale while later, and when Gen. Gadsden
w' .s fairly on bis way to Mexico, we find a more
f all and comprehensive developement of the
programme in what purported to be the Mexi
can Minister's instructions. In order that our
readers may understand how &r the original
scheme of General Davis 1b susceptible of a
comparison with the practical results of General
Gadsden's mission, we quote from the New
York Freeman's Journal ot August 14 the
following singular paragraph: ?
(Jen. tiadaden is instructed to ask for and insist on
the grant by Mexico to the United States of a free
right of way for a railroad along the thirty-Moond
parallel of latitude. The United States, in return,
agree to relinquish all claims to T^hnante pec, to give
Mexico a certain Hum as indemnity for Indian depre
dations, and to shaie with Mexico the advantages
aod u*e of the road. This arrangement, it is hoped,
will practically annul the eleven '? article of the Guad
alupe Hidalgo treaty, rendering the keeping up a
line ot military posts along the Mexican border no
longer nccessary.
A coincident fact accompanying this pub
lication was the departure of certain agents
of the New Orleans, Opelousas, and Great
Western Railroad Company ? whose chief engi
neer was a nephew of General Gadsden ? for
England, where it was expected that this exclu
sive piece of intelligence would Influence the
sale of their bonds. The plausibility ot this
gigantic scheme, its relation to the apparently
'nadvertent avowals of Mr. Davis on the Presi
dential tour, gave a weight to the statement
that crowned the Bhallow expectations of the
agents with complete success. This publication
served another purpose, by feeling the pulse of
the country, and by stimulating the South to
unite in behalf of a Pacific railroad that would
lie wholly within its jurisdiction, and which,
from its extreme Southern location, appealed
entirely to sectional feeling and interests. It
answered, likewise, from its extensive republica
tion here and elsewhere, to prepare the Mexican
people for the remote hope of recuperating
their exhausted finances.
Unfortunately, however, for the immediate
success of General Gadsden's mission, or indeed
of any negotiation with Mexico conceding to us
an expansion of our territorial limits, there was
the famous Garay grant. It is true that, al
though the public interest seemed to be divided
between it and the pretentions of Mr. Sloo, the
government of the United States, from the acts
of the previous administration, stood committed
to a recognition of the American claimants un
der Garay. It was hardly reasonable to sup
pose that while our government occupied that
position, and while Mexico had already given
such immense privileges as those embraced in
the Garay grant, that another concession of
even greater magnitude could be obtained from
her. It became absolutely necessary, there
fore, to "crush out" this powerful rival.
The simplest way of effecting this was
to espouse the cause of Mr. Sloo. who
bad already, by dint of extravagant contin
gents, secured the aid and comfort of thu
Washington Union. It will be remembered
that Mr. Sloo's grant contained neither terri
tory nor any privileges of colonization; aud
even the right of way was so trammelled by
restrictions that it scarcely left room to hope
for its ultimate construction. The burden of
these complicated responsibilities became ?o
great that it was necessary to obtain another
pair of shoulders to bear it. It is well known
that Mr Sloo's contract bad but a few months
longer to run, and that he had already failed
in more than one instance to succeed in forming
a company, the principal obstacle being the
Garay graut and the quasi endorsement it 1 ad
already received. Indeed, the only hope that
seemed to offer itself was the distant one of el
ecting a sale to English capitalists ; but before
his could be done it was important, nay, es
sential, to have a legal opinion from an official
source upon the relative merits of the rival
grants. It is said, though with what accuracy
we shall not vouch for, that the Hon. Caleb
Cushing, in his capacity as Attorney-General,
undertook to give an ex parte decision, u; on
the merits and faith of which a sale of the Sloo
grant was effected in Eogland.
A further difficulty in the waf of negotiating
a treaty with Mexico that would hold water
was the slippery teuure by which Santa Auna
then held his power. Until, therefore, he had
stifled all opposition, and become securely seat
ed as supreme ruler of that unhappy country,
it was useless to attempt any negotiation. But.
General Gadsden, in his anxiety for diploma* ic
distinction, had already commenced a rather
violent discussion about the Meailla; and such
was the haughty tone of his despatches to Mr.
Bonilla, the Minister of Relations, that Santa
Anna, unwilling to participate in a quarrel that
seemed to peril his hopes, and unable to recon
cile the wide and growing differences that al
ready existed between the two diplomats, un
dertook to communicate to this government, on
his own responsibility, in an unofficial manner,
through the Mexican Minister at Washington,
his entire willingness to make ^treaty which
would give- to the United States the frontier it
might require, <and at tbe'samctime settle all
the ? vexed and complicated questions that
threatened the harmony -of the sister republics.
The- only requirement that Santa Anna needed
was money.
