The Portland daily press., 1867-12-06


70 The Editor Of the Press: 10y
The question that new seems likelyto an
sorb and overshadow all Others, and prove the
particular bone Of contention at the present
session OF CONGRESS- is that of finance. HaV-
ing had-an opportunity to ,reheeS upon the
condition of the country during the recess,
nearly every member thinks he has made
thorough diagnosis of Che financial disease,
and has come here fully prepared with spe-
cific tor the body polite, as potent and efiica-
oious as Ayers Pills or Railways Ready Re
lief for the physical system. Coat pockets are |
plethoric with resolutions and bills of finance, |
which are Supposed to bel calculated to strike |
at the root, of all existing troubles and give |
the nation sound currency without any per
ceptible jar of the greenback machinery. The |
boldest of these schemes is that proposed by
General Butler, who with his cleaning battle
axe would strike down the whole of the pres
emit financial system and erect his own on its
ruins He proposes not only to redeem the
500 bonds in greenbacks, but to abolish the
present national bank system entirely. On
"Wednesday last, the House, while in Com
mittee of the Whole ON the State of the
Union" called up the subject of taxing Gov
eminent bonds, and very spirited discussion
took place between Mr. Butler and Mr.. Blaine,
in the course of which the hero of Dutch Gap
took occasion to cast reflections on the course
of Mr.. Fessenden while Secretary of theTreas-
ury, and to sneer at "Maine Law and Maine
finance" For some reason or other Senator
Fessenden seems to have incurred the mighty
great wrath and displeasure" of certain Mas
sachusetts politicians, and this attack is but
continuation of that made on him last sum-
mer by another distinguished Puritan through
the mediumship OF one Redpath. Brilliant
| talents are always conspicuous mark for the
enyenomed shafts of envy and malice, but,in
| the present instance as in the former, the
| charges and innuendoes of the General fell
as harmless and exploded with about as brill
| liant effect as his famous powder ship before
| Fort Fisher I'd .,..iss... ...,..,e ..l,.
1 Mr., Blaine in very able rejoinder whic!
won min great credit in the House, refuted
every point of Buffers accusation, and turn
the tide of argument completely against him.
! Probably a, majority of the Western members
| will sustain Buffers project while the East
ern and Middle States will pretty generally
oppose it, so that it has little chance Of sue
| cess. aiiilh 90 15i ti1ant I'D 5i a.a
4 5fr .'i} 81 gfJo HOBBIES. al.i si5e Ils
! The lobby branch of Congress is on hand in
| good season, we'll organized and active. A II
manner of schemes 'flor the public good are
being brought forward by the patriotic citizens
who compose this third branch and pub the
| wires that connect with Uncle Samuels poek-
| ct. Just step into any of the large hotels OF
| an evening and you win find scores of these
| progressive beings earnestly at work--talking
confidentially3 in little groups, comparing
1 notes on the days proceedings or button-hol-
1 ing some unsuspecting M. c. to explain the
merits and Importance of their measure and
secure his vote. Observe them for a few mo-
1 '"ents- and Won will know from their agitated
| OF joyous manner WheLnei .hai" steel has
| been going up. One delegation has a new-ian-
gled explosive, centrifugal projectile which
they can prove will annihlate a whole regi-
ment or blow up a Monitor at distance Of
| six miles, and they are willing to allow the
Government to adopt it by paying them only
two millions of dollars. Another squad is la
boring to confer q blessing on the nation by
getting charter for our Air Line Railroad
from Moosehead Lake to Tehuantepec; while
a third is lin the ring on some heavy ccttor
claims which are $50 just and meritorious thai
the nation will be dsgraced if they are not set
tled"-and SO it goes, each one blowing hi:
own trumpet and feathering his own nest
You see lobbying on a limited scale sometimes
in State Legislatures, but here we have the
simon-pure, unauthorized article at whole
| sale. ,ast i-sll4.s
Il 40 g.. 4. pf.t3 THE AZTEC CLUB.
4 On the Sd of October 1847 after the occupa-
ton of the City of Mexico by General Scott
the officers of the army formed club in thai
city, known as ''The Aztec Club" and prev
Gus to the rebellion annual meetings were held
here. The first meeting since the outbreak O
the rebellion viii take place in New York, al
1 the Astor House, this month, when the dis
| tinguished warriors who have for the last few
| years been trying to cut each others throats
/ will meet around the festive board Among
| the Union generals who were members of the
club We're Gems. Scott, Wool, Worth, Pierce
| Grant, Mcclellan, Badly Smith, Patterson
| and others of less note. OF those who Joined
| the rebellion were Generals Lee, Beauregard
Johnston, Pemberton, Magruder and Van
Dorm. Gen, Hayner of Wateryliet Arsenal is
Treasurer, and his report shows cash balance
on hand of some "a 900 in Virginia State Scrip
Gems. Grant and Lee will be present at the
meeting-their first interview since the capitu-
lation at Appomattox. -
SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION.
The largest Sunday School Convention ever
held in this city will commence here to-mor-
row. 1t will be general Convention for
Maryland and the District Of Columbia and
| =. -. - -. .
several thousand visitors are expected A
large number of distinguished divines will
be present from different parts of the country
and the occasion will no doubtbe "a feast of
reason and a flow of SOUL" In this connection
let me narrate a rather significant incident
which recently fell under my observation. At
the laying of the. corner stone of the Young
Mems Christian Association Buildings last
week, while candidates for life-membership
were being voted inland the names of Judge
Chase, General Grant and others had been
fayorably acted on-some persons in the crowd
proposed the name of President Johnson.
Immediately dead silence fell in the assem-
bly, and when the vote was put by Rev. DIR.
Gillette, not soul arose. AT last, to relieve
the embarrassment of the situation, gentle
man suggested that "under the circumstances
it might be proper to postpone the cOnsideIa-
ton of that name till after the result of i'm
parchment was known" A general smile
was distinctly audible amid which, the pro-
poser walked slowly away in Thoughtful ST.
lence, Sic transit gloria naundi. RI o.,
I 6luua --i0a 1sGa PERSONAL. d. a.. .....t.,I.,-
- JEFF. Davis passed through this city last Sat
'llrday on his way to Baltimore, where he is
stopping for a few days. When he arrived
here he was greeted by large number of his
rebel friends who accompanied him to Balti-
more as guard of honor. He was dressed in
male attire. II ,1si 50 leaaaI -lf
General Brisbin of Kentucky arrived here
yesterday to testify before the Committee ON
Elections in regard to the election of the rebel
Congressman who now claim seats from that
State. 9b Hsa wa
~ Hen. Noah Smith, formerly Secretary of
State for Maine and now pricipal clerk in the
office of the Secretary of the U. S. Senate. has
been seriously i'll for the past week but is now
f7fl hlr i....e.
ia 1.s-.rie III IMPEACHMENT.
The spasmodic reaction of sentiment in favor
impeachment is fast dying away and careful
count OF noses reveals the fact that should a
vote be taken this week the measure will fail
of majority by more than twenty votes.
sItilT 5.H4 iaa4i/ du!s5 CAsco
GREAT FIRE AT FALL RIVER NIAss.-The