The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-05
An EpistIo from the National Capital

afterwards paused in the streets Gas many
q time before at the same hour to see the
morning set its crown of light on the dome
of the Capitol. The republic has so few edi-
fees world-renowned for beauty or loveliness,
that Yankee traveller, after traversing the
whole country, returns with affectionate pride
to the most majestic structure on the Ameri-
can continent. But its interior decorations are
q medley of good and bad designs such as the
world has never before seen. If we shall ever
have Congress animated by a love and
guided by a critical Judgment of the fine arts,
it will undoubtedly obliterate the panorama of
balderdash with which the ceiling of the dome
is now disigured. Meanwhile, it is a wonder
that the President has not thought of ''white
washing" 1T.
when Abraham Lincoln resided here, was that
good mans ugly residence. But the White
House is now the resort of only of office
seekers and Democrats. It's occupant, having
deserted his party, is now deserted by his
party OF course, he is seen frequently by
members of his Cabinet. But, with the ex-
oeption of this body-guard of advisers, the
men high in Office in Washington have no in
tercourse with the President. Many of the
Cul6l pIOpS anu pllltlo vi 1Abldllotlll lllCOlu
Administration are not on speaking terms
with Abraham Lincolns successor. They dis
dain to clasp his hand. Andrew Johnson,
even though yet in office, staggers under as
much popular contempt, and under far more
popular indignation, than James Buchanan
out of Office. The two are twin children of
shame.
The new Congress-as one looks down upon
it from the galleries of the two Houses-does
o1I ,,o
largely of the self same members. The addi-
tions, am happy to say, are almost excld.
sively radical gains. The most conspicuous
skull in the House of Representatives is the
shining globe of General Butler-who looks
younger than / ever saw him before; but it
will be two or three years yet before General
Butler is fifty. On the other hand, Thaddeus
Stevens-illustrious veteran looks old and
time-worn, and speaks familiarly to his friends
of his approaching dissolution. l trust he
will not think of departing till after Andrew
Johnson removes to Tennessee. Governor
Boutwell,, of Massachusetts, is another of the
indispensable men-a born statesman; and
Mr.. Shellabarger, of Ohio, is his mate in
ability and usefulness. If a whole Congress
could be composed of such men as these few,
the world would make pilgrimage to see the
Gonclave. Looking from these to the other
end of the Hall, one sees that the best behaved
for he makes no foolish speeches, and so
eclipses Fernando Wood and James Brooks by
the judiciousness of silence which is better
than talk. | have sometimes thought the ses-
Sions must seem dull to a man of Mr.. Morris
seys active brain; but occasionally he finds
the tedium relieved by Butler and Bingham.
In the Senate, now as always, the pre-emi-
nent man is Charles Sumner. Whoever else
compromises, Mr.. Sumner stands firm. This
is his glory. Such a man, in such place, is
a national blessing. | never look at his grand
presence, or remember his great career, but
inwardly say, God bless Charles Sumner The
new Senators, l trust will emulate his firm
ness and fidelity. Mr.. Fessenden, l regret to
say is not in the best of health; but, as he has
been relieved of the over-burden of his former
committee work, he will now have chance to
stop growing prematurely old. If this distin-
guished and cOnsummate debater were leader
of radicals against conservatives, instead of
leader of conservatives against radicals, he
might drop the name of Fessenden, and write
himself William Pitt. Certainly he is a states
man cast in an uncommon mould. His great
intellectual ability, his unwearied daily dill
genoe, and his irreproachable integrity, distin-
guish him as one of the first men on the stage
of American political life. If, besides appeal
ing to the older men of the country, he could
also inspire the younger, he would possess an
element of greatness such as belongs only to
men of greater enthusiasm and diviner cou-
rage. Mr.. Sumner and Mr.. Fessenden repre-
sent the two wings of the Republican party in
the Senate. prefer Mr.. Summers banner for
under it is always waged the battle OF advanced
ideas.
The adjournment of Congress is to be re-
GREETED for it leaves several great duties un-
DONE To say nothing of the overshadowing
duty of impeaching the President, the recon
struction measures which the Thirty-ninth
Congress left to the Fortieth to complete are,
as yet, far from just completion. In the first
place, no provision has yet been made for Civ
ing to the lowly classes of the South, both
white and black, easy facilities for the owner
ship of land. Nor has any provision been
made for giving to these same classes the need
full advantages of public schools. The pOpu-
lation of the ten unreconstructed States (white
and black is about six millions; and yet nine
tenths of the soil of these States is owned
by less than one hundred thousand
persons. Now, imagine what would
be the condition of the Great West,
if only one person in sixty owned
the land which he titled Moreover every
third white man in Virginia Ito say nothing
of the blacks) cannot read In North Caro-
lima, every fifth white cannot read. On the
contrary in Connecticut, you must count two
hundred and seventeen white men before you
find one who cannot read; and when you have
found him, you will see that he is an Irish
Democrat, who knew no better than to vote
Tor Mr. English at the last election. In view
OF Southern ignorance, on the one hand, and
OF southern aristocracy, on the other, nc
scneme of reconstruction is safe Whlct
lails TO open an easy door to the
to the acquisition of education by the
ignorant, Moreover I hold that no racon