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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd62522 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #55141 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55141) diff --git a/old/55141-0.txt b/old/55141-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3ee9b53..0000000 --- a/old/55141-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3942 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mysteries of Washington City, during -Several Months of the Session of the, by Caleb Atwater - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Mysteries of Washington City, during Several Months of the Session of the 28th Congress - -Author: Caleb Atwater - -Release Date: July 17, 2017 [EBook #55141] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERIES OF WASHINGTON CITY *** - - - - -Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Charlie Howard, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - MYSTERIES OF WASHINGTON CITY, - - DURING SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE - - SESSION OF THE 28th CONGRESS. - - - By a Citizen of Ohio. - - - Washington, D. C. - PRINTED BY G. A. SAGE, E STREET, NEAR NINTH - - 1844. - - - - -Entered according to the act of Congress in the office of the clerk of -the District Court of the District of Columbia, by CALEB ATWATER, in -the year 1844. - - - - -DEDICATION. - - -To the Members of the twenty-eighth Congress, Senators, Representatives -and their officers, this little volume is respectfully dedicated, as a -small token of high regard for them, as officers of the government of -the United States, and as men, devoted to the best interests of their -country, by their old friend and fellow citizen, - - THE AUTHOR. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -This small volume is the first of a series, which the author proposes -to write for the amusement, and he hopes, for the information of -his countrymen. This is “Mysteries,” the next will be “Humbugs of -Washington city” and the third volume if deemed necessary, to reform -the public morals, will be “the crimes of Washington city.” Whoever -reads this little work, will find in it no malice, nor even ill will -towards individuals, whom the author wishes to reform, not to destroy, -by exposing vice and recommending virtue in its loveliness and beauty. -He is happy to be able to say, that the people of this district -have been growing better during twenty years past. Several of the -Departments, perhaps all of them, are better conducted than formerly. -There is in them a better system. We refer more especially to the -Treasury Department--the General Land Office and the Department of -the General Post Office. The State Department is and always was well -enough. All party spirit has been carefully avoided in writing this -little book. Feeling no ill will towards any one, for opinion’s sake, -the author has expressed none towards the good men with whom he has -freely associated during several months past. Treated kindly himself -by men of all parties, he has endeavored to treat them as they have -treated him, during this protracted session of Congress. In his _next -volume_ he proposes to describe the Patent Office, the War Office and -the Navy Department. He hopes to be able soon to begin his visits -to them, and continue his visits until he understands fully what is -in those departments, so that the people can learn correctly whether -_common report_ be true or false respecting them. THE INDIAN BUREAU -WILL BE EXAMINED. - -Errors in this first edition of an original work could not be avoided, -and the reader, it is hoped, will correct them as he reads the work -the first time. Unless this volume is soon sold, his next work, “THE -HUMBUGS” will be put to the press when Congress rises. The author will -_take off his gloves_ when he writes that volume during the dog-days. - - The reader’s humble servant, - THE AUTHOR. - WASHINGTON CITY, June 1st, 1844. - - - - -TABLE OF CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - Journey to Washington City.--A day at Wheeling, in Virginia.-- - Ride to Cumberland over the Alleghany mountains.--Extremely cold - weather in a crowded Stage.--Arrival at Cumberland two hours - too late to take the Rail-road cars to Baltimore, through the - management of stage drivers and tavern keepers, on the route.-- - Arrival at Washington City on New Year’s day.--Reflections on the - change in every thing, in the city, since that day fourteen years. - --Interviews with the President, Major William B. Lewis, Governor - Woodbury, and many old friends, at Mrs. Hamilton’s, on Pennsylvania - Avenue.--Biographical Sketch of Levi Woodbury. - - - CHAPTER II. - - Journey from Washington to Philadelphia.--A day at Philadelphia. - --Journey to New York on the rail-road.--Stop on Broadway.--A - dinner consisting of ice water and one mouthful of roast beef!-- - Bill of fare, but no fare.--Thefts and burglary.--Broadstreet - Hotel corner of Broad and Pearl streets.--Fare excellent, but no - BILL OF FARE on the table at dinner.--Charles A. Clinton and Dr. - Hosack.--Mrs. Lentner’s on Amity street, where Colonel Trumbull - lived and died.--Albert Gallatin and his lady on Beekman street. - --Mr. Gallatin’s eventful life.--How employed in the study of - Indian languages.--His inquiries concerning his old friends in - the District of Columbia.--Their feeling towards him and Mrs. - Gallatin, and the comparisons they are now daily compelled to - make.--The trade of New York city, its vast amount and probable - increase, which will eventually render it the greatest commercial - emporium in the world.--Rail-road to the Pacific ocean and a fair - prospect of its connecting our Atlantic cities with China and the - Pacific islands, by means of rail-roads and steam vessels.--The - future wealth, grandeur and moral glory of this republic. - - - CHAPTER III. - - Return to Washington.--The different degrees of temperature in the - atmosphere at different places seen in the thickness of the ice in - the rivers from New York to Washington inclusive.--Long interview - with the President. His misfortunes rather than his faults.-- - His cheerfulness, and his views as to Liberia.--Supernumeraries - ought to be set to work and sent off.--Beautiful situation of - Washington.--The Congress library, its officers and the agreeable - company usually in the library room.--Army of little officers - in and about the capitol.--Judge Upshur, personal acquaintance - with him, his character and death.--The tragedy on board the - Princeton.--Great funeral and a whole city in tears for the loss - of so many distinguished citizens. - - - CHAPTER IV. - - Mr. Dana’s speech against the military Academy.--Objections-- - it is an aristocratic institution.--1st in its selection of - candidates--2nd in its monopoly of military commissions.--Its - expenses are enormous and wholly disproportioned to any advantages - to be derived from it.--Its positive evils, as it operates on the - officers and on the private soldiers.--Mr. Dana might have added, - that if this republic is in danger from any quarter, its danger - lies in this institution. - - - CHAPTER V. - - This chapter is serious, grave, gay and mysterious.--Good advice - to Uncle Sam.--A dream which clears up the mystery of beards and - mustaches, and accounts for some things, but cannot account for - others, until the author dreams again; perhaps not even then!-- - Inquiries and doubts, not answered or solved in this chapter. - - - CHAPTER VI. - - Officers of both houses of Congress.--Vice President Mangum.-- - Speaker Jones.--Members of Congress, their labors and unenviable - state.--Eloquence of members.--Senators Choate, Crittenden, - Morehead, &c. &c.--The Tariff, Oregon and Texas to go down to - the foot of the docket and be postponed until next session of our - honorable court. - - - CHAPTER VII. - - Visit to Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of State.--Alexandria, its early - history.--Reminisences of General Washington.--Memoir of Mr. - Anthony Charles Cazenove; a most interesting tale.--He was the - old partner of Albert Gallatin, at New Geneva, Pennsylvania. - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Officers of the government.--Remarks on the permanency of the seat - of government.--No authority in the constitution to remove it. - --Monomaniacs, one who fancies himself in paradise! and the other - expects to be elected the next president!--Other monomaniacs - equally crazy.--LOCAL INFORMATION. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - Journey to Washington City.--A day at Wheeling, in Virginia.-- - Ride to Cumberland over the Allegheny mountain.--Extremely cold - weather in a crowded Stage.--Arrival at Cumberland two hours - too late to take the Rail-road cars to Baltimore, through the - management of stage drivers and tavern keepers, on the route.-- - Arrival at Washington City on New Year’s day.--Reflections on the - change in every thing, in the city, since that day fourteen years. - --Interviews with the President, Major William B. Lewis, Governor - Woodbury, and many old friends, at Mrs. Hamilton’s, on Pennsylvania - Avenue.--Biographical Sketch of Levi Woodbury. - - -Leaving Columbus, the seat of government, in the State of Ohio, on -the morning of the twenty-sixth of November, in the stage, in company -with six or seven passengers, we arrived at Wheeling, in Virginia, in -exactly twenty-four hours. The distance is somewhat over one hundred -and thirty miles. We passed over the National road, then in a good -condition for travelling on it. Stopping at the Virginia Hotel in -Wheeling, we ascertained that we were too late for the stage that would -pass over the road to Cumberland, in season for the rail-road cars -next morning; and so we concluded to tarry where we were, until next -day. Resting ourselves here that day, and laying by sleep enough for -the route between Wheeling and Cumberland, we took an early start the -next morning, and passed over the Alleghanies during the succeeding -night. We travelled some fifty miles or upwards on the ridge of that -mountain, which is four thousand feet above the ocean, and on one -point it is nearly, if not quite, five thousand feet in height. It was -extremely cold, and the snow was several inches in depth. The cracks -in the doors and windows of the stage, admitted the piercing cold -more freely than we could have wished. We were nine in number, and -were quite incommoded and uncomfortably stowed away. The stage driver -insisted on stopping at every tavern, that we passed, almost, during -the night, and the tavern keepers themselves were quite importunate, -and strove to induce us to stop and warm ourselves by their large coal -fires in their bar-rooms. - -These arts of stage drivers and tavern keepers combined, detained us -so long, notwithstanding all our exertions to prevent it, that they -produced the effect which it was intended to produce: we arrived -at Cumberland, in Maryland, about two hours too late for the cars -that day, and so we were detained at that town until next morning. -If the tavern keepers at Wheeling and Cumberland could be believed, -though we had our doubts, they were excessively offended at all who -were concerned in delaying us on our route, viz.: the stage agent at -Wheeling, and the drivers and tavern keepers on the mountain, from -the top of Laurel Hill, to Frostburgh inclusive. On the last day of -December, 1843, we left Cumberland early in the morning, and in ten -hours we were safely landed in Baltimore, passing over one hundred and -eighty miles of rail-road in that period of time. For such a distance, -of continuous rail-road, this is a most excellent road, and the ride -is a very pleasant one. Our stoppages were neither numerous nor did we -tarry long at any one place. At Harper’s Ferry we stopped to dine, but -prefering to take our refreshment in the cars, we were gratified in -that way, thereby saving one-half the expense and one-half the usual -time of tarrying here to take a regular dinner. The towns through which -we passed, between Cumberland and Baltimore, are small ones, but are -improving in appearance. In Baltimore I stopped at Bradshaw’s, near the -depot, and there found a good, comfortable room, a good bed, and good -breakfast for one dollar. Leaving Baltimore in the cars at 8 o’clock, -A. M., we reached Washington city, at 10 o’clock, in the morning, on -New Year’s day. I had expected to have seen, at least, one hundred -thousand people in Pennsylvania Avenue, on New Year’s day, as I saw, -on that day fourteen years before. Now, I saw no crowd, no bustle, and -heard no noise, and saw no stir. There was, however, as I learned at -supper from some clerks who boarded where I put up, a levee of clerks -and officers, who were dependants on the heads of Departments, and -they called it “a crowd” of officers and office seekers? The nation -had increased in numbers, greatly, since 1830, but only one thousand -officers attended at the White house that day, whereas one hundred -thousand people thronged the Avenue fourteen years before! Such was my -impression from what I saw and heard that day. The change was striking, -and told the different feelings of the people towards the Captain, -from those formerly evinced towards the old General. I leave it to the -reader to decide on the cause, but the fact made an impression at the -time, and forced the comparison on my own mind, on the first day of the -year 1844. Both days, that is, the first day of January 1830, and New -Year’s day 1844, were equally fair, and the Avenue was now in a better -condition than formerly, made so, at a large expense, by the nation. -The officers of the government had doubled in numbers around the Chief -Magistrate, but THE PEOPLE were not here now. - -I had been absent from the city ever since early in August 1832, -and it had undergone a change in its exterior appearance, in the -mean time, of some magnitude. Its vacant lots had been built on, in -many places; old buildings had been removed, and new ones, many of -them large and elegant ones, had been erected in their stead. The -improvements about the public buildings: the Capitol, the War office, -the President’s house, &c., were considerable, and had cost the nation -large sums of money. Besides these improvements, a new building of -large dimensions had been built instead of the old Post Office, that -fire had destroyed, since I had been here. A new Patent Office, of -dimensions quite too large for any use to which the nation ought to -devote it, had been built. The structure of this building seemed to -me, to be such, that it will fall down in a few years. A new Treasury -Office of vast dimensions, had also been built, since I had visited the -city. Washington had now assumed more of a city-like aspect, instead -of its old one, of a long straggling village. More churches had been -built, in various parts of the city, and no disgusting sights of -beggars and prostitutes met the eye. These circumstances added much to -my satisfaction on my first day’s visit to the seat of Government. I -met and shook hands with many old friends, residing either here or in -Georgetown. Washington no longer presents the outside of vice, and that -circumstance speaks highly of those, who have so zealously laboured -to improve the morals, and mend the hearts, of the great mass of the -citizens. Their labors must have been great, otherwise such success -would not have followed their works. - -I attended, afterwards, divine service in several of their churches -in the city, and once in the Episcopal church, with General Archibald -Henderson’s family, at the Navy Yard, but I always found good -preaching, and orderly, and even devout congregations attending -church. In the streets of the city, I have never seen an intoxicated -person, whereas, twelve years since, I have seen fifty such sights in -a day. Many of them were Members of Congress! During this long visit -of several months, constantly visiting all the public places, I have -not seen one Member of Congress, either intoxicated or in any wise -misbehaving himself, on any occasion. - -There may be vice here, but it no longer exhibits its disgusting front -in public, and I have not sought for it, nor wished to find it. It -is true, the passengers see signs in several places on the Avenue, -with the words “BILLIARDS,” or “BILLIARD SALOON,” printed on them, -but otherwise, the stranger would not know without inquiry, where the -gamblers resort for gaining what they call an “honest livelihood.” The -reflections I drew from such premises, assure me of an improved state -of morals, in the nation itself, in many respects. We may hope that -moral feelings and moral principles, will one day govern this great -Republic, through its representatives, in our legislative assemblies. - -Let us hope, too, that the day is not far off, when our highest -officers, civil, naval, and military, will be sober, honest, and moral -men. Many, perhaps all, or nearly all, of our older officers are -such men even now--such men as General Henderson, Col. Abert, General -Bomford, General Gibson, Col. Totten, General Towson, Maj. Lewis, Judge -Blake, M. St. Clair Clarke, and many others, are such men now. The high -respect in which these men are held by all who know them, will have a -good effect on all their subordinates. The low estimation, likewise, -in which men in high places, of an opposite character, are held here -and elsewhere, will produce its good effects also. They stand out as -beacons on the ocean of life, to warn off every mariner from such an -iron bound coast. The success which has always attended the sons and -daughters of such good men, and the total ruin which has followed, and -overwhelmed the children of wicked officers of government, teach the -same lessons of prudence, wisdom, and virtue. - -It argues but poorly in favor of an aristocracy in this country, to -see, in the offices, as minor clerks, the sons of highly respectable -fathers, unless it be in cases, where a man with a family is reduced by -misfortunes and losses, by untoward events, without any fault of his; -or he may have been a literary man, like William Darby. In such a case, -the government may, on the purest principles of morals, give such a -man some easy place as a shelter in his old age. Such an act ought to -rescue such a head of department from oblivion. Judge Blake deserves -and receives his reward in the good opinion of all good men. - -Speaking of clerks, it is to be regretted that the young men of -this district should, early in life, accept of a clerkship, instead -of setting out at once for themselves, whereby they can be more -independent and have a better prospect of rising in the world as -respectable men and useful ones too, than a clerkship can ever afford -them. I was told that it was no very uncommon sight to see in a day one -hundred such young men in office hours, walking the streets, standing -in refectories, drinking spirits, or lounging about the lobbies of the -two houses, or sauntering about the rotundo with an umbrella over their -heads, leading about some female friend! I was told also, that while -these loafers were thus engaged, the older clerks and older men with -families to support, were over worked in their several offices. One -hundred such clerks with high salaries, (often the highest ones) ought -to be dismissed in a day, and substitutes found in the western states, -who have almost nothing here in the departments. Such a state of things -would sink any administration in the estimation of all the West. - -I give this story for what it is worth, and for the sake of unity, -in relation to the appointment of clerks, whose residence is in -the District, we relate here another anecdote, which, in order of -time belongs to a more recent era than the early part of our present -visit. On the morning of the day when Messrs. Gilmer and Wilkins were -nominated to the Senate, for the purpose of getting those nominations -made that day, I called at the White House very early in the morning, -and being the first on the spot by half an hour, the President, in -accordance with his usual politeness towards me, directed the messenger -to give to me, as the first one that morning whom he would see, the key -of the door that led to the President’s room, up stairs. I took the key -and opened the door, putting my hand against the door case to prevent -an ugly old woman getting ahead of me, on my way to see the President; -but the old lady stooping under my arm and running before me, cried out -aloud, “W...... ought to be clerk, W...... ought to be clerk.” She kept -before me, running a race, thus proclaiming, at the top of her voice, -until she reached the President’s room, where seating herself without -leave or licence, she continued her clamor for some minutes.--Finally, -finding no opportunity to be alone with the Chief Magistrate, I opened -to him my business, notwithstanding the presence of this old witch -of Endor. She declared that “although they had lived in the District -almost one whole year, yet during all that long period they had -procured no office yet.” They had kept boarders, for which they had -received only thirteen dollars a week for each boarder! They had been -compelled, it seems, to hire a man at ten dollars a month, to wait on -the boarders! yet neither her husband nor her son-in-law had received -any office yet. Hearing that two Secretaries were to be nominated that -day, she modestly insisted on “her husband’s being a clerk under one -of them.” The President told her, “that he had nothing to do with such -appointments, which he left to the Secretaries to make.” It seems, -from the best information I could obtain, that women, belonging to this -District, and parts of Maryland and Virginia near Washington, come -here, constantly soliciting offices for their sons, husbands and other -relatives. That they have often succeeded, is evident enough to the -public injury, and to the injury of the public officers themselves. -Were the same rules adopted now, that Jefferson and Madison adhered to -formerly, a vast deal of personal inconvenience to the President would -be avoided. The Presidents, to whom I have referred, required that all -applications for offices should be made in writing. If the office was -derived from the President and Senate, the application had to be made -to the President; but if the office applied for came from a Secretary, -then he only was addressed, but it must be in writing. A story has been -for some time past running around the whole Union, during the last -year, in relation to the appointment of a clerk. The tale itself is -derived, we presume, from some officer here, yet is doubtless wholly -untrue. Could that officer be believed, a woman, residing in or near -the District, frequently called to see the President, in order to get -her husband appointed a clerk. After many vain attempts to accomplish -her wishes, she is represented as having succeeded at last by informing -the Chief Magistrate, “that her husband was entirely helpless in his -bed from sickness, and that she and her children must come to want -unless her husband was appointed a clerk!” - -Having recounted my first impressions on my arrival here, I proceed -in my personal narrative. On the next day, early in the forenoon of -January second, I called on my old friend, Major William B. Lewis, -Second Auditor, located in the War Office building, whom I found -disengaged. After a few minutes’ conversation, he began to tell me -about how my business had been treated in the War Office, by the late -Secretary of War and the present Commissioner of Indian Affairs. He -spoke an hour, in which time he entirely acquitted President Tyler of -all participation in the oppression, of which I had been the object. -I had been informed quite the reverse by our delegation, on the -authority of the men, who were the only authors of all the injustice -which had been done to me. On the next day I saw the man who had -wronged me; and although I did not even allude to his conduct towards -me, I became entirely satisfied of his guilt, and so made up my mind -accordingly. The next step required me, I thought, to make the proper -apology to an injured man, injured by his worst enemies, who pretended -to be his best friends. On the first day that I called to see the -President, the members of Congress occupied the President’s time so -long, that I could not see him that day. I called again next day, and -through the friendship of Judge French of Kentucky, who spoke to the -western members then waiting to see the President, and more especially -through the aid of the Hon. T. Jefferson Henley of Indiana, I saw -the President and conversed with him about my claim. Mr. Henley lived -opposite Louisville, (when at home,) on the Ohio river. He represented -a part of Indiana with which I was formerly well acquainted. He stood -by me, and insisted on the President seeing me and conversing with me -on my business. The President came out of his room to see me, instead -of inviting _me_ into his room. He seemed not to know what had been -done, and he referred me to Maj. Lewis for information; but as the -Auditor could not originate an account, and, in as much too, as the -then Secretary of War, I well knew, could not pass the Senate, I -preferred deferring my business until another Secretary of War had been -appointed. I therefore deferred the presentation of any claim until a -future day. - -Walking along the avenue towards Gadsby’s, I heard a loud voice behind -me, and turning around, I saw following me, with a quick step, Levi -Woodbury, now a Senator from New Hampshire, formerly a Secretary, -first of the Naval, next of the Treasury department. I was happy, -indeed, to meet such an old friend, after a separation of more than -eleven years’ continuance. He was in the best health and spirits, and -exacted a promise from me, that I would spend that evening with him and -his family, at Mrs. Hamilton’s, on the avenue. At early candle light I -went to see him, but, in addition to his family, I found there a large -number of old friends, members of Congress and others. It was a most -agreeable meeting of old friends, who had once been the supporters of -General Jackson. Old scenes were recalled to our minds, and all were -very happy for the time being. Gov. Hill of New Hampshire, was the -only one who did not laugh heartily on that occasion. His nomination -for some little office was before the Senate for confirmation, and his -fears, if he had any, were well founded, because his nomination was -not confirmed, but rejected not long afterwards by the Senate. Among -the ladies present, were Mrs. Woodbury and her three daughters. They -are New England’s best beauties--they have handsome forms, and they are -beautiful in face, body and mind. The whole family, father, mother -and daughters, present one of the best family groups I ever saw in my -whole life. Their persons, minds and manners are in perfect keeping, of -which New Hampshire may well be proud, as ornaments, physical, mental -and moral, of the Granite State. Seeing them, and listening to their -conversation, I thought, though I did not say so, that, unless the -unmarried members of Congress had hearts harder than granite itself, -and colder than northern icebergs, these young ladies would soon have -good husbands and good homes in our delightful Great Western valley. -Give us millions of just such people in the West, to cultivate and -adorn the largest, the best and most fertile valley on the whole globe. - -Levi Woodbury was born in Francistown, in New Hampshire, in the year -1790. His father, Peter Woodbury, emigrated, when quite young, from -Beverly, in Massachusetts, to the town where Governor Woodbury was -born. We do not propose in this biographical notice of one who has -successively filled, with credit to himself and honor to his native -state, so many high and important public stations, any thing more -than a mere passing notice of one of the most industrious, polite, -kind and useful men in the present Congress. The early education of -Mr. Woodbury was acquired in the common schools of his native town. -During a short period, he was employed, when young, a mere youth of -fourteen or fifteen years of age, in teaching a school in Pepperell, in -Massachusetts. In 1805 he entered Dartmouth college, and was regularly -graduated at that institution. As a scholar, he stood very high in -his class. This circumstance, in addition to his devotion to literary -pursuits, in all probability, induced his alma mater to confer on -him the degree of LL. D. at a subsequent period of his life. After -graduating at Dartmouth college, Mr. Woodbury studied law one year with -Judge Reeve, at Litchfield, Connecticut, and completing his law studies -at other places, was admitted to the bar in 1812, and immediately -opened a law office in his native town. At the time when Mr. Woodbury -began his career as a lawyer, party spirit ran high in New Hampshire; -the majority were opposed to the war and the then administration of -the general government. Mr. Woodbury supported the war, and often -addressed public meetings, and drew up and introduced into them -spirited resolutions, which produced considerable effect on the minds -of his fellow citizens. During several years, the party opposed to the -war, governed the State, until 1816, perhaps. During these four years -Mr. Woodbury rose into a great practice at the bar, and stood high too -as a politician with his party. In 1816, when his party had become a -majority in the legislature, he was elected clerk of the Senate. In the -next January he was appointed a judge of the superior court. Having -at such an early age been appointed to the highest judicial station -in the State, the public attention was naturally turned towards him. -His quick apprehension, his reach of thought, his firmness and moral -courage, rendered him a model, it is said, of judicial deportment. His -judicial decisions are reported and held in high estimation by the -lawyers of New Hampshire. In 1823, Judge Woodbury was elected Governor -of the State, but returned to the practice of the law in 1824. His -law practice was instantly considerable, and he was sought for as a -lawyer by persons in every part of the State. In 1819 he was married -to Miss Clapp of Portland in Maine. In the year 1825 he was elected a -representative from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the legislature. He -had settled himself as a lawyer, on his marriage, in Portsmouth. By -the legislature, to which he had been elected, he was chosen Speaker -of the House of Representatives, and towards the close of the session -he was elected to the Senate of the United States. We have been the -more careful to notice every step of Mr. Woodbury’s advancement, until -he reached the United States Senate, because, as soon as he appeared -in that body, he was seen by the whole nation; and from that time to -the present moment, he has always been where the whole nation could -see him. His labors on committees, in the Senate, have been great and -useful to his country. As Secretary of the Navy, and subsequently -Secretary of the Treasury department, he has shown talents of a -superior cast. It is a striking fact, that he and his friend Cass, of -the same State originally, are possibly the only men whom their party -could, by possibility succeed in electing at the next presidential -election. - -To those who personally know Mr. Woodbury, it is unnecessary to state, -that in his manners he is one of the most agreeable men in the world. -Finally, himself and Mrs. Woodbury, have the most beautiful, well bred -and polite family now attending on this session of Congress. Their -persons are not less beautiful than their minds, their manners and -their hearts. I dismiss them from any further notice in my book, with -the fervent desire that God may bless them. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - Journey from Washington to Philadelphia.--A day at Philadelphia. - --Journey to New York on the rail-road.--Stop on Broadway.--A - dinner consisting of ice water and one mouthful of roast beef!-- - Bill of fare, but no fare.--Thefts and burglary.--Broadstreet - Hotel corner of Broad and Pearl streets.--Fare excellent, but no - BILL OF FARE on the table at dinner.--Charles A. Clinton and Dr. - Hosack.--Mrs. Lentner’s on Amity street, where Colonel Trumbull - lived and died.--Albert Gallatin and his lady on Beckman street. - --Mr. Gallatin’s eventful life.--How employed in the study of - Indian languages.--His inquiries concerning his old friends in - the District of Columbia.--Their feeling towards him and Mrs. - Gallatin, and the comparisons they are now daily compelled to - make.--The trade of New York city, its vast amount and probable - increase, which will eventually render it the greatest commercial - emporium in the world.--Rail-road to the Pacific ocean and a fair - prospect of its connecting our Atlantic cities with China and the - Pacific islands, by means of rail-roads and steam vessels.--The - future wealth, grandeur and moral glory of this republic. - - -Having tarried at Washington about eight days, and having visited -all the places and persons that I then desired to see, I left the -city early in the morning, in the rail-road cars, breakfasted in -Baltimore at Bradshaws, and reached Philadelphia about dark in the -evening. Stopping at the Mansion House hotel, adjoining the depot, I -visited Dr. S. G. Morton, on Arch street, not far from my lodgings. -He invited me to call on him the next evening, which I did. Through -the day intervening, I visited some book-sellers and book-binders, -and saw and conversed with several very agreeable and well educated -persons, citizens and strangers. The Philadelphians are a very moral, -well-informed and good people. At Dr. Morton’s I met a small circle -of his friends, with whom I spent agreeably several hours. The Doctor -and his lady have a family of very promising sons and daughters, whom -they are educating in the best possible manner. I saw Dr. Wistar at -the hotel where I put up, and where he boards. He is the son of the -celebrated Doctor of that name, but the present Dr. Wistar does not -wish to follow the practice of his profession, and so he does not -follow it at present; at least, I so understood him to say. Since I had -seen this city, it had greatly increased its dimensions and improved -its exterior appearance. The Girard College buildings, the Merchants’ -Exchange and the Almshouse, have been built since I had seen -Philadelphia before, and they added much to its exterior aspect. - -The building intended as a residence for paupers, as we passed along -the rail-road, on my return from New York, in a pleasant morning, on -our right hand, across the Schuylkill, standing on elevated ground, -made a splendid appearance. Had we not known that it was the Almshouse, -we might have been tempted to believe it the residence of some retired -monarch of the old world, who had come here, and at the expense of a -million of dollars or more, had erected this splendid palace for a -residence. The traveller is generally treated a little better, and -charged a little less in Philadelphia, than he is in any other Atlantic -city. As a whole, this city has always been celebrated for its good -qualities of all sorts, and yet a few, a very few men here have done -not a little to injure its still fair character. Its banks, bankers and -bankrupts have brought down ruin on many an honest man and covered -themselves, the authors of the ruin, with shame and disgrace. The -ruin has fallen on the innocent only, while the guilty have escaped -condign punishment, except one of them, whose death in all human -probability was occasioned by his mental sufferings, at the loss of his -character.--Peace to his shade. - -Early on the morning of January 10th, I left the Mansion house, crossed -the Delaware and passed through the State of New Jersey, in the -rail-road cars, and arrived at New York city about three o’clock in the -afternoon, in season for a dinner at a tavern on Broadway, At dinner -we had a printed bill of fare in French. For drink, I had a glass of -Croton water, with ice in it, and this, after a cold day’s ride, in -the depth of a cold, northern winter! Had I been a frozen turnip, such -water might have thawed my frozen stomach, but as it was, hot coffee -or hot tea would have suited me much better. I called for something to -eat, but the waiter in an insolent tone ordered me in German “to read -my bill of fare,” and he refused to give me any thing to eat. Finally, -after positively refusing to comply with my request a dozen times, -the ruffian gave me a thin slice of roasted beef, which I ate at a -mouthful, and called in vain for more. This mouthful of meat, with some -cold Croton water and some ice in it, was all I got for my dinner! Half -a dollar for such a dinner! kind reader. I had the _bill of fare_ lying -before me, but the _fare itself_ I did not and could not obtain. After -sitting at the table nearly an hour, faint, cold and hungry, I went -to my room, in which a small fire had been made at my request, at the -expense of another half dollar. The room being cold and damp, with so -bad a prospect before me, I locked my door, put the key in my pocket, -and went down Broadstreet, until I came to Thresher’s Broadstreet -hotel, and told the host my story. He agreed to furnish me the best -fare, unaccompanied by a bill of it, a good room to myself, warmed -constantly by a good coal fire, for one dollar a day. Upon these terms -we agreed, and I went back to the Broadway tavern. The Broadstreet -hotel is the same house, which was occupied by General Washington as -his head quarters, when he took possession of the city, after the -British army had left it, at the conclusion of the revolutionary -war. Standing in front of a large opened window in the second story, -his officers standing before him in the street, below him, General -Washington delivered to them his farewell address. From the house, his -officers accompanied him to the wharf, not very distant from this spot, -where he took his final leave of his companions in arms. Having crossed -the ferry into New Jersey, he hastened to appear before the continental -Congress, then sitting in Annapolis, the now seat of government in the -State of Maryland. A painting in the rotundo, represents Washington at -Annapolis delivering his farewell address to Congress. - -On the conclusion of my bargain with the landlord of the Broadstreet -Hotel, I returned to my first stopping place, and by dint of argument, -aided by several southern guests, I got a warm supper, with warm -coffee and warm food, a little after ten o’clock that night. I got -some sleep that night and a breakfast next morning, and paid a bill -of three dollars twelve-and-a-half cents, for what I had! Although my -door had always been locked when I was out of it and the key was in -my pocket, yet that precaution had not prevented my room from being -entered, my locked trunk’s being opened, and several articles of no -great value being stolen from it--such as a shirt, a handkerchief and a -quire of writing paper. By ten in the morning I was at my new lodgings, -where I continued some three weeks, while I remained in New York. -This Broadstreet Hotel, on the corner of Pearl and Broad streets, is -within one minute’s walk of the shipping, in the slip; it is one square -from Broadway, and the old Battery. At the Battery there is playing -constantly a splendid, roaring fountain of Croton water. It roars like -a cataract in a still night. This Hotel is near not only to all the -shipping in port, and the principal wholesale stores of all sorts, but -it is the headquarters of most of the captain of vessels, which sail -from this city to all parts of the world. From such a point, I found it -an easy matter to visit every part of this emporium. New York, with its -four hundred thousand people, here, or in Brooklyn, is unquestionably -the first city on this continent. To fully comprehend all the ideas -necessarily belonging to the wealth and resources of the United States, -a man must visit New York and tarry some time there. Its streets, -compared with those of Philadelphia, are narrow, crooked and dirty. - -The first person whom I called to see, merely as a friend, was Charles -A. Clinton, the eldest son of De Witt Clinton. Him I found some few -squares above the Park and near Broadway. Here I found too Dr. Hosack, -the son of my old friend Dr. Hosack, now deceased. It was quite -gratifying to see the sons of my old friends, in the enjoyment of good -health and prosperous in the world. Maj. Clinton had been clerk of the -Superior court, for some dozen or more years, but had been removed -from office, to make room for some relative of one of the judges of -the court. This circumstance I had previously learned through the -newspapers, about which Major Clinton said nothing. I called several -times afterwards to see Major Clinton at his law office, nearly -opposite the Customhouse, in Nassau street. He practices in partnership -with Henry S. Towner, Esq., a lawyer, originally from Williamstown, -Massachusetts. The lawyers cluster around the Customhouse and around -the Merchants’ Exchange in Wall street. - -If law business is great in the city, the number of those who follow -the legal profession, is great likewise. I became personally acquainted -with several lawyers here, who are highly respectable as men, as -lawyers and as scholars. Among them may be mentioned GEORGE FOLSOM, -Esq., whose office is opposite the Exchange, on Wall street. He is an -author too. A son of Colonel Gibbs, the geologist, is a lawyer whose -office is near the Exchange. - -The bustle and crowd, the noise, the anxiety on many faces, and the -vast amount of property of all sorts, such as cotton for instance, in -piles, blocking up streets, or moving to and fro, between warehouses -and wharves--the masts of vessels, standing along the shores of North -river or those of Long Island sound, strike the eye, as one passes -over the lower end of the city. Along Broadway, the goods and the -signs and every thing, indeed, that possibly can catch the eye and -draw the attention of the stranger, are not wanting, for a distance of -two miles from the Battery