This brings us down to the middl# of Octo
ber last, when for the first time the dream
and the tactics ot the gallant chief of the
war office began to assume the shape of a
tangible reality. But to break to the Pre
sident of the United States this delicate
information, and to urge upon him the press
ing necessities of his master, without ex
citing the cupidity of the American Cabinet, was
no easy task for General Almonte to perform.
The preliminary steps to a declaration of the
empire had already been taken ? a large aug
mentation of the army had been promulgated;
and the want of money to meet the urgent de
mands of the fkmishing nation, were considera
tions that admitted of no delay. How thi" was
to be done without committing a breach of dip
lomatic propriety was a poser. Gen. Almonte
knew, however, that tne President had investi
gated the Garay claim, and was favorably in
clined to admit its validity. This, fortunately,
furnished both the means and the person to
operate through; and of course no time was lost
in apprising Gen. Pierce of the state of affairs.
But it was expressly stipulated that the Te
nuantepec right of way should be admitted into
the new convention.
Who was to go to Mexico as spccial agent
in this delicate business?? and what were to
be the instructions ? ? were questions that agi
tated the President and two members of his
Cabinet fer a couple of dsys. The news was
really so refreshing that they could not bear to
tell the other Cabinet members- at least Mr.
Davis thought so ; because so long as the dis
cussion was confined to Mr. Marcy and the Pre
I ?ident be well knew that he eoald bally them
both. Fai'^ful to the compact of the " spoils "
therefore, General Pierce was to have the se
lection 'of the man, Mr. Marcy wa? to hare the
honor of tbe negotiation, and Mr. Davis the
drawing op of the instructions? thus taking to
himself the oyster and giving his simple mind
ed coadjutors each a shell. Such a go lden op
?ortunity for territorial expansion must not be
lost, and with no " pent-up Utica to contract
his powers," we find the man iu the war office
going in tor as much ol the ?? boundless conti
nent'' as possible, including those battle
grounds of Monterey and Buena Vista, rendered
historical by the immortality of his own mili
tary deeds. To tbe far-seeing eye of General
Jefferson Davis there was no practical objection
to a slice of Chihuahua and Sonora, nor, in
deed, any evils to result from the purchase <>f
the embryo republic of Lower California. The
nutshell in which lay the solution of this pro
blem of " manifest destiny" was the iron chest,
whose keys are kept in the breeches pocket of
Jimmy Guthrie.
The first proposition embraced the following
boundaries;? Beginning at the bar of the San
tander river, on the Gulf of Mexico, it ran in a
northwestwardly direction until it struck the
eastern shores of the Laguna de Parras-thence
nearly due north along the shores of L?ke
Cay man- thence north-northwestwardly to au
initial point on the Rio Grande just below the
Presidio of San Elizario. From this the line ran
a little to the southwest, through the parallel
of the town of Altar, in the State of Sonora,
I to its intersection with the waters of the Gulf
of California, and embracing the whole of
I that peninsula. In this concession the United
I States were to pay Mexico $50,000,000 in yearly
instalments of $10,000,000, with interest at six
I per cent.
I The second proposition was all the territory
lying north of a line drawn from the Presidio of
I San\Elizario due weBt to the Pacific. For this
General Gadsden was authorized to give
$22,000,000.
The third proposition was an extension of the
line from El Paso to the Gulf of California, in
cluding a port at tbe head of that sea. For
this $15,000,000 was offered, including in
this, as well as the preceding propositions, a
settlement of all private claimB and an abroga
tion of the eleventh article of the Guadalupe
Hidalgo treaty? provided the Bame should not
embarass the negotiation.
The fourth proposal was an extension of the
southern line of the Mesilla boundary to the
mouth of the Colorado river, with an inclusion
of the forgoing conditions- the price proposed
being $12,000,000.
To these considerations every other question
of diplomatic controversy was but secondary ;
and eo long as we could add an extent of terri
tory equal in area to both the Canadas .It mat
tered nothing for the rights or claims of Ameri
can citizens, or the obligations that the govern
ment had so long neglected to fulfil- It ap
pears, therefore, by the present treaty, that
Gen. Gadsden has struck a mean between the
second, third and lourth propositions; but in
stead of securing for the United States a portiou
of tbe Gulf of California, which would open to us
the commercial advantages of that inland sea. he
has chosen a crooked line, so as to embrace cer
tain auriterous regions of Sonora, and to make
aure of the wagon route of Lieutenaut-Coloue)
Cooke.
