experiences possess a peculiar charm for the Triton of the Tribune.  When Mr. GREELEY wishes to write against capital punishment—­which he does about every time the moon changes—­he naturally turns over a few pages of Thirty Years in Washington.  When he purposes to tempt the bounding bean of the kitchen garden of Chappaqua, or humble the hopeful harrow of agriculture, he may be found either at the Italian Opera, serenely sleeping under the soporific strains of Sonnambula, or at the Circus, benignly blinking at the agglomerating Arabs.  The inspiration for that thrilling story in real life, entitled, What I Know about Farming, is said to have been received almost wholly from the state of somnolency induced by that clever clairvoyant, the Rev. Dr. CHAPIN.  A curious notion exists in the minds of a few ignorant persons, to the effect that Mr. GREELEY vexes his mellow mind for essays on the temperance question with frequent and numerous imbibitions of “soda straight;” but it is high time that this popular error was exploded.  All who have seen Mr. GREELEY in the bar-room of a certain city hotel, dashing down brandy or pouring down whisky, and have next morning perused a Tribune editorial on “The Evils of Intemperance,” need not be reminded of the chief source of H.G.’s animated style and vigorous diction.  An extended walk along the beautiful avenues of the city, or a drive through Central Park, invariably prepares Mr. GREELEY’s mind for the birth of an article on the advantages to young men of leaving the metropolis and seeking homes in the West.  Some months ago, Mr. GREELEY purchased a small, select library, which contains, among other choice works, the sweet pastoral productions of SYLVANUS COBB, Jr.; the quaint and exhilarating narratives of EUGENE SUE; the wholesome and harmless fictions of NED BUNTLINE, together with the complete poetical works of MARTIN FARQUHAR TUPPER, and it was from the perusal of these comforting and pellucid contributions to American literature that Mr. GREELEY caught the spirit and the style which distinguish his thrilling work on Political Economy.  But something too much of this.  We would not embitter the life of Mr. GREELEY, at present, by any farther revelations, and therefore we let the subject drop.

* * * * *

CONDENSED CONGRESS.

SENATE.

At the opening, Senator SUMNER rose to a personal explanation.  In fact, he always does.  He said that General PRIM had disowned having had any thing to do with him upon the Cuban question.  General PRIM was perfectly correct. (Applause.) He did not know much about the Cuban question; but he flattered himself that he was familiar with the gurreat purrinciples of Eternal Justice, and he intended to apply them to the solution of all our political problems.  He said that Lord COKE had justly and eloquently observed de minimis non curat lex. He thought this would apply to our relations with the Island, where, although the sugar-cane lifts its lofty top and the woodbine twineth, the accursed spirit of caste still prevails.  He begged to bring to the attention of the Senate and the country the amended lines of the sacred poet: