The Portland daily press., 1864-02-19
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 10th, 1864.


ton, signed, as you are aware, by more than
one hundred thousand men and women Of the
country. The remarks of Mr.. Sumner, who
presented the petition, were followed by de-
bate somewhat general, spirited and interest
ing. Perhaps the most significant expression
of sentiment elected by the discussion was
from Mr.. CONFESS of California. That State
which the Tribune, in the Presidential cam
paign of 1856, hesitated to class among the
free States, should have sent to the present
Congress such Senator as Mr.. CONFESS and
three representatives 'that will not feel them
abolitionists," surely indicates great advance
in the right direction.
The disease above named was still further
and much more exacerbated few days alter
by the resolution Of the Senate instructing the
Committee on the District of Columbia to in
quire into the expediency of further legisla-
ton in order to secure an equal enjoyment of
all railroad facilities in the District to all the
inhabitants of it. The resolution was probably
prompted by the fact that an officer Of the U.
S. service, Major 10 rank, had been pushed
back from the platform of one of the street
cars by the conductor, few days previous be-
cause he was black, causing delay in his at
tendance at Court Martial where he had
been summoned as witness This resolu-
ton not only brought out some characteristic
symptoms in the Senate, but speedily raised
the pulse of the city, or at least the "proud
and sensitive part OF it to fever heat. That
the chivalrous people who make very free to
crowd into the negro cars when the others
are full, and who, so far as yet appears, come
out as white as they go in, should be CON-
PEELED to make fair and even thing of it
that such monstrosity should be suggested
even--this at least was too much.
In the House the disorder has been in q
state Of eruption for sometime. 1t broke out
afresh on Thursday last in a speech from the
great apostle Of the New Gospel of peace, a
speech which despite its brevity, seemed to
me sufficiently full ofthe old satanic virus, to
remind very forcibly of the days when the
head Of the great sore was in the Capitol. 1t
accords, however, with the theory Of our in
situations that the Representative should rep
resent his constituents truly. If a man elect
ed By the swell mob OF New York, sent here
to represent the views and feelings Of the low
est dregs OF population not over virtuous in
the aggregate, chooses to deliver speeches,
short or long, animated by the same diabolism
that held its carnival of hell in that city last
July, we need not be surprised.
The letter displayed in this speech was sup
plemented by few pustues in another from
Mr.. Sunset Cox, if l remember right. Is it
presumptious 10 hope that the malady has re-
lieyed itself sufficiently TO abate for time, at
least, the internal symptoms? Seriously, can
anything be more revolving to an enlightened
mind and a humane heart, than the attitude
held by the Democratic chief aud the mass of
the party toward one helpless, harmless,
crushed and outraged race. For years they
have followed it with hatred SO malignant
and unrelenting,a contempt SO intense and
merciess, as must be seen in order to be be-
lieved and to-day this diabolical animus, is
the life and soul of tie party. Fred Douglass
was quite right in saying that the claws and
fangs OF the New York mob, were Irish claws
and fangs, but the heart that beat inside its
ribs, was a Democratic heart. That the col
ored population Of this county, forming near
ly one sixth of the whole, are now inextricably
intermixed with the white and must forever
remain part of our people, that considera.
ton of selfadvancement and even selfpreser-
walton, Joined with humanity and Christianity
in urging that this enormous masss of human
beings, must be raised to position Of useful
ness and respectability in the social system,
instead OF being left in practical heathenism
and seryile degradation-these facts which
seem never to have displaced for moment
the one idea aud passion Of the negro-hater.
We can only commend him to the logic OF
eyents-to the irresistible reasonings of Gods
providence.
No bill OF the present session has caused
a more general stir and futter in outside cir
Giles than the whiskey bill That now, just
when the President is calling for more and
yet more men, when every fountain of patriot
ism should be uneorked and tapped, that at
this juncture crushing impost should be laid
upon whisky, seemed to the lovers of that po-
tent beverage like great mistake of the legis-
lators. The distllers Of the Northwest were
dolorous over the unfair share of the public
burdens thus laid or proposed to be laid upon
their all-importaut branch of industry and en-
terprise. The dealers Of New York became
apprehensiye for future profits, and stood
aghast at the prospect Of heavy rate upon
the precious store now waiting to wet the
whistles and rejoice the hearts of their Gus
TONERS. The manufacturers of the "Jersey
lightning" and "lorty-rod" varieties grew bland
at the prospect of more profitable competition
under the increased price between their re-
freshing and salubrious mixtures and the gem
uine corn and rye articles. Thirsty souls
computed with disgust and dismay the en-
HANGED cost of living when their one indispens-
able necessary should have advanced to fifteen
or twenty cents per drink. The galleries, lob
bies, and especially the room of the Finance
Committee, were besiesed by anxious and in
quiring friends ofwise legislation. Meade and
Lee, Butler and Ould, Gilmore and Beaure-
gard, Foster and Longstreet were forgotten
sfor the time in anxious suspense respecting
the awful crisis that threatened the whisky
interest. The excitement has now much
abated, those chiefly interested seeming dis
posed TO hope for the best and to await the
worst with iortitude and resignation.
The readings of Mr. James L. Murdoch last