Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-28
Tit for Tst-Rrrli.h Criticisms.

Int Tor Tat-Enghsh Criticisms
Mr.. BANCROFT outraged foreign nations by
the severe criticisms contained IN his funeral
grafton over Mr.. LINCOLN. In England, at
least, retallatory spirit is manifested, not only
towards the orator himself but towards his
eountrymsn. The old spirit Of hooking and
ridicule, that was so much dreaded by Ameri-
cans in times past, has been re-awakened, and
the English journals abound In biting gibes and
sneers. Even Americans in London have
found it necessary to disown and repudiate the
sentiments and criticisms contained in Mr..
BANcROFT's grafton. AS for Mr.. BANCROFT
himself he is ridieuled as that "dulleSt OF his
torians." In his old age, when least able to
bear up under it, all the old acrid criticisms OF
English writers are revived against him; and
his book, once damned by English critics, Is
recalled from oblivion to be damned signally
second time.
The Washington correspondent Of the Lon
don Times, under date of Feb. 10th, writes
letter of three columns, filed with malicious
gossip and singing ridicule, which it is not
easy to stand. He calls the capitol at Wash
ingtOn "that unSightly, irregular and clumsy
building" He describes the crowd Of Ameri-
cans in Washington in anything but cOmph-
mentary manner, saying "The long, thin,
" bOny-face, yellow as parchment, moody and
"a sullen in expression, with a tult Of thick,
I" coarse hair on the chin, and plug OF tObac-
co in the cheek-this traditional type of the
American is all over the city. There are
" other varieties, but he is the most common
one. The only available amusement for these
gentlemen, whose habits are Of a very desul-
L" tory and providing kind, is that provided for
them in Congress and as soon as the doors
d" of the capitol are opened the crowd begins to
' wander over the building. There are no re-
" strictiOns placed upon them their visit Is
(" duly prepared for by row of immense gutta
percha spittoons, which are placed on each
90 side ofthe corridors but, capaciOUs as these
are, the floors, by three or four in the after
" noon, are always wet and slippery" He
speaks of "variOus hideous busts ofMr. LINCOLN
and Mr.. JOHNSON scattered about the Senate
Chamber. He pictures the Speaker of the
House Of Representatives sitting "clOse to the
wall, under one of the galleries, 10Th large
I" brass Eagle and tloo tags a6OUe his head" He
says "peOple walk in and out as they please
without distinction of color" He continues:
"The quieteSt part of the audience is generally
Z" made up Of the colOred people, who flock to
8" both halls IN large numbers, and set there
" hour after hour, with not the taintest show OF
% interest in their faces. The Senate seems to
" be the resort of the upper classes among
" them; for there the women show themselves
90 in the glOries ofpurple and scarlet, with lace
d" or imitation lace-Shawls on their broad
" backs. and all the flowers of the field in their
{" bOnnets. They bring corn cakes IN lcith them
I" for their dinners, and only Leave ioheR the
"pOrter comes to shut the DOORS"
"The other day." says this writer, " the
/" Congressional Globe consisted of siXty-eight
/" closely printed columns Of one days essays
" and discussions, and it is the literal truth to
say that there was not half column of prac-
&c teal suggestions or good sense IN all that
vast waste of words" He adds " The
a. style and character of the essays are often
most extraordinary. The name of the AL
mighty is invoked dozen times in as many
minutes, scripture is quoted to silence anita
gonists, and in the present debates on the
South, PoNTIUs PLATE or JUDUs IsCARIOT
" are seldom out of the discussions twenty -fOur
" hours together. A few days ago a member
{" of the House concluded speech by reciting
81 the whole Of the poem, How sleep the
brave who sink to rest The ladies in the
galleries were charmed. The speaker was
busy writing notes. The members were
chiefly asleep" He speaks of the glOri6ca-
ton of "American iaStitoOtiORS,' and cites
from recent speeches in Congress several
specimens of that style of OratOry.
Towards the conclusion of his letter he
speaks thus Of General LEES visit to Washing
ton " One of the events of last week was the
summoning of General LEE to testify before
the Reconstruction Committee. He came to
Washington for the first time since the war
ended, and gave them his opinion of the cOu-
Il" dition Of Virginia. His reception in Wash
81 ington was wonderful. Crowds Of people
" followed him about the streets, and thousands
" fingered near his lodgings to catch a glimpse
Of him, and the callers were numbered by
scores. 1t seemed as if for once greater
man than even the President Of the United
States was in Washington"