The Portland daily press., 1867-04-06
Letter from the Na,io..,
WASHINGTON, April ., 1867
To the Editor Of the Press: '''

| day and yesterday crOwding the Senate corri-
note their salient points and observe the mo-
dus operandi. Yesterday meeting a iriend,-
one of the expectants-I essayed mild With
cism by remarkDg, III feel Pharisaical this
morning" SLOW so% was the amused
| query. i H'.t'".i '--.a
"Decause I've just been thanking God that
l am not as these other men are"
There was faint explosion of laughter in
which your correspondent felt himself extin-
suished. But the Micawbers were decidedly
in the ascendant. As is doubtless well known
the Senate in executive session sit with closed
| doors. AT the foot ofthe marble steps the
door-keepers sit to keep the ignorant from
filling up to the gallery. The lobby doors
| are closed, and so the crowd gather about the
central door, and here the Senators are per
sistently bored. Let us look at them few
Yonder stands tall, lean figure well known
to all about Washington, and known to the
country by name not highly esteemed by
those who admire honesty and respect CON
slstency. 1t is a figure which might have
been easily moulded to grace had the
soul within not been so ugly. But it is now
verging on awkwardness. There is an indif-
ference to dress which betokens a man too
much preoccupied for such trifles. An indif-
ferent observer would set him down seedy
attorney, a second rate lobbyist. He is both,
and also an indifferent statesman or rather
politician running to seed-and weeds at that.
The head anu face are remarkable. The first
is high, long and narrow in shape; the second
is 4 long oval, pointed to the chin; there's a
sparse settlement OF sandy hair on the head
with two little tufts by the ears standing for
whiskers; the skin is sandy also in hue, reliev-i
ed by a few heckles, while the washed out
gray eyes are full of quiet furtive craft
This is the face of a cold man of considerable
intellectual force, though it is easy to perceive
it is not OF high order. The general effect
is that OF cunning and craft rather than sub
tlety.s One sees that as lawyer he would be
special pleadar, as thinker an evader Of
truths rather than seeker OF them, as pol
itician one greater at pulling wires than in
defending principles or creating parties for
their support. There is an unpleasant re
semblance to Wendell Phi Hips; sort Of like
ness from which nobleness of life and lofti-
ness of aim have been washed away The man
ofwhOm Ispeakbelongs to a family of menno-
torious for their unsuccess--the Marplots of
the Republican party. 1t is Montgomery
Blair, in earnest conference with foxy look
ing, shabby old man, who is probably one of
the nameless elderly jackalls that prowl about
the footsteps OF power. ae'.if q " 1'b
In the midst OF group of loud laughing
rather coarse men, stands one who aimed high
and succeeded in reaching low level indeed.
He is man about fifty, apparently a stout,well
knit figure, well dressed too, with buckish hat
tipped a little on one side. His iace is as ugly
as Blair's but in little different sense. That
has an air of breedog which makes it endur-
able, but this one is registering, sensual, plucky
and not at all scrupulous. Just now he Is in
dulging in hearty outlaw, which spreads
wide open acavernous mouth with few
broken black teeth, which does not add to the
beauty of its possessor. This man looks ex-
actly like what he is-a driving, unscrupu-
lous politician-with considerable executive
ability. This is Gen. Steadman. In mentioning
the name one recognizes the fitness of the
portrait. just now he is waiting to learn OF
his confirmation as Internal Revenue Collector
in. Louisiana, a position which he obtains
through John Sherman's influence.
7' There are many others known and un-
known-a motley crowd In the centerstand
agroup OF young men, possessing probably by
their position more power than the same
number of men of their age in the county
They are the correspondents of the leading
papers waiting for news, and to be button
holed by all sorts of bores-almost as much so
/, as the Senators themselves. There are eight
or nine of them, representing the New York
dailies, and their Boston, Chicago, Phladel-
phia, Baltimore, and Cincinnati contempora-
ries. aHihH 4'' i0. .uiil u r. volt
Dodging around the corners or retired with
in the recesses Of the windows are to be seen
half-dozen women, more or less we'll known
as lobbyists. 1t is remarkable perhaps but
none the less true, that the women are the
most influential of lobby agents. There pass
es stately and quite voluptuous figure,
clothed in black silk, dressy, with q face OF
high colors, black inviting eyes, heavy bands
of luxurious hair. This woman is credited
with having engineered a bill for the relief of
certain contractors for an iron clad She has
been at work a year. The amount was S75
600, and she has doubtless got large plum
There are many strange stories told of these
agents, doubtless as strange as their faces,
and those of the men about. But am over
running my space and so will close that por-
ton ofmy letter.
BOOTHS DIARY.
To-day it is reported that the judiciary
Committee have beeu examining witnesses in
relation to this mysterious document The
report runs that they have testified to its be-
| ing in the same condition as when it came
| into their possession. Lieut.. Col. Conger, who
took the book from the body of the assassin,
has not yet been brought here. From per-
sons intimately acquainted with him while
here last Summer, 1 learn that he never exam
ined Che book, but placing tin bis ownpocket
after taking it from the person Of the assas-
sin, brought it direct to the War Department
here, and handed it TO the Secretary or Gen
Baker,--which 1 did not learn. There is
considerable growing among the conservatives
| over what they expect of Buffers discontinue
in this matter. But the public will remem-
Der that he was cautious in his statement
only bringing out strongly the singular sup.
| preston OF this evidence at the trial. 1t may
strike some Of the suspicious as quite possible
to obtain evidence or to aid treacherous men,
ories, which win thus find it convenient to
remember the book was "spoliated' when they
saw it. l.,-...F * I.s.sjs. ..l r,.aBg sotl.,.I
. THE PARDON OF DEsERTER's. ass
Another report is that rebutting testimony
has been introduced m relation to the restora
tiOn OF 1893 deserters which Gen. Butler charge.
the President with doing for the purpose o
making Democratic votes. II is now declar
ed that this men were not restored unit
month after the election, so the par,lonin,
was not done for political purposes. ~
Tom Florence, however, testified on Satur
urday that he obtained the pardon on the let
ter OF the Democratic candidate, and received
therefore 81 900 for his services. n
ITEMS.
The Senate will be in session for about ten
days. The city is still fuill OF members ana
Office holders. The Maine delegation see"'s
| to have returned home. SPECTATOR.
Military VS.. Civil Government