The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-12

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 1863.
NV usual letter has been deferred one
day by indisposition. But you obtain the
main points ip Congressional proceedings
each day by telegraph.
You have also, doubtless, seen the publ
cation made by the War Department in
justification Of its action in the case of VIM.
T. Smithson. But the Department pub
fishes only its side of the testimony, which
perhaps it judges, in what seems to it the
present debased and degraded condition of
American National spirit, will be sufficient
to Justify, Well, even if it were, still there
is nothing to show that Smithson should not
have been tried by civil court and been
convicted according to law, to be finished
off by the punishment due to traitor.
Of course you have read of all the out
cry upon Etheridge, Clerk of the last House
of Representatives, whereas he did his
merest and plainest duty according to law.
But the Abolitionists know of and care for
no law, even if they have made it themselves,
which in the smallest degree puts their un-
controlled despotism into peril. My hope
and belief is that they are themselves ad-
ministering the only cure the malady of
their supremacy is capable of: they will so
thoroughly overdo their work that human
nature must throw them off as impossible
to be borne. One of the samples of this
sort of thing may be seen in Lovejoy's mo.
ton to make the ownership of slaves penal
offence. In this light the sages and heroes
of the Revolution would be fit inmates for
the penitentiary. But in patience We must
possess our souls.
We were all greatly relieved on the open
ing of the Supreme Court to perceive that
Judge fancy has not resigned, as the malig.
mani fanatics had caused to be rumored.
The Russian feet is still lying below our
city, and the officers occasionally come up
into our streets. They are not a particu-
larly fine body Of men, nor is their intel
lectual appearance very striking. Of course
thew receive much attention wherever they
90. The common sailors are tolerably
good looking set Of fellows, with short faces
and stout persons, but they have not yet
had much opportunity of showing their
proves on any test OCCASION.
Genl. Hitchcock is out in long argu-
ment intended as a justification of the
course of the Government in its imbrogtto
with the Confederates on the subject of OK
changes. Gen. Hitchcock's argument may
do very we'll for Abolitionists, but for men
not vet drunk with the intoxications OF that
class, he proves nothing as 1t should be
proved. In word "the niger" has been
the whole cause of the horrid controversy.
But who ever knew fool or fanatic that
would Weld to reason or humanity? The
Government must find better rhetorlolan
than Gen. Hitchcock or be content to re-
ceive the disapprobaiion of mankind.
The reported capture of Gen. Neagher
does not seem to elicit much sympathy from
any class of people. They would as soon
he were taken as anybody else.
l do not know whether you West Virgin
ians have lost all interest in the "Old Do
minion," but the Legislature going On at
Alexandra is a grand affair. Governor
Peirpoint is, of course, "chief cook" as
usual, and his Western Virginia experiences
cause him to be looked upon as patriarch
in political cookery and "small chores" of
that kind. His @tegislature" will not fail
to crafty him in doing just whatever he
chooses, and he chooses just whatever his
guides in Washington dictate shall be done
The Presidents message is this moment
out no time yet to consider Its contents
with care. Yours, &c, PINNAcE.