What Will Be The Fate Of That Vast Pile, And
Of Those Other Costly Public Edifices At Washington, Should The
South Succeed Wholly In Their Present Enterprise?
If Virginia
should ever become a part of the Southern republic, Washington
cannot remain the capital of the Northern republic.
In such case it
would be almost better to let Maryland go also, so that the future
destiny of that unfortunate city may not be a source of trouble, and
a stumbling-block of opprobrium. Even if Virginia be saved, its
position will be most unfortunate.
I fancy that the railroads in those days must have been doing a very
prosperous business. From New York to Philadelphia, thence on to
Baltimore, and again to Washington, I had found the cars full; so
full that sundry passengers could not find seats. Now, on my return
to Baltimore, they were again crowded. The stations were all
crowded. Luggage trains were going in and out as fast as the rails
could carry them. Among the passengers almost half were soldiers.
I presume that these were men going on furlough, or on special
occasions; for the regiments were of course not received by ordinary
passenger trains. About this time a return was called for by
Congress of all the moneys paid by the government, on account of the
army, to the lines between New York and Washington. Whether or no
it was ever furnished I did not hear; but it was openly stated that
the colonels of regiments received large gratuities from certain
railway companies for the regiments passing over their lines.
Charges of a similar nature were made against officers, contractors,
quartermasters, paymasters, generals, and cabinet ministers.
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