The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-08-01
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON. July 20. 1ss

state of our affairs ut the commencement of
the present month. So long had it been since
any great and decisive victory, any substan-
| tial and enduring success, had gilded our BAN
| ner and gladdened our hearts, that good
news seemed in some danger of becoming
with us a mere recollection or tradition of the
past. And then to the sickness of hope long
deferred was added the distress and dismay,
the ravage and devastation Of a mighty in
vasion. Dismay spread fast and far among
those who for three quarters of a century had
dwelt each under his own vine and fig tree,
with none till now TO modest or make afraid,
and the enemies Of the country in the South,
ultant. Gettysburg, Vicksburg and Port
Hudson, these will always be to us names of
joy and triumph, and will stand in our history
as monumental pillars, as Ebenezers Of
Gods deliverance. To Him, with a bowed
though joyful heart should the whole land rem
der its thanksgiving.
In our rejoicing, however, we must not
weakly forget that much yet remains to be
accomplished. The conspirators have yet one
card left and they are playing itwith the bold
CONSUMPTION can be enforced, as it probably
will be, the military power of the South will
still be formidable. To strike heavily and rap
idly before the conseripts become available, is
right policy. And for the future the increased
force of the rebels must be met by an over
e
cessity for this is SO apparent, the path of duty
is so plain that the friends OF the cause and
the country must and will be united in pursu-
ing it.
And now that the draft is performing its
stern but indispensable work, summoning pc
remptorily many thousands from Preside en-
joyments and peaceful pursuits TO the priva-
tons of the camp, the hardships of the march
and the perils of the battlefield, 1t would be
well for those to whom all this seems harsh
and hard, to reflect how much has been al
ready sacrificed and suffered in order to bring
the country so far through the terrible ordeal
it is enduring. 1t is doubtless very inconve-
nient and dlsagreeable to be drafted, even in
prospect of an early and glorious peace; but
if any loyal man thinks the sacrifice too great,
or the burden too heavy, let him compare his
case with that of the three years volunteers,
who have so nobly and under such overwhelm-
ing discouragements borne the burden and
heat of the conflict.
Can any one think without some generous
emulation of the volunteer unconstrained
save by bis love of country and devotion to
duty, turning his back in the midnight of our
cause upon the little home he has labored so
hard to build, leaving the little family he has
gathered round him and who are to him more
than the light to his eyes or the warmth to his
heart, to meet alone the bitter hardships and
cruel chances OF war, or Of the true wife freely
sending him who is her earthly all, to suffer-
ings she cannot alleviate-perhaps to death
she cannot share-and then quietly sitting
down TO wait all through the weary weeks and
months and years till he shall return, or till
that shall come of which she dares not think?
In how many such cases have worst forebod-
ings and darkest fears come true? How many
priceless argosies laden, o, how deeply with
the hearts pure ingots, with mutual love and
trust, with joy for the present and hope for the
future, have already gone down forever, leav
ing fond parents and gentle wife and helpless
little ones to walk wrecked and shivering, cast
Always upon the hard, cold shore that did but
now seem to them all gold and amber.
When came down the Sound few weeks
since, there were upon the steamer consid
cradle number of soldiers belonging to the
14th Massachusetts,, returning to the army
Some of them were accompanied by their
wives as far as New York. When, as we were
steaming up the harbor in the morning, the
word came to fall in,' there were tight
clinging grasps of the hand and brief good
byes and hurried kisses, and an eager looking
forward where the men had disappeared, and
so the parting was over But every man who
saw knew how those stout hearts were wrung;
aud then to see the brave little women who
had hidden and kissed farewell to their hus-
bands, with lips that did not tremble and had
looked after them with clear eyes; to see them
weeping and sobbing by themselves as if their
hearts would break, this was hardest of ALL
1t somehow seemed wrong to look upon grief
so sacred and so as l think, before many eyes
came mist, and compassion lent its own kind
veil to the touching scene.
War is stern and hard and bitter, and for
this very reason the waste of life it involves
should not be met by the noble and devoted
alone, any more than its expense should be
betrayed by volunteer contributions. As all
will share alike in the glorious results of the
struggle when brought TO a righteous and sue
cessful close, so none should ask or be permit
ted to altogether avoid its risks and burdens
As to local matters in the city and District,
there is scarcely anything OF general interest
to write. We are experiencing the quiet
which usually follows strong and protracted
exctements. The grumblers have almost lost
their occupation. Secessionsts and copper
heads wear countenances indicative of disgust
Mt the recent turn of affairs, Frightening up
only at some new detail of the grand "peace"
exhibition, gotten up recently in New York
and other places by distinguished members of
their amiable and long suffering fraternity /;
and here, as elsewhere, true and loyal men re-
joice with exceeding joy that at last, through
the smoke and carnage aud devastation of
war, they seem to see the beginning of the
end" TSP.
GRAND EXcURsIoN.-An opportunity such