The Portland daily press., 1863-09-08
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from the Federal Capital.

WASHINGTON, Sept. J, 1868.
TO the Editor ofthe Press:
Charleston still continues to be the center of
interest l cannot tell you how often our
hearts have been gladdened by the report that
Sumter, Wagner, Charleston one or ALL had
surrendered. / have not kept the tally and
don't know OF any Que who has. A pretty
long stick would surely have been requisite,
with good many edges, and it must by this
Z time have assumed the appearance of a Ruric
almanac. But as often AS our hearts have
leaped with JOY at these most welcome an
nouncements, they have had nothing better to
do, SO few hours have always demonstrated,
than to leap back again as quickly and quietly
as possible into their wonted frame and tenn
per, there to wait for surer if not better news
On Saturday last We had advices, apparent
ly reliable, that Fort Sumter having become a
mere ruin OF no account to either party in the
present struggle, Wagner, overwhelmed by
the combined land and naval forces brought to
bear upon 1t, had surrendered. But subse-
quent dispatches have once more darkened
our hopes. Still we wait with patience and
confidence. Ultimate success can doubtless
be achieved by arduous and perseyering effort
Those who have expected Charleston to fall
long before this or to capitulate Immediately
on the reduction OF Sumter, can hardly have
formed these expectations with the map before
them. Forts Johnston, Moutrie and Pink
ney, besides goodly number of strong bat
teries, to say nothing Of a harbor full OF tor
pedoes and Internal machines, must all be
overcome before Charleston can be ours ito
have and to hold" But though the progress
OF our arms may be- slow and difficult, yet il
may probably be rewarded at each step of its
advance by valuable captures, and the final
result which we anticipate will repay all it
may have cost The practical advantages re-
suitlng from opening this harbor, the outlet of
region almost exclusively cotton growing,
can hardly prove small; while the fall of no
place within the Confederate lines would pro-
duce greater moral effect, excepting only the
rebel capital.
Ii any OF our friends from a distance should
find themselves here in dull city, with an
idle hour upon their hands, they might be in
terested in visiting the Dead-Letter Office 1t
Is In the southeastern part OF the Post Office
building, near the entrance on Z street. In
room OF moderate size are about dozen men,
seated around two tables, all busily engaged
in rapidly opening and briefly examining the
letters received in this department. The pro-
cess is very short. All letters so signed as TO
admit OF being sent back TO the writer. are re-
turned. All others, unless they contain
something Of value, are destroyed 1t
follows that any letter which, failing of
its destination, the writer would wish re-
turned, should be signed in full The work
ploys twenty-five clerks constantly Very few
letters are read. There is small time for the
gratihcation OF vagrant curiosity now that
from ten TO twelve thousand dead letters are
received every day. Their number has great
ly increased since the war began.
Few persons may be aware of the amount
oil money transmitted through the mails. Du-
ring the few minutes spent recently Witness
ing the opening operation, several letters were
NDPnpd Pontaipipn mn
large as $1,000 have been found in single let
ter, and not long since draft for S25 900 turn
ed up.
A showcase stands in the room, full of ar
tcles taken from the mails. Some of these
are liquids, and so contraband as mail matter
Among them may be seen many small articles
OF dress, numerous miniatures, the chamber of
arevolying rifle, and an ox-horn! The locks
OF mar, ted in curls, or braided in various
fashions, or manufactured into ornamental ar
tlcies, or enclosed la lockets, are almost num-
beress. While 1 was looking a sunny lock
fell from an envelope bordered with black-a
lock from some head now lying low in its last
repose, lock never 10 meet the eye it should
have sadly gladdened by its coming. Ma.
ny long, hnely written delicately traced
letter, many sorry scrawl, just as rich per-
haps in freight of kind thoughts and affection
ate remembrances, go together into the bas-
ket. 1t is rather saddening to think what
countless fleets, most lrail but richly laden, 20
down in thai engulhng and remorseless
maelstrom.
Ihe Patent Office contains, beside innumer-
aoie models of inventions, mementoes mostly
VI iruiuess pains and disappointed hopes, yet
showing here and there some perfect Invention
oil original genius, aud again, as mayhap, frag-
mehtary CLEANS OF discovery, to be arranged
by other minds than those by which tbev were
nrst struck out, into contrivances for our con-
yenience and comiort--beside these. a LARGE
collection OF articles interesting TO all. espec
iaiiy to the antquary. Here are many relics
OF Washington, including his field sword
camp chest and cooking utensils, and MANY ar
ticles used by him in private life. The dress
worn by him when he resigned his commits
sion as Commander-in-C Chief of the army, is
preserved here. Powers beautiful statue of
t9e fater Patrie, sent from Baton Rouge by
zen. Butler, stands fifty amid these memen-
Toes. De kalb's saddle of crimson velvet,
lraliAi,ns printing press and gold-headed
Sahe' 9aeksohs coat, worn at the battle of
view orleans, are among the curiosities
Among number of old treaties ono no,;ces
with mourniul interest one SIGNED nv I.opis
XIV, and hard by it is another stoned bv
Buonaparte when First Consul Tie Janan,
csc presents to Mr.. Buchanan are here and
can but excite wonder at the degree Of civjli-
zauon attained oy tnat most singular people
during its isolation from the rest Of the ord
for SO many generations. Nor should the Wis
itor turn away, till he has seen, hanging INST
beneath the commission of General Wasbing-
ton, the original copy of that immortal Decla-
ration, now if possible dearer than ever to ey-
cry true American heart ~
Ihe overpowering heats are gone, and the
ar Is cool and bracing. Now aud then fall
zen leaf rustles along the payements, or futters
lnrongh the window. The birds in park and
mall DO not sing much, but then. notes though