The Portland daily press., 1866-02-22

question" rule Of the House for the closing of
debate, it is likely to continue for scme time
to come. When vote can be reached is in
deed mere matter of conjecture. The same
differences of opinion respecting the mat
ter in hand are ELECTED as appeared in the
House debate upon the same subject, and /
may add that by some the same forebodings
ofdefeat are INDUCED in, as were expressed by
those who predicted the measure could never
pass the House by two thirds vote. These
apprehensions may possibly be well founded,
but if the Constitutional Amendment fails in
the Senate, it will be, apprehend, in conse-
quence of an increase of what is called the
radical sentiment" rather than from any
fatting or giving way in it. If it fails, it viii
be, trust, because something better has been
found out to take its place. The speeches of
Senators Lane of Indiana, Henderson of Mo-,
Clark of N. a., and Williams of Oregon.
lately delivered upon this subject, are all
worthy to be read and pondered. These gem
ticmen, with the exception of the last named
with whose political antecedents 1 am unac-
quainted, have all usually ranked among the
moderate and conservative members of their
party. Yet their late speeches are sufficiently
radical for any body. That of Senator Hen
derson was hardly less so than Mr.. Summers.
The change from Henderson's late status as
STAKEHOLDER to his present position on the ex-
treme advance of antislavery sentiment is
surely great one. His, however, is not one
of those always somewhat suspicious political
conversions, which carry man at one tre-
mendous vault over the greatest moral dis
tance in the least possible time, but has result
ed from a steady and consistent growth in
right principles. Who in "Borderra6ian tines
could have imagined Missouri represented in
the Senate by two such uneompromising radi-
Gals as Henderson and Gratz Brown? To
these men, and such as these, who, born and
reared amid slave institutions, are now leading
the very vanguard of the hosts o. Justice and
Right, do render a tribute of respect and ad-
miration not less profound than that which 1
pay to Chase, Sumner, Wade, and their com
patriots, nlustrious soldiers of Freedom, the
old Guard Of Liberty, once derided and abhor-
red as Abolitionists, even. yet regarded with
distrust as extremists and radicals, but who
will appear before the eyes of the, future ages
glorifed and transfgured by the grand princi-
pies they have upheld SO well. , ....-t
The House, which is considerably in ad-
vance of the Senate in the despatch of busi-
ness, has late been occupied with variety
ofmatters, whereof the telegraph keeps you
informed. The Bill introduced by Mr.. Lynch,
respecting the registration of vessels which
have sailed under foreign flags during the war,
was approved on the tenth inst. The Naval
Appropriation Bill as reported by the Com
| mittee on Appropriations, provided for the
purchase of Seavey's Island, preparatory to an
| enlargement of the Portsmouth Navy Yard.
The House in Committee of the whole struck
OFT this item. 1t was restored, however,
when the bill was upon its passage in the
House, mainly if not solely through the exer-
tions of Mr.. Lynch. One hundred and five
thousand dollars are appropriated for this OBJ
ject Mr.. Blaine of Me. has introduced Bill
"To reimburse the States that have furnished
troops to the Union army, for advances made
and expenses incurred in raising the same"
to the extent OF fiity-fve dollars for each man
enlisted, the total number being reduced to a
three years standard. By the terms Of this
| Bill Maine would receive from the National
treasury $S,112, ,725.0O. ......
| i The evening cry Of the newsboys, "Speech
from President Johnson, ceased some time
since to be novel. Opinions differ widely as
| 10 how much significance is to be attributed to
these of-hand utterances. 1t may be proper
to bear in mind that they come to US through
third persons-persons not always quite disin-
| terested in the matter of a sensation. Per
! haps they really mean as much as that mo-
mentous announcement that "Treason Is a
crime to be punished" We shall soon know
more about this matter. The Freedman's Bu-
reau Bill is still in the hands of the President,
and his action upon it is looked for with much
interest. For the present at least, much, very
much will depend upon the course taken by
him in this matter, and it is not impossible
that great events in the future may turn upon
| this hinge. Meanwhile no friend of liberty
should "bate one jot of heart or hope" but
"bear up and steer right on,cdrd."
The lecture of Frederick Douglass on Tues
day evening last was very spirited and sue
cessful affair. Great was the holy horror of
| sundry Deacons and leading members of DR..
Sunderland's church at the idea of such a
meeting; but in spite of the pious indigna-
ton and yrtuous disgust Of these chivalrous
Christians, in whose breasts hatred of the
"niager" seemed to far outweigh the love Of
God, the lecture was given before such an au-
dience as seldom assemblies ON such occasions,
and was received with every mark and demon
stration of enthusiastic approval Whether
those nice people who were so scandalized at
the permission granted to "one of our most
DISTINGUISHED Americans" as Chief Justice
Chase called Douglass when he introduced
him to the audience, to speak for the benefit
of destitute and helpless orphans, and who so
feelingly deplored such "desecration" of their
church edifice, considered the p ace still. fur
ther "desecrated" by the abundant sprinklins
of red pepper bestowed upon the carpet, L am
not advised. Though this mpish trick caused
considerable coughing, especially after the ap
pause, it failed to materially interrupt the
proceedings. Those numerous friends tc
whom DR.. Sunderland has become endeared
by his patriotic and Christian course since the
beginning of our civil war need have little
fear that he will not be sustained in the firm
and manly stand taken by him in this matter
The lecture, entitled "The Assassination
and its Lessons" was probably the same IN
substance as has been delivered elsewhere.
One allusion to a recent occurrence is worth
repeating. Speaking Of President Lincoln,
1 Douglass said: "He did not begin 'rah play
inn the role of Noses, and end With playing
the role of Pharaoh. The tremendous ap-
plause with which this sally was received