, 1863-04-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,
Washington for tho Union-Grand
Union Htcet1My-Report of the Com
1hf1tcc OH the Conduct OF the War
secretary t<hcr and tho Interior dc.
N3FfXnEnf.


WASHINGTON, april !, 1sG3.
WASHINGTON FOL. TIE UNION.
Loyal Washington crowded both halls of
the Capitol last night, and eyerhowcd into the
sraeious passages. hundreds were unable to
find standing room within hearing Of tho
speakers. Ladies' graccd the front seats, and
napy blue coats were to be seen on the floor
ard In the galleries, but the bulk Of the audi
cuce consisted Of residents, OF whom largo
majority were the hard-1sted mechanics,
whose loyalty here and in other cities north
Of the Potomac is, as Horace Maynard told
the audience, and has been from the begin
ming, unquestionable. A civic character was
also given TO the meeting, by the fact that it
was convened under the auspices Of the city
councils, and was presided over in one
hall by the Mayor, and in the other
by IN alderman. The silent presence Of the
President and his Cabinet, the speeches Ct
Andy johnson and other orators from dis
tancc, The closing Of work ut the Arsenal and
other public buildings, while they made the
Assembly in a sense national a1lir. did not
suffice to change its character as q demonstra-
tion Of the feeling Of the city.
The City Of Washington, thus assembled
for the purpose Of speaking its word to tho
country Of which it is the capital, gave forth
no uncertain sound. The resolutions wcro
as thoroughly uncompromising as those
passed by any Of the Union Leagues,
recently formed; and they were ap-
plnnded tempestuous]y. Every allusion
to the President, every expression Of
confidence in his Administration, every de-
nunciation Of treason and traitors III the
South or in the North, every intimation that
whatever stood in the way Of triumph over
the rebellion, be It slavery or Copperheadism,
should BE- crushed under theadyancins wheels
Of the war, met with hearty response. No
more popular remark was made than that of
Chief Justice Cartier, OF the Supreme Court
Of the District, to tie effect that, however
faulty In other respects his admin
ut least cnaeayor to punish disloyalty
according to its deserts, and would allow
no lawyer to open his lips in bis Court room.
until he had sworn allegiance to the Govern.
ment in the new oath prescribed last summer.
GUS and Brown1owian calling Of things by
their right names, plainly proved how Ear
other speakers, who vaguely declaimcd Jagged
bchiud their hearers, upon whom the plaincst
word produced the most effect. This was the
case also, at the last meeting In the !Capitol
very talk OF e1-GoFernor George s. Boutwell,
who alone had the courage to speak the
words for the honE-found IN audience fully
prepared to receive it.
THE REPORT or THE COMMITTEE or THE CON-
DUCT OF TIE WAR.
An effort may be made--has, indeed, alrea-
| dy been male-in advance, to produce the
| impression that the forthcoming report Of tho
| Committee on the conduct Of the War will be
I St,S+ -
| evidence. The fact that the testimony, which
is 10 be given to the world, will be unaccom.
| PANIED by any report, remarks in the nature
Of commentary, OF single word tending to
! bias the readers judgment should be sufficient
| to give the lie to such injurious rumors. The
fact that the Democratic members ofshc com
mittee are working, heart and hand. with
| Chandler and Wade, should also shut the
mouth Of their political friends The trutI
is, as have good reason to believe, that thost
portions Of the testimony which are withhclt
1,om The public, would be considered by ey
cry upprejudiced person obviously improper
toprint as being Injurious to hcpublic interet!
and hindranccs to tile successful prosecution
Of the war. To state more explicitly the char
actcr Of this evidence, to soy to what persons
I or transactions it relates, would be TO do th'
very thing which tie Committee have judyet
it wise not to do, ut this time. When lone
after the war las ended, the historian seek
materials for q just and comprehensive nara
tive, he will find those sheets, now sealct
from public curiosity a valuable repository.
SECRETARY usnEn AND THE INTERIOR DE
| rAnTMEET.
Secretary Usher is losing the good opinion
u sc1nc who favored his appointment. Th
only thing he has done since his induction
into office is to forget to Keep his ontcnata
promises to the heads Of his bureaus that b
would not only consult them, but be guide
by their Judgment III the matter Of appoint
1cnts and disnlissals. Not an appoiniee Q
jake Thompson, Of whom many still dra'
1ay. has been turned out ut his instance, nj
credibly informed; but = number Of Republi
can clerks have been given their passports
and now there is serious probability that San
does not belong to Secretary Usher, will b