upwards. The citizens, I believe, do not -patronise the hotels on Broadway, but prefer those in streets farther -eastward, as cheaper, more quiet and better in all respects, than -Broadway houses. The retail stores are many of them on Broadway, but -the wholesale ones are lower down in the city. Wall street is full of -banks and insurance companies. The Harpers’ great book establishment is -in Cliff street, near the old swamp, we believe. At the foot of Fulton -street is the ferry, which crosses the East river to Long Island. -This is the greatest ferrying place in America. We say this, though -we are aware that a place in Kentucky, is called “Great Crossings,” -yet Brooklyn ferry is a greater “crossing” place, than the “Crossings” -in Scott county, Kentucky. I went over to Brooklyn and called on the -editor of the Long Island Star--Alden Spooner, Esq. He is the surrogate -of the county where he resides, and he devotes the most of his time -to the duties of his office. Of the forty thousand people who live in -Brooklyn, not a few of them have stores, shops and offices in New York -city. Such men spend the day in the city and sleep with their families -on Long Island at night. House rent is cheaper in Brooklyn than it is -in New York, and there may be other reasons, such as the comparative -quietness of a village, in Brooklyn, which is not found in New York, -except some three miles up in the city. Brooklyn is therefore nearer -their business than the upper part of New York would be; so Brooklyn is -preferred by men of business, as a family residence, to the city itself. - -Soon after my arrival in the city, as soon as it was generally known, -through the newspapers, where I was located, I was carried by Geo. -Folsom, Esq. to the dwelling house of Albert Gallatin, in Beekman -street. He and his lady received me most cordially, as “a man, whom -they had ardently desired to see, (as they assured me) during the last -thirty years.” I found Mrs. Gallatin a most interesting old lady, -surrounded by the neighboring ladies of that vicinity, to whom she -politely introduced me. After a brief interview with these ladies -below stairs, we proceeded (Mr. Folsom and myself) to Mr. Gallatin’s -library room, where we found him engaged in his favorite study of -the Indian languages of America. Perhaps I am in an error, but as I -understood him, Mr. Gallatin had taken the Indian words as spelt by -Englishmen, Frenchmen, Spaniards, Portugese, Americans, &c. as the true -pronunciation of Indian words, which by the Indians themselves, had -never been written. If he had done so, the true pronunciation of the -Indians themselves had seldom been reached. Having been myself engaged -in writing down the language of the Sioux, I am aware of the difficulty -of catching the exact sound of each word, and the difficulty too, of -expressing the exact sound of the word, by means of our alphabet. -I saw at a glance the difficulty of his position. I hinted at this -circumstance, but Mr. Gallatin did not fully comprehend my meaning, and -so I dropped the subject. No alphabet now in use among men, can convey -all the sounds of any Indian language, now or ever spoken in North -America. Of this fact I feel assured from my own knowledge of Indian -languages. The perfect knowledge of these languages is more curious -than useful, perhaps, in as much as the Indians themselves will soon be -gone, before the Anglo-Americans, whose march and conquests will soon -obliterate every vestige of the aboriginals of America. - -Our regrets may and will follow the disappearance of the Indians from -the face of the globe, but their doom is certain, and not far off, in -point of time. Our legislative bodies, from the best of motives, are -endeavoring to preserve Indian names of places, rivers, mountains, -&c., but our gross ignorance of Indian languages, prevents us from -even retaining proper names. _Hoo_, for instance, in some Indian -dialects, means elk, and _uk_ is river, so _Hoosuk_ means “elks river.” -“_Sooske_,” means hunting, and “_hannah_,” in a Delaware dialect, means -river. _Sooskehannah_ means “hunting river,” which we call Susquehanna -river. - -No Indian, who heard us pronounce the word _Potomac_ would suspect that -we meant to say the river Potum; so of _Rappa-hannah_, he would not -know that we meant the river _Rappa_. So of the river _Roan_, which -we call Roanoak, instead of calling it simply the river _Roan_. But -enough, perhaps, too much of Indian languages. We give, however, the -names correctly: Hoo, Sooske, Potum, Rappa and Roan. After spending -several hours with Mr. Gallatin in his library, and after conversing -with him on my business, which had brought me to the city, in which he -took an interest, I returned to my lodgings in Broad street. He invited -me to call on him again, and spend some time with him, on his birth -day, when he would be eighty-three years old. - -I next visited Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins and their daughter, who boarded -with Mrs. Lentner, No. 15 Amity street, near Broadway. In this house, -kept by the present occupant, Colonel Trumbull spent the last twenty -years of his life. Here he lived and here he died, not long before my -visit. It was in this house that Colonel Trumbull executed his splendid -paintings which now adorn the rotundo in the capitol at Washington -city. These paintings are seen by a great number of persons every -day in the year. The Declaration of Independence, the Surrender of -Cornwallis, &c. &c. will confer an unfading fame on Colonel Trumbull. -MRS. LENTNER will always be remembered for her care of the painter, -which so greatly contributed to preserve his useful life, until he was -more than eighty-seven years old. I saw in Mrs. Lentner’s parlor a -likeness of Colonel Trumbull, painted by himself, in his last years. It -was said to be a very correct one. So said Mrs. Lentner. - -After taking dinner and supper with Mrs. Lentner and her family, I -returned in the omnibus to my lodgings. If any persons could prolong -human life and render it happy, Mrs. Lentner, her sister, and the -domestics around her, could certainly effect that object. So it seemed -to me during the six hours that I spent at number 15, Amity street, New -York. She is the MRS. BALLARD of New York. - -On Mr. Gallatin’s birth day, when he had arrived at the age of -eighty-three years, I went to see him as early in the morning of that -day as I could, after taking a very early breakfast. I found him up in -his library, busily engaged in his favorite study of Indian languages. -He was quite active, quick in his motions, his cheeks were ruddy, his -eye clear and piercing, his step elastic, his eye sight, by the aid -of his glasses, good. He repeatedly ran up his ladder like a squirrel -to get a book for me. His hearing is unimpaired, and his memory of -past events, wherein he had been concerned, excellent. His reasoning -powers were good, and so was his judgment. On my former visit I had, -at his request, related to him what I had known of the transactions -of his life, in which I had left many blanks, especially when he had -been in Europe as our diplomatic agent. To-day Mr. Gallatin filled -up those blanks and recounted to me what he had done, ever since he -landed at New York, a poor foreigner, ignorant of our language, -unlearned and not twenty years old; but now I saw before me, at the -age of eighty-three, a man of wealth, of learning, of great practical -knowledge and of vast mental powers, whose fame as a diplomatist, -as a man of business and as a statesman, was co-extensive with the -civilized world. He more than once told me that he was relating the -manner in which he had succeeded in life, so that I might profit by his -experience, whereas I expected to die long years before he would. So -I thought, but said nothing, because any remark in reply or by way of -inquiry, seemed to discompose his mind very much. In the course of his -long story of four or five hours in length, he more than once gave the -credit of his success to his wife and her relatives in New York. He had -married a daughter of Commodore Nicholson. She had entered into all his -concerns, political, moral, social and mental with her whole heart. She -even watched the newspapers, to learn what they said of Mr. Gallatin. -He related to me an anecdote of Mr. Gales, who in his Intelligencer -had said of Mr. Gallatin, after his arrival in Washington, “that the -_venerable_ Mr. Gallatin had arrived in the city.” Soon after that -paper appeared, when a party of gentlemen had convened to give Mr. -Gallatin a public dinner, perhaps, the latter gentleman said aloud, -so that all present heard him, “Mr. Gales, my wife says, you make her -husband quite too venerable.” Mr. and Mrs. Gallatin sent by me their -best respects to all their old friends in the District of Columbia, -with a very pressing request, that I would give him an accurate account -of these friends, and what had befallen them since January 1830, -which was the last time Mr. Gallatin had been in Washington city. -On my return to Washington I executed my commission in a way that I -supposed would be satisfactory to all concerned--that is, to Mr. and -Mrs. Gallatin and to their surviving friends in the District. On the -whole, we may safely pronounce Mr. Gallatin a very fortunate man, -who, by his industry, economy, perseverance and sleepless energy, has -acquired honors, wealth and fame. Sixty years ago, he was a surveyor of -wild lands along and near the Ohio river, naming the smaller streams -that run into that river, ascertaining the latitude and longitude of -particular points, and extending his surveys quite into what is now -the State of Kentucky. George Washington was a surveyor in that region -at the same time. Mr. Gallatin spoke of himself, as a man in rather -limited circumstances, whose annual income amounted to only about five -thousand dollars. When he so informed me, I thought that many a man -in the western States would consider himself well off, provided he -had that sum as his whole estate. As to size, Mr. Gallatin is rather -under the common one, extremely well formed in person, and has in his -head a piercing, hazle coloured eye. His memory is remarkably good, -and he is almost infinitely better qualified to be the Secretary -of the Treasury, than the man *******. His old clerks all retain -a warm friendship for him, and so do their families. Mrs. Gallatin -is remembered by them, and all her old neighbors in Washington, -with heartfelt gratitude, on account of her numerous unostentatious -hospitalities and charitable acts. The comparison which all in this -city, who lived here in Gallatin’s time and still reside here, are -compelled to make, is quite mortifying to their feelings. While the -mass of the people of Washington city have become better, some of -the higher officers of the government have become worse--much worse. -Esconsed, malignant, haughty, distant, reserved, lazy, inattentive -to the duties of their offices, one of them, scarcely ever reaches -his office until noon, carrying his gold headed cane, horizontally -suspended in his hand, he signs his name to a few papers, which Mr. -***** and his clerks, *** and others had prepared for his signature, -and he departs to his house to write for the newspapers against the -administration, one of which he is. A President who would dare to -brush off a musquito from his hand, that was biting it, would clear out -such a fellow forthwith.[A] It is an old maxim with me, “to mark the -man, whom God has marked.” When I see a deformed mouth and a cocked -eye, I expect to find their owner a man actuated by malice, treachery -and deceit; a cold hearted wretch, whom no one pities and no one loves. -Under some frivolous pretence, such a creature hides himself in his -house as an owl does in his hollow tree in the day time, and prowls, -like the wolf or the owl, during the night. That man’s father says, -that his son is the worst man in the world. - - [A] While this form was passing through the press, the - President brushed off the musquito from his hand.--Thank you - Sir. - -During the time I was in New York city, the Customhouse officers were -kept very busy. The duties on the imported goods were of great amount, -and the officers were employed all day long in the open air, from -sun-rise till dark, when the thermometer was many degrees below zero. -General Waller was thus employed, weighing iron from Sweden and Russia, -all day long. - -Goods by wholesale are sold much cheaper in New York than I had -supposed, and I had no correct idea of the vast amount of its commerce, -until I had been in the city two weeks. Considerable as the amount of -duties on goods received in this city, is, yet the goods not paying -any duty, such as cotton, Orleans sugar, and domestic manufactures, is -still greater. The amount too, of flour, wheat, corn, pork, beef, lard, -&c., brought here, is much more than I had supposed it to be. When we -have a despotism in this country, all these goods will pay a duty to -the government. It might amount to twenty millions of dollars annually, -and would then be a very low duty on domestic products. We say this for -the lovers of low wages and free trade. - -As this nation increases in numbers--as the western States fill up with -people--as the amount of agricultural and manufactured goods increases, -and as the foreign goods, consumed in this great and growing nation, -increase, the city of New York will increase its numbers of people, its -commerce, wealth and power. Her ships and commerce will float on every -sea and every ocean, until she will rival London herself in trade, -wealth and power. The position of New York, so near the main ocean, on -an island, laved too by the North river and the Sound, affords every -facility which she needs or could desire, for extending her commerce -not only to foreign countries, but into the interior of this vast -country. She will only need a rail-road to the Pacific, and a dense -population, settled along its whole route, to enliven and animate the -scenery along its way. In that event, steam vessels, running from -Astoria to China and Japan and all the islands of the northern Pacific, -would soon be seen on the Upper Pacific, conveying the productions of -the whole world to a market. Such a rail-road might be made by the -nation, from the land sales in the new regions to be settled by our -people. What a sublime, moral, political and commercial prospect is -held out to our enraptured eyes! Christians, statesmen, Americans and -scholars, look on this picture! - -From surveys actually made by Lieut. Freemont, it is certain, that a -rail-road from Cumberland, in Maryland, to the Pacific, is entirely -within our means as a nation, at an expense of only about fifty -millions of dollars or less; and it is equally certain that the new -lands to be brought into market by making the road, would defray -every dollar of the expense of making it. We live in the infancy of -the greatest nation that now exists, ever did, or ever will exist, on -the face of the globe. Looking through the vista of futurity, we can -now behold a nation consisting of five hundred millions of people, -all speaking our language, and governing the world in peace without -a rival in commerce, arts or arms. Should the British lion growl at -us, the Gallic cock would flap his wings and crow at our success, -and the Russian bear smile upon us. The American eagle will yet soar -above both, into his own pure air, where he can revel in the brilliant -beams of his own flaming sun. The trade between the East Indies and -Europe will eventually pass across our territory, east and west, and -the time of passing from London to Canton might not occupy more than -two months. Such a state of things would add to the wealth, numbers, -commerce, agriculture and manufactures of this whole nation. Such a -nation, whose territory extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from -the Icy sea in the north to the Isthmus of Darien in the south, would -present a sublime spectacle. What a vast field in which free government -might exercise its energies! The human imagination is lost in its -contemplation of such a prospect, for the future generations of our -posterity. - -Yet, certainly, such is the prospect ahead, unless it be our own fault. -The most difficult portion of the road to be made between the Atlantic -and Pacific oceans, is between Cumberland and Wheeling; and yet that -portion of it could be made in five years after it was fairly began to -be made by the nation. The little questions of policy and of party, now -agitating so many little minds, will be lost in oblivion, and higher, -nobler, better and more extended objects and aims, will occupy higher, -nobler and better minds than are now employed on political affairs. The -little ants and their mole hills, will give place to mammoths and to -Alps, in the intellectual, political and moral world. Our destiny is -in our own hands, and unless we abuse all the gifts of God to us, we -shall be the most powerful nation on earth. Let us hope that our people -will move forward in their career to its ultimate grand end, unimpeded -by factions at home, or by force from abroad. The more States we have -in our confederacy, the stronger we shall be as a nation. As a great -whole, the human mind has always moved forward, and we see no reason -why the American mind should stand still, or stop short of its grand, -final destiny, at the very head of nations--of all nations on earth. -Nature’s God never intended that the people of this great continent, -should be subservient to the people of Europe, more than he did that -the sun in yonder firmament should descend from his orbit to revolve -around a pebble on our sea shore, as his centre of gravity. No. We -inhabit a great and mighty continent, blest with every soil, climate, -plant and animal which the earth contains. Our people, too, derive -their origin from every other people almost who live on this globe. Let -us throw aside as useless, and worse than useless, all low aims, and -soar like our own eagle into purer air. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - Return to Washington.--The different degrees of temperature in the - atmosphere at different places seen in the thickness of the ice in - the rivers from New York to Washington inclusive.--Long interview - with the President. His misfortunes rather than his faults.-- - His cheerfulness, and his views as to Liberia.--Supernumeraries - ought to be set to work and sent off.--Beautiful situation of - Washington.--The Congress library, its officers and the agreeable - company usually in the library room.--Army of little officers - in and about the capitol.--Judge Upshur, personal acquaintance - with him, his character and death.--The tragedy on board the - Princeton.--Great funeral and a whole city in tears for the loss - of so many distinguished citizens. - - -Having determined to return to Washington city, I wrote to the -innkeeper of the Mansion house hotel at Philadelphia, to have my room -warm for me at 11 o’clock, P. M. and entering the evening cars at -Jersey city in the evening, we were carried across the State of New -Jersey, and crossing the Delaware with some difficulty, on account of -the ice in the river, I arrived at Philadelphia, and was in a good -warm bed, in a warm room, before eleven o’clock at night, at Horter’s -Mansion house, corner of 11th and Market streets, Philadelphia.--The -ride across the State of New Jersey, in a bright moonlight night, -was as agreeable as it could be, we being able to see each town as -we passed through it. The cars were well warmed by stoves; we were -not too much crowded to be comfortable, and we had agreeable company -enough to render our journey pleasant. Lodging at Philadelphia, next -morning after breakfast I entered the cars for Baltimore, and arrived -at Washington city exactly twenty-five hours after I had left New York. -This last day’s ride was perhaps on the second day of February. The -different degrees of temperature in the atmosphere during the month -of January, was seen in the thickness of the ice in the North, the -Delaware, in the Susquehanna and the Potomac rivers. In the North river -the ice was fourteen inches in thickness, in the Delaware ten inches, -and eight inches in the Susquehanna, but not more than six inches in -the Potomac. The city of New York, located on an island that lies -high, and is exposed to every breath of air that moves in any direction -over the land or the water, is colder than its latitude would seem to -indicate. The current in the river and in the Sound, owing to a tide -of from seven to eleven feet in height, rising and falling every few -hours, prevents any very great inconvenience to ships, either entering -into or leaving the harbor in the coldest winter weather. - -I was no more fatigued by my journey, than if I had been sitting in my -room at the Broadstreet hotel. The passage money between Washington -city and New York, is only ten dollars and fifty cents, yet, for -handling trunks, for refreshments on the way, and tavern bills, added -to car fare, we may safely say that it costs the passenger fifteen -dollars between Washington city and New York. - -Soon after my return to Washington, I spent an entire evening with the -President, from early candle lighting until after nine o’clock. He had -invited the Rev. Mr. Gurley, and a gentleman from Memphis, Tennessee, -to visit him that evening. These gentlemen tarried an hour or so, when -I was left alone with the President. He conversed very freely on the -colony of Liberia, and expressed a wish to see it become a nation, -independent, but under the protection of the United States and of -England. He dwelt on that subject during an hour. He was quite eloquent -on the prospect when Virginia would send off her slaves to Liberia, and -become a great manufacturing State, and in that way at length assume -her old supremacy, standing at the head of the Union in numbers and -wealth. The President said that he owned some thirteen slaves, which -he bought, to prevent their being carried South. He appeared to be -entirely willing to set them free, and let them emigrate to Liberia. -To him they had been valueless, and so would remain a burden on his -hands. He seemed to think that this Union would last forever, or if it -should be divided, the Alleghenies would be the line of separation. In -this opinion I heartily coincided with him. He was quite cheerful, and -very agreeable in conversation. He appeared to know his position--who -his friends were around him, and who were not his friends. At that -time I thought he had more friends among his officers than he supposed -he had, but subsequently I ascertained the entire correctness of his -information on that matter. He has doubtless been very unfortunate. -Placed in his high station as unexpectedly to himself as to a whole -nation, his first cabinet was not of his selection, and they deserted -him in a critical moment. He was compelled instantly to form a new -cabinet, which unfortunately for him, Upshur always excepted, began -forthwith to help themselves, and their poor, needy, greedy dependants, -and they have continued to help themselves ever since they have been in -office. Two of these heads of department spent their time in studying -how they might gratify either their cupidity or their malice. The -indignation of all honest men in the nation was roused into activity -against the President, on account of removals from office on several -occasions, because they argued that the Chief Magistrate, unless he -approved of such flagrant acts of oppression, in removing from office -such men as Gen. Van Rensellaer, Governor Lincoln, and a long list -of good men, he would at once remove those heads of department who -had been guilty of such high-handed injustice. Thus, the whole blame -fell on the President, instead of falling on the real authors of such -wickedness. The President has been, and is still blamed, for many -appointments of very incompetent men, which I understood him to say, he -never had interfered with at all. So of the accounting officers, who -had in many cases, it is said, done great injustice to individuals, and -then had charged all their enormities on the President. The people in -every part of the Union had become exasperated at these flagrant acts -of oppression and injustice. Claimants, where the case was as clear -as the noon-day, were postponed from day to day, for weeks and months; -their claims were to be acted on, none could say when. It is a fashion -they have here, of putting off the settlement of claims until the -applicant has spent here about all that he gets from the government. -The supernumerary officers, block up every avenue to the treasury. -Congress should either dismiss them altogether, or send them off to -clear out our western rivers, or employ them as far off as possible -from the seat of the national government. Why they are here at all is -a mystery to me, and why Congress permits them to throng their lobbies -and the rotundo, is equally surprising to me. West Point academy was -once useful, but if the cadets are to accumulate as rapidly as they -have of late years, it may lead in the end to an aristocracy in this -country. Whether this institution, on the whole, is an useful one, is -at best quite doubtful in my mind. - -Taking a recess, as a legislator would call it, I here say that -Washington city and its surrounding country is delightfully situated -for the seat of the national government.--The ground rising gradually -from the water and extending back in places a mile or more, with the -space occupied by water, between, the ground around it on all sides of -it, presents every variety of aspect, almost, calculated to render it -pleasant as a residence. It has none of the bustle of commerce, none of -its noise or crowd. During a session of Congress, persons of both sexes -are in the city from all parts of the Union, with whom the stranger -can associate, and obtain a great deal of information, topographical, -literary, scientific, general or particular. Every person in the -whole Union being here represented, one can gain correct information -concerning any man of any note in the nation. By going to the library -room of Congress, he can there find and read almost any books which -he desires to consult. He can there see daily, persons of the most -refined taste, polite manners and agreeable conversation. None but -such persons are rarely seen in that room. I have always found reading -people more placid and more agreeable in their manners than others, and -were any whole nation wholly composed of such materials, it would be -the happiest and the best nation in the world. Mr. John S. Meehan the -librarian and Edward B. Stelle, C. H. W. Meehan and Robert Kearon, his -assistants, are among the most polite and agreeable gentlemen in this -city. They are always ready to attend to the wishes of all who call on -them. Personally acquainted with nearly all who call at their room, -they are always ready to introduce a stranger to any gentleman who is -in the room. Fatigued as they sometimes are with the constant labor -of a long day, yet they never complain of their toil, but cheerfully -attend to all the wants of the visiters.--This room is opened very early -in the morning, and not closed until a late hour. If any officers of -the government deserve all their salaries, and more too, they are the -Meehans, father and son, Stelle and Kearon. Their salaries are small -ones, and their labors are great and fatiguing all day long, during the -whole session of Congress. During the intervals between the sessions, -their labors are not so fatiguing, but they are even then constant, -unremitting and useful to the visiters, who are always all day long in -this library. Having known these gentlemen fourteen years and upwards -in their present stations, I take a real pleasure in bearing this -testimony in their favor. - -How many messengers, assistant messengers, doorkeepers and assistant -doorkeepers, clerks and assistant clerks, postmasters and assistant -postmasters, paperfolders, pages, &c. &c. there are here, I cannot -tell, because I do not know, but their numbers must be very large, -and they cost the nation a great deal. All the officers of government -in the city must amount to one thousand at least, and their salaries -would support probably all the State governments in the Mississippi -Valley. I make no complaint of this vast expense, but we must not find -fault with the expenses of monarchical government in many of the minor -governments in the old world. Take from those governments, in the north -of Europe, their standing armies, rendered necessary, perhaps, by their -peculiar position, and it is possible that their governments might be -cheaper than ours. That we have many useless officers, many members of -Congress seem to think, but whether they can be cast off, because they -are useless, is doubtful. This army of smaller officers are always on -the alert, when retrenchment and reform are talked of by members--these -creatures crying out: “penny wise and pound foolish.” They have some -influence on Congress, and would be glad to have more. So far as the -House of Representatives are concerned, there is a strong disposition -to reduce the expenses of the government, but the Senate has not yet -acted finally on that subject. - -Very soon after my return to Washington, I became personally acquainted -with Judge Upshur, Secretary of State. From the first day I saw and -conversed with him in his office, until the day of his death, I saw -him at least once, often twice a day, and wrote down at night what had -been the subjects of our conversation in our interview. I did this -at his suggestion, so that he could duly consider the subject matter -of our discourse in the day time. He was one of the most agreeable, -sensible and truly good men, whom I ever became personally acquainted -with. Sometimes he has been called a nullifier, perhaps, but no man in -the nation was ever more attached to the Union than he was. We thought -precisely alike on that subject--that it is the highest duty of all our -citizens to use all the means in our power to promote the interests of -all sections of the Union, and of all classes of its people. - -The natural cements of our confederacy, consisting of mutual interests -promoted by mutual acts of kindness and affection for each other, Judge -Upshur preferred, as he often told me, to all or even any resorts -to the violent restraints of physical force, such as the despot and -the tyrant employ. He dwelt with rapture on the future prospects of -this nation, when its citizens and its institutions, would cover the -whole of North America, like a mantle, and when our ships would float -on every sea and visit every island and country in the world. When -our steamers would ascend and descend every river of any size that -irrigates the countries of both continents. By such means, he thought, -christianity would be spread from pole to pole, and all the world -become united in the bonds of peace, harmony and brotherly affection. -In this way, wars would cease and the despot and the warrior be laid -aside as useless. “The nodding plume, he said, dyed in blood, would -no more be seen.” Knowing as I did, all his views and all his plans, -and the means which he would have used to carry them into execution, I -felt the overwhelming calamity of his death the more on these accounts. -His plans were all formed, and they were just about to be carried into -effect, otherwise he would have instantly gone into private life. -Laying my own feelings, as to myself, out of the question, and looking -only to the public interest, I felt myself and the country overwhelmed -by an awful calamity. Any successor of Judge Upshur would not have -the time, such as he had devoted to that object, to form and mature -plans of operation. And if he had such plans laid as Upshur had, his -successor might not have the necessary means of effecting his object. -As a nation, we deserved to suffer, but still we may mourn for our -dreadful loss, sustained by his untimely death. - -Judge Upshur was a man of good principles and pure morals. He was all -in reality and truth, that any old Virginia gentleman was in the days -of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, an ornament to human -nature itself and of the “Ancient Dominion.” He recalled to my mind -the old patriots of Virginia, for whom from my earliest years I had -entertained a strong and abiding sense of their worth, their intrinsic -value, as men and as citizens of this republic. From three of their -Presidents I had received numerous marks of their confidence in me -and my relatives. This may be one reason almost without my knowing it -why I have always taken such pleasure in doing justice to Virginia’s -favorite sons. I shall always take a melancholy pleasure in remembering -Judge Upshur, and in associating him in my mind with my old friend -Chief Justice Marshall. From the latter gentleman I received a great -deal of aid in the way of information, while I was in Washington, many -years since, when I was preparing for the press my History of Ohio. An -old Virginia gentleman, as he exists in my recollections of Jefferson, -Marshall, Monroe and Upshur--the Randolphs, the Masons, the Lees, the -Pendletons--and what I hear of Archer, Rives and others is as perfect as -human nature can be. - -Here I present a very condensed account of the awful calamity on board -the Princeton on the 28th day of February, 1844.--The first announcement -of the event is derived from the Intelligencer of the 29th of February, -and the account of the funeral obsequies is extracted from the Globe of -the 4th of March. - -In the whole course of our lives it has never fallen to our lot to -announce to our readers a more shocking calamity--shocking in all its -circumstances and concomitants--than that which occurred on board the -United States ship Princeton, yesterday afternoon, whilst under way, in -the river Potomac, fourteen or fifteen miles below the city. Yesterday -was a day appointed by the courtesy and hospitality of Captain -Stockton, Commander of the Princeton, for receiving as visiters to his -fine ship (lying off Alexandria) a great number of guests, with their -families, liberally and numerously invited to spend the day on board. -The day was most favorable, and the company was large and brilliant, -of both sexes; not less probably in number than four hundred, among -whom were the President of the United States, the Heads of the several -Departments, and their families. At a proper hour, after the arrival -of the expected guests, the vessel got under way and proceeded down -the river, to some distance below Fort Washington. During the passage -down, one of the large guns on board (carrying a ball of 225 pounds) -was fired more than once, exhibiting the great power and capacity of -that formidable weapon of war. The ladies had partaken of a sumptuous -repast; the gentlemen had succeeded them at the table, and some of them -had left it; the vessel was on her return up the river, opposite to the -fort, where Captain Stockton consented to fire another shot from the -same gun, around and near which, to observe its effects, many persons -had gathered, though by no means so many as on similar discharges in -the morning, the ladies who then thronged the deck being on this fatal -occasion almost all between decks, and out of reach of harm. - -The gun was fired. The explosion was followed, before the smoke cleared -away so as to observe its effect, by shrieks of wo which announced a -dire calamity. The gun had burst, at a point three or four feet from -the breech, and scattered death and desolation around. Mr. UPSHUR, -Secretary of State, Mr. GILMER, so recently placed at the head of the -Navy, Commodore KENNON, one of its gallant officers, VIRGIL MAXCY, -lately returned from a diplomatic residence at the Hague, Mr. GARDNER, -of New York, (formerly a member of the Senate of that State,) were -among the slain. Besides these, seventeen seamen were wounded, several -of them badly and probably mortally. Among those stunned by the -concussion, we learn not all seriously injured, were Capt. Stockton -himself; Col. Benton, of the Senate; Lieut. Hunt, of the Princeton; -W. D. Robinson, of Georgetown.--Other persons also were perhaps more or -less injured, of whom in the horror and confusion of the moment, no -certain account could be obtained. The above are believed to comprise -the whole of the persons known to the public who were killed or -dangerously or seriously hurt. - -The scene upon the deck may more easily be imagined than described. Nor -can the imagination picture to itself the half of its horrors. Wives, -widowed in an instant by the murderous blast! Daughters smitten with -the heart-rending sight of their father’s lifeless corpse! The wailings -of agonized females! The piteous grief of the unhurt but heart-stricken -spectators! The wounded seamen borne down below! The silent tears and -quivering lips of their brave and honest comrades, who tried in vain to -subdue or to conceal their feelings! What _words_ can adequately depict -a scene like this? - -On Saturday the last rites were paid to the distinguished men who laid -down their lives on the deck of the Princeton. The funeral procession -presented the most sad, solemn, affecting scene ever witnessed in this -city of the Union. The President’s House was again--as on the demise -of General Harrison--made the receptacle of death. Instead of one, -five bodies were now laid out in the lately illuminated east room -of that fair mansion, which before the melancholy fate which there -awaited General Harrison in the first month of the first year of his -presidential term, had never known a pall within its precincts. The -first month of the last year of the same term found it again turned -almost into a charnel house. Like “_the Capets monument_,” it became -“_a palace of dim night_,” and gathered within its gloom the blackened -and bloody remains of a most frightful tragedy--the bodies of five -intimate friends of the President, two of them his cabinet associates, -all hurried out of existence while he sat unconsciously, with only a -plank between them, enjoying a song. What a thin partition in this life -separates its scenes of greatest enjoyment and bitterest grief!! - -Religious rites were performed over the dead by the Rev. Mr. Hawley -and Mr. Butler, of the Episcopal Church, and Mr. Laurie, of the -Presbyterian Church, before leaving the President’s House. The -bodies were then hearsed, and the procession led off by the military -companies, which filled the avenue in front of the President’s house. -The military array, composed of horse, infantry, and artillery, made -a very imposing appearance; and the train of carriages which followed -extended along the avenue more than a mile. A vast multitude, on foot -and on horseback, from the neighboring cities and adjoining country, -filled the spaces not occupied by the procession. The whole distance -between the President’s and the Capitol square, as far as the vision -could reach through the darkness of the day and the dust, seemed to be -a living current, in slow movement to the wailing and mournful music -of the band, which, with the sound of distant cannon and solemn-pealing -bells, alone broke the silence. The immense crowd was perfectly mute in -its march. The dread quiet that reigned over all; the almost twilight -darkness that dimmed the whole day; the deep mists that shadowed the -surrounding hills and horizon from sight; the cloud of dust that -covered the long and gloomy procession; the sweeping trains of crape -that blackened the closed windows and doors of the dwellings on the -way,--gave, altogether, the most saddened and impressive aspect of wo -ever worn by this city. It was rendered the more deeply affecting by -the contrast of but a few days before, when the warmth of a vernal sun -had shone out, giving light and gayety to our streets, opening the -buds upon the trees and bringing out the tender green upon the grounds -whereon the snow had so recently lain. - -The mournful ceremonials had just been concluded, when the city was -alarmed with the apprehension of another fatal accident to the Chief -Magistrate himself. As he returned in his carriage of state from the -place of interment, (the Congress burying ground, about three miles -from the President’s House,) his horses took fright, and ran with -fury along the great thoroughfare, filled with people and carriages. -There was no arresting their wild career; the reins were broken in -the attempt to restrain them, and all that could be done was to give -room to their headlong flight. As they approached the turn in the end -of the avenue, obstructed by the President’s square, they got scared -at something on one side of the street, and shied off in their course -to the curb-stone on the other side, which gave the advantage to an -intrepid colored man on the side walk to seize them by the short reins -and stop them. A little beyond, in the direction they were going, lay -masses of the large stone rejected from the new treasury building, near -the precipitous bank to the south of the President’s wall. Had not the -career of the horses been arrested at the moment that it was, the next -would have wrecked the carriage on these rocks, or precipitated it over -the bank. The President was happy to escape from his state equipage, -over which all guidance and control was lost, and find himself afoot, -by the side of his humble deliverer. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - Mr. Dana’s speech against the military Academy.--Objections-- - it is an aristocratic institution.--1st in its selection of - candidates--2nd in its monopoly of military commissions.--Its - expenses are enormous and wholly disproportioned to any advantages - to be derived from it.--Its positive evils, as it operates on the - officers and on the private soldiers.