, 1863-03-19
DER WASHINGTON LETTER.

----'-----@z1..-z:E ------@z1-.-z:-E
DER WASHINGTON LETTER.
tlnusc-:rIle New IIanpsialre Eicc-
t!on-Coppcrheud Strategy.
From Our Own Corzcspondsnt.1
WAsn1SoToN, March Is, 1858.
TIE coSscR1rTloN LAW TO De PIT IN FoECE
SOON.
The Government is perfecting arrangements
for putting the machinery Of the Consumption
law into operation, but the frat steps hare
yet to be taken. The selection Of officers
llndcr the statute, in the execution of which
discretion and tact are Of prime Importance
lisa delicate matter and may require time. It
ia presumed, however, ut tie War Depart
ment, that loyal member Of Congress is the
best Judge Of the proper men to constitute
the enrolment board, In his own district, and
That 1lc will, in the absence Of decisive claims
on the part Of others, consider fayorably
those OF a soldier who has been disabled in
the service OF his country if he possesses re-
quisftc qualifications in other respects. can
not but regard with apprehension the posi-
hility that person deficient In courage, dis
cretion or resources may be selected for the ex-
tremely important position Of Provost
Martial General We're the secre-
larry Of WAR, man who acted
on principle rather than impulse, and who
was capable Of embodylng his principles in
the form Of regulations for the guidance Of
| his subordinatcs, the selection Of Provost
Marshal General would bea matter Of less i'm
| portance. As it is, cannot but think
| that the best man for the place would be he
| who should most nearly resemble Major Gen.
Butler in characteristics of mind and heart
| cannot but regret that the phraseology of
| The law is such rs to make his acceptance Of
| the position degradation from his present
well deserved rank.
On one important point believe that the
War Office has reached no conclusion, namely:
what to do under the section which confers
the discretionary power on the Secretary, Of
fixing the sum to be paid for exemption
| from the C0nscripton. He Is authorized to
| set 1t at any amount less than $500; but un-
less he uses this authority with caution and
| skin, the complaint may be made that
workings will be to make the poor fight and
the rich pay, to take the poor away from the
families whom they are Obliged to support by
daily labor and enable the rich to escape tile
| lM1Eueet PllSa1ons anu uanEoFs VI war Oy
the payment Of what is to them pittance.
That any such result as this was contcmph-
ted by tile trainers Of the law, is Of course out
Of the question The design Of this clause Of
the section was to provide, from the money
| paid in under it, q bounty fund for the old
| soldiers, whose re-enlistment 1t was hoped
| might thus be secured, but 1t is doubtful
whether this advantage, great one surely,
is not more than counterbalancel by the cap.
ital which Coprerheads would be enabled to
make out ofthe allegation aboye referred to,
The Secretary may, however, as has been
suggested, avoid the difficulty either By is
noring this part Of the section 40 he woult
seem to be at liberty to do, or by requiring
per centage Of the property Of the drafted
man in lieu of his personal services. Thii
latter proposition meets with fayor aud Woult
seem to obFiate the objection urged.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ELECTIoH-CoPPEnuEA1
| CoWARDICE.
lam told By John a. Bingham, who has JUS
returned from q brief campaign In New Hamp
shire, that that State is shown to be strongl.
Republican, BIZ the vote for members Of th
Legislature, which shows the Copperheads II
be in q minority Of three or four thou6an
more than would appear from the vote fo
Governor. The reason Of the discrepancy il
that the doctrine was scdulous1y disseminate
among the people that to elect the Democrat
candidate for Governor, was to elect maj
Who would refuse to allow the enforcement
Of the Conscription act within the State,
. I matter with which the Legislature, 1t wa
!. said, had nothing to do. There arc giant
hearted men even in New Hampshire, an
, foolish-ninded men, upon whom such repre-
gentations impress themselves. The truth il
that no Governor Of : loyal State, not eve
Thomas 81. seymore, Of Connecticut shou1
: he be elected, would dare to resist, or even
, threaten resistance to Law necessary to til
, | salvation of the country.
/ The nvnrfa cf fhn 1Sst fnxv bar
shown the most apprchensiye, that whateye
. may hive been the purposes Of the Coppel
5 head leaders at the outset, and whatever ma
be their secret wishes now, they will not G
80 far when placed in responsible positions
f They know now that the people Of th
country, the vast majority of the people i
every State, are determined to put down I'll
rebellion, and to submit to any cost or sacr
flee Of life, or Of money, rather than FIJI
They hayo heard from the army also, IN
know now that the national soldiers are read
5 to give traitors their deserts wherever the
: find them.
Charleston Still In Rebel Hauds-Fu1
, ther Delay The Cases Of Gems. Frt
:, mont, SIge1 and Butler-A Africa
Troops-Dolngs, Prospects, Propos
!. ttonA.
0 [F1om Our Own Correspondent
= WASHINGTON, March ii, 1868.
= THE ATTACK ON CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH
- FURTHER DELAY.
= All the world searches through Its morni,
paper, day after day, for news Of the captu
Of Charleston or Savannah, but finds nothi1
8 more satisfactory than, an occasional pred
q tion that the next transport from Port Roy
y will bring the Intelligence, q vague stateme
= that the final touches Of preparation are u
king, or still moro annoying paragraph
- the effect that Admiral Dupont alone kno1
~ ~ when the blow is to he struck. Person