The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-02
Letter from Maryland.
IoraH BALTIMORE, Feb. 81, 1866.


"el Letter from Maryland.
o., ajieIoeaE BALTIMORE, Feb. 81, 1865.
To the Editor Of the Press:
The action of President johnson relative to
the Freedmen and the status of the rebels,
may undoubtedly be regarded as departure
from the line of policy marked out by Mr..
Lincoln, and total Indifference to the perma-
nent welfare of the country. That President
johnson never had any sympathy with the
Republican party and its principles, may or
may not be true, but that he has most unex-
pectedly and wickedly violated their conf
dence and defed those principles, is too pat
ent to need mention. The writer has now
been in the South nearly three months, dur
ing which time he has studied the feelings
and character of those lately in rebellion, with
sincere purpose to ascertain their condition
politically. In their crowded hotels, business
stores or public prints, the one spirit of hostil
ity to liberty and the North is manifested, and
that continually. You find aristocracy and
oppression visible in myriad forms. Slavery,
though virtually non est by the emancipation
act, is as intolerant and defiant to-day in the
South, ESQ far as hatred and abule of the ne
gro constitute slayery,) as when treason stalk
ell in high places and commanded its military
free. by necessity of circumstances the
slave, transferred from the auction block to
freedom, has become needy of help; help
which the Fieedmen's Bureau is destined to
supply in some measure. raYsn l-..-.'i i
You will find these quondam slaves in large
numbers eongregated at Lynchburg, Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and in all the Southern
cities. True, they are somewhat ignorant,
many are old and infirm and all are needy.
But this state of affairs would not be If there
were proper spirit of humanity, not to say
loyalty thereabouts. ii risrsla9 hiIlR
The fact is, and it is too painfully visible to
admit a refutation, that the former owners of
these slaves have determined, in selfish and
bitter malignity, neither to employ nor to as
sist in any way these negroes. They are de-
ternined that they will neither hire nor be
charitable; and they denounce the govern
ment as having robbed them of their property
and destroyed their business. ii All who
talk Of "repentant" rebels and believe in read
hitting them to political privileges, will find
from actual observation that the Southerners
are at heart as --~a.~s., ....al. 4roitars az
when they first inaugurated the war, and one
needs only to travel from here to Richmond
to be convinced of this fact. They admit
themselves whipped, but it is only forced
submission, and not few are bold enough to
venture the assertion that the rebellion is on
ly suspended. Secession is yet cherished
idea here, although it may be latent. $50
Such being the facts, it is to be regretted
that Andrew johnson ever committed him
self to the fatal doctrines enunciated in his
veto. 1t is hard for liberty to be stabbed Gin
the house of its friends" 10 BIG iah''
President Johnson's course is hailed with
immense satisfaction by his copperhead friends,
and they are legion. The rebels hereabOuts
are jubilant over it, as the precursor of resto-
ration to their old positions and influence, and
speaking as we mean, they certainly are not
without ground forhope 1Ai n2 l7h
So far as the Executive is interested, the
entire efforts of four years war, which result
ed in giving the blessings of freedom to the
slave, are lost, totally hopelessly. 1t is sad to
contemplate that the Executive ever listened
to dubious advice and questionable authority
relative to the Southern condition, or ever
gave way so far to.visions of future fame, as
to forfeit the confidence of the anti-slavery
people of the world. No wonder that the
Virginian papers chronicle his veto as the
best news heard in the South since the rout
of the Federal army at Bull Run, for If the
veto has any significance, it means pardon to
traitors, cruel oppression to innocent blacks,
and full sympathy with the petitions of rebels
for readmission to representation. si.1 lsssIi
But Congress will not suffer much to be
lost. Sumner, Wilson, your own Fessenden,
and the entire loyal delegation in Washington,
will not evade any duty. If the prison door
swings open and JEFF. Davis walks forth un-
punished, if men of loyal and irreproachable
character are denounced as "semi-traitors," if
the Southern bully, with pistol and side arms,
is permitted to enter the National Legislature
in full enjoyment of the citizens and repre-
sentative's privileges, If these and more as
founding crimes occur, charge them not to
the Senate or House. MAoHIaoNNE.