Civil War Washington

IN WASHINGTON.

Editorial Correspondence.

Reader, on the morning of the 16th of Sep-
tember​, we read in a New York journal the
following extract from an address, adopted by
the unconditional Unionists of Maryland:

Anxious to visit the Capital but the State of
Maryland standing in our way, we had resolved
never to cross that State until it was free, but
after we read the above extract we said, these
propositions make a bridge broad enough for
us to cross Maryland upon, so in the dead hour
of the night on the 17th ult., we left New York
that we might reach and cross "My Maryland"
by day light. We knew that we were approach-
ing​ a region cursed by the presence of slave-
ry​, by the absence of villages and neat farm
houses such as make glad the heart of an
American traveller on our Northern railroads.
We reached Baltimore about 8 o'clock a. m.,
and we gazed upon its streets and inhabitants
with feelings somewhat akin to those which a
man feels when he is safely protected by iron
bars from the wild beasts in a menagerie.

Thoughts of the ever memorable 6th of April
came upon us. When the blood of a noble
Massachusetts soldier was poured out upon
the stones of that city, an offering upon the
altar of Eternal Right. We remembered also
that the blood of a little colored boy was shed
at the same time and place, and our mind went
out to mightier things. Port Hudson, Milli-
ken's​ Bend, Fort Wagner, and the days of '76
came before us, and the immortal luster radiat-
ing​ therefrom gave assurances, not to be
doubted, that this nation would yet rise in her
might and resolve that such great sacrifices as
have been made by the black man should not
be made in vain.

It was 10 o'clock when we arrived in Wash-
ington​ and the rain was falling in torrents.

A stranger arriving in that city would be
quite bewildered in endeavoring to find any
place without a guide; nevertheless we tried
it and were quite successful. We found the
house of Mr. William Slade and were made to
feel quite at home by his amiable lady. Mrs.
Slade is very frail in form, but possesses much
energy, and her labors in the Contraband
Relief Association have been of very great
value to many an escaped slave.

Leaving Mr. Slade's house for a boarding
house in the upper part of the city, we began
to realize what Washington is and what it will
very shortly be. A person living in a com-
pactly​ built city can have no idea of the beau-
tiful​ arrangement of its streets and avenues.

The public buildings are placed on every
high spot of ground in the city, and some of
the avenues sweep down in cresent​ form from
these palaces; lending great grandeur to their
appearance.

On entering Washington we took a slight
glance at the Capital​, but we had the great
good luck to view it closely by the light of a
brilliant moon. No building that we ever
saw, had such an influence upon us. Our
thoughts went immediately out to the most
distant parts of the country and flew down the
vale of time to the battles of the Revolution
and the war of 1812, and we thanked God that
our father had volunteered to breast the leaden
storm in defence of this great country, of which
this magnificent building is such a splendid
type. We have since through the kindness of
Mr. John Johnson, a man of much intelligence
and a most courteous colored gentleman, had
the opportunity of examining the building in-
ternally​, and all we have to say is "come and
see." The view from the Capitol is very beau-
tiful​, you gaze upon the sluggish Potomac, and
then turn your eyes toward the green shores of
Maryland and Virginia, but that greenness is
soon shrouded in gloom. The Spirit of mourn-
ing​ seems to hover over the scene and you want
to talk with the trees, the earth, and the water;
but alas they are silent. They have witnessed
the blood as it flowed in streams from the
backs of our poor brethren and sisters. They
have heard the agonizing shrieks of these help-
less​ victims of outrage and wrong, they have
heard the sharp crackings of the heart-strings
of our poor sisters as the children of their love
were torn away from their arms—they have
seen the slave ships as they stretched their
wings and bore away to sorrow and to death
these innocent unoffending ones; but you ques-
tion​ them in vain. The briny tears come
out from their hiding places; and you quietly
leave the window least somebody should see
you weep; but you turn your eyes toward
the White House, and you know that there resides
the man, who, under God, has been permitted
to break up to a great extent, this horrid ini-
quity​—to emancipate millions of men, and the
mind instinctively says: God Bless Abraham
Lincoln. But when you recollect all the
events of the war—the ways by which a Mer-
ciful​ Providence has led, and is leading the
nation, our wonder is lost in love, and we cry
out in ecstacy​ of spirit,

"Glory to God in the Highest" "for ever
and ever!" Amen.

We cannot, for want of time, say more in
regard to this city, but will resume the subject
hereafter. In our next article we shall have
something to say about the people and their
leaders, both ministerial and lay, and about
their generosity to us. It is enough for us to
say at this time, that surprise, wonder, admi-
ration​ and gratitude have taken possession of
us, depriving us of that rest which is so essen-
tial​ to thought and health. Midnight finds our
eyes unclosed and the cock at morn is an hour
behind us with his early song.