, 1862-07-09

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From Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July 8, 1862.
1t Is not for me to venture upon any nara
ton Of the late battles on the Chfckahominv,
but, now that the smoke has been partially
lifted, 1t may not be inappropriate to speak Of
the feelings and impressions that hare pre-
vailed in Washington since last Saturday. It
has seemed at times as though the last day had
CONC and found the world plunged in wicked
ICES and sin. This state Of depression has
been based in some degree upon false intor-
naaion, and lack Of information, but there
has been sufficient admixture Of truth to
warrant grave forebodings. Yesterdny it
rained diEma1ly from morning till night and I
heard it frequently declared that the day after
Bull Run was not half 80 melancholy, in ell It's
sad coucomitants Us this. Last night the
Prince de Joinyille arrived here from the main
body of the army bringing rather more cheer
ful news-.hat is, lie dissipated the stories Of
total defeat, retreat and Generalization which
had heretofore prevailed.
Without critlcising the late movement Of
the army, olcountiag Its cost, it is due to
common decency to say word or two On the
subject Of 'relnforcements." 4 dozen or
more letter writer's on the peninsula have
been howllng for more troops, more troops,
and hurting anathemas at the government be-
cause they were not forthcoming Nobody
seems to inquire where the more troops,
more troops" are to come from. The dixiecta
.7e,nbra Of the Shenandoah campaign are be-
1Dg collected us fastas possible. Tie splendid
FennEy1yania reserve corps, under Mccall,
Tne sent from Fredericksburg to reinforce
Nat dF31 =,
they reached the ground before Jackson. They
were match for Jackson in everything which
constitutes military efficiency.
The scene in the House for an hour and
nalf today, on the question Of agreeing to
bill, has been one Of the most animated Of
the Session. The Democrats and border State
men, under the lead Of Phelps of Mis-
eouri, f1]llbuEtered against Eiot's mo-
tion to non.concur, with calls Of the House
the reading Of the bill, calls for ordivision Of tie
question, and all the parliamentary devices
admissible and fnadmisEable. Their purpose
was to defeat Mr Elot's motion without yot-
ing against it themselves. Being opposed to
eonnseatson a m N any shape, except when exer-
to concur in tile Senate amendment, because
concurrence would enact it into law. On
the other hand, they feared that non-coucur-
rerce On the part OF the House would induce
ne Senate to 1eeede from its amendment and
thus enact the House bill. They were finally
brought to the scratch, and the Senate
amendment was rejected by the enormous
majority OF one 1undrtd aud fifteen. and the
House emitted, very properly to ask for
committee OF conference. The question
vii now be presented to the Senate to adhere
or recede. # the Senate recedes tie House
blll becomes law. I must say that the action
Of the Republicans in the House on tLis aues-
t1on to-day has been a remarkable exhibition
o. pluck. There Is more involved in the vote
than appears on the surface. IF the Senate
never have heard again Of the House Emanci-
patton bill, because the friends Of the Senate
bill claim it is both O contiscation and eman-
cipation measure-that is, as much SO as the
body polite will bear at this time. The pas
sage OF the two House bills would DO more to
ralse the 500,O ,OO0 soldiers lately called fur by
the President than all the other agencies ever
called in reguisition.
The Illinois and Michigan Canal bill was de-
feated, for the time being, chiefly by tie hos
tility Or t5eaehery Of Nm. A. Richardson and
James G. Robinson Of our own State Both o.
them lodged. If they had been present "a and ID
voted win their colleagues in good faith, they
could easily have found one other member on
the Democratic side to have Joined them, aud
TINT would have saved it. The inzlnuation Of
the Chicago Times, that AIr. Arnold has been
remlss in not getting the bill up earlier in tie
bill has been IN 1he charge Of tie Committee
On Military Affairs I'll the time, ol which 1Iy.
Richardson is a member, and Mr. Arnold IS
not.
The Secretary Of War has sent to Mr. Wash.
burne, as chairman Of the Committee on 10y
ernnent Contracts, q communication covering
certain papers implying that there has been Z
fraud perpetrated in the sale Of l,400
acres OF land belong ing to the Fort Leayen-
worth military reservation, requesting that the
affair may be promptly and thoroug6ly inyes-
tgated. The tracts and parcels Of land 50 sold
are as follows.