The Portland daily press., 1871-01-25
Political Notes.
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON ID. g. Ian. 81

WhV lAdhCo tbC ldCc Ill ldCc VI d ucI6dC IOT u
| denomination to the House.
Letter from Warrington.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 81, 1871.
| ALL QUIET ON THE POTOMAC.
That's the melancholy refrain of the news
monger's complaint. Since the San Domingo
commission sailed, we haven't had single
Donnybrook, except the little amusement
created by the Pickwickian performances of
Brooks and Hastings. It would have done the
soul of Dickens good could he have heard
James Brooks apostrophize the Deity, and
call on him to witness his honesty. A rascal
| ly wag whispered as he did it that it was a
too out of the way reference for Brooks; he
had no such familiar acquaintance as was in.
dictated by the protestation. After all the
rasing-and during it in fact-it was simply
cheap whitewashiAg that Mr.. Brooks want
ed. she doth protest too much, my Lord, ?
says the player, and truly the whole thing
Hastings libel and Brooks Indignation re-
minded me chiefly Of that amusing scene
among the Pickwickians, when after putting
| the immortal Pickwick down, with cries and
| groans, Blotton declared that "the hon. gent.
was a humbug," and then after being called
to order went on to say that he chad no hest
tation in saying that he had not" THAT is,
used the word in the common sense) she had
used it in its Pickwickan sense. He was
bound to acknowledge, that, personally, he
| entertained the highest regard and esteem for
the honorable gentleman; he had merely con-
| sidered him an humbug in a Pickwckian
| point of view"
don't know which would be called Pick
wick and which Blotton, in this quarrel, but
| it seems quite sure that the one called the
| other corrupt" and he esponded by affirn-
ing the utterer to be "a libeller and slanderer'
and that neither meant it except in Bottoms
| Pickwickian sense. Hastings, if he had
been dressed in tights and CATERS, worn cir
cular spectacles, had held one hand gracefully
behind his coat tails &C., would have been in
person an excellent study for Pickwick, ex-
cept that he has no such simple look, "you
| know" as the rotund victim of Buziuz "chops
| and tomatoes" 1t was roaring farce and
we all enjoyed it hugely.
KU KLUx DISCUSSION.
The only exciting debate has been that in
the Senate over Morton's resolution to inves-
| tigate the outrages constantly occurring at
the South. But the complaint was made
here by the men recently in attendance on
the Colored Labor Convention, that leading
Republican papers in the North refuse to
publish the facts relating to the disorders and
outrages. At an interview had with the
President these delegates told him that unless
some change was effected so that protection
could be ensured, the colored men would be
compelled generally to abstain from voting. or
| otherwise taking part in the campaign. The
pressure was greater than they could bear
Yesterday an account of grievous outrage
occurring on the 18th inst. reached here from
Georgia. On that day band of Ku Kux
went to Louisville, county seat of Jefferson,
and took nine colored men from the jail. Five
had been convicted and were serving differ
ent terms; the others were awaiting trial.
These men were brutally usedAl were whip
ped savagey, seven had each one ear cut off,
| from the eighth both ears were cut, and the
| ninth was killed, receiving seven or eighth
wounds from pistol shots.
In North Carolina similar atrocities are be-
ing perpetrated. An outlaw named Lowrey
is pillaging and murdering-mainly among
Union persons. The Democratic news papers
here hasten to declare that Lowrey is negro;
it that is his color it is curious he should hold
commission in the Confederate army. Parts
OF Kentucky and Tennessee are altogether
unsafe, while in South Carolina the condition
| of things is terrible. All the rebel adventur-
ers in the up country there are engaged also
| in Illicit .distillation. recently heard a rev.
enue officer describe tour of duty he made
in that region. 1t was full of knowing Escapes
| by field and flood; but none were more ex-
citing than one incident he told. Riding in
the country where John C. Calhoun lived
over lonely mountain cross road, he sudden
ly saw the ground giving way under his
horses feet and found himself precipitated
into cave where dozen men were hard at
work manufacturing whiskey. Of course he
was seized at once, and for little while
roughly handled. Fortunately he was I'M
known, and so succeeded in persuading the
men it was all an accident, thus inducing
them to let him go. Had his business been
known life would not have been worth five
minutes purchase.
