The Portland daily press., 1863-10-02
Letter nom the National Capital.
WASHINGTON, Sept. IS, 1863


tanooga. The victory, such as it is, was dear
| ly bought by the Conlederates. You have al
ready published the authentic account of their
terrible loss in officers of all ranks, and the
cheering kilograms from Rosecrans, announc-
ing his perfect ability to hold Chattanooga
| That is the real victory "Will lie be permit
"ted," asks the vagabond Chattanooga Rebel
"to stand in the door of our granary and pro-
'vision house, while our army is starving out
''sde for bacon and ?" In the same strain,
the Richmond Dispatch says, "Unless he be
''drven back across the river, our late victory
will have been of no value," and the Rich
mond Wing continues. "He must be destroyed
'or driven from East Tennessee, else the bat
''tle had as well not have been fought" The
Marietta (Ga.) Rebel quotes an exclamation
of Mr.. JEFF. Davis, to the effect that he would
snatch Tennessee from the clutches of the
"Abolitionists, ii it took the united armies of
'the South to accomplish it," When we re-
collect how the same august parsonage vapor-
ed about his determination to hold Vicksburg,
it is easy to estimate the relative proportions
of his large promises and slender luflments.
There is no anxiety here about Rosecrans.
Persons having business at the War Office last
week, found the Secretary afiable and compar-
ati7ely at eisure-two excellent signs. The
attack upon Rosecrans was toreseen 1t was
necessity. The storm has come, and the Army
of the Cumberland stands like rock, will not
be dslodged from its formidable position at
Chattanooga. Reinforcements are pouring in
from all quarters. Not only Burnside and
Grant contribute, but the Eleventh and
Twelfth Corps from the Army OF the Potomac
will have reached Tennessee before this letter
is made public. They were passing through
Washington last week. 1t was rumored that
Gen. Hooker was to command the expedition;
but nothing certain is known out of official
circles, except that the troops went west from
the Relay Station.
The Maine election has opened the eyes of
the bats North and South. "This event."
says the Richmond Dispatch of last Monday,
ais OF greater moment than similar result in
.any other New England State. 1t had been
Thought that the ruling faction was not so
firmly seated in Maine. The expecta-
s'tions arising from various elements of cacu-
"lation. have all been disappointed, and the
people have apparently pronounced in favor
'of the war policy of their Government"
apparently is an apt word! Here is State
which elects UEion Governor by majority
of twenty thousand votes, returns only ba-
ker's dozen Of Disunon Representatives and
not single Senator to the State Legislature,
submits at the same time without a murmur
to the draft, having before furnished her quo
ia of volunteers without shadow of hesita-
tlon--and this pestilent rebel says her people
have apparently pronounced in favor of a
war policy! What will satisfy such fellow?
Obviously nothing short of an absolute exclu-
sion of Disunionists from every place in the
gift of the people-and that will come, if the
war lasts another year. The handful of State
Representatives returned this year are the
last, who will be elected in opposition to the
Union.
The depreciation Of the Confederate curren-
cy has reached its lowest point here. l heard
a small boy, an exceedingly small boy with
supernatural lungs, crying Confederate notes !,
"Fives and Tens, cent apiece.' the other day,
and he had great difficulty to find purchasers.
year ago they sold more readily, and have
heard of one man who procured some of the
larger denominations, which he exchanged on
the debataDle ground in Virginia for horse.
His horse, decent roadster. cost him in law
full money of the United States, six cents.
During the recent advance TO the Rapidan, our
men got some $500 900 of Confederate money.
A good lady who furnished some of them
with supper said Southern gentlemen" paid
her four dollars a meal, but consented to re-
ceive dollar of our money as a fair equiva-
lent. A little drummer presently astonished
her by rendering hundred-dollar Confederate
note and absolutely declining any change.
The Rebels themselves have lost all conf
dence in their currency. Their newspapers
teen with discussions of this vital matter
The most remarkable scheme is preached in
the South Carolinan by zone of the oldest in
'habitants of Louisiana" This venerable
Nestor proposes to get rid of the superflu-
Gus and worthless currency in summary
fashion, by abolshing it. Let it be "A penal
"offence," he says, ito bny OF sell anything.
'but let food, shelter, raiment and medicine
"be secured TO every one, under a parish or
county organization, controlled or supervised
"by the General Government" Universal
pauperism is the panacea of the Oldest Inhab-
itant to be rendered palateable by reputation
ranker than ever was dreamed of by Missis-
sippi legislators. The producers are to raise
corn and pork for the army, and the army is
to fight for the producers, and the root of all
evil is to be extirpated, and thus the golden
age is to return in the dominions of Jefferson
Lantem-jaws, Of all places ON EARTH
The sanitary condition of this capital is i'm
proving. Capt. Krause of the Quartermaster's
Department, who for long time was charged
with the burial OF dead horses, has been releas-
ed from the Old CAPITOL prison, where he was
lodged on charges of fraud, since disproved,
and has returned to his former duties. Small
er quadrupeds, cats, dogs and rats, may still
be seen in all stages OF decomposition, on
! most OF the thoronghiares of the city, but il
is something to have defunct horses removed.
Ii only the sink spouts, which discharge into
the public streets, could be cut of! Sooner
or later that decisive reform must come
H.W
| CLASS OF SIXTY-FoUR-BowDoIN COL
| Md Il, Al