The intelligence just received from New York announces the arrival
of Lord ASHBURTON. His way had opportunely been paved by a conciliatory speech from HENRY CLAY ; who declared that ability and a friendly spirit might arrange all the disputes be- tween the United States and Great Britain.
The Representatives of the freest country in the world had just offered a new sacrifice at the shrine of Slavery. Mr. GIDDINGS, a member for Ohio, had introduced and withdrawn some resolutions on the subject of the Creole, contending that the United States could not interfere. According to sound precedent, the House affirmed a vote of censure on the contumacious member who dared to talk of slavery ; but that was not all they did to propitiate Re- publican liberty : the gentleman who moved the vote of censure also moved the "previous question " ; and, by some sleight-of- hand at which the august assembly winked, he at once made a mo- tion of censure and prevented discussion on it, so that the cen- sured party could not reply ! If we were sufficiently advanced in freedom here, the hint would have been worth taking. To accuse a man and stop his mouth at the same instant, is an excellent invention for avoiding controversy and coming rapidly to a final judgment. It realizes the wish of the learned judge, who wanted to decide as soon as the prosecutor had finished, because he never felt any difficulty in giving a decision until he heard the other side. True, we do not see very well how it could be done consistently with our forms ; but it has been done in Washington, and therefore it must be possible. The great ob- stacle here, however, would probably be the popular prejudice in favour of fair play.
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