The Portland daily press., 1865-07-17
LErTER from WASHINGTON.
WAsHnefoN, d. 6.J6IY ii. 1865.

since eue ucdtn vi freSldent Lincoln Lne
Washington public has settled down to con-
dition Of wonderful scalniness The advent Of |
the great armies in the early days Of May, |
gave aslight impetus to trade, and afforded |
sSherman's Bummers" an opportunity to
show their tactics by an occasional raid on
our peaceful denizens: but they have mostly
departed, and those who composed these SPLEEN |
did armies, are mustered out ofservice, return
ed to their homes, absorbed in the mass of our
busy, peaceful population. . vr
The trial, conviction and execution of the
conspirators caused no particular excitement
so accustomed were TIE people of late, to srag-
ical and harassing events. / suppose the ex-
ecution even, caused not half the tumult of
feeling that the delivery off good congression-
al abolition speech would have occasioned less
than ten years ago, when the Rhetts, the Bar
clays, the Yanceys and all the secession brood
used to howl and gnash their teeth like SO
many ravening wolves when the Equality" of
Washington were 50 given to admiration of
the chiyalry that the knights Of the lash were
petted as a brute-fancier pets his s'two-forty"
racer, or his litter Of hound-pups There are
not few now here, who speak of JEFF Davis
in terms of respect, some even, from a force of
habit, suppose, of never calling things by
their right names, speak of JEFF. as a "real
mice gentleman and as they behold the shame
and ruin Of their hoped-ior chief and his
quondam confederates,
rs"sigh for The days that never viii come back"
z 1t is not strange that we are getting to beun-
moved at great changes and notable incidents.
The four years revolution, than which none
was ever more thorough, has SO abounded in
wonders, that hereafter no strong-minded per-
son ought to marvel at anything. The people
now living in the South, are doubtless, yet in
state of partial bewiderment at the momen-
tous consequences of their rebellion: they
have been not only much frightened, but con-
siderably hurt. They did not, in the begin
ming, count the cost of their undertaking seri.
ously enough, and were not SO well prepared
for the grand finale as we we're. No wonder
then that they are amazed but it is matter
Of some surprise that they cannot more truly
appreciate the lesson they have been taught,
wheniike the mad bully, Aoored by his more
powerful antagonist, the wind knocked outof
him, nearly breathless, and as unreasoning as
breathless, because they can do no otherwise,
they Haceept the situation thus forced upon
them" and in tone of mock bravado, cry
''subugated, but not conqueredn'
But yet we cannot look back on the REBEL
ion, and see the doubling up Of vast conspi-
racy, the crumbling and downfall of system
of oppression grown naughty with power and
venerable with age, which some of our pious
divines told us for years, would only be abol-
ished sin God Almighty's own good time and
that "vain feeble man had no business to deal
with it at all,"-when we remember how glo-
riously THE MAN of our age did grapple with
it, how our armies wrought our deliverance
from treason, how efectually through the in
strumenta ity Of all loyal co-workers, the pow
er Of bad men was smitten, and how mani
fest over and through all was the overriding
hand of God, it seems like marvellous
dream.
but a tr1iee to retrospection. We are in the
midst Of events, and have issues of such i'm
portance forcing themselves upon us, that we
can hardly take time to recur to the past, ex-
ccpt as we turn to the face of a wise friend,
to seek for counsel and guidance for the pres
en- strait or future emergencies.
The question of negro suffrage promises to
be the one to match all the wisdom and ener-
gy of the patriotic statesmen of our day. 1t
was but part of the. work of the war, to
emancipate the slaves, but it was not by any
means the least important part. And now,
we have work to do far more arduous, and
requiring the exercise Of nice judgement in
the adjustment of all the vexed points ineyita-
bly, arising between the Government and the
late slaye-mongers. The truest friends of all
parties concerned, the most unreservedly loyal.
have raised the banner of UniuersaI SuE
frage. And though the President and some of
his supporters deprecate this movement, and
seem filing that the question may be settled
by the white people of the South now entitled
to vote, yet the advocates of the freedmen's
rights will eventually triumph. We shall tri-
umph In the same spirit with which we fought
through the war, determined to conquer, be-
cause we were right If the free colored men
Of the whole country are not to become invest
ed with all the franchises of citizens, it win
not only be the rankest injustice to them, but
1t will be source of embarrassment and per
plexity to the Government in all its branches.
1t it said the negroes in the South are so ig-
norant, they will be mere tools in the hands of
those who employ them and consequently by
their voting, will help make their political and
social condition worse than ever. This. is.
believe, senseless bug-bear without anv foun-
dation in fact The history of the colored man
during this war, proves him to be possessed of
greater intelligence and better judgement, than
he has credit for from those who are indiffer-
ent to his fate. His capacity to learn, his
quick perception Of what is for his own inter
est, his great appreciation of the blessings con
ferred upon his race BY emancipation. and
above all, his unsurpassed fidelity to our cause.
his courage and devotion in battle, endurance
of toll and privation for our and his own sake
make him pre-eminently deserving of the best
gifts free and triumphant people can be-
stow.
The position Of the Press upon this subject
should give great pleasure to all its friends.
am also pleased to note the indications in GER
tain toasts and speeches, on the Fourth in
Maine, that very sound and radical impress
sion Is getting established in favor of suffrage
for all, and that the doctrine is being inculcat-
ed by those who lead in such matters. Could
the First District have selected better Rep
resentative than John Lynch9 1 believe not.
He viii be the right man In The right place, on
the assembling Of the next Congress, when the
various questions pertaining to reconstruction
will be present for settlement.
should like to tell you about the excellent