The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-02-08
TRINIDAD, Jan. 2, 1855.

TRINIDAD, Jan. z, 1000
To the BSstor Of the Press:
From my distant Island home, wish you
and your numerous reader happy new year.
You may be sure that sadly miss the daily
visits Of the Press, which less than year ago
came to me so regularly at my quiet country
home away "down east" or rather, as should
saw now away over north two thousand miles
or more, in the State of Maine. Without the
experience, you may imagine, but can nave no
adequate conception of the contrast in my
situation then. and now. From the daily per-
usal of the stirring incidents of the battlefield,
where liberty and slavery are graphing in
deadly conflict, to the casual reports which
come along only once or twice month with
long gaps between, is like emerging suddenly
from smart equinoctial gale into dead
calm.
The population of this Island is said to be
about eighty thousand, of which one-fourth
part is French, another considerable fraction
Spanish, and the remainder British. The white
inhabitants here OF all nationalities, are, with
very few exceptions, southern sympathizers.
The same is true OF the newspapers issued
here, of which there are three. And this
brings me TO the object Of this communication,
which is lot SO much to intrude my own
thoughts, as to call your attention to the fol
lowing refreshing oasis in the desert of trash
daily issuing from the British Press:
"That the people ofthe North were opposed
to the object of the war; that they were sick
OF the Federal Administration, and disguised
with Lincoln as lis head; that America re-
joiced in the prospect of their power and pol
icy coming to an end; were but few weeks
ago among the cries OF the Confederates in.
America, and these found an echo among
their sympathizers in Europe. But how hol
low have been their pretensions to gauge the
national sentiment. The opinions which they
conceived in selfshness and brought forth in
hatred are found to be worthless. The blus-
terings with which they have sought TO COM
fort themselves and deceive others are found
to be vain and empty. The desperate efforts
they have put forth to prolong the existence
of their cherished but accursed institution will
be found to have been useless. America has
now spoken for herself, and Lincoln remains
her President. The object for which the war
has been carried on by the North has been ap-
proved; the policy of the Administration has
been endorsed; and the peoples sympathy
with Mr.. Lincoln has been most unmistakea-
bly, expressed. Never since the great Republic
was organized did so much depend on a Pres
idential election as that which America has
just Witnessed, nor never did more depend on
the head of nation than lies upon Mr.. Lin
coin. Had the friends Of the Contederacy
succeeded in displacing him, the blood and
treasure already spent in the terrible struggle
would have been spent in vain; the Union
would have been finally broken up, slavery
would at once have been consolidated and ex-
tended, and the cause of human freedom on
the American continent might have been
crushed for centuries. But happily this has
for the time, and we may hope forever, been
prevented. The reelection of Mr.. Lincoln
may be fairly taken as an assurance that
America will be again united, the basis of that
reunion being the abolition of slavery and a
practical acknowledgment of the universal
brotherhood of man. The time, however, for
this glorious contamination is not yet. Amer
ca cannot be delivered from the crucibe in
which shei being so sorely tried, and into
which her own past iniquities have cast her,
until she has been thoroughly purified. But let
her friends continue faithful to their country
and to themselves, and God sciu defend the
right"
The above is an editorial in late number
of Scottish paper published in Selkirk; and
as it might not otherwise reach my good
friends at home, have thought could not do
better than to transcribe it for their special
edi6cation. Here, Mr.. Editor, is peal from
Scotch Trumpet of no uncertain sound; and
while so many of our own fellow citizens are
weeping and CRASHING their teeth in view of the
late election, allow an exile to congratulate
you and your readers on the glorious results
thus eloquently summed up by foreigner, who
represents the friends of liberty and humanity
all over the world.
Yours truly,
N, L, HUMPHREY,