The probability is that the Morton commit
tee will report in favor of appointing a COM
mission to proceed South, take testimony,
call for persons, and papers, and fully investi-
gate.
MARITIME COMMERCIAL MATTERS.
1t is almost certain that some action will be
taken before adjournment in favor of reliev-
| ing our commercial marine and shipbuilding
| interests. The immense lobby now here
working for the various steamship subsidy
schemes, are also helping the general meas
ure. 1t is doubtful if more than ore of the
ocean mai! schemes will go through but they
are all hoping to do so, and so aid the general
policy as necessity for their special schemes.
Some curious and interesting facts are being
put forward. Mr.. Wells, from the select
committee reports in favor of the New Or
leans and Mexican Steamship Co. Some of
the facts he introduces are worthy of repro
ducton. According to his figures, there was
in the countries debouChing on the Gulf of
Mexico and the islands thereof, from 1850 to
1859, a total trade of $66S, 7S4,l4S; and from
1860 to 1859, total of 81 ,056, 14O,S67. In the
first decade American ships carried $590,6S5,-
946. In the last period, American vessels
carried 1857 ,373, 100 of the whole. Foreign
vessels carried in the first ten years, but $7S,-
09S,2O2, in the last $685., 1877, making an
increase of freights for them more than equal
to the total increase of our trade. Mr.. Wells
argued that this has been produced and GER
tainly is maintained, by the influence of
substituting SO heavily. Mr.. Wells makes the
following statements which are interesting
enough to quote.
To and from United States Inman) weekly sl75. GAO
10 and from United States. (Cunard,) J. semi
10 ami from HALIFAX Bermuda. and St. '0O'OO0
Thomas, (Cunard,) monthly. ..."...,. $4,000
To and from Great Britain and No America 800, 900
To and ,i from England and the West Indies.
To and from ST. Thomas, Porto Rico, and s'0''O
To and from ST. Kits, Nevis and Mont Senat S4so
~ Total. ....;................... ss73 ,o2O
10 ana from Panama and west coast of
South America, Pacific Steam Naviga-
ton Company. ...........-........... $91 ,25O
To ond from England to 81 azil royal mail s167 500
Making total of direct subsieie. 81, Isl ITO
In addition to these eight subsidized lines,
employing fleet of about Is vessels with
burden OF $50, 900 at least, there is one other
British line-West India and Pacific Steam
ship Company-entering the Mexican Gulf
and making monthly circuit of its principal
points. 1t receives heavy postal rates, inland
as well as sea. To and from South American
Atlantic ports there are three other English
lines, receiving similar postal rates as the Sec
ond West Indian line. The lowest estimate of |
the amour: paid the Transatlantic and other |
Anglo American lines carrying English mails |
is set down at about 100000, which gives to- |
tai of subsidy and aid to that branch of their |
commerce of at least 1851 ,770.
france sustains an increasing Transatlantic |
TTonmerce in the same way. The French |
rnn an1i; IL, Company and the Messageries
;oa n '' MS 70 North, Central, and South Amer
-; Ane nrst company runs regularly two /
i ines lnto tne Gulf of Mexico, making regu-
i lar ilrcu,s ana touching at the principal is
tho roa anr .ne Mexcan ports, in addition to
c CUT lesu ,,a New York steamers They re-
age on mails carried by them. The AI s pusi
american service, which is conducted by tba
Messagerles Company, cost nearly or onite as
much as the Transatlantic. 1t nav be fairIr
estimated THAT European subsidies paI ~
their America steam lines will reach an 40.
gregate of not less than 81 100000
The general foreign commerce of the Uni.