--Mr. Dana might have added, - that if this republic is in danger from any quarter, its danger - lies in this institution. - - -Immediately after the funeral obsequies, Congress took up, on the 6th -of March, the bill making appropriations for the Military Academy at -West Point. Mr. HALE of New Hampshire, one of the best debaters in the -House, moved to strike out the appropriation from the bill. On this -occasion, Mr. Dana of New York delivered a powerful speech in favor of -the motion. The intrinsic value of this speech entitles it to a place -in our book, so that its home truths may be duly considered by all who -read books or public documents. The institution itself should be given -away to the regents of the University of New York, or to some literary -institution, and no longer be connected with the general government. -But we proceed to lay before the reader extracts from this elegant -speech. - -Mr. Dana said: My first objection to the academy is, that it is _an -aristocratic institution_. It is aristocratic in its _nature and -character_. It gives to a few individuals privileges which it denies to -the many. Out of a population of eighteen or twenty millions, about one -hundred individuals are annually selected as the exclusive recipients -of the national bounty, and are paid and educated at the public -expense, without making the least return for the benefits they receive. -All other persons who draw pay or salaries from the government, perform -services of some kind--often perhaps very inadequate but the cadets -do nothing for the public; make no return whatever. Their pay and -education are mere gratuities. Is it just, or right, or republican, -thus to pamper a few at the expense of the community? - -The institution is aristocratic in the manner of _selecting the -cadets_. They are nominated and virtually appointed by members of -Congress. The privilege of appointing a cadet has become an appendage -of a seat in this House. A member is thus enabled, at the public -expense, to provide for a relative, dependant, or favorite, by -quartering him for life upon the treasury. He thus enjoys a patronage -almost equal to his pay. Why should he have this extra privilege? -Are not members sufficiently compensated for their services? If -not, increase their pay; but do not suffer them to quarter their -dependants upon the public. Such a privilege will be abused; it cannot -exist without abuse. It is not only unjust to the community, but it -is injurious to this House. Congress is called upon to legislate -continually in relation to the academy; and will not such a patronage -tend unconsciously to bias the judgment of members, however pure their -intentions? It is not in the nature of man to be entirely impartial -and indifferent when his own interests are involved. But even if he -succeeds in divesting himself of every improper influence, and acts -with the strictest justice and propriety, his country’s good his -only object, he will be likely to gain little credit by it; he will -still be suspected. Men incapable of acting with the like nobleness -themselves will be slow to believe it of others. I do not doubt that -every member will act on this subject from the purest motives; but if -we would stand well with the country--if we would have full credit for -disinterestedness with the people, we ought to divest ourselves of this -patronage. - -Again, sir, if this power be confined without check or control to -members of Congress, will there not be danger of the institution being -aristocratic in the _persons_ selected as cadets? Whom will a member -be most likely to nominate? Will it not be a son or relative, or some -one dependent for support upon the member?--or, if there happens to be -none such, the son or friend of some wealthy or influential constituent -whose influence the member desires to secure? I would rejoice to find -it otherwise. But when we examine the roll of cadets, and compare it -with the lists of members of Congress, we find such a coincidence -of names as I cannot attribute wholly to accident; there must have -been some relationship between them to produce such a striking family -likeness. - -[Mr. Giddings. I wish to state a fact for the information of the -gentleman. Some years ago, being applied to to nominate a cadet for my -district, and having at that time a son of the proper age to enter the -academy, I wrote to many of the prominent men of my district to send me -the name of a candidate, and could not procure one.] - -Mr. DANA. The district of the gentleman from Ohio appears to a be -very peculiar one in many respects. Unless I am greatly mistaken, -relatives and connexions of many men of wealth and high stations have -been educated at the public expense at West Point, and the privilege -has been highly coveted and eagerly sought by them generally, the -single instance of the constituents of the gentleman from Ohio to the -contrary notwithstanding. I am entirely opposed to the whole system of -educating any person, or class of persons, at the public expense; but -if some must be so educated, let them be selected for their merits--for -their talents and virtues; give the preference to the poor and to the -orphan--they are the most needy and deserving--instead of bestowing the -national bounty on the rich and influential, who have other means of -education. I admit there have been many instances in which members, -waiving all selfish considerations, (and I honor them for it,) have -selected the most meritorious candidate; but as a general rule, in this -contest for patronage between wealth and power on the one side, and -poverty on the other, it needs not the gift of prophesy to determine -which will triumph. If this Academy shall be continued, I hope that, at -least, its organization will be so changed as to secure to the poor a -fair participation in its benefits. - -The institution is aristocratic in the _monopoly of military -commissions_ which it secures to the cadets after they have received -their education. It is not sufficient to educate them at the public -expense, but they must also be provided for in the same way ever -after, and that too in the most objectionable form of a monopoly. No -man, whatever may be his talents or qualifications, or his thirst for -military fame, can get into the army unless he enter through the gate -of the West Point Academy, the only portal open to ambition. Thus every -person who has passed the age of 21, without obtaining an appointment -in the academy, and every person under 21 who does not graduate there, -is disfranchised, and rendered incapable of holding a commission. He -may have spent his days in toil, and his nights in study, to qualify -himself for his country’s service; he may have mastered all military -science; the fire of genius may burn bright in his soul; he may be -impelled by the purest patriotism, and be the “bravest of the brave;” -but he comes not through the door of privilege--he has never graduated -at West Point--he is rejected! Is this the equality of your boasted -institutions? If “all men are created equal,” that equality is soon -lost by congressional legislation. It is said that military science -is necessary in the army, and that there is no institution except at -West Point where it is taught. How can it be taught elsewhere? The -science acquired any where but at West Point is of no value to the -possessor. Abolish the monopoly of military commissions, throw them -open for competition to merit and science, wherever acquired, and there -will be places enough for instruction in the art, without burdening -the treasury, and a much wider range for the selection of officers -will be afforded to you. West Point is a beautiful and healthy place, -and a strong military position; but there is nothing in its air or -climate, however salubrious, that in itself creates a soldier. It has -the monopoly of commissions--not of qualifications--the same instruction -at another location would have equal effect in qualifying an officer -to command. I object to the institution, because it is aristocratic, -also, in the _habits and feelings_ which it inculcates. Petted as the -cadets are, it would be surprising if they did not become proud and -vain. It is not their fault--your laws make them so. They are placed -in such a position as to render the adoption of such feelings almost -inevitable. They alone have a public education at the expense of the -nation. They are instructed in things which no other individuals have -any motives for learning--they only are deemed legally competent for -officers of the army; and they naturally reason: “If our services were -not indispensable, we should not be educated at the public expense. -If persons not educated at West Point were capable of performing the -duties of military commanders, we would not be allowed to monopolize -military commissions. If the knowledge we have obtained could be had -elsewhere, the United States would not, at great expense, erect and -maintain the military academy. If our country could dispense with -us, we should not be commissioned and retained for years under pay -without employment. We alone have been educated for officers. All the -military science of the nation centres in us; no others are qualified -to command. We are a caste by ourselves--a military nobility, on whom -the fortunes of the country depend.” Censure not these young men for -their opinions. They are the legitimate fruits of your legislation--fair -and just inferences from your enactments. But they are not, therefore, -the less to be regretted. Such enactments are calculated to draw a wide -line of separation between the cadets and their fellow citizens; to -foster a spirit of pride and arrogance, and self-sufficiency, on the -part of the former, mixed with scorn and contempt of the multitude, to -be returned by the latter with feelings of envy and detestation. Have -not these consequences resulted? Does not, even now, an ill feeling -exist between West Point and the country? - -My next objection to the academy is, that the expenses are exorbitant, -and greatly disproportioned to the benefits. - -A report made by the Secretary of War at the present session of -Congress, states the expenditures to have been upwards of four million -of dollars. Over seven hundred thousand dollars of that sum is the cost -of the grounds, buildings and fixtures, in the nature of capital, which -cannot be considered as entirely wasted, though they are of little -value in any other respect than as connected with this institution. -The residue amounting to 3,291,500 dollars, is stated as the current -expenses of the institution--the cost of educating the cadets. This -would amount to an annual expenditure of about 130,000 dollars. The -number of cadets who have graduated, including those who are expected -to graduate on the 30th of June next, amounts only to 1,231; each -graduate, therefore, has occasioned an expense to the nation of three -thousand two hundred and fifty dollars; or, if we take only the -current expenses, deducting what may be considered as an investment -of capital, the cost of each amounts to 2,673 dollars. But the amount -thus reported by the Secretary of War, I understand, includes only -the direct and immediate expenditures for the institution, and omits -many expenses which the academy has indirectly occasioned. A friend -who has carefully investigated the matter, and whose general accuracy -I cannot doubt, makes the cost of each cadet who graduates this year -amount to five thousand dollars. All of the expenditures direct and -indirect, by reason of the military academy, I have no doubt, exceed -five millions of dollars, which is the cost of educating 1,231 persons -in military science sufficiently to qualify them for subaltern officers -in the army. A part of them have taken their commissions, and are -employed in the public service. Some have declined to accept, others -have resigned soon after their acceptance, while many have received -commissions, and been placed on the roll of supernumeraries--officers -without men to command, or military duties to perform. Those who have -graduated are by no means all who have entered the academy. Since -1815 the whole number of students has been 2,942. Deducting the 1,231 -who have graduated, and are expected to graduate at the close of the -present year, and there will remain 1,711 who have not graduated. Less -than 200 remain at the academy, and between 1,500 and 1,600 must have -left it without completing their education, or rendering any equivalent -to the nation for the expense incurred for them. Perhaps, however, -it is not a subject of regret that so many of the cadets have left -the institution, or been dismissed from it without completing their -education, and claiming their privilege of military commissions, as -many more yet remain than we have the means of employing. The number of -cadets at the academy usually amounts to about 250--the number annually -admitted to about 100, of whom about 40 graduate. The army absorbs 22, -and the remaining 18 are supernumeraries, holding brevet commissions, -without active duties. It is rather a subject of congratulation, -therefore, than of regret, that 60 out of a hundred of the students do -not so persevere unto the end as to entitle themselves to commissions, -and become quartered for life upon the treasury; but it is not on this -account less objectionable in principle thus to educate them at the -public expense, without an equivalent, in service or otherwise. A law -providing, in terms, that 100 students should be admitted annually into -the academy, and educated at the public expense--that 40 of them should -be retained as officers of the army, and the remainder be discharged -from all claims for the instruction they receive, and the expense they -occasion, would be denounced as unjust and unconstitutional; but a law -effecting indirectly precisely the same objects, receives not only -the sanction, but the eulogies of the most strict constructionists. -What cannot constitutionally be done directly, may be accomplished -indirectly, without trenching upon the constitution. Be it so. I shall -not raise a constitutional question here. My observation has taught me -that the constitution is formed of materials very like India-rubber. It -will stretch on the one side so as to admit anything a man desires to -introduce, and close so tight on the other as to shut out everything he -wishes to exclude. - -But to return to the question. I hold it to be a less evil to give -the supernumerary cadets a gratuitous education, if the nation can -be thereafter discharged from their support, than to retain them as -officers of the army, when their services are not wanted. Already -the supernumeraries, at the lowest estimate, amount to seventy, whose -support and pay cost the nation nearly 70,000 dollars a year; and the -number will be largely increased at the next examination, which occurs -in June. Prior to the Florida war, the number of unemployed officers -was much greater; but, at its commencement, resignations were “plenty -as blackberries.” It is but justice, however, to those who retained -their commissions, to say, that they fought gallantly and well in the -most unpromising and disagreeable contest. - -Not only is the military academy an aristocratic and expensive -institution, but it is also the parent of some _positive evils_. The -first that I shall notice is the jealousies and controversies which it -occasions between the officers of the army. Some of the officers have -been educated at West Point, others have not. Most of the superior -officers have not enjoyed the advantages of that institution: nearly -all of the inferior officers have. Thus they are divided into two -classes--the regular and the irregular. The cadets, having enjoyed -greater advantages than their superiors--served a regular apprenticeship -to their business, and entered the service by the only door the law now -recognises--can hardly fail to look upon their superiors as unlearned, -as mere intruders, the creatures of accident, as usurper of stations -of right belonging to themselves. Is it possible for such feelings -to remain smothered for years in the bosom, like the hidden fire of -a volcano, without occasional eruptions? Will not such sentiments be -very apt to break out in overt acts of disrespect and contempt? And -will not the older officers, annoyed and disgusted by what they deem -the vanity and presumption of the juniors, be likely to meet this -spirit by a haughty and imperious bearing, calculated and intended to -mortify their pride, and check their assumptions? Have not the many -quarrels and controversies, often ending in courts of inquiry and -courts-martial, which have been so frequent in, and so disgraceful -to the army, originated principally in these conflicting sentiments? -Sir, I apprehend the difficulties have been so produced, and under the -same circumstances they will continue to occur, while human nature -remains unchanged. Harmony can no more be expected to exist between -two distinct classes of officers, so differently taught and appointed, -than between different sets of children in the same family, whom all -experience has shown to be irreconcilable. - -The second positive evil I shall notice, is the effect produced upon -the soldiery. By means of the Military Academy, the door to promotion -is effectually closed against the men; the cadets having the exclusive -right to preferment, and there being already seventy supernumerary -officers and the number annually increasing. The soldier, thus excluded -from promotion, has no incentive to bravery or good conduct; all he -has to desire is to shirk danger and hardship as much as he can, -without incurring the risk of punishment. Does not this state of things -necessarily degrade and demoralize the army? Who would enlist into such -a service? None but the desperate and the vicious. Having no hopes, -they can be influenced only by their fears--the ties which should unite -them to their leaders are all broken, and their obedience, instead of -the submission of respect or affection, becomes the base servility of -apprehension, and a desire to escape bodily suffering. The officers -can regard such men as little better than brutes, to be controlled by -fear and force, while the men look upon their officers as tyrants, to -whom they are compelled to yield an unwilling obedience. What motive or -feeling in the soldier can be appealed to as incentive to good conduct? -Ambition, hope, pride? All are crushed and blighted. Conscience? Its -voice is powerless with such men. Fear alone remains--the fear of -personal suffering; and to this the officers appeal. Hence, despite -your laws, corporal punishment has been, and continues to be, and, I -fear, will continue to be, inflicted. True, it is prohibited; but has -the prohibition banished it from the army? No; nor can it, until you -so change the organization that the soldier will have other motives -of action besides a fear of punishment. A late court-martial has -exemplified the operation of these feelings in the army. A soldier -who had been committed to the guard-house for some misconduct, was -brought out by an officer and severely beaten with a sword. The -officer was arraigned before a court-martial for unofficer-like -conduct in thus beating the soldier in violation of law and of the -rules and articles of war; and the court-martial, although they found -that the act was committed as charged, decided that no criminality -was attached thereto, and honorably acquitted the accused. When the -proceedings were reported to the commanding general, he disapproved of -the decision, and ordered the court-martial to reassemble to consider -the case, and demanded of the court by what law or order a soldier -could be taken from the guard-house and beaten with a sword; and if -there was none, that then the accused should be punished according -to law. The court reassembled, and reaffirmed its decision; and, the -proceedings being reported to the War Department, were again sent -back for recommendation and reconsideration, and the decision shown -to be entirely erroneous. But the court-martial refused to change its -decision, and I regret to be obliged to say that the department tamely -submitted. Now, it may be considered as an established principle, -decided by a court-martial and acquiesced in by the government, that an -officer may take an unprotected and imprisoned soldier, beat him with -an implement not more dangerous or cruel than a sword, without being -guilty of “unofficer-like conduct,” although it be in direct violation -of law, and of the rules and articles of war; and if the officer be -arraigned for misconduct, he is entitled to an “honorable acquittal.” -Perhaps it is necessary, as an act of justice to other officers, to add -that the accused, and most of the members of the court were graduates -of West Point. Is this the submission to the laws which is there -inculcated?--the respect for the rights of inferiors taught at that -“_democratic institution_?” After all, sir, the fault is as much in -the system as in the men. By excluding every non-commissioned officer -and private from promotion, you so degrade the army, and destroy its -moral power, that is difficult to govern it without the infliction of -corporal punishment. Abolish the West Point monopoly--open the way to -merit for promotion from the ranks--and a new and far better class of -soldiers will enlist in your service, a new spirit will pervade the -army, obedience will be prompt and willing, emulation and hope will -lead to acts of daring bravery, and you will gain in efficiency far -more than you lose in science. - -The last evil I shall notice is the want of confidence, respect and -attachment between the army and the people. The main reliance of -this country for defence is, and ever must be, the militia. Anything, -therefore, which tends to prejudice the militia, or the mass of the -people, against the army, should be cautiously avoided, as it is -essential to have them act in concert and harmony. Whether merited or -unmerited, it cannot be denied that the people, and especially that -portion of them which compose the militia, look upon West Point, and -West Point officers, with great disfavor; they are specially unpopular. -If war should occur, and the army and militia be brought in contact, -the most disastrous consequences might ensue from their dissensions. -It would be difficult, perhaps impossible, to induce the militia to -volunteer their services when they would be placed under the command -of the cadets. In the objections I have made, and the views I have -taken of West Point, I believe I have expressed the general sentiment -of the militia of my district, and of the majority of the State I have -the honor in part to represent. Located, as the academy is, in the -State of New York, its character and influences must be as well known -and appreciated there as in any part of the Union; yet it has been -repeatedly denounced by military conventions, composed of the most -distinguished and enlightened men of that State. Believing it to be -an expensive, extravagant, and anti-democratic institution of little -use, the occasion of many controversies between the officers, and of -discontent and degradation to the soldiers, I cannot give my vote for -its continuance. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - This chapter is serious, grave, gay and mysterious.--Good advice - to Uncle Sam.--A dream which clears up the mystery of beards and - mustaches, and accounts for some things, but cannot account for - others, until the author dreams again; perhaps not even then!-- - Inquiries and doubts, not answered or solved in this chapter. - - -Should that time ever arrive when the members of our state and -national legislatures practise all the vices which the laws they make -are apparently made to punish and prevent--what influence can their -legislative acts exert on the community? Why enact laws to prevent the -commission of acts, which their own examples encourage and aid, and -even induce? If such legislators are often seen at the card table, -in the race field, or at the nightly debauch, will not men in less -honorable stations continue to follow such blighting examples? Unless -men in the highest, civil, military and naval stations, pay due regard -to the decencies of life, to the strict rules of morality, will persons -in private life and in humble stations do better than their superiors -in office? Because the rich man can afford to live in luxury, will -not his example exert a bad influence on the poor, and on those whose -means do not enable them to live a life of extravagance and wasteful -expenditure? What effect then have high salaries on this or any other -community? Let any observing man look over this district, and then -answer my question. We live in an age of innovation--in an age, when -the passions are let loose, and when the pseudo reformers are busily -engaged in their endeavors to uproot all our old, well-established -forms of government, religion, morals and law. Like the largest oak on -the Alleghanies, which has withstood the fury of the elements during -five centuries, we hope our institutions of all sorts may survive the -furious blasts of demagogues in morals, politics and religion. But -if we wish these institutions to last, we must stand by our colors, -hanging out our banner on the outward wall, and manfully defend our -fortress against all the assaults of innovators--of restless, rash -and wicked men. We must stand to our arms, and dare to meet every -emergency, with blow for blow and gun for gun. Under the care of such -guardians, liberty, religion and law have little to fear for the -result. I thank God, that there are a considerable number of such men -in this district, whom I well know and duly appreciate. - -These reflections grew out of my associations, sometimes not voluntary, -but from necessity, where I heard, and was compelled to hear, every -institution in the whole country assailed by several noisy, ignorant -and self-conceited men, conversing together so flippantly as to -resemble the chatterings of so many monkeys, and with less good sense -than is possessed by the animals they so much resembled in their -gestures, noise and frivolity. - -During a long session of Congress, as the first session of each -Congress is sometimes called, assembled here from all parts of the -Union, may be seen true and faithful representatives of every party, -sect, faction and even fragments of all these parties and factions. -Democrats, whigs, nullifiers, abolitionists, and all other _crats_, -_isms_ and _ists_. They are all busy, all active, sometimes noisy, -boisterous and persevering. Could each one of them be believed, all the -world will soon come over to their several creeds. Poor fellows! we -suspect that the world will still roll on in its own orbit, around the -sun, and the puny, tiny insects that are now buzzing about here, will -all pass off and be gone far away, before dogdays come. - -In this Babel, as it is just now, the people of the district refrain -mostly from entering much into the feelings, interests and views of the -visiters from a distance. The letter writers, the speculators, office -seekers, and the office suckers, the courtiers and the courtezans will -leave the city when Congress rises. While Congress sits, all the crowd -will continue to haunt the public places and the public offices. One -would naturally enough conclude, that in a city, no larger than this, -where some three millions of dollars are annually expended by members -of Congress and by visiters, money would be plenty and the citizens -would be all wealthy; but that is not the case. What becomes of such -a vast sum? Shall I answer my own question? I will answer it, and -confess, that I do not know, and cannot even imagine what becomes of -it. It disappears from our sight, and those who have handled the most -money, appear to be in the greatest distress for the means of paying -their just debts! Perhaps there are exceptions to my general rule, -but the exception proves the general rule to be a correct one. House -rent, being very high, is assigned as the cause of much distress to -renters. Some of these houses were built very cheaply, fourteen years -since, by the joint labors of brick makers, brick layers, joiners and -carpenters, who hired their day laborers at the low price of twelve and -a half cents a day, besides board! So the day laborers used to tell -me, at the time they were thus employed. Their assertions, as to their -compensation, might have been untrue, but circumstances satisfied me at -the time, that they told me the truth. Possibly these day laborers did -not work all day. - -In some instances it is possible that quite too many persons follow -some particular calling, to allow it to be profitable to any one of -that calling. Is the competition too great? All the nation, I need -not say, cannot live at the seat of the national government. I should -doubt, too, whether all things being duly considered, this is the -best place in which to rear a family of children, or one consisting -mostly of young people. More or less dissipation and vice will always -surround the seat of this government. Move the capitol where we will, -the turkey-buzzards, perhaps the same birds, will follow it, and build -their nests under the eaves of the treasury building. Their bills will -always be thrust their whole lengths into Uncle Sam’s purse and Uncle -Sam’s pocket. - - -ADDRESS TO UNCLE SAM. - -“Unfortunate old uncle! you have a great many lazy, idle, worthless -pets, whom you do wrong, very wrong, to support in idleness, sloth -and dissipation. Are you sure, Sir, that you are acting the part of a -prudent, discreet and excellent old gentleman, so long as you indulge -such pets in practices so repugnant to your better nature, in your -earlier years and better days? I do not expect you to turn them out to -grass, as Nebuchadnezzar was turned out in days of yore; but certainly, -the prairies of Illinois would afford them a better pasture, than this -sterile district does. Alas! SELDEN’S REFECTORY is preferred by them, -to all the prairies of the West, blooming with tall grasses and the -most brilliant and beautiful flowers, and a mint julep to any other -vegetable. Of all the fowls of the air, some of them prefer the wing of -an ox, whereas others prefer the oyster to every other bird of passage! -Pray, Sir, be wise in time, put all your sons into some honest calling, -whereby they may get an honest living and pay their honest debts, by -their industry, economy and enterprise. Do this forthwith, or you will -become a bankrupt in fame, fortune and resources and be compelled to -take the benefit of the act for the relief of insolvent debtors. You -own a great many large houses here, which cost you a great deal of -money, but are there no mortgages on them which may be foreclosed? -That being done, shall we not soon afterwards see all your household -furniture, your carpets, your tables, chairs, beds and bedding exposed -to a public sale, on some market morning, opposite the market-house, on -the avenue?--Good bye, Sir.” - -P.S.--A large lot furniture and a great lottery wheel, from the War -office, were offered for sale at auction the other day on the avenue. - -Among the mysteries of this mysterious city, take the following: Soon -after my return from New York, I went all alone into the monumental -square, east of the capitol, to discover what a certain low ill-looking -shanty contained. On entering the building, I saw a statue of _Jupiter -Tonans_, easing himself, without a shirt on his back, holding a -thunderbolt in his right hand! Every wrinkle and every feature of his -face, and his Roman dress, without a shirt, and coated with dust, -proved to me at a glance of the eye, in a moment, that some Italian had -either stolen and brought off the original statue, or he had exactly -copied it; and that some one had placed it here, for the purpose of -setting up the worship of Jupiter here at the seat of the national -government! And this in a christian country, in this nineteenth -century! Until I saw this statue here standing, I did suppose that -christianity, in her onward march, from the banks of the Jordan to our -farthest West, had overthrown the pagan religion, and had erected the -cross wherever Jupiter Tonans and his kindred gods had once stood. -After examining the statue of this heathen deity, I looked, and behold -it stood on a granite rock, inscribed: “WASHINGTON!” That Washington -was well represented by a block of granite, I was not prepared either -to affirm or deny, but that any one could with any sort of propriety -introduce into this square, the worship of Rome’s old pagan gods, I do -deny, and will maintain my denial on substantial grounds of correct -taste. The old story of Jupiter Tonans, if my memory serves me, after -having read it forty-four years ago, for the last time, I believe -is this. Some Roman emperor, perhaps Augustus, was being carried -along in a litter, when one of his bearers was instantly killed by -lightning. The emperor, from a sense of gratitude to “The Thunderer,” -for sparing his own life, promised to erect, and finally did erect a -temple, dedicated to “the thundering Jupiter” and placed his statue -in it, in the very act of darting his deadly bolt. Who would have -thought that that statue would have been transported here, and erected -for the adoration of the pagans in this christian country? Paganism -in Washington, in the nineteenth century! Why not forthwith get up -lectures and send around beggars to crave money in order to stop its -further progress? - -To say that Congress ought not to encourage ingenious foreign artists -at all, would be contrary to our feelings and to all our history, but -our own artists should have a preference, all other things being equal. -And I do not say, that our artists may not with great propriety go to -Europe and there study the best labors of the best artists. But let our -Americans carry with them American hearts, and return to us untinged -with European feelings, and not be imbued either with the ideas of -paganism. Washington clad in a Roman dress, instead of his American -uniform! Daniel Boone dressed in a toga, instead of his Western hunting -shirt! An American Indian in a toga, fighting a battle in a personal -contest, instead of his being clad in his simple breech clout! Why such -sights are presented to us here, is a mystery--a mystery of Washington -city which I cannot unfold to the reader. So of the pedestal of a bust -of Mr. Jefferson, resting on the heads of infants, whose mouths are -wide open, rendered so apparently by the pressure on the top of their -skulls. Whose absurd taste produced these abortions? To mingle paganism -with the ideas of christianity in our statues and in our architecture, -is in bad taste, especially in this age. Within about three hundred -years after the death of the Founder of our religion, against the -superstition of Jews and pagans, against the ridicule of their wits and -the reasonings of their sages, against the craft of their politicians, -the power of their kings and the prowess of their armies, against -the axe, the cross and the stake, christianity ascended the imperial -throne, and waved her broad banner in triumph over the palace of the -Cæsars. Her march and conquests extended to every part of the then -civilized world. The idols and all the gods of paganism fell down -prostrate, before the onward march of christianity, and who will now, -set up these idols _here_, for the worship of Americans? Away then with -these gods and goddesses--away with Mercury and his rod, with Minerva -and Venus and Cupid, they are blemishes, not beauties, they are pagan -and not christian, barbarous and not civilized signs of the times. We -want a Congress sufficiently christian to overthrow these idol gods, -and all idol worship in the capitol. The ancient Greeks and Romans have -long since gone down to their graves, and even their gods have perished -from off the face of the earth. Why dig them up and bring them here to -imbue the minds of our youth with pagan ideas? - -With a view to learn the mystery of wearing unnatural beards, some -filled with vermin, and some with ginger bread! some resembling those -of Saracens, Turks and Russians, I visited Lipscomb’s near Gadsby’s, -on the avenue, and M’Cubbin’s on Eighth street, and there gravely sat -often for a long time, studying beards and mustaches, but in vain. -At last I came home to my lodgings at MRS. TILLEY’S on Tenth street, -nearly opposite Peter Force’s large library, and falling asleep in my -easy armchair, a form stood before me in my dream, with mild aspect a -sympathising look, she thus addressed me: “Let not thy thoughts about -beards and mustaches trouble thee, because I am sent to reveal to thee -the sublime mysteries of beards and mustaches. All men are created with -certain propensities, and He who made them, has marked them, so that -their propensities may be known as soon as the eye sees them. Euruchs -have little or no beards, but a man whose disposition is Saracenic, -Turkish, Tartarean, Gothic, barbarous or christian, has given him a -beard in accordance with his natural disposition, But if he is like, in -all respects, a goat, in smell and sensuality, a goat’s beard is given -him and he wears it, leading about some frail female, dressed in silk -velvet, while his wife with six small children, and one at the breast -is left to starve at home. Such a man will never buy or read thy book, -otherwise he will buy it. In compassion to thee, I further inform thee, -that as to beards full of vermin, that circumstance is owing to the -poverty of their owners, whose purses do not contain money enough to -pay for a comb! Those beards which contain ginger bread, it is owing -to a fact which is as well known to me, as it is to this whole city, -that many of the bearded race are so poor, that I have seen twelve of -them contribute a cent a piece, to purchase a large roll of ginger -bread; they would then tie a cord around its centre and suspend it to -the ceiling over their heads in the middle of the room, and seating -themselves flat on the floor, in a circle, and in that position each -one of them would catch a bite, as the ginger bread was whirled around -from mouth to mouth. And although every mouth was wide open like an -anaconda’s when swallowing a rabbit, yet, sometimes the roll struck -the beard and got entangled in it, until the mouth was filled with the -delicious morsel. The beard itself retained the roll, until some of the -beard stuck to the roll. The fragments of tobacco in the beard, are to -be accounted for in the same way.” I awoke, refreshed in body and in -mind, having had revealed to me one of the greatest mysteries of this -city. My mind is now at ease about that mystery, because I know every -man I see on the avenue, by the beard he wears, whether he is civilized -or savage, rich or poor. If he is able to get shaved without running in -debt for shaving, he is shaved clean and smooth. Has he a beard like -a goat’s; his beard proves him to be one that will stand on the left -hand. And so of all the other signs, they are all revealed to me, and -I, without fee, tell the reader all about it. - -There are other mysteries in this city of mysteries, which I cannot -find out, although I have slept in my easy armed chair and on my -pillow time and again. - -What the Senate will do about the Texan treaty? whether they will -discuss its merits public or privately? whether they will stay here, -until they have gone through their long docket of nominations, now -before them? Whether the House will continue to sit until they complete -their business not yet finally acted on? or whether they will go home -soon, and the people thereby lose all the benefit of what has been -begun, I cannot divine in this chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - Officers of both houses of Congress.--Vice President Mangum.-- - Speaker Jones.--Members of Congress, their labors and unenviable - state.--Eloquence of members.--Senators Choate, Crittenden, - Morehead, &c. &c.