LETTERS FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Delta.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 1859. Messrs. Editors-Never before has the opening of a new Congress been marked by such bitterness–such concentrated excitement as is now apparent in both Houses. We are already in the midst of a stormy de- bate that bids fair to continue for days, if not for weeks. The Harper’s Ferry raid in the Senate, and Helper’s “Impending Crisis” in the House, are the texts from which speeches after speeches are deliv- ered, pro and con, and are the characteristics of tation and recrimination
them all.
Many
whose opinions are generally sound, predict that there will be no organization until after the holidays; and yet some turn may be taken which would bring matters to an issue in a few days…
It is a little remarkable that while the Senators from the North have taken the earliest opportunity to dis- claim any sympathy with John Brown or his criminal invasion of Virginia, the Republican party in the House of Representatives, after maintaining for two days. what Mr. Millson, of Virginia, denominated" an almost contemptuous silence," have attempted to dodge the issue by a general discussion of old slavery issues. The Southern members, however, are determined to make them face the music and run up their true colors. They insist upon a clear and explicit declaration touch- ing the views and sentiments contained in the book of which they proposed publishing and circulating one hundred thousand copies. That is really the point now aimed at by the South-to make these Northern gentlemen either avow or disavow sympathy with these sentiments. The Republican candidate for Speaker, yesterday, was brought to his feet, so hot the fire upon him became, and declared he “would not in- terfere in any way with the relation of master and slave in the slave States.” This did not meet the issue. Did he approve or disapprove of the sentiments contained in the book he had recommended for publi- cation and circulation? This he did not answer. This debate has already much distracted the Repub. lican ranks, for while some are anxious that Mr. Sher- man should clear his skirts of the incendiary publica- tion before supporting him, others refuse to support him if he says another word in explanation. The whole party are cursing Old Blair, as they now most unkindly term their adviser and counselor, for getting them into the scrape. The book itself was prepared in the office of the New York Tribune, and the name of Helper, of North Carolina, was used to give it the appearance of a Southern production. Who is Helper? When a boy, he was employed as a clerk by Mr. Brown, of Salsberry, N. C., and having robbed his employer of a large amount of money, escaped to California. He claims to have since refunded it, but he never ventured back to the place of his early residence, and now turna up in New York the author of the “Impending Crisis of the South.” Many of the Republicans, and among them Mr. Sherman, deny having any knowledge of the book or its contents, though they admit they signed the circu- lar recommending it. Are they borne out in this dec- laration by their own witness, F. P. Blair, Sr.? A let- ter from Mr. Blair to Mr. Saerman was offered in evi- dence, and read from the Clerk’s table. He says these Republicans signed the recommendation after a sug- gestion from him that the objectionable features of the book would be changed. If they had never seen or read the book how did they know it contained ob- jectionable features? Will they please answer? And again, this recommendation was signed ten months ago, since which time the vile document has been published and scattered broadcast through the land. Did these gentlemen circulate, under their offi- cial franks, one hundred thousand copies of a book without ever seeing or reading it?
The result of this home thrust upon the Republicans may be their defeat in organizing the House; and it may go still further, and have a most salutary effect upon the country in view of the next Presidential elec- tion. The anti-Lecompton men in Congress have anni- hilated the prospects of Senator Donglas in the Charleston Convention, while the repudiation of the "irrepressible conflict doctrine in the Senate, lays the Hon. Wm. H. Seward on the shelf. The cards have to be re-arranged. Mr. Corwin, of Ohio, or Mr. Bates, of Missouri, may now look forward with hope; while, at Charleston, the contest may be narrowed down to Gen. Lane, of Oregon, and Hon. John Slidell, of Louisiana. Such is already the talk around the lobbies here; and in such a contest there would be but little doubt of Mr. Slidell’s success. The President will not send his Message to Congress on the day the House of Representatives shall organ- ize, but will start it immediately North and South by express messengers, with orders for message and ac- companying reports of the several Secretaries to be delivered to the various papers at precisely one o’clock the next day, when he will communicate the same to the two houses of Congress. By this means the Presi- dent accomplishes two desirable ends-first, he retains possession of his Message until the House organizes: and secondly, he in a great measure avoids the blun- ders and mutilation of the telegraph.
Hon. Charles Sumner appeared yesterday in the Senate for the first time since his flagellation by Col. Preston S. Brooks, of S. C. He is looking remarka- CREOLE.
bly robust and hearty. Correspondence of the Delts.