March 4, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
WASHINGTON, February 28, 1861.
One hundred guns have just been fired in honor of the salvation of the Union, minus the best part of it, according to the apocryphal gospel of the GUTHRIE FRANKLIN, half WILMOT Proviso and half Squatter Sovereignty proposition. I cannot forget that much powder was burnt at the time the Lecompton Constitution was passed. Old BUCK is fond of crowing before he is out of the woods. Old SCOTT is not unwilling to count chickens before they are hatched. As the Lecompton matter proved an abortion and ended in Free Kansas, so will it be with the GUTHRIE FRANKLIN deception. It will serve to keep the Border Slave States quiet until they can be secured.
The patch work Compromise has not passed yet, nor is it likely to do so. Indeed, the chances are quite the other way. SEWARD himself seems to be opposed to it. So likewise the straightest Southern men in both Houses. SEWARD’s idea, as I hear from a reliable source is to have no settlement while BUCHANAN is in power. The moment he is dethroned, peace will be proclaimed, and the honor of saving the country will rebound not to the Republicans, but to the new Union party which SEAWARD is forming with the help of BELL and DOUGLAS, LETCHER and BOTTS. Peace restored, and the confederate States recognized, the next step will be to call a National Convention. This Convention will remodel the whole structure of the Government in such a way as to bring back the seceded States, and place the Union on a permanent and enduring foundation. Such is the grand project which SEWARD contemplates. What is to become of the conflict’s between free and slave society, he has not vouchsafed to inform us.
The House is becoming more and more like a Pandemonium. So disgraceful is the conduct of members, that some gentleman yesterday moved that the galleries be cleared, in order that the people might not be witnesses of the revolting behavior of their public servants. All sense of dignity, of decency even, seems to have departed. No respect is paid to Speaker PENNINGTON–a good old man, with hardy intellect enough to keep him out of the fire. The ultimate effects of a pure democracy may be foreseen in the disgusting spectacles which we now behold in the popular branch of the Federal Legislature. Under the corrupting influence of universal suffrage, it s easy to predict a time, not far off, when the House of Representatives will have to be kept in order by bayonets.
It is gratifying to know that Messrs. TYLER, SEDDON and BROCKENBOROUGH voted against the Peace Conference Compromise. RIVES and SUMMERS voted for it. The latter says, and I think truly, that the people of Virginia will accept this Compromise, and declares he will stump the State in its favor. Neither HUNTER nor MASON will vote for it in the Senate. We may, therefore, look for a terrible contest in all the Border Slave States, and particularly in Virginia, at the next Congressional canvass, which will be a no distant day, unless LINCOLN should change his mind in regard to calling an extra session of Congress.
While RAREY was exhibiting his horse taming powers, last night, upon a young unbroken colt, and after he had thrown him on the floor of the stage, he said, “You will observe that the moment I touch his hind legs, this colt will kick. He will continue to kick until he finds that kicking does no good; then I can lie down between his legs with perfect impunity.” “That’s just the way it is going to be with the Border States and LINCOLN,” sang out a Southerner from one of the boxes. Whereat there was a general laugh. But the hit was too true for merriment. The people of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee are blooded stock, full of spirit, but they can easily be tamed with caresses and smooth, deceitful words.
It is unpleasantly warm and dry. The town is rapidly filling up with office hunters. Great shoals of them are pouring in from all parts of the Northwest.
SEVEN.