--The Tariff, Oregon and Texas to go down to - the foot of the docket and be postponed until next session of our - honorable court. - - -OFFICERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS. - -In the Senate, the Honorable WILLIE P. MANGUM presides. John Tyler, the -Vice President, on the death of General Harrison became President of -the United States. The Senate thereafter elected Samuel Southard, their -presiding officer, he dying, they elected Judge Mangum their president. -He lives, when at home, in Orange county, North Carolina. From his -name, I should suppose that his ancestors were from Wales. However that -may be, Judge Mangum’s family is an ancient one in North Carolina, -the name being found among the earliest settlers of that colony. He -presides in the Senate and occupies the Vice President’s room in the -capitol. He is a man above the common size, of fair complexion and -commanding air, rather grave in his manners, but very agreeable and -appears to be kind hearted. His voice is clear, sufficiently loud and -distinct to be heard all over the Senate chamber and its gallery. On -the whole, he is, taking him all and all, the best presiding officer, -that I ever saw in any legislative assembly. He is always at his ease, -always dignified and always agreeable. His appearance is that of a man -about forty years old. He is a whig, unwavering and unflinching, yet, -like the Kentucky Senators, not a persecuting whig, often voting to -confirm men in offices, who are not whigs, nor any thing else--long. He -appears to look more to the interests of his country than his party. -When I say this, I mean to draw no invidious distinctions between Judge -Mangum and others in the Senate. The feelings of senators must have -been often severely tried by having presented to them the names of -very incompetent men. Where the man is not decidedly a bad one, though -wanting _decision of character_, without which no man can be relied on, -in any pressing emergency, the Senate let him pass as Hopson’s choice, -because they expect nothing better. In this way they have confirmed -many nominations which I should have rejected at once, as destitute of -a qualification, without possessing which, no man is fit for any office -or any calling. So far as Ohio is concerned, not even one appointment -of a citizen of that State, has been a good one, nor such an one as -I would have made, during the last two years. I feel no hostility to -any one of these weak men, but wish they had belonged to some other -State, not to ours. Where the imbecility of a country is placed in -the offices, it shows the strength of our institutions and the virtue -of our people, which can get along tolerably well, though such weak -men are appointed to offices. To have found so much imbecility, so -carefully selected from the very surface of society, must have cost -those a vast deal of labor, care and diligence, who have succeeded so -well, so perfectly in hunting it up, and in bringing it forward to the -President and his secretaries for their acceptance and gratification! -It is a strong argument in favor of the permanency of our institutions, -which can bear such appointments. The Senate appear to be as hungry -for the nomination of men well qualified for the offices to which they -are nominated, as any trout ever was for a well baited hook--they jump -at them in a moment and unanimously confirm them. The confirmation of -CALHOUN’S appointment as Secretary of State is a case in point. The -news spread like wildfire, and fell upon the ear like the roar of a -water fall in the ear of a thirsty traveller, in the desert of Sahara. - -ASBURY DICKENS is clerk of the Senate, and a better clerk of that body -could not have been found in the Union. - -EDWARD DYER is sergeant-at-arms, and he is an excellent officer. - -In the House of Representatives, JOHN W. JONES is the speaker. He -appears to understand the rules of the House pretty well, but owing to -the weakness of his voice, or to the structure of the room, perhaps, we -should attribute something to each cause, I cannot hear speaker Jones -at all, on any occasion, from any location in the room which I have -ever been permitted to occupy, by the courtesy of the House. - -CALEB J. M’NULTY is clerk of this House, and a better clerk, a more -obliging one, more correct, more industrious, more attentive to all his -duties as a clerk, more obliging, polite, and in all respects capable -and faithful, never filled the clerk’s office. M. St. Clair Clarke, -his predecessor in office, although applauded constantly for his good -qualities of all sorts, yet our Ohio man does, for aught I can see, as -well as M. St. Clair Clarke himself ever did in his best days. - -Among the ladies attending on this session of Congress, we mention -with pleasure and pride MRS. M’NULTY, wife of the clerk of the House. -She was born and educated in Ohio. She is beautiful in form and manners -and does honor to our _Buckeye State_. - -This handsome couple are young in years, just beginning the world and -bid fair to live long and be useful in the world, and be ornaments of -Ohio. Prosperity and success to them! - -DOCTOR LANE of Louisville, Kentucky, is the sergeant-at-arms in the -House, and he is a very gentlemanly, faithful and attentive officer. - -The door-keeper, JESSE E. DOW, and the postmaster, JOHN M. JOHNSON, are -as good officers as need be, and they give general satisfaction. - -Members of Congress, generally speaking, are not idle men by any means. -Besides their attendance on the daily sessions of the two houses, they -are on committees, which occupy no small portion of the day, and, -sometimes they are in their committees to a late hour at night. The -more laborious part of the members work more hours, than any farmer -does in the country. Some of them have a great correspondence with -their constituents and others. They are obliged to call at the public -offices, on the business of those whom they represent. Some members, -who represent the farmers of the interior, have little to do, and such -members, are not often chairmen of important committees, and they may -lead an easy life. Those who represent large cities, or many commercial -people, have more than they can find time to do it in. The same remark -applies to those who represent manufacturing districts. Delegates from -Territories, like the Dodges, father and son, have an immense amount -of business to do, and a great correspondence to carry on. Such men -labor night and day. Calls on them, made by their constituents and by -others from all parts of the Union, interrupt them a good deal. General -Vance, chairman of the committee of claims, performs daily a very -laborious task. So far as Ohio is concerned, in sending representatives -to both houses, I am sure that we have little reason to complain of -their remissness or inattention to the duties of their station. There -is not a dissipated man among them nor an idler. So far as I know, -they faithfully attend to all their business in Congress. Their per -diem, eight dollars, seems to be a very liberal compensation for their -services, but after paying all their bills for living here, very little -remains. Those who have families here, actually fall in debt, and have -to borrow money to pay a part of their expenses. A very considerable -number of the members have their wives with them--and where they have -daughters and female relatives, their compensation is wholly inadequate -to pay their expenses. The ladies visit the library often and there -read and amuse themselves, or they sit in the gallery of the House, -listening to the debates. The families of such members as are able -to bring them here, appear to be quite happy. By associating with -many respectable, well informed and polite people, they learn a great -deal of the world and its affairs. They become personally acquainted -with the first men in the nation. In this way they can form a more -correct estimate of such men, their character, dispositions, manners, -habits and talents. In vain do we look into newspapers, pamphlets and -periodicals for correct ideas concerning these men. They are much -better, or not so bad, as common report makes them. Though I had known -Mr. Calhoun forty years, by common report, and, although I had seen -him often presiding in the Senate chamber, yet until I sat down beside -him in his office, and had conversed with him sometime, I had never -had any correct ideas of the man at all. I had always been told, that -he was impetuous, sour and morose, but I found him to be the mildest, -kindest and most agreeable man I ever saw. I was truly astonished at -the contrast between the man as he really was, and the one he was -represented to be! I was agreeably disappointed in many others. With -the character of our western men I was in no case deceived, because I -knew them either personally or from correct sources of information. -For instance, although I had never seen the Kentucky senators, yet I -found them, Crittenden and Morehead, as agreeable, as well informed, -as friendly, kind and conciliating in their manners, as I had always -understood they were. - -By mingling in such society, our young men may acquire a fund of -information, which may be of great value to them in after life. - -Though I knew Colonel Benton personally well and knew him to be a -man of kind feelings towards his friends, and even towards many who -are not friendly to him, yet, he is often represented as malignant -and overbearing. It is not true, because at the bottom of his heart -there is a great deal of good feeling. He cannot always suppress -the exhibition of his better nature, even towards open and avowed -political opponents. So of our senators, Tappan and Allen, the whigs of -Ohio believe that these senators are their enemies, but I always found -them very friendly to me, doing me many favors and no injury--quite the -reverse. They have their own political creed, differing from mine in -some respects, but they endeavor to serve their constituents when they -come here, even if they are whigs. - -Those who have been long in Congress can be much more useful to their -constituents, than those who have had less experience. Understanding -all the rules of proceeding, they know how to take advantage of -circumstances, when to make a motion, and the exact moment when to -oppose an opponent. They say less and more to the purpose. Young men -are quite apt to be impetuous, hasty and rash, and thus often get -overwhelmed by a more cool, deliberate member. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS is -the hardest man to deal with in the House. Understanding all the rules -of legislation, with a large store of information, he is sometimes -sarcastic and witty, sometimes profound and those who attack him always -come off second best. Of all the attacks on Mr. Adams this session, -C. J. Ingersoll’s was the most unfortunate for the assailant. Mr. Wise -related the whole of it to me in the library, immediately after the -assault was made and the chastisement which Ingersoll got. Mr. Wise -condemned C. J. Ingersoll, as every one else did, for his behaviour -towards an aged, respectable man, whose public services, years learning -and talents ought to command and do command the respect of all good -men in the nation. Any member of Congress who respects himself, will -always be treated with respect, because he deserves it. Any young man, -who thinks to obtain any advantage by assailing Mr. Adams, will find -himself to have made a false calculation. - -The Senators preserve their own dignity, and do not mingle much -with the turbulence around them. They are often misrepresented by -malignant letter writers, and the falsehoods they invent, have a wide -circulation. These Senators cannot devote up their time to explanations -and contradictions of such misrepresentations. They have something else -to do. - -I will state an instance in point. About the time that the speculators -in Texan land scrip, began their operations, to effect an annexation of -Texas to this Union, some letter writer pretended to tell exactly how -all the Senators would vote on that question. A number of the members -of that body told me, “that they had neither made up nor expressed any -opinion on that subject.” I afterwards ascertained from the highest -source of information, that not a few Senators would not vote as the -speculators had predicted they would, but exactly the reverse. Such -miscalculations are daily made by interested or malicious persons, -who hover around the capitol. Seeing the papers from a distance, and -conversing with the members on the subjects treated of by the letter -writers, induced me finally to distrust all I saw, coming from such a -polluted source. These falsehoods do their authors no good, but often -an injury. Placed as members of Congress are on a pinnacle, in view -of a whole nation, unless they possess well ballanced minds, they -are not to be envied. They have rivals at home, sometimes ready to -misrepresent their motives, their services and their talents. There is -always requisite, the constant exercise of one virtue, at least, which -is patience, and they must labor incessantly to gratify friends at -home, who expect at their hands more than they can do for them. To be a -member of Congress, requires talents of all sorts--great industry, great -attention to business, constant care, strength of body and strength of -mind. Members of Congress, who make a figure as orators, can do little -indeed for individuals among their friends. Moving in a higher sphere, -they aim at some high station--to be a minister abroad, a Secretary, or -to obtain some lucrative office. Apparently laboring for the public -good, their real object is frequently very selfish. Such men have -rivals among their own party, and all their political opponents are -opposed to them. If they succeed to their hearts’ content, how long -does their prosperity last? In a few short years their race is run and -they are seldom mentioned, but oblivion covers them from our view and -even from our thoughts. Those who figured on the stage at some great -era in our national affairs, and stood high then, are remembered with -affection and gratitude, but the little party politician is forgotten -as soon as he walks off the stage. In this changing world, how soon is -the mere demagogue forgotten? In his day, he impresses his retainers -with the idea, that, unless some favorite theory is adopted, all is -lost. It is exploded, he disappears from our sight, and the world -moves on in safety. There is an elasticity in the American character, -not existing to the same extent in any other nation. Under any great -national disappointment, there may be, and there is, sometimes a -season of national gloom, but recovering from such a state of mind, -our people rouse up all their wonted courage, and confiding in their -own strength, they move onward to new enterprises, entertain new -hopes, and finally realise, and frequently more than realise all -their most sanguine expectations. In the natural world, the storm and -the tornado may be as necessary as the clear sunshine and the gentle -shower, and why should the mental world differ from the natural one in -this respect? “This is a crisis,” says the demagogue--“a nation’s fate -depends on the issue of this crisis,” but the mighty crisis passes by -as harmless as the Zephyr’s breath in May moves over the meadow. These -getters up of crises are, on the whole, quite a harmless set of beings. -They keep up a ripple on the ocean of human life and prevent a dead -calm in the political ocean. In this session of Congress I have seen -none of these crises and panic makers in the two houses. The debates -on the twenty-first rule, on the Oregon question, on the army bill, on -the tariff and some other topics were ardent, long and exciting, but -they did not produce a very angry debate. These several storms passed -over without doing much harm, like a squall of wind without hail, or -even much rain descending to deluge the earth. - -During Dr. HAMMET’S speech on the 21st rule, I had a place, through -the Doctor’s politeness, a seat in the body of the House, from which, -by standing on my feet, I saw every member in his place, and witnessed -the effect on the countenances of members, which that speech produced. -Those passages which turned sixty faces pale, produced convulsive -laughter among the rest of the members. The countenance of Mr. Adams -never changed from a serene aspect, whereas the Ohio members mostly -looked unmoved as marble, in no wise excited by the topics, except when -the speaker alluded to the old maids of Massachusetts. When they were -introduced into his speech, our members were taken by surprise, and -they laughed immoderately. Even Gen. Vance, Judge Dean and all, with -all their usual gravity, laughed heartily, and forgot to be grave. The -hit was a fair one and well deserved. Female fanatics are doing some -harm, and can do no good. On questions, and even doubtful ones of great -national importance, our females would show more wisdom to be silent, -than to press forward on the stage in buskins to show themselves as -players. - -Many persons think the members do wrong to indulge themselves in -so much speaking, but better make long speeches than pass many bad -laws. That too many laws are made by state, territorial and national -legislation is certain. The mania for speech making is not as bad -as many suppose it to be--it is the safety valve that lets off the -superfluous steam, otherwise boilers would burst, and blow into -fragments the vessel of state. Viewed in this light, we can tolerate it -from motives of sympathy for the afflicted. Another good effect flows -from these long speeches, while they are delivered, members can go into -the library, the lobby or the rotundo and amuse themselves or converse -with their friends. The speech being made, it can be printed and sent -home to their constituents. They are pleased and thus many ends are -answered by the delivering of a speech. - -ELOQUENCE OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.--Under this head I shall not say -much, for several reasons. The chambers are but poorly calculated for -hearing in them; the places occupied by those who wish to hear and -report speeches, are not such ones as they should be, if hearing be the -object of those who sit in them; the noise necessarily made by three -hundred persons, moving about and sometimes talking and whispering; -the opening and shutting of doors and the confused din, attendant on -such an assemblage of men; the many objects, such as the LADIES in the -galleries of the House, naturally draw off the eye from the debater, -the ear from the sound of his voice and the mind from the subject in -discussion. With all these abatements and all these impediments, we -need not wonder if the speeches are not very correctly reported, they -being so imperfectly heard when they are delivered. This circumstance -gives rise to every day explanations, almost, in both houses, to -correct erroneous reports of speeches. But with all these impediments, -there is a very considerable number of good speakers, especially -in the Senate. It is possible, however, that the Senate’s chamber -being a place wherein one can hear better than in the gallery of the -other house, may have had quite an influence on my opinion in this -particular. Senator CHOATE is quite a favorite among his friends, as an -orator. His voice is clear, sufficiently loud and distinct; his method -is clear, his language elegant, often beautiful; the impression which -he makes on the hearer is highly agreeable. He rises neither too high -nor sinks too low for his subject, but flies along over the subject at -a suitable elevation. He looks as if he were a man of great labor, and -not in very good health. He appears to be care-worn, and as if he was -over-worked by the incessant toils of his station. I have no personal -acquaintance with him, and speak merely from what I saw of him a few -moments at Dr. Sewall’s, and from hearing him in the Senate chamber a -few times. He is the brother-in-law of the Doctor and lodges at his -house. Mr. Choate represents the manufacturing and commercial classes -and has a laborious task to perform, in opposition to restless men, -who, it appears to me, mistake their own interest in opposing commerce -and manufactures. - -JOHN J. CRITTENDEN, a senator from Kentucky, is a most delightful -speaker. With a melodious voice, clear method, clear sentences, in -which every word is fitly chosen, so that no one could be changed for -any other word in its location that would do as well in its place. His -arguments are lucid, his manner is so fascinating that he is a model of -forensic eloquence in a parliamentary debate. Honest, candid, sincere, -pleasant, sometimes eloquent, always happy in his expressions, it is no -wonder that he is a very popular orator. On hearing him, you esteem him -as a gentleman, and love him as a man. He was nominated by Mr. Adams to -the Senate of the United States as a judge of the United States supreme -court, but was not confirmed, and Judge M’Lean fills the place to which -Mr. Crittenden was nominated. He would have made as excellent a judge, -as he made a member of General Harrison’s cabinet. He has no enemy who -personally knows him, so pure, so sincere and candid is he in all his -intercourse with the world, that even those who disagree in opinion -with him, love the man, his manners and his straight forwardness of -speech and of action. His age may be forty-eight and he is quite grey -headed, of the common size and square built. His lady has a young -look and is still handsome. She is always lady-like and agreeable in -her conversation and deportment. In these respects she resembles the -ladies of Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. They always remind me of the -West, and recall to my mind the delightful recollections of a large -integral portion of my extended life, spent among scenes and surrounded -by a people always dear to my heart. No place, time or circumstances -will ever be able to obliterate these impressions from my vivid -recollections of a delightful past. The Western people, possessing -as they do, unflinching courage, pure patriotism, a love of liberty, -of sincerity and truth, decision of character, open heartedness and -sincerity, with broad and liberal views, and possessing too an energy -and a determination to go forward, conquering the forest and the -prairie, they will soon extend our dominion to the Pacific ocean. Such -a people will always go ahead of all national legislation and compel -Congress to come limping and halting along on crutches and stilts -behind them. - -JAMES T. MOREHEAD, the other Kentucky senator, was formerly governor -of that State. He is six feet high or upwards, rather spare in flesh, -straight as an Indian, and he is so agreeable in his manners and -address, as to be as he truly is the world’s idol. His words flow along -in a constant stream, sweeter than honey. Sometimes he rises into -sublimity, and soars along on high, and like our own eagle, revelling -in the beams of a clear sun. Sometimes he can be playful, with an -arch leer on his brow when he is ironical. He can captivate with his -witchery of manner and of style. His method is good, his sentences -are clear, sometimes pointed, sarcastic and withering. His manner is -winning and his arguments convincing. He is shrewd, searching and -occasionally severe in his arguments, though not in his language. His -ideas may be hard, but his words are soft, smooth and melodies. He -labors with his pen and his books incessantly, sometimes more than his -body can well bear. Having come over into Ohio and married and carried -off a beautiful, amiable and good lady, the daughter of my excellent -friend, J. M. Espy, of Columbus, I wish I had it in my power to present -the reader a short biographical sketch of Gov. Morehead. - -Under the head of eloquence, I will confess, that although I have been -months attending here, sometimes conversing with members of Congress, -sometimes with other persons from all parts of the Union--standing in -the rotundo or sitting in the library, there conversing or reading, I -always found it an unpleasant task to hear speeches, unless some one -was speaking whom I knew or greatly desired to hear. I went to hear Dr. -HAMMET of Mississippi, JOHN Q. ADAMS, GENERAL DROMGOOLE, JUDGE DEAN, -JOHN B. WELLER, SCHENCK, VINTON, FLORENCE, VAN METER, POTTER and a few -others, but I had so much difficulty to get a seat where I could hear, -that I seldom made an attempt to get a seat in the House. HALE of New -Hampshire, when he spoke, could always be heard and understood. - -It appeared to me, that our western members were more eloquent on the -Oregon question than the eastern members, and that the eastern members -beat the western ones on the tariff question all hollow. The eastern -members were learned, eloquent and sensible whenever they spoke of -manufactures, commerce or trade. These speeches, properly digested, -would make an instructive and useful volume, that would be read by -every body. - -I took an interest in the army bill, and contrived to hear a great deal -of its discussion. M’CAY, CAVE JOHNSON and BLACK of Carolina never -spoke a word in vain. Mr. Black deserves a great deal of credit for his -exertions to reform the abuses of the patronage of the government. The -mad ravings of the pets against him are recommendations of him to his -constituent, as their faithful sentinel in Congress. He represents a -hardy, patriotic race of men, whose ancesters fought bravely and well -for their country in the war of the revolution. The Cowpens, King’s -mountain, and all that country round about them are immortalised by -deeds of arms; and by patriotic devotion to the interests and the glory -of our common country. The nation owes that people a debt of gratitude. - -I spent an evening with Mr. Black and Mr. Simpson, of Pendleton, S. -Carolina, at their lodgings in the old capitol, kept by Mrs. Hill. -They are excellent members of Congress, honest, capable and faithful -representatives--none better. They are friendly to Mr. Calhoun. Mr. -Black was born near Mr. Calhoun, that is within five miles of him, and -Mr. Simpson lives where Mr. Calhoun does, and is his near neighbor. He -thinks highly of Mr. Calhoun’s family and says that it is the happiest -and the best one he ever knew. If my memory serves me, I think there is -a sort of relationship by marriage between Mr. Simpson and Mr. Calhoun. - -In the Senate are a great many good speakers. I heard Allen, Tappan, -Choate, Benton, Woodbury, Buchanan, Crittenden, Upham, Morehead and -several others, who spoke well and argued clearly, distinctly and -to the purpose. I have not room for a criticism on their manner and -matter, but I was pleased to hear them speak so well on all occasions. -I wished to hear RIVES and ARCHER, but did not get an opportunity -to hear them, or even become personally acquainted with them. As a -Senate, we need not be ashamed of that body, but the reverse in all -respects. M’DUFFIE appears to be out of health, and I fear that he is -in a decline that will carry him off before many years. I should have -been glad to hear BAYARD of Delaware, to ascertain whether he inherits -his father’s talents, but I never heard him. FOSTER of Tennessee, I -know to be a man of talents and an excellent senator, but I had not the -pleasure to hear him. He stands high at the bar as a lawyer, and no one -is more beloved than I know him to be by his neighbors in Nashville, -where he lives when at home. Talented, learned and good, Tennessee may -well be proud of her beloved son. - -General KING has gone to Russia, and LEWIS has taken his place. General -King, like his friend Buchanan, is a bachelor; so he can go abroad, -having no family to detain him here. - - -A DIGRESSION. - -The influence of the Christian religion, it appears to me, begins -to operate beneficially on our legislative assemblies, and it is -to be hoped that it will in the end melt down in its crucible our -whole people. That religion is the great fountain-head of republics. -It teaches us that our Creator is our Father, and that we are all -brethren. In some respects, there is a falling off from the practices -of our fathers--for instance, family government is not what it once -was. In former days we had infancy, youth and age, but by the present -generation youth is struck out of human life altogether. A boy or a -girl five years old, assumes the dress, the manners and the airs of -a young gentleman or a young lady. Last January, at my room, in the -Broadstreet Hotel, in New York, after hearing their youngest child read -to me, (she was only about four years old) I inquired of her, if her -sister never curled her hair? which hung in beautiful ringlets on her -head. She replied, that “her sister Sarah would, within a few days, -curl her hair, and then she was to have a beau!” The remark pleased me -greatly, because it was so characteristic of these times. No sooner -is the hippen laid aside, than the pantaloons, and the boots, and the -cocked-up hat follow, as the dress of the boy--and the girl, is dressed -like a young lady. Her locks are curled, and she looks around her for a -beau! Of these things we mean not to complain, but we merely note them -as a change effected in our manners, since the last age, whether for -better or for worse, we do not say. The days of our fathers are gone -by, and this generation assumes to be wiser than the former one was, -but whether a better one, on the whole, is at best doubtful with me. - -We prefer Old Virginia, with her old principles to all her new fangled -ideas. In some things she may be behind the age, but that does not -convince me that she is the worse on that account. I prefer the -principles of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Marshall and -Upshur, to those of Aaron Burr and the spoilers. The former are pure -gold, in my estimation, and the latter are mere dross. The sons, and -the descendants generally of the Randolphs, the Lees, the Masons, and -a long list of Pendletons and other revolutionary patriots are true -to the principles of their ancesters and the republic. Long may such -men and such principles shed a lustre on the Old Dominion. Rives and -Archer represent Virginian interest and principles in the Senate of the -United States. In the other house I am ignorant, wholly, as to their -representatives, and so I say nothing of them. Gilmer was quite popular -in the House, but he is no more. SUMMERS is a western Virginian--so -western that he is exactly like an Ohioan in his manners and feelings. -He lives on the Kenhawa, and truly and efficiently represents the -people who send him to Congress. - -From our digression we come back to say, on the subject of the tariff, -that the eastern members appeared to us to have the better arguments. -They said, in substance, that the tariff of 1842 had injured no -interest of our country; that agriculture was more prosperous than -before; that manufactures were more flourishing; that our navigation -was more active; public and private credit was restored, both at home -and abroad. These members then enquired, whether it was wise, prudent -and statesmanlike to change a law that worked so well? They contended -that the experience of all nations proved that sudden and frequent -changes in the laws of any country, were highly injurious to all -classes of people. We do not use the very words, but we give the sum -and the substance of what fell from the lips of many friends of the -present tariff law. It appeared to me that those who wished a new -tariff, took a very narrow view of the subject. They looked at what -they considered the interest of their several districts of country, -without looking further around them on the whole Union. It is a matter -of opinion, and feeling as I certainly did, coolly and calmly, I made -up a deliberate judgement, as disinterested as it could be. We in -Ohio are an agricultural, manufacturing and commercial people. These -interests are in reality the same; they prosper or fall together. Mr. -Jefferson, by his embargoes and restrictive measures, made the people -of New England a manufacturing people, against their wills at first, -but following his advice, they became a manufacturing as well as a -commercial people. Their industry, perseverance and energy made them -prosperous and rich. The change in their pursuits ruined thousands -of them at the time, but as soon as their prosperity was everywhere -apparent, there were not wanting those, who envied and wished to ruin -that prosperity by frequent changes in our tariff laws. Those who -wished to check their prosperity, remind us of a private soldier in the -revolutionary war, while he was suffering corporeal punishment. When -the lash fell upon his shoulders, he cried out, “strike lower, strike -lower!” but when the lash struck his loins, he cried out, “strike -higher.” Strike where the corporal would, the culprit was not at all -satisfied with the blows, nor pleased with the corporal himself. Could -all our people be willing “to live and let live,” it appears to us that -we should all be happier and better off, and in that way become an -united people in the bonds of mutual interest and mutual affection. - -All laws calculated to affect a whole nation should never be changed -for slight causes, nor changed without giving the people, and the whole -people, time to duly reflect upon such changes, in all their bearings -on the whole people. Such are our ideas of that republican form of -government, which was erected by our fathers, to promote the happiness -of the people, aye, of the whole people. Keeping this great object -in view, the laws should be plain, simple and few, and be changed as -seldom as possible, otherwise no man in any business can make any safe -calculations as to the course he should pursue--what plans he should -form, or how he can execute them. There is an union of interests, not -always duly considered. The farmer, the mechanic, the manufacturer, -the merchant and the mariner have precisely the same interests in the -prosperity of all the great interests of all our people. Destroy or -greatly injure any one class of people, and the whole body politic -feels the wound and suffers by the injury. One class may feel it first, -but in the end, all feel it. - -On all great national questions of policy, time, reflection, prudence -and caution seem to be required by the dictates of patriotism and true -wisdom. And our legislators, and indeed all our wise men, should always -remember, and be sure never to forget, that we Americans are a very -exciteable people, more so, much more so, than many nations are in the -north of Europe. Our southern people may be the soonest moved by any -sudden impulse, but get our northern people once fairly started, and -they move like a tornado. Knowing ourselves, and how exciteable we are, -let us endeavor to keep cool, on all the political questions, which -agitate the public mind, from time to time. Our republican institutions -have been dearly bought--with the blood of our ancestors, freely shed, -in the battle fields of glorious memory, and on the mountain waves, -where our sailors fought, bled, died and conquered in the cause, the -holy cause of liberty.--When the liberties of this country go down to -their graves, have we not reason to fear that free government all over -the world, will be overwhelmed in one universal ruin? May my eyes be -closed in death before that day arrives. - -Having decided that the tariff case shall be put down to the foot -of our docket, on the principle of want of more time for national -reflection, it follows as a matter of course, almost, that we ought to -put the Oregon question at the foot of our docket also, and continue it -for a trial at the next term of our high court of judicature. Whether -the Texas case shall be disposed of in the same manner, we will not -decide, until we have ascended to our seat on the bench, and there -patiently heard the arguments of counsel learned in the law, on the -motion for a continuance of the cause until the next session of this -honorable court. - -The idea that the American people are to be taken by surprise, and that -six large States ought to be added to this confederacy by legerdemain, -without notice and without sufficient time for reflection on all -the consequences of such an addition to our territory, calls for -deliberation, reflection and a solemn pause, like the stillness of a -Quaker’s silent meeting, before we decide this question--especially in -the affirmitive. Let us hear it discussed openly in the Senate, and in -all places of public resort. - -Our right to Oregon, up to the fifty-fifth degree of north latitude, is -quite clear and our people will occupy that territory forthwith, and -then Congress will limp along after them, carrying our laws to them. In -the mean time, villages, towns and cities will rear their spires along -the rivers, the stage driver’s horn and the steam boat’s bell will be -heard there. The sound of the axe, the hammer and the saw, will rival -in speed the roaring of the waters rushing over mill dams, or dashing -against the rocks in the streams of Oregon. All these things will soon -be heard and seen there, but we can wait a little time yet, until the -nation is ready to rush in one mass of men, to wash their feet in the -waters of the Pacific, as they roll their briny waves on to our great -western boundary. As Mr. Owen said, in the house, “the Pacific is our -destination and our destiny.” - -Lay the question over, gentlemen, till next session of Congress. -The prancing steed and the nodding plume shall be seen there and the -star spangled banner shall wave, and rustle in every breeze that -moves over the prairies, the hills and the plains of our own farthest -West. A rail-road from Astoria to Boston can transport the salmon of -the Multnomah to our farthest East. Between the salmon of Penobscot -and those of the Columbia river, let the Bostonians decide which is -preferable. We will wait, sitting with gravity in a wig and gown in our -court, until the Bostonians are called into it, to give their testimony -on a point of so much delicacy, in a matter of taste, too, about -which old Horace has said there is no disputing.--“_De gustibus non -disputandum._” - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - Visit to Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of State.--Alexandria, its early - history.--Reminisences of General Washington.--Memoir of Mr. - Anthony Charles Cazenove; a most interesting tale.