Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-10-07
CORRESPONDENCE.
Letter from Washington.
Correspondence Baltimore Commercial

correspondence Baltimore Commercially
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5th, 1865
A VISIT TO the Executive Mansion, in these times
during the hours of reception can scarcely he min
terestng uninstructve. If delayed in seeing tbo
President or in transacting business the scenes
in the ante-rooms and hall afford various and con-
tnued entertainments. Though the throng of mar
don seekers is considerably diminished there is flI
evee of another description every day that is not
appropriated to Cabinet sessions. Here YOU en-
counter men and women from every quarter of the
Union, and it is pleasing as well curious to notice
the cordiality and the empressemcn wherewith per-
sons who, but few months ago belonging to differ
ing and hostile sections and ranged themselves un-
der opposing banners, meet in the house of the
President OF the Union, interchange friendly greet
ings, and make inquiries about familiar acquant-
ances long separated estrangcd. One is easily per-
suaded, when witnessing these hearty interviews, to
believe that unkind feeling, alienation and dstrust
are the growth, unnatural to such minds. of false
principles and MISUNDERSTANDING.
Quite number of ladies' occupi ed the room at the
hcad OF the stairway, waiting patiently for their turn
Some OF them were lending light wings to the min
utes by studying the large map of Northern Europe
Whch covers the whole Of one side of this apartment
IL was executed by General Mcclellan and presented
by him to President Lincoln in the days when he was
the favorte; when the good President was wont.
Georges" who then occupied, for his HEADQUARTERS
the house of Admiral Wilkes, ut the corner of the
square and ii street. There his work still hangs, a
memorial of the vicissitudes of fortune
But who is this alert fresh sh-complexoned slightly
grey-hmred and gentlemanly- looking person, who
has just come out from the Executive office His
frame is well knit his step elastic and his bearing
easy and 0o-dAedd-@ioe, while his countenanee bears
the unmistakabe expression of sef-confidence and
f'op | ha1,n
Gen. Gideon ]. Pillow! Having obtained his pardon
some weeks ago. and accepted the situation" he
forthwith went to the North and succeeded in pro-
curing the requisite means and facilities for working
his plantation with free and well compensated labor
lie sets an example to the planters of the South of
energy and common sense. and, though he may never
again be the large proprietor he was, he will
render real service to his section, it, by his success
he shall induce his neghbors and recent c0ntres TO
initiate his thrift, his activity his industry and his
determination to make the best of the circumstances
wherein the suppression of most wicked and IN
provoked rebellion has left them
1t was odd to see one of the most out-spoken and
thorough-going but also most genial of the more in
tellectua Northern Radicals" coming up the stairs
just as Pillow was going down. They did not know
each other; but if they had been acquainted dare
say they would have rushed into each others arms
Nor was 1t less curious to see Il Democratic editor
WIN poAeu Tue compass nunDerleSS times, look
ing on in perplexity and wonderment and evidently
not knowing what to make of this strange conjunc-
ton at the Executive Mansion of what he had
thought were mutually 'repusiye forces"
Ills head was filed with political ncws-the ii
dngs from Louisiana about the doings of the Demo-
cratic Convention there-the intelligence from Mis-
sissppi concerning the election in that Statc-in
short the stories Of the hour so absorbing to your par
tisan snob who has brains for nothing else But the
attendants at the leyee seemed to have something
different, and dare say better. to think about than
party politics; and though both the Radical Senator
and the Democratic editor got friendly mods and
wreathed smiles on each side as they passed along
nobody seemed to care TO continue conversation OH
the topics they started. To all their gabble about
these and the like partisan themes most of those la
dies and gentlemen in the ante-rooms and obbies
were disposed to answer in the emphatic words of
George Colman, when some eloquent irrelcvancy was
addressed to him. Gentlemen, pooh push!
pshaw !"
The fact is it is exceedingly hard to arouse any par
tisan or tactious feeling hereaboutS. The great OBJ
ect is to restore the Union to re-estabsh harmony
and fraternity between the different quarters of the
country; and bring back the day when North South
East and West shall once more stand together as
band of brothers. Whatever promotes this consum-
nation is well received at Washington. All else is
unreasonable and impertinent.
The Union, reconstructed, will shut up the main
fountains of mischief every where of which the peo
pie have most reason to complain, and, especially,
close at once the chief of corruption and dis
honor i'll the different States. 1t will substitute the
wisdom and the honor of the National Government
for those jmtos of self seekers-thOse local cabalS
which have held rule SO long-and it will enable and
indeed compeLal parties throughout the various dv
slons of the country to appeal directly the great
tribunal of the American public, as embodied and
established in our National Constitution.
Nothing has struck foreign visitors more forc-
bly, than the entire absence of every thing like bitter
partisanship among the upper orders of society in
Washington If l may be pardoned for using their
own phrase without intentional offence. (Ofcourse
dontt mean to insnuatc that we have any "HpDer
orders, or that any man, woman or child has any
tetters. } This week two three parties of English
gentlemen have paid IT, flying vsits-bcen presented
to the Presidcnt-have seen the lions" of the ne
tropols-and left ON their return homewards full
of respect and admiration for the American people
and the American Government
And here let me say, there is M infinite amount OF
trash in thew If abuse of England and the English
which finds its into journals and other pcriod-
calls, contributed by scribbcrs who know nothing OF
what they are writing about | have not Il word to
say for the British Government and its policy during
our process of correcting and reducing to obedience
the insurgents, but the British peopke were never
against us.
An English essayst might with as much correct
ness maintain that America is the hereditary enemy
of Great Britain, because he finds article in an
American newspaper designating brutality" as a
characteristic of the British Government.
Preparations for the coming Congressional session
are already making on great scale in every quarter
Houses and lodgings in the more convenient quar-
ters of the city are held at the highest valuation