tween the Capitol and the Treasury Building a moving mass of
humanity. Every man seemed to be asking every man he met for the
latest news, while all sorts of rumors filled the air. A feeling
of mingled horror and despair appeared to possess everybody. The
event was so totally unlooked for, and the disappointment so
terrible, that people grew suddenly sick at heart, and felt as if
life itself, with all its interests and charms, had been snatched
from their grasp. The excitement, turmoil and consternation
continued during the night and through the following day; but no
one could adequately picture or describe it. Our soldiers came
straggling into the city, covered with dirt and many of them wounded,
while the panic which led to the disaster spread like a contagion
through all classes.

On the day following this battle Congress met as usual, and
undoubtedly shared largely in the general feeling. A little before
the battle General Mansfield had issued an order declaring that
fugitive slaves would under no circumstances whatever be permitted
to reside or be harbored in the quarters and camps of the troops
serving in his department; and now, both Houses of Congress promptly
and with great unanimity and studious emphasis declared that the
purpose of the war was not the "conquest" or "subjugation" of the
conspirators who were striking at the Nation's life, or the overthrow
of their "established institutions," but to defend "the supremacy
of the Constitution," and to "preserve the Union"; and that "as
soon as these objects are accomplished the war ought to cease."
To through-going anti-slavery men this seemed like an apology for
the war, and a most ill-timed revival of the policy of conciliation,
which had been so uniformly and contemptuously spurned by the enemy.
It failed utterly of its purpose, and this historic resolve of
Congress was only useful to the rebels, who never failed to wield
it as a weapon against us, after the teaching of events had compelled
us to make slavery the point of attack. The Confiscation Act of
the 6th of August was regarded as a child of the same sickly
ancestry. The section of the Act making free the slaves employed
against us by the rebels in their military operations was criticised
as a bribe to them to fight us, rather than a temptation to espouse
our cause. If they engaged in the war at all, they were obliged
to do so as our enemies; but if they remained at home on their
plantations i