--He was the - old partner of Albert Gallatin, at New Geneva, Pennsylvania. - - -On the fifth day of April, I went early in the morning to see Mr. -Calhoun, the new Secretary of State. I found him already in his office, -attending to his official duties. It was long before office hours, -and I had a long conversation with him. He received me most cordially -and entertained me most agreeably for an hour or two. When it was -announced to him that Mr. Chilton, a member of Congress, had called to -see him, I retired to call on Mrs. Murphy, of Ohio, and her son, who -were putting up near the Secretary’s office. After spending an hour or -two with them, I called again at the Secretary’s office, but found him -engaged with the Texan ministers, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Van Zandt. -The messenger brought me a slip of paper with Mr. Calhoun’s place -of residence written on it, “at Mrs. King’s, between 13th and 14th -streets, on F st.” I went thither, and waited not long but until Mr. -Calhoun and his son had arrived and dined. The Secretary came into the -parlour where I was sitting, and we conversed together several hours, -until General Anderson of Tennessee came, when I took my leave of Mr. -Calhoun. During these interviews I had in my mind two regrets: first, -that I had never before in my lifetime had an opportunity to converse -with him so freely on a great variety of matters, deeply interesting to -the people of these United States; and secondly, that my _first_ was to -be my _last_ opportunity of conversing with Mr. Calhoun. - -Mr. Calhoun, in conversation, is as great as he is in every thing else. -He can say a great deal in a few words. His language is appropriate -and as beautiful as one could possibly imagine it to be. He is in the -full possession of all his corporeal and mental powers, he sees every -thing at a glance of his mind, and he can speak as easily as he thinks. -He is unquestionably one of the most talented men in the nation. It -is quite possible that he has been treated very ungratefully by the -men, who have been raised into high places by Mr. Calhoun himself. -Without a particle of intrigue in his composition--unacquainted entirely -with the machinery of party management and party drill, he has stood -no chance of success among such men. He appeared to know and to feel -this, though he has always scorned to stoop to such low means of -rising into the highest office in the Union. He has not a particle of -ill will towards his enemies, and, he said, that he had taken a real -pleasure in doing good to those who were employing themselves in their -endeavors to injure him, although he well knew what they were doing -at that moment when he was serving them. He has come here, merely to -treat with England and Texas, and having finished his intended labors, -he will resign his present office, and retire to the high ground where -he dwells, there to spend the remainder of his days. Just back of the -country where he lives, the Alleghany mountains rise to an altitude -of seven thousand feet above the sea, which is higher than the White -mountains in New Hampshire. - -In the vallies of the Alleghany, near him, Indian corn grows and comes -to perfection four thousand feet above the sea. Though I did not ask -him, yet, I suspect that at such an elevation it is the New England -corn, and not our gourd seed corn. He tells me, that on his elevated -ground, where he lives the climate is nearly the same, as that of -the District of Columbia. He has no ambition for public life, its -cares and responsibilities. After being thirty-five years in office, -he desires to retire from it, and be at peace at home, surrounded as -he is by a family endeared to him by all the ties which none but a -parent can feel. He has five sons and two daughters. The son with him -here, is an officer in the army--a promising young man. He appeared -to think that his part of the Union had been wholly neglected by the -general government. If that be the fact, and I am sure he thinks so, -the representatives from South Carolina, should use their endeavors to -obtain their due share of the public patronage. To strengthen the bonds -of our Union by mutual aid and mutual affection, should be the constant -aim of all our national legislation. I told Mr. Calhoun that Ohio had -paid twenty millions of dollars for her lands, into the United States -treasury, whereas the people of the Atlantic States had gotten their -lands originally, merely for settling on them. Mr. Calhoun in reply -stated that Wayne’s war, with all its expenditures, must be charged on -Ohio and Indiana. - -I told Mr. Calhoun that within ten years from this time, the national -government would be in our hands in the West for safe keeping, and so -will remain thenceforth and forever. This idea, I told him, had its -full weight on our minds--it made us bear and forbear--bear our evils -and forbear to use any violent means now, to acquire what would, of its -own accord soon fall into our possession, and be forever ours. - -General Anderson of Tennessee, coming in here, I left Mr. Calhoun with -the most friendly impressions towards him, which will never wear off -from my mind during my life-time. Devoid of all intrigue, he is too -honest a man to compete with the little men, who have always opposed -him. He will only be called for, when great and commanding powers of -mind are imperiously demanded by some great emergency. Like a great -lamp, he shines to give light for the benefit of others, who see by the -aid of its lustre. Perhaps it is best that the greatest talents are -unemployed, except in cases of emergency. They are the army in reserve, -upon which a defeated party in advance can fall back and be saved from -destruction. Why so many incompetent men should rise into high places -of trust, while the greatest and the best ones should be passed by, is -not always seen. Envy of living merit may be the cause. - -Mr. Calhoun’s private character is pure and spotless. He never had any -vicious habit of any sort, nor indulged in any vice. There are very -few such public men in this nation, or even in this world, and there -is no better one anywhere. Whether he belongs to any church, I do not -know but that he practises all the christian virtues is certain. His -hair is grey, but his step is strong and elastic, and his body like -his mind is as strong and as active as it ever was. For strength of -thought, deep, vigorous, keen, searching, discriminating, methodical, -logical and clear Mr. Calhoun has no superior in this nation. His -feelings are mellowed down by years and by a large experience in the -affairs of the world and all its vicissitudes. His great learning, -derived from books--his agreeable manners, derived from a good heart -and from his associations with the best society in the nation; his -business talents; his industrious habits, and all his other great -qualifications, eminently fit him for his present high station, and for -even the highest station in this republic. The Senate did but yield to -the unanimous desire of all our citizens here, when they unanimously -confirmed the nomination of JOHN C. CALHOUN, as Secretary of State. In -whatever station he is, we may always feel assured that a talented, -patriotic and good man occupies it, who will faithfully, honestly and -correctly do his duty at all times and in all emergencies. - - ALEXANDRIA, APRIL 10th. - -I came here yesterday, to spend a few days--to rusticate. This city -of ten thousand people is made up of an agreeable, well informed and -industrious population. The streets all cross each other at right -angles, like those of Philadelphia. It is free from the dust, which -loads the air of Pennsylvania avenue at this time, and is, on the -whole, a better place for me than capitol-hill, where I was so happily -located, at Mrs. Ballard’s, within two minutes’ walk of the capitol, -its rotundo and library. This spot is more retired from company, so -agreeable to me as to take off my mind from my business. On attending -the market here, the most prominent object in it, was the fishes, such -as shad, herring, &c., just taken in this river, and brought here -for sale. I saw yesterday three large shad sold for a quarter of a -dollar, and single ones, large, fresh and fair, for ten cents each! The -quantities taken are great, and a great many wagons from the country, -back of this city, and from Maryland and Pennsylvania were here for -the purpose of carrying them away. Before I came here, I heard much -of the decay of the city, but on my arrival I found none of it. I -found signs of thrift, but none of decay. Houses were repairing, the -people were all employed in some useful calling; the streets are all -paved, with good side-walks, and what surprised me, was, that I saw no -coffee-houses where spirits are retailed, in this city of ten thousand -people. There are only two taverns in it, and one of the innkeepers -sells no ardent spirits in his house. I am now writing these lines in -his inn. I doubt much, whether such another town of the size of this -can be found in America, where no more intoxicating liquors are drank -in it. I have now lying before me, a record of the first town meeting -in this old American town, and I extract from it the following, viz. - -“At a meeting of the majority of the trustees of Alexandria town, July -13th, 1749. Present: Richard Osborn, Wm. Ramsay, John Carlyle, John -Pagan, Garrard Alexander and Hugh West, Gent.” - -What a record! Ninety-five years almost since this was a frontier -town, and then the majority of the trustees held their first meeting, -of which any record remains. Before that time, the place must have -been occupied by settlers, and must have been laid out as a town, -into lots, because the same record shows that John West, junior, was -appointed a clerk of the town, and the proceedings of the meeting were -recorded by their clerk, and his book, in manuscript, lies before me! -John West, junior, was “appointed cryer to sell the lotts at publick -sale, within five minutes, from the time they are set to sale.” The -price of the lots is given in the record, in pistoles. No. 36 was the -first lot sold at the public sale, and John Dalton was the purchaser, -at 19 pistoles. Among the purchasers of the lots, we find the names of -Lawrence Washington, W. Fairfax and Geo. Fairfax, Nathaniel Harrison, -Wm. Fitzhugh, Wm. Ramsay and Major Henry Fitzhugh, besides the names of -the trustees first named, and their clerk and Roger Lindon and Allan -McRae. - -I visited the printing office on Saturday morning, April 13th, and -introduced myself to the editor, a pleasant sensible and obliging man. -The Alexandria Gazette was established by Samuel Snowden in 1800. It -was continued by the original proprietor until his death in 1831. Since -that time it has been conducted and owned by his son, Edgar Snowden--it -is therefore one of the oldest newspaper establishments in the United -States. - -Between this place and Washington there are two steam boats running, -starting almost every hour of the day from each city, and passing each -other about half-way between Washington and Alexandria. They start -at five in the morning, and their last trip commences at five in the -evening. They charge twelve and a half cents for the passage. Some of -the officers of the departments live here, and daily pass the distance -between the two cities. A stage coach runs between them also several -times daily. - -The citizens of Alexandria often attend the debates in Congress, and -know what is doing in Washington as well almost as those who live there. - -I visited the Alexandria museum over the market house, and among -the collection there, I saw the mantle in which George Washington -was christened; his masonic robes, apron and gloves; his pistols, -presented to him by Louis XVI; a model, in stone, of the Bastile, -presented to him by the national assembly of France; his pack-saddle, -used in the revolutionary war; his flag, borne by his body guard in -that war; the first British flag, captured in that war, called Alpha -by Washington; the last flag taken in that war from Cornwallis; La -Fayette’s flag--blue; Decatur’s flag; Paul Jones’ flag, on board the -Bonne Homme Richard, in his battle with the Serapis; Gen. Morgan’s -flag, borne by his Virginia regiment; and a great many other relics -of revolutionary times. General Washington’s letter to the cotillion -party, which used to assemble in the house where I am located, is in -the museum. In this letter the General declines to meet with them, on -account of Mrs. Washington’s age. What thrilling recollections of times -gone by, do these relics stir up within us? What a crowd of emotions, -of all sorts, rush upon the mind, when looking on these memorials of -former days, former ideas and opinions? of old customs and ancient -manners, compared with modern ones? We live in a world that is passing -away--in its habits, customs, dress, weapons of warfare; all is changed, -changing and never will be stable, scarcely an hour! Ninety-four years -ago, this spot, where this city is, was surrounded by a dense forest, -on the verge of civilization, now it is quite on the eastern side of -our domain. - -There is a large market house here, of brick, over which are rooms -for the several public offices, and in the third story is the museum. -The mayor, clerk, auditor, &c. have their offices in the first story -above the market house. The market is well supplied with meat, fish and -vegetables. I saw too in it many flowers and small evergreen trees, in -a proper state for planting them. The vegetables, flowers and trees -were offered at very low prices--hardly sufficient to pay for bringing -them to market. Those who brought them appeared to be poor, with -families to support. - -The rail-road from Cumberland to Baltimore has injured Alexandria, by -taking some of the trade of the upper country away from this district. -An extension of the canal to this city will bring back some of the -trade which it has lost temporarily. The water in the wells of this -city is not good, except a few in the suburbs, from which the city is -well supplied. By taking the water out of the canal, it can be easily -conveyed to the houses and supply all the citizens with healthful water. - -RELIGIOUS SECTS.--There are episcopalians, presbyterians, methodists, -catholics, baptists, and perhaps some other denominations of -christians. They appear to live together in unity, and agree to -disagree in opinion about their several forms of worship. To the -community at large it matters little what may be their several forms, -so as they have the same great fundamental principles of charity and -benevolence towards each other and towards God and man. There are too, -some quakers, as I perceive by their dress and conversation.--They are -the same industrious, neat, quiet, friendly people every where. - -On Sunday April 14th I attended church in the morning at the first -presbyterian church, and in the afternoon at Christ church, the oldest -episcopalian church. In the forenoon I heard the Rev. Mr. Harrison. -Calling at Mr. Cazenove’s to accompany him, he being absent, I went -to the dwelling of his son-in-law, expecting to find him there, but, -learning the object of my calling, a daughter of my deceased friend, -the late Colonel FOWLE, came forward, and accompanied me to the church; -she was a child nine or ten years old. She behaved perfectly lady-like, -and conducted me to her mother’s pew, where her parent was already -seated. The congregation was not a large one, though a very serious -and devout one, to whom the preacher addressed a very good discourse. -Colonel FOWLE was lost in the MOSELLE, when that vessel was blown up -at Cincinnati, a few years since. I shook hands with him, and bid him -farewell, only fifteen minutes before his death. I had been personally -well acquainted with the Colonel for many years, and had spent many -happy hours at different places in the West with him, on many a day, -and I always had a high regard for him. His little daughter resembles -him very much in her looks and manners. I could not refrain from -thinking how happy he would have been, had he seen her, and noticed how -lady-like his daughter was, in her behaviour, while conducting his old -friend to church, in this city. If spirits hover around those friends -whom they have left behind them in this world, and take a peculiar -pleasure in any thing that relates to them in this life, the spirit of -my departed friend, Col. Fowle, must have been pleased to see me seated -in his pew, yesterday, at church, with his widow, her father and his -daughter. - -In the afternoon I went to the church where Washington used to attend -divine worship, and found in it but two persons--ladies, dressed in -mourning. I stated to them my case, that I was a perfect stranger, who -wished to attend their meeting at that time. One of them offered me -a seat in her pew, which I accepted. It was near the pulpit, and she -pointed out to me the pew in which General Washington used to sit; it -was the largest one in the church. At the proper time, the congregation -assembled, some three hundred people perhaps, and three-fourth of them -were females. The weather was warm and it was after dinner. Where the -men were I did not know, but they were not in the church. Two preachers -at last appeared, and began the service. The regular minister read the -service, but another clergyman preached the sermon. I soon discovered -that this was an old school episcopalian church.--Their creed told me -so, because it stated what Jesus himself has contradicted on his -cross. The creed said, he descended into hell, but he himself told the -thief by his side suspended on the cross, that on _that day_ he would -be in paradise! The sermon was an eloquent one, and so far as I could -judge, very correct in its doctrinal points. As a literary composition, -it was good too, and its delivery occupied an hour perhaps. The regular -preacher was Mr. Dana and the one who officiated, was the Rev. Mr. -Johnson. Young, or middled aged at most, tall, erect, active and well -educated, they may yet live long to be useful and successful preachers. - -Forty-five years since, General Washington attended this church and sat -in the pew now occupied by a square built, heavy man, fifty years old, -possibly. To me every person in the church was an entire stranger. The -church has a good organ, and on each side of the pulpit are printed on -boards the ten commandments on the south, and the Lord’s prayer and -their creed on the north, or right hand side of the minister in his -desk. - -Reuben Johnson is the present clerk and auditor of the city. From him -I obtained leave to inspect all his records. Joseph Eaches, Esq., is -the present mayor, from whom I have derived very useful information, -concerning this city. - -The people of Alexandria have in their manners the simplicity and -straight-forwardness of a people in a rural village.--They have the -hospitality of their ancesters of Charles II. time, when the Scotch, -under Lord Fairfax settled the northern neck of Virginia. The pure -morals and pure principles of those primitive times have been handed -down unsoiled and uncorrupted to the people who now dwell here. Should -the seat of the national government be removed farther west, Alexandria -would not suffer much by that change. The Potomac, broad, deep and -navigable, would still roll its tide from Georgetown to the sea. The -industry, enterprise, economy, morals, religion and patriotism of the -people would remain, and render prosperous, useful, good and happy, -a thriving people. An increasing city will forever remain here an -ornament of the nation. This is a nucleus, around which men of good -principles may rally, and from this point spread far and wide, sound -morals and sound principles of all sorts. Near this town Washington was -born and died, and his spirit hovers over this people. His example, his -precepts and his principles govern Alexandria still. We see it in every -thing all around us. - -The stage house, where I am, is kept by Mr. GEORGE WISE, and it is -the best in the city. As such I take pleasure in recommending it to -travellers. - -I cannot conclude my remarks on Alexandria better, than by introducing -to the reader Mr. A. C. CAZENOVE, a native of Geneva, Switzerland, -but now and for many years past an enterprising merchant and importer -of foreign goods. Mr. Cazenove is as stirring a man, as there is in -Alexandria. At my request he drew up a short memoir of his life, which, -in his own words, I present to the reader. Gen. ARCHIBALD HENDERSON -married Mr. Cazenove’s eldest daughter and Colonel Fowle his youngest -one. - - -MEMOIR OF MR. CAZENOVE. - -The cradle of the Cazenove family was Nismes in France, though it is -probable, from their name and coat of arms, that they were originally -from Italy or Spain, where you find some Casanovas and Casanuovas. - -Being protestants, they had to fly at the revocation of the edict -of Nantes, and took refuge in Geneva, in Switzerland, from whence -some of them afterwards branched off to Lausanne, in Switzerland, to -Holland, England, France, and lastly to the United States. This last -event took place during the summer of 1794, when the leaders of the -dreadful French revolution fomented one of a similar character, only -on a smaller scale, in the little republic of Geneva, then not one of -the cantons of Switzerland, but in close alliance with that ancient -and admirable confederation. The object of the French being the -geographical situation of Geneva, being fortified and by nature one of -the gate-ways into France, Switzerland and Italy, besides its great -wealth for an inland city, and the high state of information possessed -by the generality of its inhabitants, being acknowledged to be one of -the luminaries of the world. - -Although France had succeeded in overturning their old form of -government, and substituting in a population, then amounting to about -25,000 souls in the city and about 15,000 in the surrounding villages -and country, a national assembly as democratic as it could well be. -They were attached to their independence and desirous so to remain. It -therefore became necessary for Roberspierre and the leading jacobins -of France, to find some pretext for taking possession of Geneva, for -which purpose they surrounded it (being then in possession of Savoy and -having military posts close by) with the worst of their jacobins, and -such Genevans as had been banished from it for any cause, and in one -night, with the help of their sattelites in Geneva and their own people -which they had introduced into the city, took possession of the three -gates of the city, arsenal and powder magazines. They armed the most -desperate amongst them, to intimidate others, and early next day went -and dragged the heads of our best families and distinguished citizens, -into two large warehouses, used before that for public granneries, to -the number of about 400 persons, and established a national tribune, -before which they brought several of the best, most virtuous and -patriotic citizens of Geneva, but ranked by them as aristocrats, -which they pretended to have conspired against the independence of -the republic; the very thing they had themselves in view, and were -aiming at. Nor could they have had the reign one single day, but for -the knowledge that France was ready to pounce upon Geneva, if any -thing like a scuffle had taken place, to avoid which the people of -Geneva thought it best to submit for a while to the tyranny of their -own jacobins. As it was impossible to substantiate any charge against -such men, however depraved their revolutionary tribunal was, they were -necessarily acquitted and sent to the common jail for safe keeping. -This however so enraged their blood-thirsty Marseillois, (the worst -of jacobins) that they forced the jail during the night, and by torch -light shot sixteen of the best men Geneva ever possessed, and so -overawed the revolutionary tribunal itself, as to compel it to take on -itself the responsibility of so atrocious a deed. - -In order, however, to appease in some respects public indignation, the -revolutionary tribunal brought before them forty of the prisoners, -amongst whom were Mr. Paul Cazenove, myself, and his two and only sons, -John Anthony and Anthony Charles, when, after having charged them -also of conspiracy against the republic, and threatening them in an -awful manner if they persisted, they were allowed to return to their -respective families, where I found seven jacobins guarding my mother at -her country seat, not allowing her to leave her own room, and I was not -even allowed to go in and see her, nor have I seen her since; for my -brother and myself, under cover of the night, with the help of a Swiss -boat, escaped the second night, through the lake to Copet, the nearest -town in Switzerland, on the lake of Geneva, where we were joined by -our cousin Fazy, one of the defenders of Lyons when beseiged by order -of the French national convention. Having long felt that we could not -live in peace in Geneva, under the sway of the jacobins, we and several -other Genevans had determined to leave it, for a while at least, and -under the impression that the jacobinical principles of revolutionary -France were destined to go through Europe, we determined to come to -America, where the revolution had happily terminated, and where we had -already friends and relatives. In order, therefore, to avoid the French -armies, which were then making their second incursion into Flanders -and Germany, we proceeded through the interior of Germany to Hamburg, -where we were met by other Genevans, who had formed the plan of -emigrating to America. There we heard of the death of Roberspierre, and -were all on the point of abandoning our project, but we determined to -persevere in it, because every leader of the French convention having -been heretofore succeeded by one still more sanguinary than the last, -we did not expect any change for the better. We all, to the number of -eight, therefore, embarked together with our four Swiss servants, for -Philadelphia, where we landed in November 1794, and were soon after -joined by three other Genevans, two of whom, with their wives, had left -Geneva after us for the United States. There I found my cousin, Mr. -Theophilus Cazenove, the same after whom Cazenovia, in the State of -New York, is called, who had made in that State and in Pennsylvania, as -agent of wealthy capitalists of Holland, the extensive purchase of the -Holland company. Also my cousin Odier of the house of Odier & Bousquet -Brothers, and soon after Mr. Albert Gallatin, then a distinguished -member of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, joined us. - -A number of Genevans having, while yet in Geneva, much approved our -intention of removing to the United States, and desired that we should -remember them and also prepare a retreat for them. We formed the plan -of a large landed company, in which a number of influential individuals -became interested. But having ascertained during the spring of 1795 -that, justly adverse to emigrate, the French revolution and that of -Geneva having assumed a somewhat milder course, after the fall of -Roberspierre, we were not likely to be joined by other Genevans as -we expected, we relinquished the plan of our landed company, and I -formed a co-partnership with Mr. Albert Gallatin, his brother-in-law, -Mr. J. W. Nicholson, and two other gentlemen, under the firm of Albert -Gallatin & Co., and purchased a tract of land at the mouth of George’s -Creek, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where we located the town of -New Geneva, on the Monongehela river, and established stores, built -mills, glass-works, &c. I remained there until having married in -Alexandria, where I then settled myself for life. Some years after -that, the Swiss government, having thought it desirable, for the first -time, to establish consuls in the United States, unexpectedly to me, -knowing nothing of their intentions, I received from the federal -government of that country, their appointment of Swiss consul for the -middle and southern States, with a very kind and obliging request -from them to accept it; which was the more flattering, as it had been -unsought by me, and though it was impossible for me to forget the -country of my birth, or my attachment for Switzerland ever to be -weakened, still it was very pleasing for me to see that I had not been -forgotten by her, and had such agreeable opportunities afforded me of -keeping up an intercourse with that excellent government and equally -excellent people, which it is the delight of all travellers to exalt -above all other nations. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - Officers of the government.--Remarks on the permanency of the seat - of government.--No authority in the constitution to remove it. - --Monomaniacs, one who fancies himself in paradise! and the other - expects to be elected the next president!--Other monomaniacs - equally crazy.--LOCAL INFORMATION. - - -The chief clerks, such as M’Clintock Young of the treasury department, -Mr. Moore of the general land office, Wm. B. Randolph of the -treasurer’s office, Mr. Pleasants, Thos. L. Smith the Register, and M. -Nourse, his chief clerk, are always at their posts, attending to their -duties. Without just such men, the public business could not be done. -In the state department, Messrs. Winder and Carroll and Pleasonton are -always engaged in their proper business. Perhaps there is not an idler -in that department. Major Lewis and all his clerks, James Eakin, his -chief clerk, Josiah Polk and all, are very industrious and attentive to -their duties. So in the general post office, M. St. Clair Clarke and -all his clerks, the several assistant postmasters general, and Judges -Smith and Hotchkiss, S. B. Beach, Stone, Gen. Allen and all the clerks -labor hard all day long. In the offices of the war department and in -the naval office, I am not sufficiently informed to tell the reader -anything about them. Generals Towson, Abert, Bomford, Gibson and all -the officers of their grade are always industrious, always attentive -to their business. In all these stations no changes could be made for -the better I am sure. Judge Blake of the general land office deserves -an honorable mention, for having appointed Wm. Darby and several others -like him, clerks; and for his kind treatment of all his subordinates. -The changes of heads of department, which are more and more frequent of -late years than formerly produce changes among the clerks. No sooner -is any new head of department inducted into his office, than he seeks -forthwith a place for some relative or dependant. If there be any -vacancy, this creature fills it; if there be no vacancy, the new head -of department creates a vacancy and puts his creature in it. When -any secretary leaves his office, he endeavors to keep his dependant -still on the list of office holders. James Madison Porter left three -relatives in offices, two Porters and a Wolf. These secretaries being -changed very often of late years, renders the tenure of office very -uncertain, very precarious. In looking back on the last few years, we -see changes of heads of department so frequent as to render it almost -ludicrous for a secretary to undertake to get personally acquainted -with his clerks, before he goes back into private life again. Why is -it the ambition of any man in this country to be a secretary or a head -of department? And yet, it is evident enough that those who fill these -stations, think highly of them--their gait, their air and address prove -this. Looked these gentlemen on their stations, as the whole nation -does, these offices would not be coveted at all. Such men as Calhoun -are exceptions, because they act as if they knew what they were doing -and felt all their responsibility and all the cares of office. In his -manners and industry Mr. Calhoun naturally reminds one of old times, -when men in high stations were beloved by all who had any business -to transact with them. From all I see and hear, I doubt whether the -frequent changes in our highest officers operate beneficially on -the public interest. However, if the chief clerks are not changed, -perhaps, the head of the department being often changed does no great -harm, because the chief clerk is in reality the head of department. -M’Clintock Young has been in reality the secretary of the treasury for -four years past. Without him every thing would have gone to ruin, long -ago, in the department over which he presides. - -Former presidents, from Jefferson downward, used to visit the rooms of -clerks and inspect the offices very often, but his Excellency John -Tyler is not so hard on clerks and heads of bureaus. He never visits -them--at least I have not seen him on any such tours of duty. General -Jackson has often gone with me to the rooms of secretaries and clerks, -to inspect their books and to ascertain how they kept their accounts. -Having doubled and trebled the force in the offices, renders such tours -of inspection unnecessary, in order to do all the business of the -several departments faithfully, correctly and well. Two families hold -four clerkships each; so I hear from an authentic source. - -Should any citizen of the United States wish to know exactly what is -done with every cent of Uncle Sam’s money, let him call on Thomas -L. Smith, the register of the treasury, and he can there see it at -a glance. Maj. Smith holds the purse strings. If any one wishes to -see models of all the light-houses in the world, let him call on Mr. -Pleasanton in the state department and there he will find them, and -a perfect gentleman to explain every thing that relates to these -light-houses. If any one wishes to see all the books, for which -American authors claim a copy-right, let him call on the Messrs. Winder -and Carroll in the state department, and he will find the books, and -the gentlemen in whom Judge Upshur most confided, as his confidential -clerks. Mr. Calhoun will extend to them the same confidence as Judge -Upshur did. The former is the son of General Winder and the latter -is the descendant of Daniel Carrol of Duddington, a signer of the -declaration of independence. - -To those who visit the city from a distance, local information may be -useful, and we give such as we suppose may be of service to them. If -the stranger wish to tarry only a few days, having no business but -to see the city, perhaps Brown’s or Gadsby’s will best suit him; but -if his business be with Congress, capitol hill will best suit him, -and he can put up with Mrs. Ballard, Mrs. Owner, Mrs. Hill or some -other keeper of a boarding house--Mrs. Whitney for instance. I prefer -Mrs. Ballard’s, although the others are all good houses, with good -accomodations. If the stranger’s business is with the departments, he -can stop at Fuller’s, or Mrs. Galabrun’s on the avenue, or Butler’s -on F street, or Mrs. Tilley’s on Tenth, near the avenue. But there -are a hundred other boarding houses, as good as need be, such as Mrs. -Hamilton’s, Miss Polk’s, Mrs. Arguelles’ and a long list of good -houses. Five thousand persons can be well accommodated in Washington -city. For the size of it, this has more and better accomodations for -travellers, than any other city with which I am personally acquainted. -I prefer it to any other east of the Alleghanies, but until the late -riots, Philadelphia stood highest with me. It may be owing to my long -acquaintance with this to me delightful city, that I prefer it. - -However much we may loathe occasional loafers, who come here, and -quite too many of them do come here, yet the people themselves are -as good, as the people of any other section of the Union. As a whole, -they are more polished in their manners than any other people in the -confederacy. Trusting to the constitution itself, in accordance with -which, and the laws made under its express provisions, this district -was selected for the PERMANENT seat of government, many persons settled -here, and fixed on the District of Columbia as _their permanent_ -residence. Their all is here, their families and their whole fortunes. -Until the seat of government was fixed here, it never had been fixed -permanently any where. Those who had the power delegated to them, -having expended all the power over the subject, that ever was delegated -to any persons to fix on the site of the general government, no power -to change it, remains in the constitution. That vast regions have been -acquired and added to the Union, without a particle of constitutional -authority for the acquisition or addition to the original States, is -true; but that fact cannot change the constitution itself, so far as a -permanent seat of government is concerned in the question. - -However, let us change this serious subject for one serio-comic. We -have heard of two maniacs to-day--monomaniacs. One of them seriously -believes himself in paradise! and the other believes that he will be -the next president! Paradise was a place of innocense, the abode of -happiness, a bed of roses, but the presidency is a bed of thorns. -Reposing on such a bed, who could sing, with Thomas Moore, - - “Will you come to the bower I have shaded for you, - Where your bed shall be roses bespangled with dew?” - -We hear to-day also, that a monomaniac, another one altogether, thinks -that if he can get a certain man elected president in 1844, he, the -maniac, will be elected president in 1848! Still other maniacs expect -to be foreign ministers! What strange delusions in this deluded and -deluding world are all these vagaries of the brain? Shall we call in -Dr. MAYO, or shall we import forthwith all the helebore which both the -Anticyras produce and administer it all to these afflicted patients? or -what shall we do to restore these men to a sound state of mind? Who can -calculate the chances of the next election? We cannot tell by 400,000 -individual votes, and we suppose we know just as much about it as the -voters themselves do at this moment. - -Sanguine politicians think they know, but they do not know more than we -do, whose minds are not made up yet what we shall do, or how we shall -vote--perhaps, not at all this autumn. Instead of “a light house of the -skies” and buildings for “storm kings,” telegraphs, &c. &c. why not -appropriate money for a lunatic asylum of such large dimensions that -it could accommodate thousands who come here with their humbugs of all -sorts, asking for national aid and support? - -Perhaps we ought to have added a chapter on HUMBUGS, in addition to our -MYSTERIES, of this city. Kind reader, it is too late now for such a -chapter, our whole little volume being all filled up and nearly all its -contents are already printed. - - -LOCAL INFORMATION. - -MEETING OF COURTS. - -Supreme Court of the United States, second Monday in January. - -Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for Washington county, fourth -Monday of March, and fourth Monday of November. - -Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for Alexandria county, first -Monday in May and first Monday in October. - -Criminal Court of the District of Columbia for Washington county, -second Monday of March, first Monday of June, fourth Monday of October, -and last Monday of December. - -Criminal Court of the District of Columbia for Alexandria county, first -Monday of April, and first Monday of November. - - -BANKS. - -Bank of Washington--corner of Louisiana avenue and D street-- -discount day, Tuesday, Wm. Gunton, President; James Adams, Cashier. - -Bank of the Metropolis--Pennsylvania avenue, between F and G streets, -opposite the Treasury Department--discount day, Friday, John P. Van -Ness, President, Richard Smith, Cashier. - -Patriotic Bank--7th street, between C and D streets--discount day, -Thursday, G. C. Grammer, President; Chauncy Bestor, Cashier. - - -INSURANCE OFFICES. - -Firemen’s Insurance Company of Georgetown and Washington--office in -the Hall of the Perseverance Fire Company’s building, Centre Market -Square. Jas. Adams, President; Alex. McIntyre, Secretary. - -Franklin Insurance Company--office corner of 7th and D streets, next -door to the Patriotic Bank. G. C. Grammer, President; Alex. McIntyre, -Secretary. - -Potomac Fire Insurance Company--office on Bridge street, Georgetown. -John Kurtz, President; Henry King, Secretary. - - -CHURCHES. - -Baptist, Rev. O. B. Brown, 10th street, between E and F. - -Baptist, Rev. Mr. Samson, Aldermen’s room, city hall. - -Baptist, Rev. Mr. Tindell, corner of 4th street and Virginia avenue. - -Baptist, Shiloh, Elder Robert C. Leachman, on Virginia avenue, near 4½ -street. - -Catholic, St. Patrick’s, Rev. Mr. Mathews, F street, between 9th and -10th. - -Catholic, St. Matthews, Rev. J. P. Donelan, corner of H and 15th -streets. - -Catholic, St. Peter’s, Rev. Mr. Van Horseigh, 2d street, between C and -D, Capitol Hill. - -Friends, l street, between 18th and 19th. - -Lutheran, English, Rev. Dr. Muller, City hall. - -Lutheran, German, Rev. Ad. Biewend, corner of G and 20th streets. - -Methodist Ebenezer, Rev. Messrs. Phelps and Hanson, 4th street, between -F and G, navy yard. - -Methodist Foundry, Rev. Mr. Tarring, corner of 4th and G streets. - -Methodist Wesley, Rev. Mr. Wilson, corner of F and 5th streets. - -Methodist Protestant, Rev. Mr. Southerland, 9th street, between E and F. - -Methodist Protestant, Rev. Thomas M. Flint, pastor, 6th street east, -between G and I streets south, near navy yard. - -New Jerusalem, Council chamber, City hall. - -Presbyterian, Rev. Dr. Laurie, F street, between 14th and 15th. - -1st Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Sprole, 4½ st. between C and D. - -2d Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Knox, corner of H street and New-York avenue. - -3d Presbyterian church, on F, between 14th and 15th streets, near the -Treasury Department. Pastor, Rev. Dr. Laurie; Assistant Pastor, Rev. -Septimus Tuston. - -4th Presbyterian, Rev. J. C. Smith, 9th street, between G and H. - -Christ, Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Bean, G st. between 6th and 7th, navy yard. - -St. John’s, Episcopal, Rev. Dr. Hawley, corner of 16th and H streets. - -Trinity, Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Stringfellow, 5th street, between -Louisiana avenue and E street. - -Protestant Episcopal Mission, Rev. Mr. French, Apollo hall. - -Unitarian, Rev. Mr. Bulfinch, corner of D and 6th streets. - - -CIRCULATING LIBRARIES. - -Washington Library--room on 11th st. between Pennsylvania avenue and -D street; open daily from 3 to 5 o’clock, P. M. - -Jefferson Apprentices’ Library Association--room west wing City hall; -open every Wednesday and Saturday evenings, from 6 to 9 P. M. - - -FIRE COMPANIES. - -Union--located at the corner of H and 20th streets; W. B. Magruder, -President; Charles Calvert, Secretary. - -Franklin--located on 14th street, near Pennsylvania Avenue; regular -night of meeting the first Tuesday in every month. Robert Coltman, -President; William Durr, Secretary. - -Perseverance--located on Pennsylvania avenue, Centre market square; -regular night of meeting, the first Thursday in every month. Samuel -Bacon, President; Geo. S. Gideon, Secretary. - -Northern Liberties--located on the corner of Massachusetts avenue -and 8th street; regular night of meeting, the first Wednesday in every -month. John Y. Bryant, President; Augustus Brown, Secretary. - -Island--located on Maryland avenue, between 10th and 11th streets; -regular night of meeting, the first Thursday in every month. William -Lloyd, President; William T. Doniphan, Secretary. - -Columbia--located on South Capitol st., near the Capitol; regular -night of meeting, the first Thursday in every month. James Adams, -President; R. Bright, Secretary. - -Anacostia--located on Virginia avenue and L street south; regular -night of meeting, the first Friday in every month. Thos. Thornley, -President; Wm. Gordon, Sec’y. - - -ARMORIES. - -Washington Light Infantry--west wing City hall; regular night of -meeting, the first Monday in every month. - -National Blues--east wing City hall; regular night of meeting, the -first Monday in every month. - -Columbian Artillery--west wing City hall; regular night of meeting, -the first Tuesday in every month. - -Union Guards--hall of the Union engine house; regular night of -meeting, the first Wednesday in every month. - - -MASONIC. - -Federal Lodge No. 1.--room corner of 12th street and Pennsylvania -avenue; regular night of meeting, first Monday in every month. - -Potomac Lodge, No. 5, Georgetown--room in Bridge street, opposite -Union hotel; regular night of meeting, fourth Friday in every month. - -Lebanon Lodge, No. 7--room corner of 12th street and Pennsylvania -avenue; regular night of meeting, first Friday in every month. - -New Jerusalem Lodge, No. 9--room corner of 4½ street and Pennsylvania -avenue; meets on third Tuesday in every month. - -Hiram Lodge, No. 10--room over West market, first ward; regular -meeting, first Wednesday in every month. - -Grand Lodge of District of Columbia--annual communication first -Tuesday in November, semi-annual, first Tuesday in May. Installation -meeting, St. John’s day. - - -I. O. O. F. - -Central Lodge, No. 1--room City hall; night of regular meeting, -Friday. - -Washington Lodge, No. 6--room City hall; night of regular meeting, -Tuesday. - -Eastern Lodge, No. 7--at present occupying a room in Masonic hall, -navy yard; night of regular meeting, Friday. - -Potomac Lodge, No. 8--Odd Fellows’ hall, Alexandria; regular night of -meeting, Friday. - -Harmony Lodge, No. 10--room City hall; regular night of meeting, -Thursday. - -Union Lodge No. 11--Odd Fellows hall, navy yard; regular night of -meeting, Wednesday. - -Friendship Lodge, No. 12--room over West market, first ward; night of -regular meeting, Thursday. - -Covenant Lodge, No. 13--Odd Fellows hall, Jefferson street, -Georgetown; regular night of meeting, Monday. - -Columbian Encampment, No. 1--room City hall; regular night of -meeting, last Wednesday in every month. - -Marley Encampment, No. 2--Odd Fellows’ hall, Alexandria; regular -nights of meeting, second and fourth Mondays in every month. - -Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia meets annually on the second -Monday in November, and quarterly on the second Mondays of January, -April, July and Oct. - - -SONS OF TEMPERANCE. - -Timothy Division, No. 1--room Buckingham’s hall, on C street, between -10th and 11th; night of meeting, Wednesday. - -Harmony Division, No. 2--room St. Asaph street, Alexandria; night of -regular meeting, Monday. - -Freemen’s Vigilant--room Carusi’s saloon; regular night of meeting, -Friday. - - -BENEFICIAL SOCIETY. - -Island Beneficial Society of the city of Washington--night of regular -meeting, the first Thursday in every month. John W. Martin, President; -W. T. Doniphan, Sec’y. - - -TYPOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. - -Columbia Typographical Society--Buckingham’s room, on C street, -opposite Carusi’s Saloon. Regular night of meeting, first Saturday in -every month; President, Ferdinand Jefferson; Recording Secretary, James -Wimer; Corresponding Secretary, James N. Davis. - -The studio of C. B. King is on 12th street between E and F streets. - - - - -ERRATA. - - -On page 73, for John H. read _John S. Meehan_. - -On page 119 for Sellons read _Selden’s refectory_. - -On page 124 for a statue of Marshall, read _a bust of Mr. Jefferson, -resting &c._ - -On page 145 for Zephur, read _Zephyr_. - -On page 163 read _Strike higher, strike higher, Oh! strike higher!_ - -There are a few literal errors which the reader will correct as he -reads the work. - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - - -Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant -preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed. -This book was published in 1844, so some words may have been spelled -differently than they are now. - -Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced -quotation marks retained. - -Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained; occurrences of -inconsistent hyphenation have not been changed. - -Most of the _Errata_ on the last page of the book have been corrected -within the text; the change to page 163 was not made because it was -ambiguous. - -Page 132: “Hopson’s choice” probably is a misprint for “Hobson’s -choice”. - -Page 153: “smooth and melodies” was printed that way. - -Page 168: “De gustibus non disputandum” is a misquotation for “De -gustibus non est disputandum”. