The Portland daily press., 1862-11-19
Regular Correspondence of the Press.
Letter from Boston.

is one of the DAYS dedicated to Saint Goodyear
of blessed and caoutchouc memory. Alas,
there are far too many such days in Boston TO
allow us to dispense with India-rubber in any
of its Protean forms, and SO, today one is COM
Portable out of doors, only in rubber boots,
encased IN a waterproof coat and surmounted
by an impervious hat. And it is one of the
days when the hearts of Horse-railroad men
leap within them for JOY as theySee their cars
crowded with fretting and dripping people: it
is, in fact, one of their tri-weekiy harvests Of
dingy postage stamps. Speaking of their eel
ebrated introducer into England, where what
few were allowed to stay down, were called
"tram-ways"-of course l refer to none other
than the ubiquitous and versatile George Fran
els Train.--On his return from England he
created quite furore here and, for time, we
really thought we should hear of little else
than Mr.. t., but he has sunk into comparative
obscurity. Since the election of Governor
Andrew we have heard not word from Mr..
Train in Boston, but we learn that he has ex-
pressed in New York city wish to be consid-
cred candidate for the Presidency in 1864.
He probably bases his claims to public conf
dence upon the same fact which first induced
the estimable but impulsive Daniel Pratt to
run for the same office; namely, because he
was "the greatest American traveller" Mr..
Train has also travelled, is also impulsive, will
also lack votes. Mr.. Train undoubtedly has
several brains, in fact he himself aptly observ-
ed in your city, that he had more than any Boz
dy else, but it is my impression that his head
got turned so badly by his reception in Boston
that the aforesaid brains are of very little use.
When he next appears in any Of his multiple
ity of characters in Boston, l trust l shall be
on hand to take a note or two, and you shall
have them.
OF course nothing legislative is yet being
done at the State House. The public offices
are always open and good deal of military
business, commission-nakng and pension-pay-
ing is going on. One of the most sorrowful
sights in this city, is to see the poor women,
who 60 to the State House for their widows
pensions, waiting anxiously in the great hall
for the untying of official red-tape. They look
huIredly and wishlully at each door asi it opens
and the marks of sad watching are upon their
faces. The war is now beginning to be felt, and
the people of this old revolutionary city are
as true as STEEL The old families which were
represented in the armies of 1776 are sending
their sons in 1852. And because the war be-
gins to be felt, these families are all the more
anxious, as you are in Maine, that there should
now be no withdrawal from the front of the
battle; no backing down.
/ think many of your readers. who have friends
sick or wounded in the Army Hospital, will be
glad to hear What aneminent Boston physician
visiting Washington, said in the presence of a
large number of gentlemen, concerning the
manner in which Army surgeons are labor
ing. / give his words as nearly as possible:
"There are exceptions everywhere in all
classes of men; but tell you gentlemen, that,
as a class, the surgeons of our Volunteers are
humane, skiilful and adapt themselves Won
derfully to new exigencies. In fact 1 doubt
if ANY nation in the world could, that is, would
have arranged such aspendid system of mil
itary surgery as our Volunteer surgeons have
done. Those from a previously small practice
have done most admirably, while the chiefs of
the Hospitals seem to be not only skilful, but
to possess certain adaptability TO circumstan-
ces very much like that required to conduct a
hotel! They are fine surgeons and much like
our friend Paran Stevens 1.-THE great hotel
mani in addition. By them our soldiers are
well cared for" Such is the testimony of one
of the Professors in the Medical department
of Harvard University.
Henry Giles is now giving fine course of
lectures at the Lowell Institute, upon the vari-
Gus historical types of man. The lectures are
highly philosophical but they interest
not only the thinkers but those who like to
have their thinking done for them. The Fra
ternity lectures also have begun well and will
probably have their usual success. All the
places of Amusement are in full blast. Miss.
Bateman at the Howard, Booth next Monday
at the Boston, Gottschalk and Patti and SO on !;
no one W ould think it was war-times here
Do they have Theatres, just now, in Rich
mond, l wonder?
Before this letter is closed, and / am afraid it
is too long already, would like to say some
thing about Browns painting of the Bonn
bardment Of Port Royal. 1t is on exhibition
at the Atheneum, and attracts much atten-
ton on account of the fine perspective, and
general effect, Mr.. Brown colors all his pic
lures very high, but in this there is no exuber-
ance. The two forts are seen in the right and
LETT, replying to the fire of the circling fleet
There is a vagueness and uncertainty in their
firing, which is well explained by the novel at
tack of the brilliant Commodore Far in the
distance lies the fiat sea-island country, and
through it is seen winding the sandy river
Upon the river, and safe out of harms way,
the Mosquito fleet is riding at a-chor, an half
dozen poor, paltry steam tugs, now and then
throwing round shot half way down to the
flag ship at the Federalists. The water, the
distance, and the fiery smoke, are represented
with wonderful effect, and place this picture
in the front rank of historical paintings.
MoxIE.
fCorrespondence of the Press1