The Portland daily press., 1866-07-23
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON. july 10. 1855,

WASHINGTON, July 10, 1866.
To THE EDITOR OF THE Press.
The Joint Resolution offered in the Senate
to-day by Senator johnson, authorizing the
President to tender fifty thousand dollars to
the Governor of Maine for the relief of the
Portland sufferers, was the subject of an ami
mated and somewhat protracted discussion
The measure was opposed by Senators
Trunlbul and Davis on Constitutional
grounds, the latter exhibiting much earnest
ness and considerable pertinacity in his oppo-
sition; by Hendricks who desired it referred
to the Judiciary COMMITTEES; by Buckalew
who thought the Portlanders less worthy of
relief from the national treasury than the cit
liens of Chambersburg in his own State; by
Howe, CONFESS, and Salisbury, arguing that
the Constitution gives no power to make
such grants. The resolution was supported
by Mr.. johnson, who declared that he had
not presented it at the instance of any New
England Senator or member and that he be-
lieved this relief due from the nation to the
sufferers; by Wilson, who believed the nation
would not be the poorer for the contribution !;
by Henderson who found an authority older
than the Constitution declaring that che who
giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord"; by
| Edmunds who found precedents in the hui
name policy Of European governments toward
those of their subjects who were peculiarly
unfortunate and distressed; by Wade who
urged its immediate passage, declaring that
"the more such questions are debated the
more the act loses its CHARM" that he had
frequently voted for measures OF this sort,
and that each act endears the government to
the people. After several Intellectual attempts
to postpone and refer the resolution, it was
passed by alvote OF % to Is. Senator Fes-
sender took no farther part in the debate
than to state the extent Of the losses sustain
ed, with the estimated amount of insurance
that will be paid, and of the contributions
raised. trtI
Private contributions for the relief of the
Portland sufferers are being daily made here,
and considerable sum will be realized in adj
dition to those already raised. The political
signs and omens grow daily more portentous.
We are on the eve Of a desperate and momen
tous struggle, not between the President and
Congress merely, for thus to state is to grossly
misrepresent and belittle it, but between those
mighty forces at the head of which the Presi-
dent and Congress respectively stand. This
is clearly shown by recent events too numer-
GUS to be here alluded to-, and too plainly sig
nificant to need any comment of mine. The
Democrats and Copperheads of the North are
fast uniting with the Southern rebels in one
great army of reaction, the National Execu-
tive at their head, with its Tremendous en-
ginery Of patronage and corruption. If the
Unionists gain victory in this struggle, they
must win it as the Prussians won theirs at
Sadowa. No one should be discouraged, but
grid himself for the strife, prepared to make a
battle worthy of the interests at stake.
The pressure upon Congress to remain in
session is great. When an adjournment will
take place is yet unknown. The heat has for
some time past been oppressive in the ex-
IRENE. The working members of both
we're and exhausting labor, some are sick, or
are in feeble health, yet there seems to be a.
laudable willingness to sacrifice private con-
venience and comfort for the public good
The House has agreed that when it adjourns
on Wednesday next, it will adjourn to meet
again at the call of the Speaker. The Senate
has yet taken no steps in relation to the mat
ter. '.
The news just received here CT the adop-
ton of the Constitutional Amendment by the
Legislature OF Tennessee caused not a little
excitement in both ends Of the Capitol. It
may have caused some Z" at the other end Of
the Avenue" 1t is quite probable that the
Tennessee delegation will be speedily admit
ted. oTa a9e TSP.