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mysteries of Washington City, during -Several Months of the Session of the, by Caleb Atwater - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERIES OF WASHINGTON CITY *** - -***** This file should be named 55141-0.txt or 55141-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/1/4/55141/ - -Produced by Larry B. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Mysteries of Washington City, during Several Months of the Session of the 28th Congress - -Author: Caleb Atwater - -Release Date: July 17, 2017 [EBook #55141] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERIES OF WASHINGTON CITY *** - - - - -Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Charlie Howard, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<h1 class="wspace"> -MYSTERIES OF WASHINGTON CITY,</h1> - -<p class="p2 center">DURING SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE</p> - -<p class="p2 center large">SESSION OF THE 28th CONGRESS.</p> - -<p class="p2 center larger bold">By a Citizen of Ohio.</p> - -<p class="p2 center vspace">Washington, D. C.<br /> -<span class="smaller">PRINTED BY G. A. SAGE, E STREET, NEAR NINTH<br /> -1844.</span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p class="newpage p4 smaller">Entered according to the act of Congress in the office of the clerk of the -District Court of the District of Columbia, by <span class="smcap">Caleb Atwater</span>, in the year -1844.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="DEDICATION"></a>DEDICATION.</h2> -</div> - -<p>To the Members of the twenty-eighth -Congress, Senators, Representatives and -their officers, this little volume is respectfully -dedicated, as a small token of -high regard for them, as officers of the -government of the United States, and as -men, devoted to the best interests of their -country, by their old friend and fellow -citizen,</p> - -<p class="sigright larger">THE AUTHOR.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_v">v</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> -</div> - -<p>This small volume is the first of a series, -which the author proposes to write for the -amusement, and he hopes, for the information -of his countrymen. This is “Mysteries,” -the next will be “Humbugs of Washington -city” and the third volume if deemed -necessary, to reform the public morals, will -be “the crimes of Washington city.” Whoever -reads this little work, will find in it no -malice, nor even ill will towards individuals, -whom the author wishes to reform, not -to destroy, by exposing vice and recommending -virtue in its loveliness and beauty. -He is happy to be able to say, that the -people of this district have been growing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vi">vi</a></span> -better during twenty years past. Several -of the Departments, perhaps all of them, -are better conducted than formerly. There -is in them a better system. We refer more -especially to the Treasury Department—the -General Land Office and the Department -of the General Post Office. The State -Department is and always was well enough. -All party spirit has been carefully avoided -in writing this little book. Feeling no ill -will towards any one, for opinion’s sake, -the author has expressed none towards the -good men with whom he has freely associated -during several months past. Treated -kindly himself by men of all parties, he has -endeavored to treat them as they have -treated him, during this protracted session -of Congress. In his <em>next volume</em> he proposes -to describe the Patent Office, the War -Office and the Navy Department. He -hopes to be able soon to begin his visits to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vii">vii</a></span> -them, and continue his visits until he understands -fully what is in those departments, -so that the people can learn correctly -whether <em>common report</em> be true or false -respecting them. <span class="smcap">The Indian bureau will -be examined.</span></p> - -<p>Errors in this first edition of an original -work could not be avoided, and the reader, -it is hoped, will correct them as he reads -the work the first time. Unless this volume -is soon sold, his next work, “<span class="smcap">The Humbugs</span>” -will be put to the press when Congress -rises. The author will <em>take off his -gloves</em> when he writes that volume during -the dog-days.</p> - -<p class="sigright vspace"> -The reader’s humble servant,<br /> -<span class="large l2">THE AUTHOR.</span> -</p> - -<p class="in0 in1 smaller">WASHINGTON CITY, June 1st, 1844.</p> -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ix">ix</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS"></a>TABLE OF CONTENTS.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote class="hang"> -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></p> - -<p>Journey to Washington City.—A day at Wheeling, in Virginia.—Ride to -Cumberland over the Alleghany mountains.—Extremely cold weather in -a crowded Stage.—Arrival at Cumberland two hours too late to take the -Rail-road cars to Baltimore, through the management of stage drivers and -tavern keepers, on the route.—Arrival at Washington City on New -Year’s day.—Reflections on the change in every thing, in the city, since -that day fourteen years.—Interviews with the President, Major William -B. Lewis, Governor Woodbury, and many old friends, at Mrs. Hamilton’s, -on Pennsylvania Avenue.—Biographical Sketch of Levi Woodbury.</p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></p> - -<p>Journey from Washington to Philadelphia.—A day at Philadelphia.—Journey -to New York on the rail-road.—Stop on Broadway.—A dinner consisting -of ice water and one mouthful of roast beef!—Bill of fare, but no -fare.—Thefts and burglary.—Broadstreet Hotel corner of Broad and Pearl -streets.—Fare excellent, but no <span class="smcap smaller">BILL OF FARE</span> on the table at dinner.—Charles -A. Clinton and Dr. Hosack.—Mrs. Lentner’s on Amity street, -where Colonel Trumbull lived and died.—Albert Gallatin and his lady on -Beekman street.—Mr. Gallatin’s eventful life.—How employed in the study -of Indian languages.—His inquiries concerning his old friends in the -District of Columbia.—Their feeling towards him and Mrs. Gallatin, and -the comparisons they are now daily compelled to make.—The trade of -New York city, its vast amount and probable increase, which will eventually -render it the greatest commercial emporium in the world.—Rail-road -to the Pacific ocean and a fair prospect of its connecting our Atlantic cities -with China and the Pacific islands, by means of rail-roads and steam -vessels.—The future wealth, grandeur and moral glory of this republic.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_x">x</a></span></p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></p> - -<p>Return to Washington.—The different degrees of temperature in the atmosphere -at different places seen in the thickness of the ice in the rivers from -New York to Washington inclusive.—Long interview with the President. -His misfortunes rather than his faults.—His cheerfulness, and his views -as to Liberia.—Supernumeraries ought to be set to work and sent off.—Beautiful -situation of Washington.—The Congress library, its officers and -the agreeable company usually in the library room.—Army of little officers -in and about the capitol.—Judge Upshur, personal acquaintance -with him, his character and death.—The tragedy on board the Princeton.—Great -funeral and a whole city in tears for the loss of so many distinguished -citizens.</p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></p> - -<p>Mr. Dana’s speech against the military Academy.—Objections—it is an aristocratic -institution.—1st in its selection of candidates—2nd in its monopoly -of military commissions.—Its expenses are enormous and wholly -disproportioned to any advantages to be derived from it.—Its positive -evils, as it operates on the officers and on the private soldiers.—Mr. -Dana might have added, that if this republic is in danger from any quarter, -its danger lies in this institution.</p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></p> - -<p>This chapter is serious, grave, gay and mysterious.—Good advice to Uncle -Sam.—A dream which clears up the mystery of beards and mustaches, -and accounts for some things, but cannot account for others, until the author -dreams again; perhaps not even then!—Inquiries and doubts, not answered -or solved in this chapter.</p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></p> - -<p>Officers of both houses of Congress.—Vice President Mangum.—Speaker -Jones.—Members of Congress, their labors and unenviable state.—Eloquence -of members.—Senators Choate, Crittenden, Morehead, &c. &c.—The -Tariff, Oregon and Texas to go down to the foot of the docket and be -postponed until next session of our honorable court.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_xi">xi</a></span></p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></p> - -<p>Visit to Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of State.—Alexandria, its early history.—Reminisences -of General Washington.—Memoir of Mr. Anthony Charles -Cazenove; a most interesting tale.—He was the old partner of Albert Gallatin, -at New Geneva, Pennsylvania.</p> - -<p class="tochdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></p> - -<p>Officers of the government.—Remarks on the permanency of the seat of government.—No -authority in the constitution to remove it.—Monomaniacs, -one who fancies himself in paradise! and the other expects to be elected -the next president!—Other monomaniacs equally crazy.—<span class="smcap">Local Information.</span></p> -</blockquote> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13">13</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Journey to Washington City.—A day at Wheeling, in Virginia.—Ride to -Cumberland over the Allegheny mountain.—Extremely cold weather in -a crowded Stage.—Arrival at Cumberland two hours too late to take the -Rail-road cars to Baltimore, through the management of stage drivers and -tavern keepers, on the route.—Arrival at Washington City on New -Year’s day.—Reflections on the change in every thing, in the city, since -that day fourteen years.—Interviews with the President, Major William -B. Lewis, Governor Woodbury, and many old friends, at Mrs. Hamilton’s, -on Pennsylvania Avenue.—Biographical Sketch of Levi Woodbury.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Leaving Columbus, the seat of government, -in the State of Ohio, on the morning -of the twenty-sixth of November, in the -stage, in company with six or seven passengers, -we arrived at Wheeling, in Virginia, -in exactly twenty-four hours. The -distance is somewhat over one hundred and -thirty miles. We passed over the National -road, then in a good condition for travelling -on it. Stopping at the Virginia Hotel in -Wheeling, we ascertained that we were -too late for the stage that would pass over<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14">14</a></span> -the road to Cumberland, in season for the -rail-road cars next morning; and so we -concluded to tarry where we were, until -next day. Resting ourselves here that day, -and laying by sleep enough for the route -between Wheeling and Cumberland, we -took an early start the next morning, and -passed over the Alleghanies during the -succeeding night. We travelled some fifty -miles or upwards on the ridge of that mountain, -which is four thousand feet above the -ocean, and on one point it is nearly, if not -quite, five thousand feet in height. It was -extremely cold, and the snow was several -inches in depth. The cracks in the doors -and windows of the stage, admitted the -piercing cold more freely than we could -have wished. We were nine in number, -and were quite incommoded and uncomfortably -stowed away. The stage driver -insisted on stopping at every tavern, that -we passed, almost, during the night, and -the tavern keepers themselves were quite -importunate, and strove to induce us to stop<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15">15</a></span> -and warm ourselves by their large coal fires -in their bar-rooms.</p> - -<p>These arts of stage drivers and tavern -keepers combined, detained us so long, notwithstanding -all our exertions to prevent it, -that they produced the effect which it was -intended to produce: we arrived at Cumberland, -in Maryland, about two hours too -late for the cars that day, and so we were -detained at that town until next morning. -If the tavern keepers at Wheeling and Cumberland -could be believed, though we had -our doubts, they were excessively offended -at all who were concerned in delaying us -on our route, viz.: the stage agent at Wheeling, -and the drivers and tavern keepers on -the mountain, from the top of Laurel Hill, -to Frostburgh inclusive. On the last day -of December, 1843, we left Cumberland -early in the morning, and in ten hours we -were safely landed in Baltimore, passing -over one hundred and eighty miles of rail-road -in that period of time. For such a -distance, of continuous rail-road, this is a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16">16</a></span> -most excellent road, and the ride is a very -pleasant one. Our stoppages were neither -numerous nor did we tarry long at any one -place. At Harper’s Ferry we stopped to -dine, but prefering to take our refreshment -in the cars, we were gratified in that way, -thereby saving one-half the expense and -one-half the usual time of tarrying here to -take a regular dinner. The towns through -which we passed, between Cumberland and -Baltimore, are small ones, but are improving -in appearance. In Baltimore I stopped -at Bradshaw’s, near the depot, and there -found a good, comfortable room, a good -bed, and good breakfast for one dollar. -Leaving Baltimore in the cars at 8 o’clock, -A. M., we reached Washington city, at 10 -o’clock, in the morning, on New Year’s day. -I had expected to have seen, at least, one -hundred thousand people in Pennsylvania -Avenue, on New Year’s day, as I saw, on -that day fourteen years before. Now, I -saw no crowd, no bustle, and heard no -noise, and saw no stir. There was, however,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17">17</a></span> -as I learned at supper from some -clerks who boarded where I put up, a levee -of clerks and officers, who were dependants -on the heads of Departments, and they called -it “a crowd” of officers and office seekers? -The nation had increased in numbers, -greatly, since 1830, but only one thousand -officers attended at the White house that -day, whereas one hundred thousand people -thronged the Avenue fourteen years before! -Such was my impression from what I saw -and heard that day. The change was striking, -and told the different feelings of the -people towards the Captain, from those formerly -evinced towards the old General. I -leave it to the reader to decide on the cause, -but the fact made an impression at the time, -and forced the comparison on my own mind, -on the first day of the year 1844. Both days, -that is, the first day of January 1830, and -New Year’s day 1844, were equally fair, -and the Avenue was now in a better condition -than formerly, made so, at a large expense, -by the nation. The officers of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18">18</a></span> -government had doubled in numbers around -the Chief Magistrate, but <span class="smcap smaller">THE PEOPLE</span> were -not here now.</p> - -<p>I had been absent from the city ever -since early in August 1832, and it had undergone -a change in its exterior appearance, -in the mean time, of some magnitude. Its -vacant lots had been built on, in many places; -old buildings had been removed, and -new ones, many of them large and elegant -ones, had been erected in their stead. The -improvements about the public buildings: -the Capitol, the War office, the President’s -house, &c., were considerable, and had cost -the nation large sums of money. Besides -these improvements, a new building of -large dimensions had been built instead of -the old Post Office, that fire had destroyed, -since I had been here. A new Patent Office, -of dimensions quite too large for any -use to which the nation ought to devote it, -had been built. The structure of this -building seemed to me, to be such, that it -will fall down in a few years. A new Treasury<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19">19</a></span> -Office of vast dimensions, had also been -built, since I had visited the city. Washington -had now assumed more of a city-like -aspect, instead of its old one, of a long straggling -village. More churches had been -built, in various parts of the city, and no disgusting -sights of beggars and prostitutes met -the eye. These circumstances added much -to my satisfaction on my first day’s visit to -the seat of Government. I met and shook -hands with many old friends, residing either -here or in Georgetown. Washington no -longer presents the outside of vice, and that -circumstance speaks highly of those, who -have so zealously laboured to improve -the morals, and mend the hearts, of the -great mass of the citizens. Their labors -must have been great, otherwise such success -would not have followed their works.</p> - -<p>I attended, afterwards, divine service in -several of their churches in the city, and -once in the Episcopal church, with General -Archibald Henderson’s family, at the Navy -Yard, but I always found good preaching,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20">20</a></span> -and orderly, and even devout congregations -attending church. In the streets of -the city, I have never seen an intoxicated -person, whereas, twelve years since, I have -seen fifty such sights in a day. Many of -them were Members of Congress! During -this long visit of several months, constantly -visiting all the public places, I have not -seen one Member of Congress, either intoxicated -or in any wise misbehaving himself, -on any occasion.</p> - -<p>There may be vice here, but it no longer -exhibits its disgusting front in public, and -I have not sought for it, nor wished to find -it. It is true, the passengers see signs in -several places on the Avenue, with the -words “BILLIARDS,” or “BILLIARD SALOON,” -printed on them, but otherwise, -the stranger would not know without inquiry, -where the gamblers resort for gaining -what they call an “honest livelihood.” The -reflections I drew from such premises, assure -me of an improved state of morals, in the -nation itself, in many respects. We may<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21">21</a></span> -hope that moral feelings and moral principles, -will one day govern this great Republic, -through its representatives, in our -legislative assemblies.</p> - -<p>Let us hope, too, that the day is not far -off, when our highest officers, civil, naval, -and military, will be sober, honest, and -moral men. Many, perhaps all, or nearly -all, of our older officers are such men even -now—such men as General Henderson, Col. -Abert, General Bomford, General Gibson, -Col. Totten, General Towson, Maj. Lewis, -Judge Blake, M. St. Clair Clarke, and many -others, are such men now. The high respect -in which these men are held by all -who know them, will have a good effect -on all their subordinates. The low estimation, -likewise, in which men in high places, -of an opposite character, are held here and -elsewhere, will produce its good effects also. -They stand out as beacons on the ocean of -life, to warn off every mariner from such an -iron bound coast. The success which has -always attended the sons and daughters of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22">22</a></span> -such good men, and the total ruin which -has followed, and overwhelmed the children -of wicked officers of government, -teach the same lessons of prudence, wisdom, -and virtue.</p> - -<p>It argues but poorly in favor of an aristocracy -in this country, to see, in the offices, -as minor clerks, the sons of highly respectable -fathers, unless it be in cases, where a -man with a family is reduced by misfortunes -and losses, by untoward events, -without any fault of his; or he may have -been a literary man, like William Darby. -In such a case, the government may, on the -purest principles of morals, give such a man -some easy place as a shelter in his old age. -Such an act ought to rescue such a head of -department from oblivion. Judge Blake deserves -and receives his reward in the good -opinion of all good men.</p> - -<p>Speaking of clerks, it is to be regretted -that the young men of this district should, -early in life, accept of a clerkship, instead -of setting out at once for themselves, whereby<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23">23</a></span> -they can be more independent and have -a better prospect of rising in the world as -respectable men and useful ones too, than -a clerkship can ever afford them. I was -told that it was no very uncommon sight to -see in a day one hundred such young men -in office hours, walking the streets, standing -in refectories, drinking spirits, or lounging -about the lobbies of the two houses, or -sauntering about the rotundo with an umbrella -over their heads, leading about some -female friend! I was told also, that while -these loafers were thus engaged, the older -clerks and older men with families to support, -were over worked in their several offices. -One hundred such clerks with high -salaries, (often the highest ones) ought to be -dismissed in a day, and substitutes found in -the western states, who have almost nothing -here in the departments. Such a state of -things would sink any administration in the -estimation of all the West.</p> - -<p>I give this story for what it is worth, and -for the sake of unity, in relation to the appointment<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24">24</a></span> -of clerks, whose residence is in -the District, we relate here another anecdote, -which, in order of time belongs to a -more recent era than the early part of our -present visit. On the morning of the day -when Messrs. Gilmer and Wilkins were nominated -to the Senate, for the purpose of -getting those nominations made that day, -I called at the White House very early in -the morning, and being the first on the spot -by half an hour, the President, in accordance -with his usual politeness towards me, -directed the messenger to give to me, as -the first one that morning whom he would -see, the key of the door that led to the -President’s room, up stairs. I took the key -and opened the door, putting my hand -against the door case to prevent an ugly old -woman getting ahead of me, on my way -to see the President; but the old lady -stooping under my arm and running before -me, cried out aloud, “W...... ought to -be clerk, W...... ought to be clerk.” She -kept before me, running a race, thus proclaiming,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25">25</a></span> -at the top of her voice, until she -reached the President’s room, where seating -herself without leave or licence, she -continued her clamor for some minutes.—Finally, -finding no opportunity to be alone -with the Chief Magistrate, I opened to him -my business, notwithstanding the presence -of this old witch of Endor. She declared -that “although they had lived in the District -almost one whole year, yet during all -that long period they had procured no office -yet.” They had kept boarders, for which -they had received only thirteen dollars a -week for each boarder! They had been -compelled, it seems, to hire a man at ten -dollars a month, to wait on the boarders! -yet neither her husband nor her son-in-law -had received any office yet. Hearing that -two Secretaries were to be nominated that -day, she modestly insisted on “her husband’s -being a clerk under one of them.” -The President told her, “that he had nothing -to do with such appointments, which -he left to the Secretaries to make.” It<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26">26</a></span> -seems, from the best information I could -obtain, that women, belonging to this District, -and parts of Maryland and Virginia -near Washington, come here, constantly -soliciting offices for their sons, husbands -and other relatives. That they have often -succeeded, is evident enough to the public -injury, and to the injury of the public officers -themselves. Were the same rules -adopted now, that Jefferson and Madison -adhered to formerly, a vast deal of personal -inconvenience to the President would be -avoided. The Presidents, to whom I have -referred, required that all applications for -offices should be made in writing. If the -office was derived from the President and -Senate, the application had to be made to -the President; but if the office applied for -came from a Secretary, then he only was -addressed, but it must be in writing. A -story has been for some time past running -around the whole Union, during the last -year, in relation to the appointment of a -clerk. The tale itself is derived, we presume,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27">27</a></span> -from some officer here, yet is doubtless -wholly untrue. Could that officer be -believed, a woman, residing in or near the -District, frequently called to see the President, -in order to get her husband appointed -a clerk. After many vain attempts to -accomplish her wishes, she is represented -as having succeeded at last by informing the -Chief Magistrate, “that her husband was -entirely helpless in his bed from sickness, -and that she and her children must come -to want unless her husband was appointed -a clerk!”</p> - -<p>Having recounted my first impressions -on my arrival here, I proceed in my personal -narrative. On the next day, early in the -forenoon of January second, I called on my -old friend, Major William B. Lewis, Second -Auditor, located in the War Office building, -whom I found disengaged. After a -few minutes’ conversation, he began to tell -me about how my business had been treated -in the War Office, by the late Secretary -of War and the present Commissioner of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28">28</a></span> -Indian Affairs. He spoke an hour, in which -time he entirely acquitted President Tyler -of all participation in the oppression, of -which I had been the object. I had been -informed quite the reverse by our delegation, -on the authority of the men, who were -the only authors of all the injustice which -had been done to me. On the next day I -saw the man who had wronged me; and -although I did not even allude to his conduct -towards me, I became entirely satisfied -of his guilt, and so made up my mind -accordingly. The next step required me, I -thought, to make the proper apology to an -injured man, injured by his worst enemies, -who pretended to be his best friends. On -the first day that I called to see the President, -the members of Congress occupied -the President’s time so long, that I could -not see him that day. I called again next -day, and through the friendship of Judge -French of Kentucky, who spoke to the -western members then waiting to see the -President, and more especially through the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29">29</a></span> -aid of the Hon. T. Jefferson Henley of Indiana, -I saw the President and conversed -with him about my claim. Mr. Henley lived -opposite Louisville, (when at home,) on -the Ohio river. He represented a part of -Indiana with which I was formerly well acquainted. -He stood by me, and insisted on -the President seeing me and conversing -with me on my business. The President -came out of his room to see me, instead of -inviting <em>me</em> into his room. He seemed not -to know what had been done, and he referred -me to Maj. Lewis for information; -but as the Auditor could not originate an -account, and, in as much too, as the then -Secretary of War, I well knew, could not -pass the Senate, I preferred deferring my -business until another Secretary of War had -been appointed. I therefore deferred the -presentation of any claim until a future day.</p> - -<p>Walking along the avenue towards Gadsby’s, -I heard a loud voice behind me, and -turning around, I saw following me, with a -quick step, Levi Woodbury, now a Senator<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30">30</a></span> -from New Hampshire, formerly a Secretary, -first of the Naval, next of the Treasury department. -I was happy, indeed, to meet -such an old friend, after a separation of -more than eleven years’ continuance. He -was in the best health and spirits, and exacted -a promise from me, that I would spend -that evening with him and his family, at -Mrs. Hamilton’s, on the avenue. At early -candle light I went to see him, but, in addition -to his family, I found there a large -number of old friends, members of Congress -and others. It was a most agreeable meeting -of old friends, who had once been the -supporters of General Jackson. Old scenes -were recalled to our minds, and all were -very happy for the time being. Gov. Hill -of New Hampshire, was the only one who -did not laugh heartily on that occasion. His -nomination for some little office was before -the Senate for confirmation, and his fears, -if he had any, were well founded, because -his nomination was not confirmed, but rejected -not long afterwards by the Senate.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31">31</a></span> -Among the ladies present, were Mrs. Woodbury -and her three daughters. They are -New England’s best beauties—they have -handsome forms, and they are beautiful in -face, body and mind. The whole family, -father, mother and daughters, present one -of the best family groups I ever saw in my -whole life. Their persons, minds and manners -are in perfect keeping, of which New -Hampshire may well be proud, as ornaments, -physical, mental and moral, of the -Granite State. Seeing them, and listening -to their conversation, I thought, though I -did not say so, that, unless the unmarried -members of Congress had hearts harder -than granite itself, and colder than northern -icebergs, these young ladies would soon -have good husbands and good homes in our -delightful Great Western valley. Give us -millions of just such people in the West, to -cultivate and adorn the largest, the best -and most fertile valley on the whole globe.</p> - -<p>Levi Woodbury was born in Francistown, -in New Hampshire, in the year 1790. His<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32">32</a></span> -father, Peter Woodbury, emigrated, when -quite young, from Beverly, in Massachusetts, -to the town where Governor Woodbury -was born. We do not propose in this biographical -notice of one who has successively -filled, with credit to himself and honor -to his native state, so many high and important -public stations, any thing more than a -mere passing notice of one of the most industrious, -polite, kind and useful men in the -present Congress. The early education of -Mr. Woodbury was acquired in the common -schools of his native town. During a short -period, he was employed, when young, a -mere youth of fourteen or fifteen years of -age, in teaching a school in Pepperell, in -Massachusetts. In 1805 he entered Dartmouth -college, and was regularly graduated -at that institution. As a scholar, he stood -very high in his class. This circumstance, -in addition to his devotion to literary pursuits, -in all probability, induced his alma -mater to confer on him the degree of LL. D. -at a subsequent period of his life. After<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33">33</a></span> -graduating at Dartmouth college, Mr. Woodbury -studied law one year with Judge -Reeve, at Litchfield, Connecticut, and completing -his law studies at other places, was -admitted to the bar in 1812, and immediately -opened a law office in his native town. -At the time when Mr. Woodbury began his -career as a lawyer, party spirit ran high in -New Hampshire; the majority were opposed -to the war and the then administration -of the general government. Mr. Woodbury -supported the war, and often addressed public -meetings, and drew up and introduced -into them spirited resolutions, which produced -considerable effect on the minds of -his fellow citizens. During several years, -the party opposed to the war, governed the -State, until 1816, perhaps. During these -four years Mr. Woodbury rose into a great -practice at the bar, and stood high too as a -politician with his party. In 1816, when -his party had become a majority in the legislature, -he was elected clerk of the Senate. -In the next January he was appointed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34">34</a></span> -a judge of the superior court. Having at -such an early age been appointed to the -highest judicial station in the State, the -public attention was naturally turned towards -him. His quick apprehension, his -reach of thought, his firmness and moral -courage, rendered him a model, it is said, -of judicial deportment. His judicial decisions -are reported and held in high estimation -by the lawyers of New Hampshire. In -1823, Judge Woodbury was elected Governor -of the State, but returned to the practice -of the law in 1824. His law practice -was instantly considerable, and he was -sought for as a lawyer by persons in every -part of the State. In 1819 he was married -to Miss Clapp of Portland in Maine. In the -year 1825 he was elected a representative -from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the -legislature. He had settled himself as a -lawyer, on his marriage, in Portsmouth. By -the legislature, to which he had been elected, -he was chosen Speaker of the House of -Representatives, and towards the close of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35">35</a></span> -the session he was elected to the Senate of -the United States. We have been the more -careful to notice every step of Mr. Woodbury’s -advancement, until he reached the -United States Senate, because, as soon as -he appeared in that body, he was seen by -the whole nation; and from that time to -the present moment, he has always been -where the whole nation could see him. -His labors on committees, in the Senate, -have been great and useful to his country. -As Secretary of the Navy, and subsequently -Secretary of the Treasury department, -he has shown talents of a superior cast. It -is a striking fact, that he and his friend Cass, -of the same State originally, are possibly -the only men whom their party could, by -possibility succeed in electing at the next -presidential election.</p> - -<p>To those who personally know Mr. Woodbury, -it is unnecessary to state, that in his -manners he is one of the most agreeable -men in the world. Finally, himself and -Mrs. Woodbury, have the most beautiful,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36">36</a></span> -well bred and polite family now attending -on this session of Congress. Their persons -are not less beautiful than their minds, their -manners and their hearts. I dismiss them -from any further notice in my book, with -the fervent desire that God may bless them.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37">37</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Journey from Washington to Philadelphia.—A day at Philadelphia.—Journey -to New York on the rail-road.—Stop on Broadway.—A dinner consisting -of ice water and one mouthful of roast beef!—Bill of fare, but no -fare.—Thefts and burglary.—Broadstreet Hotel corner of Broad and Pearl -streets.—Fare excellent, but no <span class="smcap smaller">BILL OF FARE</span> on the table at dinner.—Charles -A. Clinton and Dr. Hosack.—Mrs. Lentner’s on Amity street, -where Colonel Trumbull lived and died.—Albert Gallatin and his lady on -Beckman street.—Mr. Gallatin’s eventful life.—How employed in the study -of Indian languages.—His inquiries concerning his old friends in the -District of Columbia.—Their feeling towards him and Mrs. Gallatin, and -the comparisons they are now daily compelled to make.—The trade of -New York city, its vast amount and probable increase, which will eventually -render it the greatest commercial emporium in the world.—Rail-road -to the Pacific ocean and a fair prospect of its connecting our Atlantic cities -with China and the Pacific islands, by means of rail-roads and steam -vessels.—The future wealth, grandeur and moral glory of this republic.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Having tarried at Washington about eight -days, and having visited all the places and -persons that I then desired to see, I left the -city early in the morning, in the rail-road -cars, breakfasted in Baltimore at Bradshaws, -and reached Philadelphia about dark in the -evening. Stopping at the Mansion House -hotel, adjoining the depot, I visited Dr. S. -G. Morton, on Arch street, not far from my<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38">38</a></span> -lodgings. He invited me to call on him the -next evening, which I did. Through the -day intervening, I visited some book-sellers -and book-binders, and saw and conversed -with several very agreeable and well educated -persons, citizens and strangers. The -Philadelphians are a very moral, well-informed -and good people. At Dr. Morton’s -I met a small circle of his friends, with -whom I spent agreeably several hours. The -Doctor and his lady have a family of very -promising sons and daughters, whom they -are educating in the best possible manner. -I saw Dr. Wistar at the hotel where I put -up, and where he boards. He is the son of -the celebrated Doctor of that name, but the -present Dr. Wistar does not wish to follow -the practice of his profession, and so he -does not follow it at present; at least, I so -understood him to say. Since I had seen -this city, it had greatly increased its dimensions -and improved its exterior appearance. -The Girard College buildings, the Merchants’ -Exchange and the Almshouse, have<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39">39</a></span> -been built since I had seen Philadelphia -before, and they added much to its exterior -aspect.</p> - -<p>The building intended as a residence for -paupers, as we passed along the rail-road, -on my return from New York, in a pleasant -morning, on our right hand, across the -Schuylkill, standing on elevated ground, -made a splendid appearance. Had we not -known that it was the Almshouse, we might -have been tempted to believe it the residence -of some retired monarch of the old -world, who had come here, and at the expense -of a million of dollars or more, had -erected this splendid palace for a residence. -The traveller is generally treated a little -better, and charged a little less in Philadelphia, -than he is in any other Atlantic city. -As a whole, this city has always been celebrated -for its good qualities of all sorts, and -yet a few, a very few men here have done -not a little to injure its still fair character. -Its banks, bankers and bankrupts have -brought down ruin on many an honest man<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40">40</a></span> -and covered themselves, the authors of the -ruin, with shame and disgrace. The ruin -has fallen on the innocent only, while the -guilty have escaped condign punishment, -except one of them, whose death in all human -probability was occasioned by his mental -sufferings, at the loss of his character.—Peace -to his shade.</p> - -<p>Early on the morning of January 10th, I -left the Mansion house, crossed the Delaware -and passed through the State of New -Jersey, in the rail-road cars, and arrived at -New York city about three o’clock in the -afternoon, in season for a dinner at a tavern -on Broadway, At dinner we had a printed -bill of fare in French. For drink, I had a -glass of Croton water, with ice in it, and -this, after a cold day’s ride, in the depth of -a cold, northern winter! Had I been a frozen -turnip, such water might have thawed -my frozen stomach, but as it was, hot coffee -or hot tea would have suited me much better. -I called for something to eat, but the -waiter in an insolent tone ordered me in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41">41</a></span> -German “to read my bill of fare,” and he -refused to give me any thing to eat. Finally, -after positively refusing to comply with -my request a dozen times, the ruffian gave -me a thin slice of roasted beef, which I ate -at a mouthful, and called in vain for more. -This mouthful of meat, with some cold Croton -water and some ice in it, was all I got -for my dinner! Half a dollar for such a dinner! -kind reader. I had the <em>bill of fare</em> lying -before me, but the <em>fare itself</em> I did not -and could not obtain. After sitting at the -table nearly an hour, faint, cold and hungry, -I went to my room, in which a small fire -had been made at my request, at the expense -of another half dollar. The room being -cold and damp, with so bad a prospect -before me, I locked my door, put the key -in my pocket, and went down Broadstreet, -until I came to Thresher’s Broadstreet hotel, -and told the host my story. He agreed to -furnish me the best fare, unaccompanied by -a bill of it, a good room to myself, warmed -constantly by a good coal fire, for one dollar<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42">42</a></span> -a day. Upon these terms we agreed, and -I went back to the Broadway tavern. The -Broadstreet hotel is the same house, which -was occupied by General Washington as -his head quarters, when he took possession -of the city, after the British army had left -it, at the conclusion of the revolutionary -war. Standing in front of a large opened -window in the second story, his officers -standing before him in the street, below -him, General Washington delivered to them -his farewell address. From the house, his -officers accompanied him to the wharf, not -very distant from this spot, where he took -his final leave of his companions in arms. -Having crossed the ferry into New Jersey, -he hastened to appear before the continental -Congress, then sitting in Annapolis, the -now seat of government in the State of Maryland. -A painting in the rotundo, represents -Washington at Annapolis delivering his farewell -address to Congress.