The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-05-16
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.
Our Washington Letter.
WARRINGTON, May IL, 1872.

| WASHINGTON, May II, 1872.
| N"HNcE BETWEEN THE DRorrH IN
WASHINGTON AND MAINE.
We are now enduring hot weatber and dr,,
dusty streets and "Old Probabilities, g.,l. %
comfort us with any predictions of a s.vor
able change. little moisture would be as
welcome to dwelers here as horn of "Med-
ford' to the longing lips of a sufferer from
Perry's "drouth." Our "drouth'' Is not of
that kind. The supply of Bourbon" never
declines in Washington. If we could turn
the tables and dry up the whiskey, it would
be great benefit to the morals of this COM
munity. Last week young man formerly
from Maine and who was occupying a good
position here fell from street ear while un-
der the influence of liquor and received in
juries which have since resulted in his DEATH
'Rum did it"-Nobody to blame-The rum
seller don't oblige his victims to ride on street
cars, so, of course, it was not his fault 1t is
however strong temperance lecture and one
so often repeated that wonder why it is not
oftener needed. The extent of intemperance
in Washington would impress Maine man
with q due sense of the justice Of prohibition,
so thoroughly that he would feel proud of the
Maine law and Neal Dow forever after.
WASHINGTON IN MAY.
Our weather is like that of July and vege-
tation has the appearance of June, in Maine,
except that there is greater variety of flow
ers here. Strawberries have been sold in the
market here for seren dollars per quart.
How is that for high; only those in comfort
able circumstances eat Strawberries at that
price. The summer recreations have already
begun. The various lawns on the public
grounds are constantly occupied by croquet
parties affording the "worldly minded a
splended opportunity to look upon the gor-
geous dolly Vardens." The Marine Band
commenced series of out door concerts on
the grounds adjoining the
.t.. WHITE HOUSE
to-day. This entertainment is one of the reg
ular institutions Of Washington.
THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.
The debate on the tariff, which still contin-
ues in the "House," wakes humorous at
times, and the habitual reader of the Globe
turns to the speeches of "Sam." Cox, Banks
or Butler with as much interest as the
ordinary mortal "goes for'' Nasby's letters or
Nast's cartoons. If you want humorous
reading, take the "Daily Globe" and peruse
the House debates. The Senate indulges in
grander style. There we listen to tragedy
played by Sumner, Trumbull and Schurz,
instead Of comedy by Cox and others, as in
the House. To-Day, we have been especially
entertained, the outbreak being occasioned
by the Report of the "Arms Investigation
Committee" submitted by Mr.. Carpenter.
Mr.. Sumner took occasion to present
re-hash of his old protests, revised and
abridged, in which he takes occasion to renew
his attempt to annihilate the committee
Senators Hamlin, Carpenter and Logan re-
piled to his TRADE. There will be something
lively on this, when it comes up again, which
it will soon do, as it has been laid on the table
and ordered printed. Your readers will have
become familiar with the character of the
report, before they read this letter.
H THE AMNESTY QUESTION.
One of the most interesting circumstances
In the political line, since my last, was the
debate on Amnesty and Civil rights" which
took place on Thursday in the Senate, and
finally resulted in the joint defeat of both
measures. The Democrats favor general
amnesty, but viii not recognize the
can forgive a white man, who Is
guilty of treason-but are horror striken
at the proposition to forgive freedman
the crime Of being either black or
free. The Republicans argue that reb-
ell repentance cannot be very sincere,
IL 1t is not deep enough to overcome the old
Inconsistent prejudice against a dark skin.
The rebels have evidently got to come down
from their ''high horse or, continue to un-
dergo their present disposition of forfeited
rights. The debate was conducted under the
five minutes rule which caused the dispu-
tants to say their good things without the
usual accommodations of buncombe to tire the
! patience of the listener. Trumbull has grown
sour very fast, since the Cincinnati Conven-
ton. He can't reconcile himself to the idea
that he is not so great a man as Horace Gree
ley. His dissatisfacti on is painfully appar-
ent and with his own Political decline he sees
only the utter ruin of the country.
THE EVENTS OF THE WEEK
have been attended with good results in a
general way and on the whole our political
atmosphere is all the clearer for the little
squall at Cincinnati. Greeley Stock is shaky,
ranging from fifty per cent. below par down
to nothing. One prominent Democratic SEN
ator said to-day that they can count him out
ii his party takes up Greeley, and added that
II anybody but d-d lunatic had been nom-
mated at Cincinnati he would have favored
tue candidate" Grant stock is steady every
thing goingto show that he is gaining ground,
constantly, and that the dust raised by che
opposition will soon clear away-and that
the hero of so many battles to0n, and none
lost will receive the support of the united par
ty and win another victory. MINoT