The Portland daily press., 1866-06-20

To the Editor Of the Press:
Congressional business begins to feel the ac-
celebrating influence of a prospective adjourn
ment The Senate is dispatching the work
before it industriously, and the House haslong
been in working frame of mind. The pas
sage by the House of the Constitutional
Amendment as amended in the Senate by
vote of 120 to 80, every Republican Unionist
of whatever shade of opinion voting aye, is a
very significant and important event. Con-
gress has now presented to the people its de-
liberately matured plan of reconstruction, and
it remains for the people to stand faithfully by
their faithful representatives. The final pas
sage of the Amendment presented an impress
sive scene, in which the interest felt in the
momentous question to be settled was blend
ed with one of personal nature. 1t doubt
less generally known that the venerable states
man who during five sessions has been the
parliamentary leader ofthe House, Hon. Thad-
deus Stevens, whose voice has so often RUG
out in high and noble words above the clamors
of our dark and troubled times, has of late been
nearly incapacitated by sickness for the active
duties of his great place. 1t may not be so
generally known that his symptoms are re-
garded as Of very serious character, leaving
little room for hope that Ike will recover his
wonted health. Those who heard him close
the debate on Wednesday last by short
but powerful speech, listening with the
most profound attention and gathering about
the place where stood the aged and infirm
veteran, seemed impressed with the idea that
this might be his last forensic effort. would
gladly hope otherwise, for with all his faults
and foibles he is a man the country can i'll af-
ford to lose.
The difference between Representatives
Rousseau of Kentucky and Grinnell of Iowa,
eliminated last evening in good old fashion
ed Gaming. As Rousseau is physical match
for two or three men like Grinnell, the fight
was all on one side, exactly that kind of a
fight for,which your chivalrous Southron has a
decided and peculiar relish. An investigation
has been ordered by the House to-day, and
judging from the expressed sentiments of var
ious members, the result of this brutal and
ruffianly assault may probably be vacancy in
the House.
Iregret to say that Senator Fessenden is
too ill to occupy his seat in the Senate to-day.
A new and very interesting feature has been
added to the Fair in aid ofthe Home for Sol
diers' and Sailors Orphans; a table of relics
from the stockade at Andersonville. The Ia
BILE is surmounted by the following verse in
scribed upon black field in white letters:
"And cen these relics from thy shrine.
o holy Freedomi have TO me
A pc emit power, voice and sign
To testify Of thee"
Beneath is an arch trimmed with evergreen.
and black and white rosettes, on which is in
scribed in white letters on black ground that
name of everlasting horror, ANDERsoNvILLE.
From this depends picture ofthe place when
occupied as prison, and several oval picture
frames containing pressed flowers from the
graves of our martyred heroes are disposed
around. Beside the view of the place hangs
| fragment of the dead Ene.' The interior of
this table or stall is decorated with flags dram
ed in mourning and with green wreaths.
Of all the relics of the war I have ever
seen, these are by far the most suggestive and