The Portland daily press., 1863-11-13
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from the National Capital.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. Q, 1865

WASHINGTON, ID. u, NOV. y, 1866.
10 the Editorqf the Press; ~
The beaten track from your city to this has
in these latter days become too familiar to
many OF your readers by personal experience
and by the narrations OF Others to be 4 very
interesting subject OF remark. II, however
modern modes and ordinary incidents of travel
are familiar to all and scenes and places be-
tween the great base of military operations
and the far northeast are no longer strange TO
many yet the changes here and there or at
least changed aspects are to be noted and new
Impressions received. Ii modern travel has
but little of the romantic interest of the old ,
time 1t certainly has an excitement of its own
The breathless, laundering rush of the rail-
road train and the majestic course of the
steamer while as il instinct with life and full
OF exhaustless might she cleaves her way
against wind and wave and tide, never quite
lose their interest. am partial to the steam
boat. To sweep boldly out OF the harbor
amid boats that dance and curyet on either
hand, amid vessels all around, some swinging
idly at anchor and Others creeping along with
the medtatiye moderation of old-tme con-
servatives-to leave far behind the city that
looks after you with thousand eyes flashing
and sparkling from beneath its nglit-cap OF
smoky yapor, to feel the good ship bounding
for joy as she strikes the open sea-all this IS
an experience that will bear many repetitions.
now bright and now pale, playing in the milky
way, to mark the blinking lights rising one by
one. before you and sinking behind till lost in
the sea, to gaze upon the moon wheeling up
her broad, bright disc from the level horizon
and decking the waves with her sheeny light,
to note here and there some monster of the
deep, huger than his fellows, broad-backed.
dapped with foam, fccks rolling slowly
towards us tossing in the wind his pale name
OF spray, to watch the ocean born as he lifts us
lightly upon his back or sweeps by us to
break where now and then great banks of
foam leap in the air, and then sink again. to
follow with curious gaze the tall spectral sail
that comes silently out of the darkness on one
side OF the moons track and gliding across
the cleaning path vanishes as silently in the
gloom beyond like some phantom OF the sea-
all this is very pleasant. Who that has had
even glimpse of the sea wonders that sailors
are full OF wild and wierd superstilions. IL
after delightful evening however, a certain
Imp of the ocean that delights in torturilg ad-
,vehturous landsmen be not your chamberlain
as with your head knocking the four sides of
your state-room you turn in, then you will be
doubly happy.
Boston i noble city aud hardly to be ap-
preciated by one who has never lived ont of
New England. In its numberless churches
and schools, in its lyceums and galleries of
art. in its hospitals and inlrmaries for the
sick and its homes for the fallen, in its very
bricks and paving stones still lives the spirit
of those who
Founded State with prayers
AT New York we begin to get glimpses of
the war. The uniforms that were SO inlre-
quent sight in Maine, that were only occa-
sonally met with in Boston, now become CON-
mon in the cars and on the street. In every
train that rushes past us on its way northward
fl.a II
We reach the lower portions Of the route
picket stations appear here and there, for the
road is still guarded but much less closely
than year ago. Some light works sufficient
to repel dash Of cavalry have been erected
at important and exposed points.
Some changes have taken place in the fed
eral metropolis during the last two months.
First OF all we notice that circular staging
or scafiolding has shot upward from the capt.
tol dome sixty or seventy feet into the air.
Inside this husk may be seen growing apace
the iron pedestal that is to complete the
dome and support the colossal bronze statue
oil Liberty An innovation appears upon the
street. The colored people who have been
Obliged heretofore to ride upon the front plat
Iorm oil the horse cars or go afoot, have now
a areasonable number Of cars for their especial
accommodation, bnt from which, by a singu-
lar magnanimity on their part, white people
are not by special notice excluded. This is
not the first instance in which that lono-sui.
fering and much abused race has made our
heads burn. -
Last summer a very intelligent boy whcm a
snade oil African blood compelled to ride on
tne Iron platform, attempting to aligit before
tile door OF his widowed mother had both legs
nearly severed from his body. He died in an
hour or two. This boy was the grandson of.
Col Gusts, aid to Gen. Washington. and
was OF course grandson of Martha WASH
ington.
Washington presents somewhat less mil
itary appearance than at some former times.
NO large bodies OF troops are arriving or leay.
ing, and considerable number of men doing
garrison duty here about have been allowed
to go home on furlough. They have thus en-
joyed the privilege OF briefly visiting their
families and friends, and Of exercising that
right OF which sundry copperhead Judges
have endeavored 10 deprive them.
Inc neat light blue jackets of the invalid
corps are minsng on the street in good pro-
portion with the darker coats OF the active
service. Inc creation of this corps was a
haPpy lnousht, afording, as ii does, honorable
and permanent employment to many who
have In their country's service become more
or less incapacitated for active business mr.
suits, and saving as IL does to the country The
services Of many able-bodied soldiers who
would otherwise have to be detailed for nro.
yost and garrison duty.
The news from the recent elections has been
received here with the liveliest satislaction
The result needs but little comment. II de-
monstrates that an opposition which is an op-
position merely and nothing more, whose
whole prospect, present and prospective, is
hostility to whatever is done to crush the re-
bellion, whose aninating spirit is sympathy
with treason, cannot and win not be tolerated
by the American people at such time as
this. Once more the loyal States close up
shoulder to shoulder and march to the estab-
ilshment Of national integrity and true and