The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-12
COMMUNICATE MS.
Letter from the National Capital.
MR.. MONTGOMERY BLAIR ON OUR DOMESTIC
RELATIONS.

RELATIONS.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. Z, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Last Saturday morning the city was
thronged with Union men from various parts
of Maryland. A mass meeting was to be held
in Rockville, and it was hoped that the Union
party OF Maryland would thus in council fix
upon some definite policy touching the great
questions of domestic policy, which loom be-
fore us in the near future, and especially re-
specting the greatest OF them all, the vital
question OF Emancipation. Distinguished gen.
temen were expected to address the assem-
bly,. 1t was given out with particular empha-
sis, that the Postmaster General OF the United
States would be present that afternoon and
speak.
And he was and did.
The programme of the Congressional de-
bates for at least the next session. is before
the country. After the victory of arms comes
the restoration Of civil order in the rebellious
States. Mr.. Sumner, in the closing debates of
the last Congress and more recently in the
able paper on "Our Domestic Relations in
the Atlantic Monthly for October, has dis
tinctly taken the ground that these States,
which are not represented In Congress and
have no properly qualified officers OF any de-
gree, cannot be recognized by Congress as
States, but must be governed as territories
and re-admitted under such conditions as
Congress shall see fit to impose. Mr.. Blair,
at Concord and more recently at Rockville, as
sumes that these States survive in their loyal
people, who must be allowed, whenever the
incubus of armed oppression is removed, at
once to elect Representatives and Senators to
fill their vacant seats in Congress. 1t is about
these two poles that the subtitle currents of
legislative debate are to flow. There is no
lack even now OF the acrimony which always
marks the clashing of great principles. 1t is
ba nd rnap al ca mi Nat al
State rights, once more coming to the surface
In this new form. If the attributes of sover-
eighty belong to the nation, Sumner is right;
if not, Blair. No one forgcts how bitterly
Wendell Phillips charged the Concord speech
oil the Postmaster-General upon the Presi-
dent as miserable, wicked bid for reelection.
Mr.. Blair last Saturday as bitterly charges the
abotionists with the deliberate design of en-
shaving the Southern States or driving them
from the Union.
Of course they are both wrong. A dispu-
tants imputation of motives is always to be
received with suspicion. Mr.. Blair has no
more authority to speak for the President than
Mr.. Phillips for Charles Sumner. The WASH
ington Chronicle is styled by Mr.. Blair him
self, an official journal. For months the
New York World has bestowed upon The edi-
tor of the Chronicle the ungracious epthet OF
"the Presidents dog" But the Chronicle en-
tirely co-ncides with the Atlantic Monthly on
this tonic and racai vac It's d,a ,,aas,,.o ~ -
madver.;on sron, NJ pla;r au' A. p, u anl1
the Ihronicle then c.nna, ho,h ra,.aaa. . an az,
President We must a;thar ahnd' 'ISn. Ia... w
them or spnnosa as Il rar ,aro J.'"1en
President fiincoln ,hornnaIl noI lily, ;, INA,
statasman cares No ,na,o pia.tieai .,i
r;es than the neonIe ond , po,iIo ~ lneo-
Inv facts as thew annear ara;S;mdr Shro NJ eou.se
fnIv nrematnra discnssions Of ,iess;tI ';s..e
tons in short ,ha, ha IL ,ot psoao s,'ua- h.
either Marty m this deha,o Tooa,isa La ~ py
nradetarm;naJ snas,;ons Iii ny aas ~.
beCora him and nIosaS liz oar enrs :. =. oc u.ousnt
cormat;on ms e''' " iui'her III
What ,ho ,oo,,,. :, :, az.
shall ho nn, fo,I,, - sl.a' this ieuei.ion
shall nersr p' oat ~ % anu so Rus uo"h .l'at u
anv sta,esman ,vpr,h,, 81 ,ho ,aa,,'a my, nol
what narl;oman,aru ao,io, ,,,;, ea.s ',i. un":i
brouoht about If !, sn;,s ,ho ,n,,;.,s, s
mind to conceive of The rabaI,;a',s S.a,as -
so many misersbia sm;c;las and ro,,';. a. 30
for time to Kind of nari;a,,an,.r,, a,.l,',", .u
or if II seams hettor 20 raaard ,ha,r 80
bile but actual evis,ences u;th fr;ahac,Il,,
deyeloped canaeitv for the bardas, tinT as .a,
nno. ar whatana. ~. .no hiiiu VI rap
p;ns p,;ss ~ h ss sneory' uis!ointea OF other-
y I'll ,..', :, " .,' @ a. Dasls Ior acuoh-,u
act;an I ,hov ~ .no p.ople' ihey only want the
taken from the ballot IN the bullet t,;ad ou,
ferred again 10 the ballot and ,han. .ase .,o
buet a5d 60 on o foraror Snu Sio snence 70 tne
the sword must ~ ner;sh h. ,b Sbasely whch LOOK
Mr.. Blair takes esneciaI Mains m cIaar him
and right TO allow him tho hena,,, y; his