</p> - -<p>On the conclusion of my bargain with the -landlord of the Broadstreet Hotel, I returned<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43">43</a></span> -to my first stopping place, and by dint -of argument, aided by several southern -guests, I got a warm supper, with warm coffee -and warm food, a little after ten o’clock -that night. I got some sleep that night -and a breakfast next morning, and paid a -bill of three dollars twelve-and-a-half cents, -for what I had! Although my door had always -been locked when I was out of it and -the key was in my pocket, yet that precaution -had not prevented my room from being -entered, my locked trunk’s being opened, -and several articles of no great value being -stolen from it—such as a shirt, a handkerchief -and a quire of writing paper. By ten -in the morning I was at my new lodgings, -where I continued some three weeks, while -I remained in New York. This Broadstreet -Hotel, on the corner of Pearl and Broad -streets, is within one minute’s walk of the -shipping, in the slip; it is one square from -Broadway, and the old Battery. At the -Battery there is playing constantly a splendid, -roaring fountain of Croton water. It<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44">44</a></span> -roars like a cataract in a still night. This -Hotel is near not only to all the shipping in -port, and the principal wholesale stores of -all sorts, but it is the headquarters of most -of the captain of vessels, which sail from -this city to all parts of the world. From -such a point, I found it an easy matter to -visit every part of this emporium. New -York, with its four hundred thousand people, -here, or in Brooklyn, is unquestionably -the first city on this continent. To fully -comprehend all the ideas necessarily belonging -to the wealth and resources of the -United States, a man must visit New York -and tarry some time there. Its streets, -compared with those of Philadelphia, are -narrow, crooked and dirty.</p> - -<p>The first person whom I called to see, -merely as a friend, was Charles A. Clinton, -the eldest son of De Witt Clinton. Him I -found some few squares above the Park and -near Broadway. Here I found too Dr. Hosack, -the son of my old friend Dr. Hosack, -now deceased. It was quite gratifying to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45">45</a></span> -see the sons of my old friends, in the enjoyment -of good health and prosperous in the -world. Maj. Clinton had been clerk of the -Superior court, for some dozen or more -years, but had been removed from office, to -make room for some relative of one of the -judges of the court. This circumstance I -had previously learned through the newspapers, -about which Major Clinton said nothing. -I called several times afterwards to -see Major Clinton at his law office, nearly -opposite the Customhouse, in Nassau street. -He practices in partnership with Henry S. -Towner, Esq., a lawyer, originally from -Williamstown, Massachusetts. The lawyers -cluster around the Customhouse and -around the Merchants’ Exchange in Wall -street.</p> - -<p>If law business is great in the city, the -number of those who follow the legal profession, -is great likewise. I became personally -acquainted with several lawyers -here, who are highly respectable as men, -as lawyers and as scholars. Among them<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46">46</a></span> -may be mentioned <span class="smcap">George Folsom</span>, Esq., -whose office is opposite the Exchange, on -Wall street. He is an author too. A son -of Colonel Gibbs, the geologist, is a lawyer -whose office is near the Exchange.</p> - -<p>The bustle and crowd, the noise, the anxiety -on many faces, and the vast amount of -property of all sorts, such as cotton for instance, -in piles, blocking up streets, or moving -to and fro, between warehouses and -wharves—the masts of vessels, standing -along the shores of North river or those of -Long Island sound, strike the eye, as one -passes over the lower end of the city. Along -Broadway, the goods and the signs and every -thing, indeed, that possibly can catch -the eye and draw the attention of the stranger, -are not wanting, for a distance of two -miles from the Battery upwards. The citizens, -I believe, do not patronise the hotels -on Broadway, but prefer those in streets -farther eastward, as cheaper, more quiet -and better in all respects, than Broadway -houses. The retail stores are many of them -on Broadway, but the wholesale ones are<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47">47</a></span> -lower down in the city. Wall street is full -of banks and insurance companies. The -Harpers’ great book establishment is in Cliff -street, near the old swamp, we believe. At -the foot of Fulton street is the ferry, which -crosses the East river to Long Island. This -is the greatest ferrying place in America. -We say this, though we are aware that a -place in Kentucky, is called “Great Crossings,” -yet Brooklyn ferry is a greater “crossing” -place, than the “Crossings” in Scott -county, Kentucky. I went over to Brooklyn -and called on the editor of the Long Island -Star—Alden Spooner, Esq. He is the -surrogate of the county where he resides, -and he devotes the most of his time to the -duties of his office. Of the forty thousand -people who live in Brooklyn, not a few of -them have stores, shops and offices in New -York city. Such men spend the day in the -city and sleep with their families on Long -Island at night. House rent is cheaper in -Brooklyn than it is in New York, and there -may be other reasons, such as the comparative<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48">48</a></span> -quietness of a village, in Brooklyn, -which is not found in New York, except -some three miles up in the city. Brooklyn is -therefore nearer their business than the upper -part of New York would be; so Brooklyn -is preferred by men of business, as a family -residence, to the city itself.</p> - -<p>Soon after my arrival in the city, as soon -as it was generally known, through the -newspapers, where I was located, I was -carried by Geo. Folsom, Esq. to the dwelling -house of Albert Gallatin, in Beekman -street. He and his lady received me most -cordially, as “a man, whom they had ardently -desired to see, (as they assured me) during -the last thirty years.” I found Mrs. Gallatin -a most interesting old lady, surrounded -by the neighboring ladies of that vicinity, -to whom she politely introduced me. After -a brief interview with these ladies below -stairs, we proceeded (Mr. Folsom and myself) -to Mr. Gallatin’s library room, where -we found him engaged in his favorite study -of the Indian languages of America. Perhaps<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49">49</a></span> -I am in an error, but as I understood -him, Mr. Gallatin had taken the Indian -words as spelt by Englishmen, Frenchmen, -Spaniards, Portugese, Americans, &c. as the -true pronunciation of Indian words, which -by the Indians themselves, had never been -written. If he had done so, the true pronunciation -of the Indians themselves had -seldom been reached. Having been myself -engaged in writing down the language of -the Sioux, I am aware of the difficulty of -catching the exact sound of each word, and -the difficulty too, of expressing the exact -sound of the word, by means of our alphabet. -I saw at a glance the difficulty of his -position. I hinted at this circumstance, but -Mr. Gallatin did not fully comprehend my -meaning, and so I dropped the subject. No -alphabet now in use among men, can convey -all the sounds of any Indian language, -now or ever spoken in North America. Of -this fact I feel assured from my own knowledge -of Indian languages. The perfect -knowledge of these languages is more curious<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50">50</a></span> -than useful, perhaps, in as much as the -Indians themselves will soon be gone, before -the Anglo-Americans, whose march -and conquests will soon obliterate every -vestige of the aboriginals of America.</p> - -<p>Our regrets may and will follow the disappearance -of the Indians from the face of -the globe, but their doom is certain, and not -far off, in point of time. Our legislative -bodies, from the best of motives, are endeavoring -to preserve Indian names of places, -rivers, mountains, &c., but our gross -ignorance of Indian languages, prevents us -from even retaining proper names. <em>Hoo</em>, for -instance, in some Indian dialects, means -elk, and <em>uk</em> is river, so <em>Hoosuk</em> means “elks -river.” “<em>Sooske</em>,” means hunting, and “<em>hannah</em>,” -in a Delaware dialect, means river. -<em>Sooskehannah</em> means “hunting river,” which -we call Susquehanna river.</p> - -<p>No Indian, who heard us pronounce the -word <em>Potomac</em> would suspect that we meant -to say the river Potum; so of <em>Rappa-hannah</em>, -he would not know that we meant the river<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51">51</a></span> -<em>Rappa</em>. So of the river <em>Roan</em>, which we call -Roanoak, instead of calling it simply the -river <em>Roan</em>. But enough, perhaps, too much -of Indian languages. We give, however, -the names correctly: Hoo, Sooske, Potum, -Rappa and Roan. After spending several -hours with Mr. Gallatin in his library, and -after conversing with him on my business, -which had brought me to the city, in which -he took an interest, I returned to my lodgings -in Broad street. He invited me to call -on him again, and spend some time with -him, on his birth day, when he would be -eighty-three years old.</p> - -<p>I next visited Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins and -their daughter, who boarded with Mrs. -Lentner, No. 15 Amity street, near Broadway. -In this house, kept by the present -occupant, Colonel Trumbull spent the last -twenty years of his life. Here he lived -and here he died, not long before my visit. -It was in this house that Colonel Trumbull -executed his splendid paintings which now -adorn the rotundo in the capitol at Washington<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52">52</a></span> -city. These paintings are seen by -a great number of persons every day in the -year. The Declaration of Independence, -the Surrender of Cornwallis, &c. &c. will -confer an unfading fame on Colonel Trumbull. -<span class="smcap">Mrs. Lentner</span> will always be remembered -for her care of the painter, -which so greatly contributed to preserve -his useful life, until he was more than eighty-seven -years old. I saw in Mrs. Lentner’s -parlor a likeness of Colonel Trumbull, -painted by himself, in his last years. It -was said to be a very correct one. So said -Mrs. Lentner.</p> - -<p>After taking dinner and supper with Mrs. -Lentner and her family, I returned in the -omnibus to my lodgings. If any persons -could prolong human life and render it happy, -Mrs. Lentner, her sister, and the domestics -around her, could certainly effect -that object. So it seemed to me during the -six hours that I spent at number 15, Amity -street, New York. She is the <span class="smcap">Mrs. Ballard</span> -of New York.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53">53</a></span> -On Mr. Gallatin’s birth day, when he had -arrived at the age of eighty-three years, I -went to see him as early in the morning of -that day as I could, after taking a very early -breakfast. I found him up in his library, -busily engaged in his favorite study of Indian -languages. He was quite active, quick -in his motions, his cheeks were ruddy, his -eye clear and piercing, his step elastic, his -eye sight, by the aid of his glasses, good. -He repeatedly ran up his ladder like a -squirrel to get a book for me. His hearing -is unimpaired, and his memory of past -events, wherein he had been concerned, -excellent. His reasoning powers were -good, and so was his judgment. On my -former visit I had, at his request, related to -him what I had known of the transactions -of his life, in which I had left many blanks, -especially when he had been in Europe as -our diplomatic agent. To-day Mr. Gallatin -filled up those blanks and recounted to me -what he had done, ever since he landed at -New York, a poor foreigner, ignorant of our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54">54</a></span> -language, unlearned and not twenty years -old; but now I saw before me, at the age -of eighty-three, a man of wealth, of learning, -of great practical knowledge and of -vast mental powers, whose fame as a diplomatist, -as a man of business and as a statesman, -was co-extensive with the civilized -world. He more than once told me that -he was relating the manner in which he -had succeeded in life, so that I might profit -by his experience, whereas I expected to -die long years before he would. So I -thought, but said nothing, because any remark -in reply or by way of inquiry, seemed -to discompose his mind very much. In the -course of his long story of four or five hours -in length, he more than once gave the credit -of his success to his wife and her relatives -in New York. He had married a -daughter of Commodore Nicholson. She -had entered into all his concerns, political, -moral, social and mental with her whole -heart. She even watched the newspapers, -to learn what they said of Mr. Gallatin. He<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55">55</a></span> -related to me an anecdote of Mr. Gales, -who in his Intelligencer had said of Mr. -Gallatin, after his arrival in Washington, -“that the <em>venerable</em> Mr. Gallatin had arrived -in the city.” Soon after that paper appeared, -when a party of gentlemen had -convened to give Mr. Gallatin a public dinner, -perhaps, the latter gentleman said -aloud, so that all present heard him, “Mr. -Gales, my wife says, you make her husband -quite too venerable.” Mr. and Mrs. Gallatin -sent by me their best respects to all -their old friends in the District of Columbia, -with a very pressing request, that I -would give him an accurate account of -these friends, and what had befallen them -since January 1830, which was the last time -Mr. Gallatin had been in Washington city. -On my return to Washington I executed -my commission in a way that I supposed -would be satisfactory to all concerned—that -is, to Mr. and Mrs. Gallatin and to their -surviving friends in the District. On the -whole, we may safely pronounce Mr. Gallatin<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56">56</a></span> -a very fortunate man, who, by his industry, -economy, perseverance and sleepless -energy, has acquired honors, wealth -and fame. Sixty years ago, he was a surveyor -of wild lands along and near the Ohio -river, naming the smaller streams that run -into that river, ascertaining the latitude and -longitude of particular points, and extending -his surveys quite into what is now the -State of Kentucky. George Washington -was a surveyor in that region at the same -time. Mr. Gallatin spoke of himself, as a -man in rather limited circumstances, whose -annual income amounted to only about five -thousand dollars. When he so informed -me, I thought that many a man in the western -States would consider himself well off, -provided he had that sum as his whole estate. -As to size, Mr. Gallatin is rather under -the common one, extremely well formed -in person, and has in his head a piercing, -hazle coloured eye. His memory is remarkably -good, and he is almost infinitely -better qualified to be the Secretary of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57">57</a></span> -Treasury, than the man *******. His old -clerks all retain a warm friendship for him, -and so do their families. Mrs. Gallatin is -remembered by them, and all her old -neighbors in Washington, with heartfelt -gratitude, on account of her numerous unostentatious -hospitalities and charitable -acts. The comparison which all in this -city, who lived here in Gallatin’s time and -still reside here, are compelled to make, is -quite mortifying to their feelings. While -the mass of the people of Washington city -have become better, some of the higher officers -of the government have become -worse—much worse. Esconsed, malignant, -haughty, distant, reserved, lazy, inattentive -to the duties of their offices, one of them, -scarcely ever reaches his office until noon, -carrying his gold headed cane, horizontally -suspended in his hand, he signs his name -to a few papers, which Mr. ***** and his -clerks, *** and others had prepared for his -signature, and he departs to his house to -write for the newspapers against the administration,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58">58</a></span> -one of which he is. A President -who would dare to brush off a musquito -from his hand, that was biting it, would -clear out such a fellow forthwith.<a id="FNanchor_A" href="#Footnote_A" class="fnanchor">A</a> It is -an old maxim with me, “to mark the man, -whom God has marked.” When I see a -deformed mouth and a cocked eye, I expect -to find their owner a man actuated by -malice, treachery and deceit; a cold hearted -wretch, whom no one pities and no one -loves. Under some frivolous pretence, such -a creature hides himself in his house as an -owl does in his hollow tree in the day time, -and prowls, like the wolf or the owl, during -the night. That man’s father says, that his -son is the worst man in the world.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a id="Footnote_A" href="#FNanchor_A" class="fnanchor">A</a> While this form was passing through the press, the President brushed -off the musquito from his hand.—Thank you Sir.</p></div> - -<p>During the time I was in New York city, -the Customhouse officers were kept very -busy. The duties on the imported goods -were of great amount, and the officers were -employed all day long in the open air, from -sun-rise till dark, when the thermometer<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59">59</a></span> -was many degrees below zero. General -Waller was thus employed, weighing iron -from Sweden and Russia, all day long.</p> - -<p>Goods by wholesale are sold much cheaper -in New York than I had supposed, and -I had no correct idea of the vast amount of -its commerce, until I had been in the city -two weeks. Considerable as the amount -of duties on goods received in this city, is, -yet the goods not paying any duty, such as -cotton, Orleans sugar, and domestic manufactures, -is still greater. The amount too, -of flour, wheat, corn, pork, beef, lard, &c., -brought here, is much more than I had supposed -it to be. When we have a despotism -in this country, all these goods will pay a -duty to the government. It might amount -to twenty millions of dollars annually, and -would then be a very low duty on domestic -products. We say this for the lovers of -low wages and free trade.</p> - -<p>As this nation increases in numbers—as -the western States fill up with people—as -the amount of agricultural and manufactured<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60">60</a></span> -goods increases, and as the foreign -goods, consumed in this great and -growing nation, increase, the city of New -York will increase its numbers of people, -its commerce, wealth and power. Her -ships and commerce will float on every sea -and every ocean, until she will rival London -herself in trade, wealth and power. -The position of New York, so near the -main ocean, on an island, laved too by the -North river and the Sound, affords every -facility which she needs or could desire, for -extending her commerce not only to foreign -countries, but into the interior of this -vast country. She will only need a rail-road -to the Pacific, and a dense population, -settled along its whole route, to enliven and -animate the scenery along its way. In that -event, steam vessels, running from Astoria -to China and Japan and all the islands of -the northern Pacific, would soon be seen -on the Upper Pacific, conveying the productions -of the whole world to a market. -Such a rail-road might be made by the nation,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61">61</a></span> -from the land sales in the new regions -to be settled by our people. What a sublime, -moral, political and commercial prospect -is held out to our enraptured eyes! -Christians, statesmen, Americans and scholars, -look on this picture!</p> - -<p>From surveys actually made by Lieut. -Freemont, it is certain, that a rail-road from -Cumberland, in Maryland, to the Pacific, is -entirely within our means as a nation, at an -expense of only about fifty millions of dollars -or less; and it is equally certain that -the new lands to be brought into market -by making the road, would defray every -dollar of the expense of making it. We -live in the infancy of the greatest nation -that now exists, ever did, or ever will exist, -on the face of the globe. Looking through -the vista of futurity, we can now behold a -nation consisting of five hundred millions of -people, all speaking our language, and governing -the world in peace without a rival -in commerce, arts or arms. Should the -British lion growl at us, the Gallic cock<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62">62</a></span> -would flap his wings and crow at our success, -and the Russian bear smile upon us. -The American eagle will yet soar above -both, into his own pure air, where he can -revel in the brilliant beams of his own flaming -sun. The trade between the East Indies -and Europe will eventually pass across -our territory, east and west, and the time -of passing from London to Canton might -not occupy more than two months. Such -a state of things would add to the wealth, -numbers, commerce, agriculture and manufactures -of this whole nation. Such a nation, -whose territory extended from the Atlantic -to the Pacific, from the Icy sea in the north -to the Isthmus of Darien in the south, would -present a sublime spectacle. What a vast -field in which free government might exercise -its energies! The human imagination -is lost in its contemplation of such a -prospect, for the future generations of our -posterity.</p> - -<p>Yet, certainly, such is the prospect -ahead, unless it be our own fault. The most<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63">63</a></span> -difficult portion of the road to be made between -the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is -between Cumberland and Wheeling; and -yet that portion of it could be made in five -years after it was fairly began to be made -by the nation. The little questions of policy -and of party, now agitating so many little -minds, will be lost in oblivion, and higher, -nobler, better and more extended objects -and aims, will occupy higher, nobler and -better minds than are now employed on -political affairs. The little ants and their -mole hills, will give place to mammoths -and to Alps, in the intellectual, political -and moral world. Our destiny is in our own -hands, and unless we abuse all the gifts of -God to us, we shall be the most powerful -nation on earth. Let us hope that our people -will move forward in their career to its -ultimate grand end, unimpeded by factions -at home, or by force from abroad. The -more States we have in our confederacy, -the stronger we shall be as a nation. As -a great whole, the human mind has always<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64">64</a></span> -moved forward, and we see no reason why -the American mind should stand still, or -stop short of its grand, final destiny, at the -very head of nations—of all nations on -earth. Nature’s God never intended that -the people of this great continent, should -be subservient to the people of Europe, -more than he did that the sun in yonder -firmament should descend from his orbit to -revolve around a pebble on our sea shore, -as his centre of gravity. No. We inhabit -a great and mighty continent, blest with -every soil, climate, plant and animal which -the earth contains. Our people, too, derive -their origin from every other people almost -who live on this globe. Let us throw aside -as useless, and worse than useless, all low -aims, and soar like our own eagle into purer -air.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65">65</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Return to Washington.—The different degrees of temperature in the atmosphere -at different places seen in the thickness of the ice in the rivers from -New York to Washington inclusive.—Long interview with the President. -His misfortunes rather than his faults.—His cheerfulness, and his views -as to Liberia.—Supernumeraries ought to be set to work and sent off.—Beautiful -situation of Washington.—The Congress library, its officers and -the agreeable company usually in the library room.—Army of little officers -in and about the capitol.—Judge Upshur, personal acquaintance -with him, his character and death.—The tragedy on board the Princeton.—Great -funeral and a whole city in tears for the loss of so many distinguished -citizens.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Having determined to return to Washington -city, I wrote to the innkeeper of the -Mansion house hotel at Philadelphia, to -have my room warm for me at 11 o’clock, -P. M. and entering the evening cars at Jersey -city in the evening, we were carried -across the State of New Jersey, and crossing -the Delaware with some difficulty, on -account of the ice in the river, I arrived at -Philadelphia, and was in a good warm bed, -in a warm room, before eleven o’clock at<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66">66</a></span> -night, at Horter’s Mansion house, corner of -11th and Market streets, Philadelphia.—The -ride across the State of New Jersey, -in a bright moonlight night, was as agreeable -as it could be, we being able to see -each town as we passed through it. The -cars were well warmed by stoves; we were -not too much crowded to be comfortable, -and we had agreeable company enough to -render our journey pleasant. Lodging at -Philadelphia, next morning after breakfast -I entered the cars for Baltimore, and arrived -at Washington city exactly twenty-five -hours after I had left New York. This -last day’s ride was perhaps on the second -day of February. The different degrees of -temperature in the atmosphere during the -month of January, was seen in the thickness -of the ice in the North, the Delaware, -in the Susquehanna and the Potomac rivers. -In the North river the ice was fourteen -inches in thickness, in the Delaware ten -inches, and eight inches in the Susquehanna, -but not more than six inches in the Potomac.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67">67</a></span> -The city of New York, located on -an island that lies high, and is exposed to -every breath of air that moves in any direction -over the land or the water, is colder -than its latitude would seem to indicate. -The current in the river and in the Sound, -owing to a tide of from seven to eleven feet -in height, rising and falling every few -hours, prevents any very great inconvenience -to ships, either entering into or leaving -the harbor in the coldest winter weather.</p> - -<p>I was no more fatigued by my journey, -than if I had been sitting in my room at -the Broadstreet hotel. The passage money -between Washington city and New York, -is only ten dollars and fifty cents, yet, for -handling trunks, for refreshments on the -way, and tavern bills, added to car fare, we -may safely say that it costs the passenger -fifteen dollars between Washington city -and New York.</p> - -<p>Soon after my return to Washington, I -spent an entire evening with the President, -from early candle lighting until after nine<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68">68</a></span> -o’clock. He had invited the Rev. Mr. Gurley, -and a gentleman from Memphis, Tennessee, -to visit him that evening. These -gentlemen tarried an hour or so, when I -was left alone with the President. He conversed -very freely on the colony of Liberia, -and expressed a wish to see it become a -nation, independent, but under the protection -of the United States and of England. -He dwelt on that subject during an hour. -He was quite eloquent on the prospect -when Virginia would send off her slaves to -Liberia, and become a great manufacturing -State, and in that way at length assume -her old supremacy, standing at the head of -the Union in numbers and wealth. The -President said that he owned some thirteen -slaves, which he bought, to prevent their -being carried South. He appeared to be -entirely willing to set them free, and let -them emigrate to Liberia. To him they -had been valueless, and so would remain a -burden on his hands. He seemed to think -that this Union would last forever, or if it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69">69</a></span> -should be divided, the Alleghenies would -be the line of separation. In this opinion I -heartily coincided with him. He was quite -cheerful, and very agreeable in conversation. -He appeared to know his position—who -his friends were around him, and who -were not his friends. At that time I thought -he had more friends among his officers than -he supposed he had, but subsequently I ascertained -the entire correctness of his information -on that matter. He has doubtless -been very unfortunate. Placed in his high -station as unexpectedly to himself as to a -whole nation, his first cabinet was not of -his selection, and they deserted him in a -critical moment. He was compelled instantly -to form a new cabinet, which unfortunately -for him, Upshur always excepted, -began forthwith to help themselves, and -their poor, needy, greedy dependants, and -they have continued to help themselves -ever since they have been in office. Two -of these heads of department spent their -time in studying how they might gratify<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70">70</a></span> -either their cupidity or their malice. The -indignation of all honest men in the nation -was roused into activity against the President, -on account of removals from office on -several occasions, because they argued that -the Chief Magistrate, unless he approved of -such flagrant acts of oppression, in removing -from office such men as Gen. Van Rensellaer, -Governor Lincoln, and a long list of -good men, he would at once remove those -heads of department who had been guilty -of such high-handed injustice. Thus, the -whole blame fell on the President, instead -of falling on the real authors of such wickedness. -The President has been, and is -still blamed, for many appointments of very -incompetent men, which I understood him -to say, he never had interfered with at all. -So of the accounting officers, who had in -many cases, it is said, done great injustice -to individuals, and then had charged all -their enormities on the President. The -people in every part of the Union had become -exasperated at these flagrant acts of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71">71</a></span> -oppression and injustice. Claimants, where -the case was as clear as the noon-day, were -postponed from day to day, for weeks and -months; their claims were to be acted on, -none could say when. It is a fashion they -have here, of putting off the settlement of -claims until the applicant has spent here -about all that he gets from the government. -The supernumerary officers, block up every -avenue to the treasury. Congress should -either dismiss them altogether, or send -them off to clear out our western rivers, or -employ them as far off as possible from the -seat of the national government. Why they -are here at all is a mystery to me, and why -Congress permits them to throng their lobbies -and the rotundo, is equally surprising -to me. West Point academy was once useful, -but if the cadets are to accumulate as -rapidly as they have of late years, it may -lead in the end to an aristocracy in this -country. Whether this institution, on the -whole, is an useful one, is at best quite -doubtful in my mind.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72">72</a></span> -Taking a recess, as a legislator would call -it, I here say that Washington city and its -surrounding country is delightfully situated -for the seat of the national government.—The -ground rising gradually from the water -and extending back in places a mile or -more, with the space occupied by water, -between, the ground around it on all sides -of it, presents every variety of aspect, almost, -calculated to render it pleasant as a -residence. It has none of the bustle of -commerce, none of its noise or crowd. During -a session of Congress, persons of both -sexes are in the city from all parts of the -Union, with whom the stranger can associate, -and obtain a great deal of information, -topographical, literary, scientific, general -or particular. Every person in the -whole Union being here represented, one -can gain correct information concerning -any man of any note in the nation. By going -to the library room of Congress, he can -there find and read almost any books which -he desires to consult. He can there see<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73">73</a></span> -daily, persons of the most refined taste, polite -manners and agreeable conversation. -None but such persons are rarely seen in -that room. I have always found reading -people more placid and more agreeable in -their manners than others, and were any -whole nation wholly composed of such materials, -it would be the happiest and the -best nation in the world. Mr. John S. -Meehan the librarian and Edward B. Stelle, -C. H. W. Meehan and Robert Kearon, -his assistants, are among the most polite -and agreeable gentlemen in this city. They -are always ready to attend to the wishes -of all who call on them. Personally acquainted -with nearly all who call at their -room, they are always ready to introduce -a stranger to any gentleman who is in the -room. Fatigued as they sometimes are -with the constant labor of a long day, yet -they never complain of their toil, but cheerfully -attend to all the wants of the visiters.—This -room is opened very early in the -morning, and not closed until a late hour.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74">74</a></span> -If any officers of the government deserve -all their salaries, and more too, they are -the Meehans, father and son, Stelle and -Kearon. Their salaries are small ones, and -their labors are great and fatiguing all day -long, during the whole session of Congress. -During the intervals between the sessions, -their labors are not so fatiguing, but they -are even then constant, unremitting and -useful to the visiters, who are always all -day long in this library. Having known -these gentlemen fourteen years and upwards -in their present stations, I take a -real pleasure in bearing this testimony in -their favor.</p> - -<p>How many messengers, assistant messengers, -doorkeepers and assistant doorkeepers, -clerks and assistant clerks, postmasters -and assistant postmasters, paperfolders, pages, -&c. &c. there are here, I cannot tell, -because I do not know, but their numbers -must be very large, and they cost the nation -a great deal. All the officers of government -in the city must amount to one<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75">75</a></span> -thousand at least, and their salaries would -support probably all the State governments -in the Mississippi Valley. I make no complaint -of this vast expense, but we must -not find fault with the expenses of monarchical -government in many of the minor -governments in the old world. Take from -those governments, in the north of Europe, -their standing armies, rendered necessary, -perhaps, by their peculiar position, and it is -possible that their governments might be -cheaper than ours. That we have many -useless officers, many members of Congress -seem to think, but whether they can be -cast off, because they are useless, is doubtful. -This army of smaller officers are always -on the alert, when retrenchment and -reform are talked of by members—these -creatures crying out: “penny wise and -pound foolish.” They have some influence -on Congress, and would be glad to have -more. So far as the House of Representatives -are concerned, there is a strong disposition -to reduce the expenses of the government,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76">76</a></span> -but the Senate has not yet acted -finally on that subject.</p> - -<p>Very soon after my return to Washington, -I became personally acquainted with -Judge Upshur, Secretary of State. From -the first day I saw and conversed with him -in his office, until the day of his death, I -saw him at least once, often twice a day, -and wrote down at night what had been -the subjects of our conversation in our interview. -I did this at his suggestion, so -that he could duly consider the subject -matter of our discourse in the day time. -He was one of the most agreeable, sensible -and truly good men, whom I ever became -personally acquainted with. Sometimes he -has been called a nullifier, perhaps, but no -man in the nation was ever more attached -to the Union than he was. We thought -precisely alike on that subject—that it is -the highest duty of all our citizens to use -all the means in our power to promote the -interests of all sections of the Union, and of -all classes of its people.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77">77</a></span> -The natural cements of our confederacy, -consisting of mutual interests promoted by -mutual acts of kindness and affection for -each other, Judge Upshur preferred, as he -often told me, to all or even any resorts to -the violent restraints of physical force, such -as the despot and the tyrant employ. He -dwelt with rapture on the future prospects -of this nation, when its citizens and its institutions, -would cover the whole of North -America, like a mantle, and when our ships -would float on every sea and visit every -island and country in the world. When -our steamers would ascend and descend -every river of any size that irrigates the -countries of both continents. By such -means, he thought, christianity would be -spread from pole to pole, and all the world -become united in the bonds of peace, harmony -and brotherly affection. In this way, -wars would cease and the despot and the -warrior be laid aside as useless. “The nodding -plume, he said, dyed in blood, would -no more be seen.” Knowing as I did, all<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78">78</a></span> -his views and all his plans, and the means -which he would have used to carry them -into execution, I felt the overwhelming calamity -of his death the more on these accounts. -His plans were all formed, and -they were just about to be carried into effect, -otherwise he would have instantly -gone into private life. Laying my own feelings, -as to myself, out of the question, and -looking only to the public interest, I felt -myself and the country overwhelmed by an -awful calamity. Any successor of Judge -Upshur would not have the time, such as -he had devoted to that object, to form and -mature plans of operation. And if he had -such plans laid as Upshur had, his successor -might not have the necessary means of -effecting his object. As a nation, we deserved -to suffer, but still we may mourn for -our dreadful loss, sustained by his untimely -death.</p> - -<p>Judge Upshur was a man of good principles -and pure morals. He was all in reality -and truth, that any old Virginia gentleman<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79">79</a></span> -was in the days of Washington, Jefferson, -Madison and Monroe, an ornament to -human nature itself and of the “Ancient -Dominion.” He recalled to my mind the -old patriots of Virginia, for whom from my -earliest years I had entertained a strong -and abiding sense of their worth, their intrinsic -value, as men and as citizens of this -republic. From three of their Presidents I -had received numerous marks of their confidence -in me and my relatives. This may -be one reason almost without my knowing -it why I have always taken such pleasure in -doing justice to Virginia’s favorite sons. I -shall always take a melancholy pleasure in -remembering Judge Upshur, and in associating -him in my mind with my old friend -Chief Justice Marshall. From the latter -gentleman I received a great deal of aid -in the way of information, while I was in -Washington, many years since, when I was -preparing for the press my History of Ohio. -An old Virginia gentleman, as he exists in -my recollections of Jefferson, Marshall,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80">80</a></span> -Monroe and Upshur—the Randolphs, the -Masons, the Lees, the Pendletons—and -what I hear of Archer, Rives and others is as -perfect as human nature can be.</p> - -<p>Here I present a very condensed account -of the awful calamity on board the Princeton -on the 28th day of February, 1844.—The -first announcement of the event is derived -from the Intelligencer of the 29th of -February, and the account of the funeral -obsequies is extracted from the Globe of -the 4th of March.</p> - -<p>In the whole course of our lives it has -never fallen to our lot to announce to our -readers a more shocking calamity—shocking -in all its circumstances and concomitants—than -that which occurred on board -the United States ship Princeton, yesterday -afternoon, whilst under way, in the river -Potomac, fourteen or fifteen miles below -the city. Yesterday was a day appointed -by the courtesy and hospitality of Captain -Stockton, Commander of the Princeton, for -receiving as visiters to his fine ship (lying<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81">81</a></span> -off Alexandria) a great number of guests, -with their families, liberally and numerously -invited to spend the day on board. The -day was most favorable, and the company -was large and brilliant, of both sexes; not -less probably in number than four hundred, -among whom were the President of the -United States, the Heads of the several -Departments, and their families. At a proper -hour, after the arrival of the expected -guests, the vessel got under way and proceeded -down the river, to some distance -below Fort Washington. During the passage -down, one of the large guns on board -(carrying a ball of 225 pounds) was fired -more than once, exhibiting the great power -and capacity of that formidable weapon of -war. The ladies had partaken of a sumptuous -repast; the gentlemen had succeeded -them at the table, and some of them had -left it; the vessel was on her return up the -river, opposite to the fort, where Captain -Stockton consented to fire another shot -from the same gun, around and near which,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82">82</a></span> -to observe its effects, many persons had -gathered, though by no means so many as -on similar discharges in the morning, the -ladies who then thronged the deck being -on this fatal occasion almost all between -decks, and out of reach of harm.