The Portland daily press., 1869-04-19
Letter from Washington.

Whatever may appear on the sugtace, there
is little doubt that the Administration intend
to press their advantages on the Alabama
matter, until Great Britain finds itself willing
to get rid of the curses she herself brought
home to roost. No nightmare ever disturbed
a sleeper's rest as the recognition of the
South as a belligerent viii that Of the Eng
lish, as it rises in judgment against them
The determination to secure the abandon
ment of all British rule on this continent
will become more and more a marked policy
OF the Administration. While there will not
be found in Mr.. Motley's written instructions
any reference to the transfer of the New Do
mnion to the sovereignty and equal partner
ship of the United States, there is not the
slightest doubt fut that verbally be will be
directed to do all that may lie in his powerto
secure the transfer of all the British colonies
to this republic. have excellent reasons for
affirming my belief that it is expected by
Gen. Grant, Secretary Fish and Senator
Sumner, that the Alabama negotiations viii
MOI close until this result is achieved
Mr.. Summers great speech to-day will be
received by you on Thursday, the Senate hav-
ing withdrawn the injunction of secresy. 1t
is deemed the most powerful speech of the
kind ever delivered in the Senate chamber,
and is regarded by all as the greatest effort of
his life.
THE FOREIGN APPOINTMENTS.
On the whole these are rather disappoint-
ing, with the exception of Motley, Jay and
Curtin, all three of whom are considered first
rate nominations. Considerable surprise is
felt about the retention of Mr. Sanford, of
whom it may be said with truth that he was
born here, claims the United States as his
home, but is European in associations and
sympathes. That he should go to Spain,
where Of all places we need a man of Cenu
inc and wel[governed republican convictions,
is very strange. There is nothing of that
sort in j. Russell Jones, who is sent to Bel
gium,-a shrewd, energetic Illinois politician.
Mr.. Motley's nomination and confirmation
is regarded as great triumph of Mr.. Sum-
ners influence. 1t will be found that the
Massachusetts, Senator is a power at the
State Department and at the White House
also. There was very vigorous fight made
for Mr.. Jay, but the slate could not be
broken. 1t is said that there is considerable
grumbling because the East has re-
ceived so much OF the State Depart
ment patronage. An examination shows
that the complaint has no fcundation.-
Of the ministers nominated so far, the West
gets Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, China,
Mexico, Brazil, Bogota, Guatimala, and BoIi-
via the South gets Costa Rica and Liberia,
while Pennsylvania and West Virginia have
Russia, Sweden and Hayti; Maryland has
Venezuela; New York has Austria and Mas
sachusetts, Great Britain. Sanford is from
Connecticut.
The leading consulships have been given
more generally to New York, and other At
lantic States. The Empire State has the
Consul -Generalships at Canada, Paris, (Gen.
Meredith Read, jr.,) Bordeaux, Havre, Rome
and Glasgow. New Jersey has the Florence
and Massachusetts, that at Frankfort on-the
Main; prizes both. As a rnle it will be
found that the West has the lions share.
1t certainly has not put forward any first
class men for this branch of the public
service. The journalists consider them
selves rather coldly treated, as a profession,
by the administration. President Grant
has given one respectable mission-that to
Switzerland, to an editor, Mr. Rublee, of the
Madison wisconsin, Journal. He has ap-
pointed one well-known correspondent-De
B Randolph Keim, of Pennsylvania, Consul
to Foochow, China; also Mr.. Winson of
the New York Times to some second class
place. So far as l can learn these are the
only foreign appointments accorded to the
sThird Estate.
DEMAGoGUE CHARACTERIZED.
Considerable amusement has been created
here by the reports of Andrew Johnson's
recent speeches. General Brownlow Ia
SON of Senator Brownlow) tells the fol-
lowing good story of the Tennessee poll
tician. When johnson was first nominated
for Governor, he made speeches all through
East Tennessee denouncing college educated
men and those who rode in carriages as be-
ing persons dangerous to democratic prin-
ciples and institutions. Or course it was
only the demagogue's pandeiing to ignorance,
envy and poverty. At the time there was
a brilliant Wing politician running for Con-
gress In the Greenville district. He came to
that place to make speech and had his
stand erected opposite Johnson's house. His
reply to the Democratic candidates abuse
was terribly vituperative and sarcastic, and
wound up by the following sentences; "Your
townsman, the Democratic candidate for
Governor would have preferred to be born
snake and crawled through the grass that
he might bite the heels OF rich mems chill
dren."
Old Tennesseans are enjoying the quarrel
between Henry Foote, and the ex-President.
They declare Foote is a match for johnson.
SPECTATOR.