The Portland daily press., 1864-01-19
Lights aud shadows a. the Capital.

AUGUSTA, jan. lco1-
Your regular correspondent Helios,
whose interesting "Letters from the State
Capital have for long time graced the col
umns of the Press, took occasion to pick up
some remarks of mine in a former number,
relating to the quartering Of the veteran regi-
ments at this place. have no purpose 10
break lance with him or TO engage IN CON
troyersy, and yet his strictncss cannot DC AZ
lowed to pass entirely unnoticed. lie says ne
has no acquaintance with "spurwink, ana 1
NAV add that our ignorance is mutual, as
bone may long continue to be our respect
regret that his communication is not be-
fore me, and that / have to depend solely
upon memory in recalling the statements oil
which propose to take brief notice. Ihese
things do remember: that he denied the im-
policy and unfairness of bringing the veteran
Infantry regiments to this place for rendez-
yous that he contended Portland should not
complain Of neglect since the conscripts ana
the recruits for old regiments are all carried
there: that no fayoritism TO the kehhepec
could have been intended in making Augusta
the place of rendezvous for the regiments re-
ferred to. since the officer who determined
that point is not a Kennebec man: that the
Inconvenience and expense of the soldiers and
their friends are not to be put against the con-
yeuience of the military dignitaries who need
10 have daily communication with the troops;
and that the expense to them is less than
would be the expense Of transit and telegraph
city, and that the expense OF subsistence, etc.,
is less on the banks of the Kennebec than
near the "natural seaport"
Now on all these points "Helios' has simply
put in his assertion, without one word oil
proof, while on nearly all of themI could, II
would, put in the testimony of military Off
GERS OF high rank, and men who know as much
of the matter as your correspondent, if not as
much as am nan at The State Capital
dare say .Helios- belieres every word he ut
tiers, but he will allow me to suggest that it is
the easiest thing in the world for man to be
mistaken, and that it is no unusual thing for
honest, intelligent men to be deceived. HIS
attachment to the Kcnnebec may possibly
have so wrought upon him that in some mat
tiers he may be slightly warped.
am one OF those who do not believe all
the wisdom of the state is bottled up in Off
cial urns al the Capital, no more than l be-
lieve il all died when the late state admins
tration went out of power; and | make this
remark without particle of disrespect to any
past or present official. There are several
men In the State, not in Office, who probably
know something; and it would be very singu-
lar il there were not some who understand
business matters, such as the cost OF subsis-
tence, etc., who do not reside within the bugle
call OF the Capital There are some military
officers even, who do not belong on the Ken
nebec, and there are commanders of regiments
who have before raised regiments and over
seen their encampment outside Of Augusta,
and made very respectable military corps of
them albeit the eye of neither State nor
United State officials was constantly upon
them.
/ beg to suggest further that the red taper
is an animal not confined to the latitude Of
Washington, and the assumption that no reg
iment can be quartered in Maine except with
in sight of the State House, or that 1t would
not be safe or in healthy condition unless an
eye from that granite building is overlooking
it, indicates that this ceremonious biped finds
home upon the banks Of the kennebec as
well as upon those OF the Potomac. But all
this aside.
The argument that Portland should be sat
isfed with having all the conscripts, &C., sent
there, indicates that the veterans were ordered
to Augusta on the ground of compensation.
Now l undertake to say Portland has never
claimed that those regiments should be quar-
tered in her vicinity as favor TO her or her
citizens, but only as an act of simple justice
TO large proportion of the men, whose homes
are In the western portion of the State, and to
their friends who are prompted by motives Of
the NEST tender and sacred character to visit
them, and to the authorities of towns who are
obliged to visit the place of mustering-in for
the payment of bounties and other needful
purposes.
The idea that Portland has greatly benefit
ted from the conscripts is preposterous. Not
more than two or three hundred have ever
been in camp at any one time. They have
simply been gathered at Camp Berry for trans
mission to the field, seldom remaining over
few weeks at most, and having opportunity to
spend but very little money among the people
Of the city, or to draw largely upon them for
subsistence. Indeed 1t was found SO hazard
Gus to allow the conscripts-most Of them
substitutes. and largely foreigners at that-to
visit the city, on account of desertions, that
the blue uniform of such a soldier was almost
as rare q sight in the streets rs would be
convict's garb in the streets OF Thomastou.
The disposition of the dishonest ones to es-
cape caused eFen the worthy and honest men
among them to be kept under very rigid dis
cipline.
do not insist that the quartering OF the
veterans at Augusta was prompted by favor
itism for the Kennebec. am not disposed to
be unjust to the modest, unassuming, self-de-
nying people of that valley. Who does not
know their magnanimity, and disposition to
forego all personal advantages for the common
veal! Who ever suspected them Of the slight
est selfshness! Who does not know that, but
for their excessive modesty, they would have
had far more control in State matters than
they have. Heaven forbid that / should in
innate they are not the most unselfsh, mag
unanimous, selfsacrifcing and noble fellows
alive, free from all base passions, and as ig-