I Our readers must not forget that at t,he time
I Gen. Gadsden had commenced a fierce onslaught
on tbe Mexican Minister of Foreign Relation:
I and the courteous terms of "Goth,'' and "\ an
dal.'' and Jesuit," were freely interchanged hi?
tween those dignitaries in unmeasurable folios
of diplomatic correspondence, the arrival of
a special agent in Mexico with a pocket full of
maps operated to produce a cessation of hostil
ities; but before any negotiations could be com
menced it became necessary to restore the
belligerents to the footing of verbal inter
course. This was no easy matter between a
fire-eating South Carolinian and a descendant of
tbe Conqvutadoret. To add to the difficulties
of this reconciliation, the filibustering expedi
tion of Walker landed In Lower California, and
effectually strangled the hope of acquiring that
desirable peninsula under any circumstances.
The prospect of getting " a judgment " in the
Garay claim had drawn around the National
Palace in Mexico a powerful party, whose ener- |
gies were stimulated by long-deferred hopes,
and who.' from certain peculiar circumstances,
were best calculated to aid in restoring General
Gadsden aiH Senor Bonilla to relations of amity
and friendship. Few men, however, give their
services for nothing, and the Garay claimants
were not of that class. Nothing short of a
pledge to insist upon a specific performance of
their grant, or an ample indemnity for their long
incarceration in purgatory, would satisfy their
demands. With this understanding, therefore
the budget was opened to the wondering gazo
of Santa Anna's Cabinet.
A few words more and we have done with
"this strange eventful history." For a week
things went on swimmingly, and high hopes
were cherished that all parties would be satis
fied i bat, alas ! for the uncertainty of human
calculations, an hour before the treaty was
signed the clause covering the Garay grant
was stricken out and its advocates leit to
whistle for their claim. Such a diplomatic tri
umph. after all the hard words that had passed
between General Gadsden and Senor Bonilla,
was wonderful ; they embraced each other in a
paroxysm of mutual joy.
The next morning, long before the sun had
risen, the triumphant South Carolinian was en
ro%ite for Vera Cruz. The whole journey was
one of smles and Mlf-complacency. disturbed
oaly by an hourly inquiry for the oaffety of
the trunk that contained his treaty. At
New Orleans we leave him uttering these
memorable words in reply to the inquiries of
the custom house officer : ? " Sir, I am General
Gadsden ; there is ncthiog in my trunk but
my treaty !"
A Grave Phiwuikntiai. litem * ic. ? The Boston
Pout the favorite organ of Gen. Pierce, (copied
also by the Washington Union, the Cabinet or
gan.) accuses us of being a native of Scotland,
and that we "have been thrown upon these
shores by the overloaded stomach of Europe."
We admit the charges. It is so. But we have
many associates in the same crimes. General
Pierce himself is a descendant of a native of
Ireland or Scotland, who "ww thrown on these
shores'' in someway. All his Cabinet are white
men. we believe? not negroes ? and ar?> guilty of
the same origin and descent. Both Houses of
Congms arc equally guilty, for no negro has
yet been electcd to that body, in spite of all the
ravings of the abolitionists. Indeed, we believe
the twenty millions of American population ?
*ave and e\c? pt the blacks? are guilty of the
game origin aad dm?at. Bat what a dignified
I President, and what great organs he mast hate
I to use such miserable trash in reply to facta
arguments, and logio, showing up the free toil
character of an administration that went into
I power by a fraud !
I Tfce Nebraska Question- Letter mt Captain
Kyndere? Wlure la Jcka Tu larenl
We spread this morning before our readers
of all parties, but especially for the edification
I of both factions of the re-divided democracy,
I the emphatic, straightforward, and decisive let
ter of Captain Rynders on the Nebraska ques
tion. He plants himself boldly on the broad
I aDd comprehensive platform of Douglas, the
constitution, the administration, and thespoils.fi
I As the Mormon faith comprehends all that ther<.?
I is in the Bi?>le, and, extra, the creed and dy
nasty of Jo Smith, so does the faith of Captain
Rynders include, not only the constitution, bat
the Cabinet and the public plunder.
But where is the other great leader of the
present rfgimt of Tammany Hall? Were is
I John Van Buren ? The Captain having spoken,
I can the Prince longer remain silent? No!?*
I thousand times, no ! He muBt come oat; he
must speak, or he must be turned adrift again
I with the ommum gatherum of the outside free *
I soil party. It will no longer answer to acqui
I esce in the Baltimore platform. That platform,
by the new Senate bill, is demolished. It
I will not avail to fall back upon the
I Syracuse soft shell resolutions of last Sep
I tember. reaffirming the "Anility" of the
compromise acts of I860. That " finality" is
I ended. All the presidential patchwork com
promises on this negro question, from the Mis
souri unconstitutionality down to the reafflr
I mation act of 1850, inclusive, are all swept
away by the bill of Mr. Douglas, and we
brought face to face with the simple constitu
tional principle that it is with the people to
determine the issue of slavery or free soil for
themselves in all the territories of the United
I States from this time for evermore.
