New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-09-29
Tnr NArroNAL UNION onUB.
Special Correspondents ofthe Now orleans otasesnt.l

Special Correspondence Of the Now Orleans oreseentl
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20. 1865.
The arrangements for the prosecution of the
pending campaign are being vigorously pushed
forward on an unprecedented scale Of magnitude.
The parties to the contestseem to have enteredon
their duties with full appreciation of their
character and extent. It is now generally con
eeded that the present is no ordinary struggle,
such as has frequently occurred in our country;
that it is not a matter of one or two years It
rather resembles those great political agitatons Of
modern Europe, extending through long periods,
like the struggle for the reform BILL or the repeal
Of the corn laws It will take some time before
the devils Of radicasm can be cast out of the
body polite. The history Of this administration
will be one grand epic, extending through several
i phases, between tile opening story and the final
1 denouemenf. The leaders of the Conservative
party have shown their appreciation of this fact
BY several outward signs, among which, and not
the least interesting, is the preparation of per-
/ manent wigwam, where the sachems of the Union
purpose to hold their nightly and daily conclayes.
| The National Union Club rooms are situated on
/ the north side of Louisiana Avenue, one of those
broad and stately thoroughfares that converge at
| the Baltimore depot An impressive range of
brown stone buildings, surnountedby lofty flag
+ Estaff, is the first and the favorable glimpse that
a visitor could obtain. Three tenements, present
ing one uniform front, form splendid facade,
| overshadowing and oyertoWering all the sur
rounding edifees; while the flag Of thirty.
six stars Haunting proudly in the breeze, sends
| a greeting from Louisiana Avenue to all
| its sister roads, leading to every point
in the republic. The principal entrance is through
| the most easternly portico--and here new inter
est and another sanctity impress the visitor. This
| is the house Of Daniel Webster. Here lie lived
1 for many years Of his great career; here he ma
tured those opinions On constitutional law that
have become a light to his descendants here he
pondered on those mighty efforts that will leave
his voice ringing in theSenate hall until it crum-
lbles to. dust. Here too, he indulged in conyvial
and social pleasures that afforded his favorite re-
Taxation, and left another tie in the hearts of his
1 friends. But we must not inger on the associa-
tons Of the past--yet spirit of the great dead
seems to hover near the spot; everything is so in
\ timately connected with his life and taste. The
eeectionof the house, with the pretty garden in
the back. the gentle Improvements that mark the
man Of refnement--ali carry us back to the day
when official rank and high position were the
need Of other men and other minds. May we
! hope that something Of those Roman days has
fallen np6n the statesmen Of our time. May we
hope that when the pandereTs Of sectionalism pass
| the home Of Webster, they may think Of the
American statesman who spoke for the Union,
now and forever, one and inseparable.
But lett cease to indulge in hyperbole--in
surprising that Stevens or Banks could be in
fuenced by anything Webster said or dd-and
return to the facts of the case 1t is to defeat
public men who despise what Webster made his /
life study-the Constitution that these club rooms
are the scene Of untiring labor. Turning to the
left and passing through side door, we enter the
directing room. Here a dozen clerks are seated in
the midst of piles Of envelopes, ,orrather packages,
containing documents, which they address to their
destination, copying the directions from lists
placed before them. In the center of the room is
a chief clerk, who ia continually occupied in dis
tfibptng lists Of addresses to bis subordinates.
The next apartment, smaller thanthe preceding, /
is the secretary office, and baokof this, separa
ted by a glass door, il the meeting room of the
National Union Executive Committee. It is an !
oblong chamber, extending from The above men !
toned Office into the garden where it rounds to
circular form. The ceiling is high, the walls
realty papered, and the center Of the floor occu-
,ied with a solid looking mahogany table, sur t
'ounded by dozen caue-bottomed arm chairs. !
The room has cozY, comfortable aspect remind
ng one Of a Dutch stadt house, where tile Myn-
leers of the wealthy were wontte assemble to dis
suss their pipes and the affairs of the nation. Who
can tell whether a few short months may notmake
these scenes historic? Louisiana Avenue may vet
bear on its stately walks another Independence
Hall. t
Adjoining the committee room is a spacious !
dining saloon, once used for many a luxurious |
feast, in bygone days, when this mansion was in '
the possession Off genial Southern family Some
of my readers may have partaken of pleasant hos
1italites in these very rooms and can join heartily
With me in recurring to the associations which
hey suggest. For several years to come, it will
tl resound with festive shouts, and be silent :
yitness of festive enjoyment. A very royal e
caterer from Browns Marble Hotel has promised a
that nolocal conservative shall leave his domain '
without quafting to the success of the good cause
and when the Union restored, every sympathizer
With its restorers must drink hirysix times in the
good old feudal style, once for every star. We
BASS from the banqueting hall to the readingroom
md find ourselves Immediately in the presence of a
old familiar faces" Along table fit for Board c
i Aldermen is all covered with them. They are J
trewn over chairs and benches. They brighten r
Id desks with their joyial, intelligent eounte-
anees, and as soon as they catch good glimpse 9
US they all give a sign of recognition, and cry 9
ut, in tone audible to the initiated. Here we "
re, Public Opinion. Yes, my dear Democrats L
nd Journals, aud Heralds, and CREsCENTs, here 9
ou are, thrown down fiat on your backs. How y
you look there, piled up, jumbled to-
ether, seemingly jostiing one another and striv- 81
lg your best to peer out into the broad daylight !
nthinking ones wonld pass you by; it all looks u
2 black and white-so common it is nothing hut
he newspapers. But some-some who heard tc
that still, small voice. whistling out from the
road streets-sate them down before thee, and Il
bought how little thou seemest, and how great :
hou art.Y And saw thoughtful statesmen bend
IS over thee with anxious faces and high officials
canning thee withfearfu eyes, and narrow parti- q
ans gloating over thy broad pages, and thought
I the great good yet in thy power.
From the midst of this great light of journalism,
7e descended toa subterranean apartment, where :
'anst's little devil first brings the fruit OF his
ahors.A Andif your readers viii only follow me
or the rest of the tour Tpromise tn rannunca III "A