Civil War Washington

WASHINGTON LETTER.

I am exceedingly sorry thht​ I
could not get a letter ready for the last issue
of The Anglo-African. For the last ten or
twelve days pleasure with me has taken the
place of business. Private parties and the
baptism of children have become quite a mania
among our people in this city for private ban-
quets​, and your humble servant has been one
of the lucky ones—drafted in every company,
and so pleasant have been these tete-a-tete's​ that
I have always went in without taking the trou-
ble​ and expense of getting a substitute. [How?]
amused I have been when the merits of The
Anglo-African would be the theme of conversa-
tion​ at these parties to hear a question by one
lady to another—"Did you see The Anglo?"
"No! I did not, I should like to have seen
it very much," was the reply. "Well, every
one of our people ought to subscribe to it, if
only for one reason." "Why?" says another.
"We ought to subscribe to it for several rea-
sons​. First, the embarrassed situation the
riots in New York have brought the editor in;
secondly, the object of the paper: viz., the ele-
vation​ of our people"—I spoke up and said
that I felt assured that if the ladies would take
this matter in hand, it would not be long be-
fore​ The Anglo would flourish and grow. They
acquiesced, and I feel assured that the ladies
will begin to get subscribers for your most
excellent paper. "But," says another lady,
"I wish we could learn who the correspondent
is writing over the signature of 'Bob Logic.'
If we [knew?] him it would give us so much
pleasure to have him at our parties." Just at
this moment the ladies were invited to take
refreshments, and that announcement was
sweet music to my ear, as they were about
getting me in a close place as to who was the
correspondent.

The American Baptist Missionary Conven-
tion​ were in session all last week, and ad-
journed​ last Monday sine die. I was unable to
attend the Convention, but will try and get
the minutes of their proceedings for my next
letter. For the present, I clip from The Daily
Chronicle the following interview with the Pre-
sident​ of the United States and the Committee.

[An account of the interview referred to by
our correspondent will be found elsewhere in
our columns.—Ed.]

Dr. Augusta and staff of the medical depart-
ment​ of the contraband camp is getting along
nobly: The hospitals are in elegant order.
The sick have every attention that they can
desire, and the Doctor spares neither time nor
trouble to make them comfortable. I hear of
no complaint whatever. It is just as I pre-
dicted​: give these people such attendants as
are in sympathy with them, and my word for
it, they will be well cared for, and God will
bless all concerned. There is one thing that
the Doctor has accomplished since he has been
here, and that is, he has the Ladies of the Con-
traband​ Relief Association in his favor, and
whenever he calls on them for assistance in
the hospitals they very readily respond. The
Doctor very properly invited the female por-
tion​ of the Association to an entertainment at
the barracks the other day, and they were
highly delighted at the reception. They truly
deserved it, for there is no association in this
city that has been so indefatigable in their
exertions to take care of the people.

The other Sunday I visited the Sabbath-
school​ of the little children belonging to the
camp, and what an agreeable surprise it was
to me! Only look at the progress they have
made! These little children not long in our
midst, when in the hands of the tyrannical
slaveholder, their parents or anybody else
dared not put a book in their hands. Now see
how eager and readily they learn their book,
and then their singing! Oh! it would delight
you to hear those children sing. One of the
pieces that they sung for me, entitled, "A
light in the window for thee, brother," caused
my heart to melt within me when I stood and
heard their heavenly voices.

The Rev. L. A. Grimes of Boston is here.
He was a delegate to the Baptist convention.
Many other distinguished divines, whose names
I cannot remember, are also here. Mr. Grimes
has, whilst here, devoted much of his time in
visiting the various contraband camps here, in
Alexandria and Arlington. I had a talk with
him on his return from Alexandria, and he is
not satisfied with some things down there, re-
lative​ to the treatment of the freedmen.

I intend in my next letter to give you an
account of the various Sabbath-schools in our
city, their progress, numbers, etc.

The news from Charleston is cheering. Gill-
more​ is throwing Greek fire among the reptiles,
and the [chivalry?] are running pell-mell, and I
am in hopes that in a few days our colored
troops will take charge of Charleston and its
environs, and give Beauregard a little hemp
to hang upon.