Captain Rynders braces himself fairly and
squarely by the side of Judge Douglas. Now
we want the other great leader of Tammany
Hall to show his hand. Without him the Wig
wam is still in the fog. Moreover, with the
Captain and the Prince hand in hand the
democracy may be re-united. Past experience '
proves that a union between these two leaders
is always followed by success. Their political
history exhibits some striking analogies and
I some remarkable discrepancies. The Prince
hap now and then given us a political specimen
I of ground and lofty tumbling eclipsing the
loftiest gyrations of the Chinese acrobats. The
I Captain has not been so remarkable for turning
I somersets himself as for turning others topsy
turvy and beels-over-head? particularly the un
fortunate abolitionists at the Tabernacle and
other places. It is also true that, while in the
battles ot the democracy the Captain has
generally led the forlorn hope, the Prince has
uniformly superseded him in the business of ?
dispensing the spoils. In 1848 they were both
off the track? the Prince among the pie-bald
I factions of the Buffalo platform, and the Cap
tain among the democratic allies of Gen. Tay
lor, with the whole Empire Club at his back,
drums beating and colors flying. The result
I was the signal defeat of the democratic party.
Now, they must stand shoulder to shoalder -
on the Nebraska bill, and all is welL The
party will be reunited on a constitutional
?the hard shells and the soft shells will be as
happy again as Bnrnum's Happy Family, and
Seward will be vanquished forever. -But if
these two great leaders, Captain Rynders and
John Van Buren, split upon this Missouri line,
Tammany Hall, lately re-divided, will be snb
I. divided? all hope of a democratic reunion is
ended, and Seward and bis partisans will hold
I their present possession of the State for an in
definite period to come. Such a misfortune
will, at all events, cast New York entirely out
of the democratic estimates for 1856. Thus
it will be seen that the prospects of the suc
cession materially depend upon the position of
John Van Buren on this Nebraska question.
In fact, we may say he holds the casting vote
which will decide whether, in the next Presi
dential election, New York is to be for Seward
and free soil or for Douglas and the consti
tution.
We call, therefore, upon John Van Buren to
come out and define his position. To delay
longer Is to be lost If he cannot open on the
Nebraska bill to-night at the Tabernacle the
columns of the Hkrald are freely offered for -
his relief. He has talents, wit, pluck, tact and
indust.y, on his side/and is still young-though
he has rapidly, since 1848, acquired a settled
and venerable aspect. Let him, then, part com
pany and cut adrift from the free soil Evening
Po?t and the free soil Albany Allot, and co.
operate with Judge Douglas and Captain
Rynder's for the repeal of the Missoari compro
mise, out-and-out, for once and forever. We
repeat, that while there 1b the most brilliant
prospect for rallying bard shells and soft
spontaneously and harmoniously, again hi
Tammany Hall, provided that Captain Rynders
and John Van Buren stick together, according
to the principles laid down in the Captain's
letter, there is no other prospect than continu
ous discord and certain defeat to the barty In
this State iftfcrrr ip a rpllt between the Prince
and the Captain in this overwhelming question
of Nebraska.
Things look squally. There are unmistake
nble symptom- of % tremendous "agitation and a
desperate figbt upon this Missoari line? this
last vestige of sectional discord upon the sub
ject of slavery. But still we believe that the
simple policy of the constitution can and will '
be finally carried through. There is some rea
son to fear treachery among the spoilt eoaiition
politicians ot the South ; but oar most serious
doubts are with the administration. The trim
ming of the Cabinet organ upon this Nebraska
business? Its trimming upon the Baltimore
platform? the free Boilers in the Cabinet? the
Iree Boilers appointed to high honors and emolu
ments under the tree soil auspices of the Cabi
net?the free soil antecedents of the President,
and the rampant free soilism of the leading
Cabinet organs in this State, justify our de
cided suspicions of treachery on the part of the
administration in the progress of this move
ment for the repeal of the Missouri line.
But the crisiB is upon us Tammany Hall
muBt speak out yea or nay. One ofh? present
leaders, Captain Rynders. has led off (hr Dong
las and the repeal of the unconstitutional line
of 36 30. But the other principal leader. John
Van Buren, is called for. Let him speak, shut
ing his eyes against the free soil affiliations ot
the Cabinet, anil it, free soil organs here and
Vnd TammM1y again right
side .p. The fate of the New York democracy
to a groat extent is this day in the hands of
John \ an Buren. Let him imitate and emu
late the patriotic example of his soft ?bell col- f
league, Captain Rynders. Let the Prince com*