United States.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 523, 7 August 1850, Page 4

United States.

From Washington we have advices to the 120 th ult., the contents of which are, however, of no special moment. Rumour still continued to hint the existence of a difficulty in the Cabinet, and the probable retirement of Mr. Clayton, chiefly in consequence, it is said, of his negociation with Sir Henry Bulwer on the Nicaragua question being disapproved. President Taylor, according to report, had moreover declined to accept the resignation tendered ; and there is little ground, probably, therefore, for the statement that Mr. Cnttendon had been sent for. The slavery question in connexion with California still occupied the attention of both branches of Congress. On the 20th, in the senate, Mr. Clemens resumed the debate, on the Hon. Henry Clay's propositions, urging the policy of a pacific dissolution of the Federative Union. He declared that the fear of war arising from disunion would not deter the South from adhering to the rights guaranteed by " the bond" under which it entered the Union ; and that if ever bloodshed occurred the responsibility would rest with the men who endeavoured to outrage those rights. Mr. Cass followed, characterising the preceeding speaker's suggestion as a chimera, and expressing a hope that God would give to the councils of the nation more of the spirit of justice, conciliation, and compromise, and that the Union might be bound together as with bands of iron. Subsequently brief addresses of a somewhat personal character were delivered by Mr. Clay, Mr. Foote, and others, and the Senate 1 adjourned. In the House of Representatives the debate was wholly uninteresting. A bill for the relief of the sureties of the steamer United States, sold to the German government, passed the Senate on the 20th. — Liverpool Albion, March 18.