, 1861-02-01
[PER PONY EXPRESS
Letter from Washington.
TrRou AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT I
WASHINGTON Cry, Dec. %, 1860.

In my last letter promised to keep you
correctly advised in such matters as would
interest your readers, while l was in the
great metropolis. Knowing that you would
receive the news of the election Of Lincoln
by Pony Express and telegraph before l
could inform you, failed to write. Since
that time | have been so disgusted with
the results, and the probable immediate
} dissolution of our government, that have
had nothing to communicate that would in-
terest you. have spent, however, in con-
neCtion with Gov. Stevens, considerable
time at the Post Office Department, en-
deavoring to make some reform and add
tons to our mail facilities on the Sound
Among all the routes that were advertised
in our Territory, only four were let. We
} are endeavoring to get Post Office estab-
} lished at Crescent Harbor, in Penn's Cove
to be supplied by land from Ebey's Land
ing. Strenuous efforts have been made to
get the service on the Sound increased to
semiweekly, but as yet have failed. The
Postmaster General seems disncliDed to
order it up. No argument that could be
used would move him. Since the election
or Lincoln, general disposition has been
manifested, in all the Departments, to let
the future take care Of itself, until the 4Ih
of March.
Among several other bills which our
delegate introduced ia the House, was one
for the increase Of the service to semi
weekly. You may be assured that nothing
will be left undOne to accomplish its pas
sage. A Post Office has been established
at Nisqually, and one at Cedaryille, on the
Chehalis While this subject is before me,
let me ask you 10 invite all the citizens on
the SQUAD to get up petition for q semi
weekly service, and to forward them to
your Delegate, or to me- My object in
having them sent to either one Of US is, that
they may be used, if necessary, with the
next administration. If they are sent to
the Postmaster General, or to the Depart
nftnt, they will be buried so deep in the
collection, that no earthly power can dig
them up.
Gov. Stevens has labored incessantly
during the recess of Congress in perfecting
several measures of vital Importance to the
Territory. You will notice at the close of
the letter several bills that have been
brought forward, and many have been fa-
vorable reported upon. The Military COM
mittee yesterday morning brought in a re-
port recommending appropriations amount
ing to $ll5,0 900 for roads in the Territory
With the War Department the Governor
has labored increasingly and Mr.. Stout,
of Oregon, has been untiring in bis efforts
to assist him in forwarding measures for
the welfare of our Territory.
No one man living has done more to-
wards carrying through the Railroad bill
than Gov. Stevens. ON happy to say
that he made the best speech OF any one,
and that the long wished for Pacific Rail
, road bill passed the House of Representa-
tives by about 80 majority. 1t will pass
the Senate without doubt.
: l am sorry to sec that old story in the
papers that Gov Stevens is a defaultcr
! Such is not the fact Every one knows
= that he never speculated enough in his life
time to cover $4,000 went to the De-
partment on purpose to ascertain the facts,
and found that be is, and has been all
|, right The whole story originated in the
brainless pate of correspondent Of the
Bulletin. know his name and he has
repeatedly stated that he was misinformcd.
There is a class of political stock jobbers in
this city who follow no honorable business,
and if they cannot black mail living out
of some Que, they sail in and viify, ira
dlce and maIign them, in. order to show
their power to some others and make them
pay.
Stirring events have taken place in the
Southern States since the election Of Lin
coin. ! do not think that his election was
the immediate cause For long time the
seed Of discord and disunion has been sown
by the North 10 the soil of the South, and
at last it has brought forth the most bitter
fruit. While l am writing, the news is
flashed from Que end of our beloved coun-
try to the other, that this great chain of
States is severed. South Carolina has
pissed its secession acts, and now retires,
in her opinion, from the Union forever.
We are standing upon the brink of an abyss
down which you can hear rumbling sound,
but the depth Of it you cannot fathom. A
revolution is going on in our nidst-it Isl
yet bloodless-but who eau foreSee the re-
suit The North have for years carried the
poor slave to school daily, and have ln-
stilled into the young and rising genera
ton hatred of the South and her institu
tions. was taught that myself, and SO was
every New England Boy in my day. How
much more so now, when every white
cravatted saint, INSTEAD Of preaching Christ
and Him Crucifed" to their hearers, de-
nounce the South and cher cursed bondage
of men," aud make a political harangue
their whole discourse. The idea that man
cannot hold property in his fellow-nan, has
grown in the minds of the Northern people |
until they persist that slavery is a sin be-
| fore God and the world.
The whole country, because of this con.
fict, is enveIoped in gIoom-sudness and
sorrow is depicted on the face OF every one.
Property, commerce and manufactures
have all found quictus Nothing is doing
thousands of the laborlng classes are