The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-01-16
Correspondence of the Press.
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON, Jan. -, 1868.

gloom that lay upon the American Republic.
The carnage Of Fredericksburg, unavailing as
awful, had spread sackcloth upon all the land.
There were some however, there were many,
who did not mourn. While the loyal were
wrung with the double anguish of seeing their
country in deadly peril, and their bravest and
dearest slain, the rebel States echoed with jul
bilations, and the goddess wretches who re-
main in the loyal North only to betray it, who
had so far as in them lay prudently seen to it
that there should be no friend of theirs in per-
ii for his country's sake, improved the event
to give to their speeches and editorials a fresh
er and more cheerful vivacity
The New Year came, calm and bright as a
Sabbath, and with it that for which enlight-
ened statesmen and patriots have labored long
and most earnestly; that for which many a
devout soul among the eastern hills, and on
the western prairies, has prayed without ceas-
ing; that for which many a blasted and stunt
ed nature, many poor victim of fiendish cru
city or brutal lust, has duplicated all through
our years of compromise. and crime, and shame
even until the present, with "groanings that
SduHOb w utbNiSus AS lut SItdb IOCidu1d-
ton of Freedom swept ON wings of lightning
over the land, to what true heart did it not
seem like an angel of mercy and deliverance?
Who could fail to share the confidence of the
President that a measure so humane, so benef-
icent, so just and right, would receive the APP
proval of men and the blessing of God?
If in excepting from its operations some
r
over with the thinnest possible surface of 10y
atty, and other portions which make no pre-
tense to loyalty, the President failed to meet
our expectations; yet in boldly proposing to
make soldiers of the freedmen, thus permitting
them to aid in the delverance of their enslayed
brethren, and the maintenance of their own
freedom, as well as the preservation of the
Constitution and the Union, he exceeded our
hopes.
And now, though the clouds lower heavily,
we would tain believe they are broken, What
the Union cause gained in the great victory
at Murfreesboro, even after deducting what it
has lost at Vicksburg, seems sufficient csuse
for graduation and thankfulness.
Nearly half the time allowed for the session
of Congress has passed. That body has thus
far completed but little business, less than we
had hoped to see accomplished, considering
the pressing exigences in view of which it
acts. The wheels of legislation are now NOV
ing busily however, and some of the meas
ures pending have been so far matured that
they will now occupy comparatively little
time.
Questions of finance now occupy largely
the attention of Congress. The bill introduced
into the House by the Committee of WAYS
and Means, and that introduced by Mr.. Hoop
er, have been informally considered by the FL
nancial Committee of the Senate. which has
reported bill of its own, differing considera-
bly, from both. 1t is not easy to predict pre-
cisely what will be finally agreed upon and
coniectures upon that subject are not of
much consequence; yet it seems certain
that the bank circulation of the country must,
to considerable extent, be superseded by
treasury notes. However this may bear on
individual interests, no other way seems posi-
BILE to avoid flooding the country with such
deluge of paper as would involve our finan-
ces in universal ruin.
Emancipation in the border slave states is
also receiving much attention. While as APP
pears daily, there are many besides the Bour-
bons, who never learn anything and never
forget anything" while many cling to the
determination of desolation,' as the Hindoo
woman to her pyre, some give evidence that
they discern the signs of the times. The
House bill, giving aid to Missouri for the pur-
pose of emancipation was objected to by Mr..
Clement on the ground that the same liberali-
ty ought to be extended to the other border
slave states. This, though an objection to the
specific measure pending, was virtual en-
dorsement of the Presidents policy. Senator
Wiley of West Virginia, also gave notice a |
few days since, that he would introduce bill |
with similar provisions, with reference TO the
extinction of slavery in his state. | believe |
the border state men generally, seeing the in
stitution is pretty sure to go under, are not |
averse to saving something from the general
wreck.
Thejubilee that has been held throughout |
the land in view of the edict of freedom ac- |
counts of which still continue to reach us, can /
but cheer and strengthen the President in his |
present policy. Let all good men labor and |
pray, that 1t may be rs successful as just, and /
that the first of January may be one of those
suspicious and thrice glorious eras,
-"When the energy sublime
OF century bursts full blossomed
On the thorny stem Of time"