The Portland daily press., 1865-11-21
Letter from the Federal Capital.

preaching tenderness to rebels.
Letter from the Federal Capital.
K WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 1865.
TO the Editor of the Press. sfs .-lf'fu'L sl
The event of last week was the execution
of Wirz.
"Sweetly, OIL swoetly the morning breaks
With 1oseate streaks =
Like first mint blush on maiden's cheek;
Seemed as that mild and clear blue sky
Smiled upon all things far and nigh,
ON all-save the wretch condemned to diei
And bark, a sound comes big with fate,
The clock from st. Sepulcnrss tower strikes eight!
List to that low iuneFeal bell
IL tolng, alas! living mans knell!
And see! from forth that opening door
They comeIHE steps that threshold Ger
D! tits fearsome thing to see
That pale wan mans mute agony
rhe glare OF that wild bewildered eye,
Now bent on the crowd now turned to the sky,
ASH 'twere scanning in doubt and fear
The path of the spirit unknown career;
Those pinioned arms, those hands that meier
Shall be lifted again.-not even in prayer;
That heaving chest!-enough-' lis donel
The bolt has fallen 1.-The spirit is gone
Tor veal or woe is k own TO but Onel--
oh! twas fearsome sght!-Ah me!
A deed to ssatdder at-NoT TO seq
Perhaps the most noticeable occurrence of the
present week thus far has been the recognition,
by an ecclesiastical council, of the new Con-
eregational church in this city. A church of
this persuasion was founded here as long ago
as lS47, but owing 10 the puritanical and anti
slavery character of the denomination at large,
it found an uncongenial soil, and after feeble
existence Of several years, it was finally dis
banded.
=. .fHr ~
The present enterprise has been undertaken,
and is progressing under more favorable aus
pieces. The church numbered at its organiza-
ton one hundred and seven members, several
Of whom united upon profession of their faith.
Though the members of the new church are
not, in many instances, old or very permanent
residents Of the city, nor yet possessed of any
great pecuniary resources, yet are they people
of positive and energetic sort, and warmly
devoted to the undertaking in which they are
engaged,
The council was composed of divines and
aymen from widely different sections of the
country, and its proceedings were of much in
terest. 1t not only extended cordial recog-
milton to the new body, but warmly recon-
mended it to the Immediate and liberal aid of
the northern churches of its order. The SER
mon preached by Rev. DR.. Joseph P. Thomp-
son, of the Tabernacle church, New York
city, from the words "Ip him ,oas life, and the
UTE acas the light of men, was an able effort.
and though somewhat abstruse and metaphy-
steal, was listened to with marked attention by
the crowded audience. No part of the exer-
cises was more interesting or more Impressive
than the address to the newly formed church,
by Rev. G, L. Walkerof the State st. church in
your city. Near the close of the services a
hymn was sung by the choir and congregation
which, having been prepared for the occasion,
and illustrating its spirit, as well as the ani-
mas Of the whole undertaking, is here in
serted. .rtrN .,-
- HYMN. I'll
Wandering in world of evil
$3.50 Lost mid shadows drear and chill,
We have heard thy cab, our Father,
Lo, we come to do thy will. r.
While we thus around thy altar
Join the hand and bend the knee,
By Thy spirit, o. our Savior,
Make us truly one in thee.
For the way before us lying
Give us richly of thy grace; t..f.- .H
r1I Let us feel thy hands warm pressure,
'in In the hour of pain and danger, SD 10
- Let us never faint or fee;
BY thy spirit, o, our Savior,
Keep us ever near to thee.
9l 1 clothe us, Lord with ell thy armor,
Make MS strong to d ne and do,
VI Fill us with thy heavenly spirit,
To our banner keep us true. s....,.
So when every toll is ended,
VI And our latest Toe shall flee,
washed in thine own blood, our Saviour,
Grant us heavenly rest with thee.
1t hardly need be said that the tidings of
the late Senator Collamer's death were recelv-
ed here with profound regret. That promise
/ Of green old age and usefulness still further
prolonged which seemed to be afforded by his
vigorous constitution, and unimpaired powers,
was not to be realized. His long, arduous,
and honorable life has suddenly closed, leav-
ing void in the highest council of the nation
that will not soon be filed. Whether this sad
event can better be borne by US now, than it
could have been in the dark and perilous days
lofthe civil war, l do not presume to say, but
surely at no time could it have been less than
great public loss. q -re -NI-
auH How Jacob Collamer struggled with poverty
in his early days, succeeding only by sturdy and
persevering efforts in attaining liberal edu-
cation, how he served twenty years at the bar,
ten upon the bench of the Supreme Court of
Vermont, six in the national House of Repre-
9entatives, and ten in the U. S. Senate, not to
speak of his term in the Cabinet of General
Taylor, brief but far more honorable than
many longer one,-all this the country
knows and viii not at once forget. His real
worth however was best understood by those
who knew him best. Making no speeches for
notoriety. never doing anything out of osten-
tation, possessing as a speaker neither rhetor-
caf brlliancy nor grace of delivery, without
any artificial dignity, he was not man to daz-
zle and captivate the populace. Yet among
his peers in that august body of which he died
amember, no man was regarded with more
profound respect, or received for his opinions
more attentive audience or higher considera-
ton. His great requirements, particularly of
legal knowledge, his ripe experience, sound
judgement, excellent sense, and above all his
in1exible and incorruptible integrity and pa
sriotic devotion to his country were of the ut
most value in the dark days of the Republic,
and would still have been in the great and diff
hcult work of reconstruction.
Ills character was harmonious throughout.
Possessing great abilities and virtues, he was
not only free from those vices which are some
times found in paradoxieal connection with
them, but was singularly exempt from weak
nesses and foibles. There was no nonsense in
him. Iu.p ai Ar-.- ..
Like several other veteran Senators he died
full of years. He was at the time of his death
seventy three years Of age, and four years the
senior of Hon. Reverdy johnson, the next
oldest member of the Senate. He attained an
age five years greater than that of Calhoun and
three years greater than that of Webster, but
died two years younger than Clay. Though
he will not stand associated in history with