The Portland daily press., 1863-03-14
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from the National Capital.
WASHINGTON, March 10, 1868.

To the Editors of the Press:
The close of the session, a session crowded
with business, full of exciting occurrences,
and fruitful of momentous results, has pro-
duced q comparative calm strange and un-
wonted In this unquiet place. The Senate is
still in session, and will probably be for week
or more; but as its sittings are mostly secret
they are not very instructive or entertaining.
Aside from the personal solicitude with which
those who have nominations pending regard
its proceedings, no very lively interest attach
es to its action. Even the discussion respect
ing the test oath prescribed BY an act of Con-
gress for new Senators and members of the
House, failed TO attract much attention. be-
heve all the new Senators now here have tax
en- it, with perhaps one exception.
The calm of this pleasant morning may, by
It's contrast, remind Others beside myself, Of
the turmoil and uproar of year ago. 1t was
with sad and anxious hearts that we stood that
dull and sunless tenth of March, upon the
north terrace of the Capitol, watching the
troops pass as they were beginning the ad-
vance upon Manassas. All day long the city
was filed with the tramp of infantry and the
rush and clatter Of cavalry, and the pavements
were shaken as battery after battery went by.
The Long Bridge was thronged from morning
until late in the afternoon by one continuous
column pouring across it. Laughing and
cheering they went-the gallant fellows-as
If only holiday had been before them. Then
the city grew still, doubly still, with the
hush of anxious expectation. Manassas
was reached and the enemy was gone.
Then once more the streets were filed for a
brief space with ALI the sspomp and circum-
stance of war; - banners fying, bayonets
cleaning. and martial music swelling proud
". This lasted few DAYS and then, with
higher spirits and prouder homes than We feel
to-day. the troops moved down the river.
Well do / remember that evening when the
18th and 2Oth Mass. passed our window on
their way TO the TRANSPORTS = the latter thin
from the slaughter of Balls Bluff. and the
former a glorious regiment nine hundred and
eighty strong. The setting sun sbone warmly
and rosily upon the faces Of the men. and was
flashed back redly from their FURNISHED arms.
Az wa lookad for tho Ia t;n,a rnop those ~
- - .oosN ~. sAs I1Is s.''e upou sho'o ~
oie men, marching III iong anu even ranks
Win nia,s,ai VIA ueau anu peailng Toward tne
s~w"s mI1Ma'u ., giory prigh'er anu
more enduring tnan any nusn ol sunset or
~. nans onr meats "sns Guy ~. ~ piess.
=, ~ ,h.,sa Hna .a ,,,a, haba,d - ~ % moS'
u u s,s .aS r;.as .a, ~ 'lie p,he he, " man .a
,;as.;ierta sad The ca.na ~ ,ha po;,,Ia p. It,e
,ssrt' ~ s,,a sha ,'s;.s,',s. t .no
Sa." sn.a.',., u e,.,, ;sdo5 s.,a. sas uo"n pe
,, Wre ,, lofAeo"n rev ihueeu now answer al the
Whe,h, y1a n1 ca, pau d y, ,h i m s aleu ~ Vail
.l.,,,h,a- 80 na+,lo - b.o.,h "a .h,;. t,,.
,,noen,ia;n;n, -, =, " s u'sL h'es ou.
uaeo.ap,alhangiy ;.s wneIe, oy .he ROADSIDE, spent
,sau una una Ia;n ;ua anu wuan Jus WIN narusps,
hv ~ ,'au ,a,dar a.,S s,;,;a NV, ~ 1870 uas soo.neu
,aINbalnusd caca 81 s;s,ar Nc snoeeu s., W no
strang,hened hv No ,nan,ion as coa,s ne, S.aaa,
graca and a S.yior,s ioya Or ,,ha,ha, ,sa.'
,naetlv and nstant,v iay ,,,on ,ha;r har, .y ~,
mill the acbing head ceased to ,hroh ana ,ho
snfsar;nr Sorn, 1raw na;nIsss snrarar ,has diS Ala
~, g;s p ya;r V.Inr -, ,r,,a aa,a. ny S,1
roic s ms never went for nothing Their exawnle ~ n
will he tho nnrse or haro;c sonIs oa,,,,ria.
hence Thonnh thssr an, it, .o h.sSnau. =.
.sa .';a, Xos,d.. . ~ S1Ss Wsuh. .s oioauIas. in
common trench :, W;,,;amshnrm rs;r y, :" na.n inc
or Malvarn Hill 90, 's b ran OaNs'
,rrs.'..u 80 -.
And ths homsse of afs sbe ,eIr hrsyei =, mii'ons
They shall have immortal crownine
And the world shall keep their graves"
And to those who are still bearing with patient
fortitude all the dangers, privations and hard
ships of the war, do we owe not less debt of
gratitude and honor, which no words can ex-
press and no bounties or pensions can ever
cancel May kind providence spare them
to sit through many years Of peace, each un-
fectionate gratitude OF a redeemed aud repen-