The Portland daily press., 1864-07-01
Friday Morning, July l, 1864.
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON, June 2s, 1se

WASHINGTON, June 2S, 1854.
To the Editor Of the Press:
The great work of our national publication
and regeneration goes on prosperonsly. Our
body polite, once SO infected throughout with
the virus ofslave holding ideas and institutions,
Is purging itself Of it, aud rising into new life
and strength. One OF the many indications
tina. this is so, that its nerves are already brac-
ed with a new vigor and its vital currents
are coursing with more healthy flow, may
be found in the equability with which II now
bears what, in the days of its morbid irritable
ity, would have thrown it into paroxisms.
What a tremendous furore would have been
raised a little while ago by such an amend
ment as was tackled oddly to be sure, upon the
civil appropriation bill Saturday afternoon,
forbidding, and forever prohibiting the coast
wise slave trade! Now, however, it exeites
an interest even in the legislative chamber
that can hardly be termed excitement. In the
country at large it will produce hardly rip
pie upon the surface of the public mind. Take
again for instance, the "act to repeal the fugi
tive slave act OF 1850 and all acts and parts Of
acts for the rendition of fugitive slaves" which
passed the House of Representatives, June IS,
and the Senate on Thursday the 23d, and which
now only lacks the'signature of the President
TO become law. How beyond mete or bound
would have been the excitement into which
such a measure would have thrown the coun-
try, even the loyal part of it, a few years ago,
need not be limited. After what retchings and
inward convulsions our political system accept
ed the shame and crime of 80, which it has
just now SO quietly expelled so far as it can do
so through the legislative function, many of
US well remember. The professional pesudo-
Union-saver whose trick, trade and craft it
used to be 20 bring deliverance to the land on
every semi occasion, inventor and vender of
political quackeries, bold in wrong and coward
ly. IL ever he found himself inadvertently In
the right, arrogant and insolent beyond meas
ure, serviie beyond possibility If farther abase-
ment prince OF demagogues, what chance
would this once have been for him. We may
thank heaven however, that his occupation is
now gone, and we are permitted to hope his
race viii soon be extinct. The real Union sa-
yer has the base Of his operations to-day on the
james River, and instead of launching anath-
emas aud maledictions at those who may be
SO fanatical as TO believe in human freedom, he
Is delivering pieces of his mind in forms
weighty and forcible against those who have
dared to plot the destruction of our country,
and TO trample upon her flag.
The Congressional mill now grinds out en-
actments with marvellous rapidity. The In
ternal Revenue bill will doubtless have receiv-
ed the Presidents signature aud become law
before this reaches you. The Tariff bill will
speedily be arranged in its details by Com
mittee Of Conference. The Loan bill which
came from the House on the 23d, was this
morning reported to the Senate by the Finance
Committee and passed in half an hour. The
Appropriation bills are all through except the
Civil which will speedily follow the rest. All
this looks as II the session would close sooner
than the week.
The hot weather is upon US and finds the
city poorly enough prepared to receive its
visitation. Cleanliness is not a Washington
virtue, either public or private. The few paw
ed streets undergo what is called a cleaning
once in great while, and the many unpaved
ones-neyer. The Canal into which is drain
ed all the hlth Of the city that is drained any
where, and in which there is not current
enough to carry of the abominable sediment
"A cess pool as wide as Middle street in your
own city and twice as long, regales US night
and day with its ambrosial odors.
A Gordon Of hospitals extending quite
around the city inside the Gordon OF forts, and
several large ones in the heart of the town,
make an untainted breath hard TO get.
Cholera was reported last week at Alexan-
dria. 1t was probably false alarm, but there
Is material enough 10 set up in business any
pestilence ever born or bred of mans un-
cleanliness. 1t is a hopeful sign that the mil
itsry authorities have at last taken the thing
10 hand and ordered a general purification.-
We hope 1t will be performed in no flguratiye
or metaphorieal sense.
Our State has sustained a loss in the death
of Samuel w. Tenney, who died last week
after a sickness of only three days, at Camp
Stoneman, where he has for nearly year past
managed with much fsithfulness and ability
the affairs of the Christian Commission. He
was bhc ooh VI AAOn. JOnn ., lSuucyt EEduu-
ated at Bowdoin College in 1856 with honor,
and aiterward at the Bangor Theological
Seminary. Though he was not soldier, yet
dying as he did in the holy work of minister
ing to our brave defenders, his lie is to be
reckoned among the thousands sacrificed in
our country's cause
1t has been long time since the rebel mis-
sies have stricken down an ADLER officer, or a
nobler man than Col. j, l.. Chamberlain Of
the Maine 2Oth, who, most Of the time for
year past has commanded the LIST Br igade
1st Division, 9th Army Corps, and who fell.
very severely wounded, in the thckest of the
fight of Sat. the 18th before Petersburg. OF
his condition since he arrived at Annapolis. |
have not been able to learn definitely. | am
sure all will earnestly join in the wish that he
may be spared to the Country he has fallen in
defending, TO the State he has honored by hi;
bravery, to the College that is still proud to
retain his name among its professors, and to
the numerous friends to whom he is dear
He is a brave, good man, who need not feai
to die, but who may well wish to live, ant
whose life Is worth too much to others, to b,
lost to them without profound regret.
4 fragment OF the glorions 9th Maine pass