The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-04-08
Letter from the Federal Capital.
THE FAIL OF RIoHMoND.

spark itself sluggish messenger, YET cannot
let the night close In without, In some sort.
ming,ing my rejoicings and gratulations with
those of the people Of my native State, and of
: all loval hearts throughout the land. o, Sol
diers OF the Republic, bronzed and weather.
beaten grim with the smoke and dust of bat
tie, or pale and patient upon your hard cots, or
dragging your manned and shattered frames
slowly and painfully along the paths of men,
give us, though it be but for moment, give us
yo1r hands today
Opeople, who have borne and had patience
and labored and have not tainted all through
these gloomy and awful years, give US your
hands to-day o martyr spirits in the home
and by the freside, who have given to the
country lives dearer than your own, and who
are bearing uncomplainingly day by day the
burden of life long sorrow; and you, 0 des-
olate, who know not yet your desolation,
let us, while we reverently8nvoke Gods beni-
son upon you, clasp your hands over that con-
Summation for which your loved ones diedl
Richmond has fallen, "for her sins hare
reached unto heauen and God hath rensem-
bered her iniQuities;;" aud shoddy contractors,
gold gamblers, secession sympathizers and the
whole horde Of nothern traitors are standing
afar off to night crying "Alds, alas! that great
city-thGt mighty city! for in one hour is
thy judgment" To-day the long effort of
four years has issued in success; and another
such day there never was in Washington.
On Saturday, the LIST, we received towards
evening intelligence of what General Grant
significantly termed "muck hard fighting" of
which the result seemed favorable. Twenty
four hours later, we learned that the day
which passed with us in placid calm and gold
} en- sunshine, had been to our brothers in the
field day of fierce conflict and carriages very
sabbath of the Sword" Early on Monday,
large crowd, attracted by rumors of great
news from the front, collected about the War
Department. In answer to the calls Of the
multitude, Sec. Stanton appeared, and while
exhibiting profound emotion that sometimes
seemed to choke his utterance, made a short
address to the people; an address so fall of
patriotic sentiment, and devout thankfulness,
that / would here give it, were it not doubt
less already before you. The Secretary closed
by reading the dispatch announcing the cap
ture of Richmond at SIS this morning. Little
Willie Kettles, fourteen years old, who, being
an operator In the military telegraph office,
was the first to receive the good news, was
then introduced, but said she couldn't speak,
he felt So"
Meantime the news had spread like wildfre
through the city. So great, so glorious seem
ed this ScrosUning mercy" that some we're at
hrst slow to realize it, and others were too
much filed and melted with joy and thankful
ness for noisy demonstrations. Many, how
ever, preferred the true camp meeting style Of
rejoicing, clapping their hands, and shouting
paItments, the craftsmen from the navy yard,
schools were dismissed, courts were adjourn
cd, the public offices were deserted, and many
places of private business were early closed,
the populace rushed into the streets, every
flag staff displayed the national ensign, while
the public buildings and very many private
ones we're profusely decorated with flags, pro.
cessions and cavalcades of various sorts, and
single vehicles of every description filed The
streets, the bells rang. the cannon Numbered
nor was any possible demonstration of public
Joy wanting In the hour of the nations tri.
umph. l should hardly have thought, taking
all this rejoicing to be genuine, there was so
much patriotism in Washington. I surely
could not have believed there was so much
bunting. How shall l describe the speech
makings, the hand shakings, the hat wavings,
and the throat splitting cheers of the multitude
Perhaps no better thing was said by Vice Presi-
dent Johnson, General Butler, Green Clay,
Smith, Senator Nye, or any OF the many others
who addressed the crowds in various parts OF
the city, than the very pithy remark Of the
Secretary of State, claiming that 'all have
become converts at last, however much they
may have differed from me heretofore, to my
great doctrine that the war is to be brought
to an end, to triumphant end in ninety days.
81 have stood" he dryly continued, amid
shouts Of laughter, "upon that platform four
pears" In the midst OF the joyous tumult
four regiments of veteran reserves, preceded
by two squadrons Of cavalry, paraded through
several streets, giving military aspect to the
scene; while the great guns of the forts
around the town, responded with their heavi-
or thunder to the eight hundred rounds fired
from batteries within the city.
With what enthusiasm, with what intense
exultation the news of the fall of Richmond
was received by the soldiers in the city hos
pitfalls and barracks, may be family imagined,
but can hardly be described. Even the dis
patches Of yesterday when read by Chaplain
jackson to the inmates Of the several wards
of Armory Square Hospital, were received
with vocifsrous cheers, men, who were within
twenty-four hours of death, gathering up their
remaining strength to join in the rejoicing.
Eyes that have for years looked without quail
ing upon hostile steel, and battle slaughter,
read the blessed tidings through dropping
tears. "Do dou feel sorry you scsnt inT
asked of poor fellow who has lain on his
back ever since the battles OF the Wilderness,
and who may never rise from his bed. Never
came back an answer with a truer ring
than his quiet, firm, whole souled "Nop
OF our loss, as Of our captures. we vet know
hardly anything. That many brave men have
laid down their lives to win this triumph, we
need not be told. The enemy, 1t is rumored
did not fight with his ancient spirit and deter
mination, but such works as these before Pc
tersburg were never yet captured by storm
without great loss. Besides, The fighting has
been on stupendous scale. How many have
now been added to the earlier victims OF the
war we know not, but this we know, that Of
these or those no one has ever died in vain
Whether before the rebel cannon, beneath the
rebel horse hoofs, or in the rebel dungeon
whether by the wayside or in the hospital, in
victory or amid disaster, each has expired, he
has with his blood consecrated the cause
anew, and made it inviDcible. Tender ant
reverent be the tears we shed above him, who