The Portland daily press., 1866-05-16
Letter from the National Capital.

most Internal hate for no apparent reason, ex-
cept their fidelity and devotion to the country.
Letter from the National Capital.
WASHINGTON, May H., 1886.
To the Editor Of the Press:
The question of Reconstruction has again
come uppermost The plan reported from the
Committee of Fifteen elected very earnest
and spirited debate in the House, developing
considerable opposition to the third section of
the proposed Constitutional amendment
Though some may have hoped that the friends
of Freedom and of the Union would allow
themselves to be hopelessly divided in opin-
ion, and that the whole scheme would end in
an interminable wrangle, they were signally
disappointed. The overwhelming majority by
which the amendment passed yesterday, ma
jority smaller by only thirteen than the maj
GRITTY given to the Freedmen's Bureau bill and
larger by ten than by which the Civil Rights
bill was finally passed, indicates very clearly
the firm and unbroken spirit of the Union
party in the House, and not less the great
strength Of the committees plan. 1 hear no
doubts whatever expressed that the two bills
which accompany The amendment will be
promptly passed, and by such majorities as
will render veto of no practical Importance.
In the Senate also the matter of reconstruc-
ton has been discussed in rather irregular
way, the question before the body being Mr.
Trunbulps amendment to the Post-office ap-
preparation bill Mr.. Nye's speech of yester-
day and day before, was very powerful one.
He handled the subject without gloves, and
paid his respects to Senators Doolittle and
Cowan in very edifying and refreshing man
ner. The principle Of the Trumbull amend
ment is expected to be embodied in bill by
itself and passed. Mr.. Henderson has already
introduced bill upon the subject, which has
as yet received no action.
The facts connected with the Memphis "ne.
gro resurrection" arc at last before the coun-
try, and they surprise no one who has had
previous knowledge of such affairs. The sim
pie admitted fact that at least twenty negroes
were killed-some say about a hundred were
massacred-while only three white men lost
their lives, sufficiently indicates the true ma
ture of the disturbances. But we are not left
to inferences in this matter. The details are
published, and are such as might have been
expected. That every colored man who in
the least opposed the fury of the mob,-thot
discharged soldiers of the Union, who having
fought the rebels on equal terms, mildly and
moderately objected to having their threats
cut by them-that even those who merely
tried to escape from the saturnalia of murder
and confagration should have been butchered
without mercy; that dwellings, churches, and
schoolhouses should have been consumed, and
the teachers of the colored children have been
obliged to fly for their lives,-a this is quite
matter of course. That sick girl, flying to
the door of the burning house in which she
lay, should have been knocked down, shot,
and, dead or alive as might happen, flung into
the flames, THAT an old man should have
been coolly butchered in his sick bed,-thata
mother should have been shot as she lay with
her child in her arms,-that another, after
seeing her husband murdered before her eyes,
should have been locked into her house, and
with her little ones burned alive in the flames
of her own dwelling,-that four men in an
other place should have been consigned to a
similar fate.-these exploits and achievements
of our chivalrous southern brethren might at
first seem little startling, did we not consid-
er their peculiar taste for such performances,
did we not remember the helish atrocities
of Fort Pillow, the CHASTITY horrors of Ander-
sonville and Salisbury, and those negro burn
ings wherewithal they have occasionally en-
tertained themselves from time immemorial
Who doubts any longer that the late rebels
love the colored race, and may safely be trust
ed to protect and take care of them? Who
does not see that the very slight restraint put
upon these very popular demonstrations by a
small body of Federal troops stationed in the
vicinity, to which circumstance it may be ow-
ing that the suggestion, "No,u's the time bous
to kill off the niggers and Yanks-Giye them
he'll" was not fully and literally acted upon.
was gross violation of the right of the chiy
airy to do whatever is pleasing in their own
eyes? 9 -.
Who does not see that as soon as all troops
shall be withdrawn, and all Federal restraint
removed, these reconstructed gentlemen, "be-
ing aueH and loyalty disposed. "in the language
of the President, "soiu conform in their leafs
lation to the condition of affairs groavinq out
ofthe amendment to the Constitution of the
United States abolishing sIavery9" Who
does not see what a pity it is that they are
not now represented in Congress by men like
themselves? Are they not in the Union Are
they not ready to swear the legs off an iron
pot in attestation of their loyalty? Do they
not support "my policy?" Did they moi. while
the midnight skies gared with burnino
churches and dwellings, and through the In.
rid murk rose the fumes of an awful bo,o-
caust, men, women and children burn;no
alive in their own dwelings,-did they not
make the scene doubly hideous with wells for
Andy johnson" and "aohite mans oorern-
mentY" What wonder that the soul of our
good PRESIDENT is sorely exercised within him.
that worthy Representatives of these worthy
patriots are not now sitting in Congress, where
they might all the time be doing so much
good by voting against civil rights and free
suffrage bills, and by sustaining thatexcellent
device Tor putting doacn niggers," the vetoes
OF his Excellency! In the business of SUD-
porting the President, would they not be
worth dozens of Doolittles, Cowans. ct id
genus omne? Instead of merely sticking.
higgllng and paltering, would they not be
ready, as they were of old, to WELD against
obstinate and contumacious radicals the