</p> - -<p>The gun was fired. The explosion was -followed, before the smoke cleared away -so as to observe its effect, by shrieks of wo -which announced a dire calamity. The -gun had burst, at a point three or four feet -from the breech, and scattered death and -desolation around. Mr. <span class="smcap">Upshur</span>, Secretary -of State, Mr. <span class="smcap">Gilmer</span>, so recently placed at -the head of the Navy, Commodore <span class="smcap">Kennon</span>, -one of its gallant officers, <span class="smcap">Virgil Maxcy</span>, -lately returned from a diplomatic residence -at the Hague, Mr. <span class="smcap">Gardner</span>, of New York, -(formerly a member of the Senate of that -State,) were among the slain. Besides -these, seventeen seamen were wounded, -several of them badly and probably mortally. -Among those stunned by the concussion, -we learn not all seriously injured,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83">83</a></span> -were Capt. Stockton himself; Col. Benton, -of the Senate; Lieut. Hunt, of the Princeton; -W. D. Robinson, of Georgetown.—Other -persons also were perhaps more or -less injured, of whom in the horror and confusion -of the moment, no certain account -could be obtained. The above are believed -to comprise the whole of the persons known -to the public who were killed or dangerously -or seriously hurt.</p> - -<p>The scene upon the deck may more easily -be imagined than described. Nor can -the imagination picture to itself the half of -its horrors. Wives, widowed in an instant -by the murderous blast! Daughters smitten -with the heart-rending sight of their -father’s lifeless corpse! The wailings of -agonized females! The piteous grief of the -unhurt but heart-stricken spectators! The -wounded seamen borne down below! The -silent tears and quivering lips of their brave -and honest comrades, who tried in vain to -subdue or to conceal their feelings! What -<em>words</em> can adequately depict a scene like -this?</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84">84</a></span> -On Saturday the last rites were paid to -the distinguished men who laid down their -lives on the deck of the Princeton. The -funeral procession presented the most sad, -solemn, affecting scene ever witnessed in -this city of the Union. The President’s -House was again—as on the demise of -General Harrison—made the receptacle of -death. Instead of one, five bodies were -now laid out in the lately illuminated east -room of that fair mansion, which before the -melancholy fate which there awaited General -Harrison in the first month of the first -year of his presidential term, had never -known a pall within its precincts. The -first month of the last year of the same term -found it again turned almost into a charnel -house. Like “<i>the Capets monument</i>,” it became -“<em>a palace of dim night</em>,” and gathered -within its gloom the blackened and bloody -remains of a most frightful tragedy—the -bodies of five intimate friends of the President, -two of them his cabinet associates, all -hurried out of existence while he sat unconsciously,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85">85</a></span> -with only a plank between -them, enjoying a song. What a thin partition -in this life separates its scenes of -greatest enjoyment and bitterest grief!!</p> - -<p>Religious rites were performed over the -dead by the Rev. Mr. Hawley and Mr. Butler, -of the Episcopal Church, and Mr. Laurie, -of the Presbyterian Church, before leaving -the President’s House. The bodies -were then hearsed, and the procession led -off by the military companies, which filled -the avenue in front of the President’s house. -The military array, composed of horse, infantry, -and artillery, made a very imposing -appearance; and the train of carriages -which followed extended along the avenue -more than a mile. A vast multitude, on -foot and on horseback, from the neighboring -cities and adjoining country, filled the -spaces not occupied by the procession. The -whole distance between the President’s and -the Capitol square, as far as the vision could -reach through the darkness of the day and -the dust, seemed to be a living current, in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86">86</a></span> -slow movement to the wailing and mournful -music of the band, which, with the sound -of distant cannon and solemn-pealing bells, -alone broke the silence. The immense -crowd was perfectly mute in its march. -The dread quiet that reigned over all; the -almost twilight darkness that dimmed the -whole day; the deep mists that shadowed -the surrounding hills and horizon from sight; -the cloud of dust that covered the long and -gloomy procession; the sweeping trains of -crape that blackened the closed windows -and doors of the dwellings on the way,—gave, -altogether, the most saddened and -impressive aspect of wo ever worn by this -city. It was rendered the more deeply affecting -by the contrast of but a few days -before, when the warmth of a vernal sun -had shone out, giving light and gayety to -our streets, opening the buds upon the trees -and bringing out the tender green upon the -grounds whereon the snow had so recently -lain.</p> - -<p>The mournful ceremonials had just been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87">87</a></span> -concluded, when the city was alarmed with -the apprehension of another fatal accident -to the Chief Magistrate himself. As he returned -in his carriage of state from the place -of interment, (the Congress burying ground, -about three miles from the President’s -House,) his horses took fright, and ran with -fury along the great thoroughfare, filled -with people and carriages. There was no -arresting their wild career; the reins were -broken in the attempt to restrain them, and -all that could be done was to give room to -their headlong flight. As they approached -the turn in the end of the avenue, obstructed -by the President’s square, they got -scared at something on one side of the -street, and shied off in their course to the -curb-stone on the other side, which gave -the advantage to an intrepid colored man -on the side walk to seize them by the short -reins and stop them. A little beyond, in -the direction they were going, lay masses -of the large stone rejected from the new -treasury building, near the precipitous bank<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88">88</a></span> -to the south of the President’s wall. Had -not the career of the horses been arrested -at the moment that it was, the next would -have wrecked the carriage on these rocks, -or precipitated it over the bank. The President -was happy to escape from his state -equipage, over which all guidance and control -was lost, and find himself afoot, by the -side of his humble deliverer.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89">89</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Mr. Dana’s speech against the military Academy.—Objections—it is an aristocratic -institution.—1st in its selection of candidates—2nd in its monopoly -of military commissions.—Its expenses are enormous and wholly -disproportioned to any advantages to be derived from it.—Its positive -evils, as it operates on the officers and on the private soldiers.—Mr. -Dana might have added, that if this republic is in danger from any quarter, -its danger lies in this institution.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Immediately after the funeral obsequies, -Congress took up, on the 6th of March, the -bill making appropriations for the Military -Academy at West Point. Mr. <span class="smcap">Hale</span> of New -Hampshire, one of the best debaters in the -House, moved to strike out the appropriation -from the bill. On this occasion, Mr. -Dana of New York delivered a powerful -speech in favor of the motion. The intrinsic -value of this speech entitles it to a place -in our book, so that its home truths may be -duly considered by all who read books or -public documents. The institution itself<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90">90</a></span> -should be given away to the regents of the -University of New York, or to some literary -institution, and no longer be connected -with the general government. But we proceed -to lay before the reader extracts from -this elegant speech.</p> - -<p>Mr. Dana said: My first objection to the -academy is, that it is <em>an aristocratic institution</em>. -It is aristocratic in its <em>nature and character</em>. -It gives to a few individuals privileges -which it denies to the many. Out of -a population of eighteen or twenty millions, -about one hundred individuals are annually -selected as the exclusive recipients of the -national bounty, and are paid and educated -at the public expense, without making the -least return for the benefits they receive. -All other persons who draw pay or salaries -from the government, perform services of -some kind—often perhaps very inadequate -but the cadets do nothing for the public; -make no return whatever. Their pay and -education are mere gratuities. Is it just,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91">91</a></span> -or right, or republican, thus to pamper a -few at the expense of the community?</p> - -<p>The institution is aristocratic in the manner -of <em>selecting the cadets</em>. They are nominated -and virtually appointed by members -of Congress. The privilege of appointing a -cadet has become an appendage of a seat in -this House. A member is thus enabled, at -the public expense, to provide for a relative, -dependant, or favorite, by quartering -him for life upon the treasury. He thus enjoys -a patronage almost equal to his pay. -Why should he have this extra privilege? -Are not members sufficiently compensated -for their services? If not, increase their -pay; but do not suffer them to quarter their -dependants upon the public. Such a privilege -will be abused; it cannot exist without -abuse. It is not only unjust to the community, -but it is injurious to this House. -Congress is called upon to legislate continually -in relation to the academy; and will -not such a patronage tend unconsciously to -bias the judgment of members, however<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92">92</a></span> -pure their intentions? It is not in the nature -of man to be entirely impartial and indifferent -when his own interests are involved. -But even if he succeeds in divesting -himself of every improper influence, and -acts with the strictest justice and propriety, -his country’s good his only object, he will -be likely to gain little credit by it; he will -still be suspected. Men incapable of acting -with the like nobleness themselves will -be slow to believe it of others. I do not -doubt that every member will act on this -subject from the purest motives; but if we -would stand well with the country—if we -would have full credit for disinterestedness -with the people, we ought to divest ourselves -of this patronage.</p> - -<p>Again, sir, if this power be confined without -check or control to members of Congress, -will there not be danger of the institution -being aristocratic in the <em>persons</em> selected -as cadets? Whom will a member -be most likely to nominate? Will it not -be a son or relative, or some one dependent<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93">93</a></span> -for support upon the member?—or, if -there happens to be none such, the son or -friend of some wealthy or influential constituent -whose influence the member desires -to secure? I would rejoice to find it -otherwise. But when we examine the roll -of cadets, and compare it with the lists of -members of Congress, we find such a coincidence -of names as I cannot attribute -wholly to accident; there must have been -some relationship between them to produce -such a striking family likeness.</p> - -<p>[Mr. Giddings. I wish to state a fact for -the information of the gentleman. Some -years ago, being applied to to nominate a -cadet for my district, and having at that -time a son of the proper age to enter the -academy, I wrote to many of the prominent -men of my district to send me the name of -a candidate, and could not procure one.]</p> - -<p>Mr. <span class="smcap">Dana</span>. The district of the gentleman -from Ohio appears to a be very peculiar one -in many respects. Unless I am greatly mistaken, -relatives and connexions of many<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94">94</a></span> -men of wealth and high stations have been -educated at the public expense at West -Point, and the privilege has been highly -coveted and eagerly sought by them generally, -the single instance of the constituents -of the gentleman from Ohio to the contrary -notwithstanding. I am entirely opposed -to the whole system of educating any -person, or class of persons, at the public expense; -but if some must be so educated, -let them be selected for their merits—for -their talents and virtues; give the preference -to the poor and to the orphan—they -are the most needy and deserving—instead -of bestowing the national bounty on the -rich and influential, who have other means -of education. I admit there have been many -instances in which members, waiving all -selfish considerations, (and I honor them for -it,) have selected the most meritorious candidate; -but as a general rule, in this contest -for patronage between wealth and -power on the one side, and poverty on the -other, it needs not the gift of prophesy to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95">95</a></span> -determine which will triumph. If this Academy -shall be continued, I hope that, at -least, its organization will be so changed as -to secure to the poor a fair participation in -its benefits.</p> - -<p>The institution is aristocratic in the <em>monopoly -of military commissions</em> which it secures -to the cadets after they have received -their education. It is not sufficient to educate -them at the public expense, but they -must also be provided for in the same way -ever after, and that too in the most objectionable -form of a monopoly. No man, -whatever may be his talents or qualifications, -or his thirst for military fame, can get -into the army unless he enter through the -gate of the West Point Academy, the only -portal open to ambition. Thus every person -who has passed the age of 21, without -obtaining an appointment in the academy, -and every person under 21 who does not -graduate there, is disfranchised, and rendered -incapable of holding a commission. -He may have spent his days in toil, and his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96">96</a></span> -nights in study, to qualify himself for his -country’s service; he may have mastered -all military science; the fire of genius may -burn bright in his soul; he may be impelled -by the purest patriotism, and be the “bravest -of the brave;” but he comes not -through the door of privilege—he has never -graduated at West Point—he is rejected! -Is this the equality of your boasted institutions? -If “all men are created equal,” that -equality is soon lost by congressional legislation. -It is said that military science is -necessary in the army, and that there is no -institution except at West Point where it -is taught. How can it be taught elsewhere? -The science acquired any where but at -West Point is of no value to the possessor. -Abolish the monopoly of military commissions, -throw them open for competition to -merit and science, wherever acquired, and -there will be places enough for instruction -in the art, without burdening the treasury, -and a much wider range for the selection of -officers will be afforded to you. West Point<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97">97</a></span> -is a beautiful and healthy place, and a -strong military position; but there is nothing -in its air or climate, however salubrious, -that in itself creates a soldier. It has the -monopoly of commissions—not of qualifications—the -same instruction at another location -would have equal effect in qualifying -an officer to command. I object to the institution, -because it is aristocratic, also, in -the <em>habits and feelings</em> which it inculcates. -Petted as the cadets are, it would be surprising -if they did not become proud and vain. -It is not their fault—your laws make them -so. They are placed in such a position as -to render the adoption of such feelings almost -inevitable. They alone have a public -education at the expense of the nation. -They are instructed in things which no -other individuals have any motives for learning—they -only are deemed legally competent -for officers of the army; and they naturally -reason: “If our services were not -indispensable, we should not be educated at -the public expense. If persons not educated<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98">98</a></span> -at West Point were capable of performing -the duties of military commanders, we -would not be allowed to monopolize military -commissions. If the knowledge we -have obtained could be had elsewhere, the -United States would not, at great expense, -erect and maintain the military academy. -If our country could dispense with us, we -should not be commissioned and retained -for years under pay without employment. -We alone have been educated for officers. -All the military science of the nation centres -in us; no others are qualified to command. -We are a caste by ourselves—a military nobility, -on whom the fortunes of the country -depend.” Censure not these young men for -their opinions. They are the legitimate -fruits of your legislation—fair and just inferences -from your enactments. But they -are not, therefore, the less to be regretted. -Such enactments are calculated to draw a -wide line of separation between the cadets -and their fellow citizens; to foster a spirit -of pride and arrogance, and self-sufficiency,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99">99</a></span> -on the part of the former, mixed with scorn -and contempt of the multitude, to be returned -by the latter with feelings of envy -and detestation. Have not these consequences -resulted? Does not, even now, an ill -feeling exist between West Point and the -country?</p> - -<p>My next objection to the academy is, that -the expenses are exorbitant, and greatly -disproportioned to the benefits.</p> - -<p>A report made by the Secretary of War -at the present session of Congress, states the -expenditures to have been upwards of four -million of dollars. Over seven hundred -thousand dollars of that sum is the cost of -the grounds, buildings and fixtures, in the -nature of capital, which cannot be considered -as entirely wasted, though they are -of little value in any other respect than as -connected with this institution. The residue -amounting to 3,291,500 dollars, is stated as -the current expenses of the institution—the -cost of educating the cadets. This<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100">100</a></span> -would amount to an annual expenditure of -about 130,000 dollars. The number of cadets -who have graduated, including those -who are expected to graduate on the 30th -of June next, amounts only to 1,231; each -graduate, therefore, has occasioned an expense -to the nation of three thousand two -hundred and fifty dollars; or, if we take -only the current expenses, deducting what -may be considered as an investment of capital, -the cost of each amounts to 2,673 dollars. -But the amount thus reported by the -Secretary of War, I understand, includes -only the direct and immediate expenditures -for the institution, and omits many expenses -which the academy has indirectly occasioned. -A friend who has carefully investigated -the matter, and whose general accuracy -I cannot doubt, makes the cost of -each cadet who graduates this year amount -to five thousand dollars. All of the expenditures -direct and indirect, by reason of the -military academy, I have no doubt, exceed -five millions of dollars, which is the cost of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101">101</a></span> -educating 1,231 persons in military science -sufficiently to qualify them for subaltern officers -in the army. A part of them have -taken their commissions, and are employed -in the public service. Some have declined -to accept, others have resigned soon after -their acceptance, while many have received -commissions, and been placed on the roll -of supernumeraries—officers without men -to command, or military duties to perform. -Those who have graduated are by no means -all who have entered the academy. Since -1815 the whole number of students has -been 2,942. Deducting the 1,231 who -have graduated, and are expected to graduate -at the close of the present year, and -there will remain 1,711 who have not graduated. -Less than 200 remain at the academy, -and between 1,500 and 1,600 must -have left it without completing their education, -or rendering any equivalent to the -nation for the expense incurred for them. -Perhaps, however, it is not a subject of regret -that so many of the cadets have left<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102">102</a></span> -the institution, or been dismissed from it -without completing their education, and -claiming their privilege of military commissions, -as many more yet remain than we -have the means of employing. The number -of cadets at the academy usually -amounts to about 250—the number annually -admitted to about 100, of whom about -40 graduate. The army absorbs 22, and -the remaining 18 are supernumeraries, holding -brevet commissions, without active duties. -It is rather a subject of congratulation, -therefore, than of regret, that 60 out -of a hundred of the students do not so persevere -unto the end as to entitle themselves -to commissions, and become quartered for -life upon the treasury; but it is not on this -account less objectionable in principle thus -to educate them at the public expense, without -an equivalent, in service or otherwise. -A law providing, in terms, that 100 students -should be admitted annually into the academy, -and educated at the public expense—that -40 of them should be retained as officers<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103">103</a></span> -of the army, and the remainder be -discharged from all claims for the instruction -they receive, and the expense they occasion, -would be denounced as unjust and -unconstitutional; but a law effecting indirectly -precisely the same objects, receives -not only the sanction, but the eulogies of -the most strict constructionists. What cannot -constitutionally be done directly, may -be accomplished indirectly, without trenching -upon the constitution. Be it so. I shall -not raise a constitutional question here. -My observation has taught me that the -constitution is formed of materials very like -India-rubber. It will stretch on the one -side so as to admit anything a man desires -to introduce, and close so tight on the other -as to shut out everything he wishes to exclude.</p> - -<p>But to return to the question. I hold it -to be a less evil to give the supernumerary -cadets a gratuitous education, if the nation -can be thereafter discharged from their support, -than to retain them as officers of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104">104</a></span> -army, when their services are not wanted. -Already the supernumeraries, at the lowest -estimate, amount to seventy, whose support -and pay cost the nation nearly 70,000 dollars -a year; and the number will be largely -increased at the next examination, which -occurs in June. Prior to the Florida war, -the number of unemployed officers was -much greater; but, at its commencement, -resignations were “plenty as blackberries.” -It is but justice, however, to those who retained -their commissions, to say, that they -fought gallantly and well in the most unpromising -and disagreeable contest.</p> - -<p>Not only is the military academy an aristocratic -and expensive institution, but it is -also the parent of some <em>positive evils</em>. The -first that I shall notice is the jealousies and -controversies which it occasions between -the officers of the army. Some of the officers -have been educated at West Point, -others have not. Most of the superior officers -have not enjoyed the advantages of -that institution: nearly all of the inferior<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105">105</a></span> -officers have. Thus they are divided into -two classes—the regular and the irregular. -The cadets, having enjoyed greater advantages -than their superiors—served a regular -apprenticeship to their business, and entered -the service by the only door the law -now recognises—can hardly fail to look -upon their superiors as unlearned, as mere -intruders, the creatures of accident, as usurper -of stations of right belonging to themselves. -Is it possible for such feelings to -remain smothered for years in the bosom, -like the hidden fire of a volcano, without -occasional eruptions? Will not such sentiments -be very apt to break out in overt acts -of disrespect and contempt? And will not -the older officers, annoyed and disgusted by -what they deem the vanity and presumption -of the juniors, be likely to meet this -spirit by a haughty and imperious bearing, -calculated and intended to mortify their -pride, and check their assumptions? Have -not the many quarrels and controversies, often -ending in courts of inquiry and courts-<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106">106</a></span>martial, -which have been so frequent in, -and so disgraceful to the army, originated -principally in these conflicting sentiments? -Sir, I apprehend the difficulties have been -so produced, and under the same circumstances -they will continue to occur, while -human nature remains unchanged. Harmony -can no more be expected to exist between -two distinct classes of officers, so -differently taught and appointed, than between -different sets of children in the same -family, whom all experience has shown to -be irreconcilable.</p> - -<p>The second positive evil I shall notice, is -the effect produced upon the soldiery. By -means of the Military Academy, the door -to promotion is effectually closed against -the men; the cadets having the exclusive -right to preferment, and there being already -seventy supernumerary officers and the -number annually increasing. The soldier, -thus excluded from promotion, has no incentive -to bravery or good conduct; all he -has to desire is to shirk danger and hardship<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107">107</a></span> -as much as he can, without incurring -the risk of punishment. Does not this state -of things necessarily degrade and demoralize -the army? Who would enlist into such -a service? None but the desperate and the -vicious. Having no hopes, they can be influenced -only by their fears—the ties which -should unite them to their leaders are all -broken, and their obedience, instead of the -submission of respect or affection, becomes -the base servility of apprehension, and a -desire to escape bodily suffering. The officers -can regard such men as little better -than brutes, to be controlled by fear and -force, while the men look upon their officers -as tyrants, to whom they are compelled -to yield an unwilling obedience. What motive -or feeling in the soldier can be appealed -to as incentive to good conduct? Ambition, -hope, pride? All are crushed and blighted. -Conscience? Its voice is powerless with -such men. Fear alone remains—the fear of -personal suffering; and to this the officers -appeal. Hence, despite your laws, corporal<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108">108</a></span> -punishment has been, and continues to -be, and, I fear, will continue to be, inflicted. -True, it is prohibited; but has the prohibition -banished it from the army? No; nor -can it, until you so change the organization -that the soldier will have other motives of -action besides a fear of punishment. A late -court-martial has exemplified the operation -of these feelings in the army. A soldier -who had been committed to the guard-house -for some misconduct, was brought out by -an officer and severely beaten with a sword. -The officer was arraigned before a court-martial -for unofficer-like conduct in thus -beating the soldier in violation of law and -of the rules and articles of war; and the -court-martial, although they found that the -act was committed as charged, decided that -no criminality was attached thereto, and -honorably acquitted the accused. When -the proceedings were reported to the commanding -general, he disapproved of the decision, -and ordered the court-martial to reassemble -to consider the case, and demanded<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109">109</a></span> -of the court by what law or order a -soldier could be taken from the guard-house -and beaten with a sword; and if there was -none, that then the accused should be punished -according to law. The court reassembled, -and reaffirmed its decision; and, -the proceedings being reported to the War -Department, were again sent back for recommendation -and reconsideration, and the -decision shown to be entirely erroneous. -But the court-martial refused to change its -decision, and I regret to be obliged to say -that the department tamely submitted. -Now, it may be considered as an established -principle, decided by a court-martial and -acquiesced in by the government, that an -officer may take an unprotected and imprisoned -soldier, beat him with an implement -not more dangerous or cruel than a sword, -without being guilty of “unofficer-like conduct,” -although it be in direct violation of -law, and of the rules and articles of war; -and if the officer be arraigned for misconduct, -he is entitled to an “honorable acquittal.”<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110">110</a></span> -Perhaps it is necessary, as an act -of justice to other officers, to add that the -accused, and most of the members of the -court were graduates of West Point. Is this -the submission to the laws which is there -inculcated?—the respect for the rights of -inferiors taught at that “<em>democratic institution</em>?” -After all, sir, the fault is as much in -the system as in the men. By excluding -every non-commissioned officer and private -from promotion, you so degrade the army, -and destroy its moral power, that is difficult -to govern it without the infliction of corporal -punishment. Abolish the West Point -monopoly—open the way to merit for promotion -from the ranks—and a new and far -better class of soldiers will enlist in your -service, a new spirit will pervade the army, -obedience will be prompt and willing, emulation -and hope will lead to acts of daring -bravery, and you will gain in efficiency far -more than you lose in science.</p> - -<p>The last evil I shall notice is the want of -confidence, respect and attachment between<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111">111</a></span> -the army and the people. The main -reliance of this country for defence is, and -ever must be, the militia. Anything, therefore, -which tends to prejudice the militia, -or the mass of the people, against the army, -should be cautiously avoided, as it is essential -to have them act in concert and harmony. -Whether merited or unmerited, it -cannot be denied that the people, and especially -that portion of them which compose -the militia, look upon West Point, and West -Point officers, with great disfavor; they are -specially unpopular. If war should occur, -and the army and militia be brought in contact, -the most disastrous consequences might -ensue from their dissensions. It would be -difficult, perhaps impossible, to induce the -militia to volunteer their services when -they would be placed under the command -of the cadets. In the objections I have -made, and the views I have taken of West -Point, I believe I have expressed the general -sentiment of the militia of my district, -and of the majority of the State I have the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112">112</a></span> -honor in part to represent. Located, as the -academy is, in the State of New York, its -character and influences must be as well -known and appreciated there as in any part -of the Union; yet it has been repeatedly -denounced by military conventions, composed -of the most distinguished and enlightened -men of that State. Believing it -to be an expensive, extravagant, and anti-democratic -institution of little use, the occasion -of many controversies between the -officers, and of discontent and degradation -to the soldiers, I cannot give my vote for -its continuance.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113">113</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>This chapter is serious, grave, gay and mysterious.—Good advice to Uncle -Sam.—A dream which clears up the mystery of beards and mustaches, -and accounts for some things, but cannot account for others, until the author -dreams again; perhaps not even then!—Inquiries and doubts, not answered -or solved in this chapter.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Should that time ever arrive when the -members of our state and national legislatures -practise all the vices which the -laws they make are apparently made to -punish and prevent—what influence can -their legislative acts exert on the community? -Why enact laws to prevent the commission -of acts, which their own examples -encourage and aid, and even induce? If -such legislators are often seen at the card -table, in the race field, or at the nightly debauch, -will not men in less honorable stations -continue to follow such blighting examples? -Unless men in the highest, civil,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114">114</a></span> -military and naval stations, pay due regard -to the decencies of life, to the strict rules -of morality, will persons in private life and -in humble stations do better than their superiors -in office? Because the rich man -can afford to live in luxury, will not his example -exert a bad influence on the poor, -and on those whose means do not enable -them to live a life of extravagance and -wasteful expenditure? What effect then -have high salaries on this or any other community? -Let any observing man look over -this district, and then answer my question. -We live in an age of innovation—in an age, -when the passions are let loose, and when -the pseudo reformers are busily engaged in -their endeavors to uproot all our old, well-established -forms of government, religion, -morals and law. Like the largest oak on -the Alleghanies, which has withstood the -fury of the elements during five centuries, -we hope our institutions of all sorts may survive -the furious blasts of demagogues in -morals, politics and religion. But if we<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115">115</a></span> -wish these institutions to last, we must stand -by our colors, hanging out our banner on the -outward wall, and manfully defend our fortress -against all the assaults of innovators—of -restless, rash and wicked men. We must -stand to our arms, and dare to meet every -emergency, with blow for blow and gun for -gun. Under the care of such guardians, -liberty, religion and law have little to fear -for the result. I thank God, that there are -a considerable number of such men in this -district, whom I well know and duly appreciate.</p> - -<p>These reflections grew out of my associations, -sometimes not voluntary, but from necessity, -where I heard, and was compelled -to hear, every institution in the whole country -assailed by several noisy, ignorant and -self-conceited men, conversing together so -flippantly as to resemble the chatterings of -so many monkeys, and with less good sense -than is possessed by the animals they so -much resembled in their gestures, noise -and frivolity.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116">116</a></span> -During a long session of Congress, as the -first session of each Congress is sometimes -called, assembled here from all parts of the -Union, may be seen true and faithful representatives -of every party, sect, faction and -even fragments of all these parties and factions. -Democrats, whigs, nullifiers, abolitionists, -and all other <em>crats</em>, <em>isms</em> and <em>ists</em>. -They are all busy, all active, sometimes noisy, -boisterous and persevering. Could each -one of them be believed, all the world will -soon come over to their several creeds. -Poor fellows! we suspect that the world -will still roll on in its own orbit, around the -sun, and the puny, tiny insects that are now -buzzing about here, will all pass off and be -gone far away, before dogdays come.</p> - -<p>In this Babel, as it is just now, the people -of the district refrain mostly from entering -much into the feelings, interests and -views of the visiters from a distance. The -letter writers, the speculators, office seekers, -and the office suckers, the courtiers and -the courtezans will leave the city when<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117">117</a></span> -Congress rises. While Congress sits, all the -crowd will continue to haunt the public -places and the public offices. One would -naturally enough conclude, that in a city, -no larger than this, where some three millions -of dollars are annually expended by -members of Congress and by visiters, money -would be plenty and the citizens would -be all wealthy; but that is not the case. -What becomes of such a vast sum? Shall -I answer my own question? I will answer -it, and confess, that I do not know, and cannot -even imagine what becomes of it. It -disappears from our sight, and those who -have handled the most money, appear to -be in the greatest distress for the means of -paying their just debts! Perhaps there are -exceptions to my general rule, but the exception -proves the general rule to be a correct -one. House rent, being very high, is -assigned as the cause of much distress to -renters. Some of these houses were built -very cheaply, fourteen years since, by the -joint labors of brick makers, brick layers,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118">118</a></span> -joiners and carpenters, who hired their day -laborers at the low price of twelve and a -half cents a day, besides board! So the -day laborers used to tell me, at the time -they were thus employed. Their assertions, -as to their compensation, might have -been untrue, but circumstances satisfied me -at the time, that they told me the truth. -Possibly these day laborers did not work -all day.</p> - -<p>In some instances it is possible that quite -too many persons follow some particular -calling, to allow it to be profitable to any -one of that calling. Is the competition too -great? All the nation, I need not say, cannot -live at the seat of the national government. -I should doubt, too, whether all -things being duly considered, this is the -best place in which to rear a family of -children, or one consisting mostly of young -people. More or less dissipation and vice -will always surround the seat of this government. -Move the capitol where we will, the -turkey-buzzards, perhaps the same birds,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119">119</a></span> -will follow it, and build their nests under -the eaves of the treasury building. Their -bills will always be thrust their whole -lengths into Uncle Sam’s purse and Uncle -Sam’s pocket.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Address to Uncle Sam.</span></h3> - -<p>“Unfortunate old uncle! you have a great -many lazy, idle, worthless pets, whom you -do wrong, very wrong, to support in idleness, -sloth and dissipation. Are you sure, -Sir, that you are acting the part of a prudent, -discreet and excellent old gentleman, -so long as you indulge such pets in practices -so repugnant to your better nature, in -your earlier years and better days? I do -not expect you to turn them out to grass, -as Nebuchadnezzar was turned out in days -of yore; but certainly, the prairies of Illinois -would afford them a better pasture, -than this sterile district does. Alas! <span class="smcap">Selden’s -refectory</span> is preferred by them, to -all the prairies of the West, blooming with -tall grasses and the most brilliant and beautiful -flowers, and a mint julep to any other<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120">120</a></span> -vegetable. Of all the fowls of the air, some -of them prefer the wing of an ox, whereas -others prefer the oyster to every other bird -of passage! Pray, Sir, be wise in time, put -all your sons into some honest calling, -whereby they may get an honest living and -pay their honest debts, by their industry, -economy and enterprise. Do this forthwith, -or you will become a bankrupt in fame, fortune -and resources and be compelled to take -the benefit of the act for the relief of insolvent -debtors. You own a great many large -houses here, which cost you a great deal of -money, but are there no mortgages on them -which may be foreclosed? That being done, -shall we not soon afterwards see all your -household furniture, your carpets, your tables, -chairs, beds and bedding exposed to -a public sale, on some market morning, opposite -the market-house, on the avenue?—Good -bye, Sir.”</p> - -<p>P.S.—A large lot furniture and a great -lottery wheel, from the War office, were -offered for sale at auction the other day on -the avenue.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121">121</a></span> -Among the mysteries of this mysterious -city, take the following: Soon after my return -from New York, I went all alone into -the monumental square, east of the capitol, -to discover what a certain low ill-looking -shanty contained. On entering the building, -I saw a statue of <em>Jupiter Tonans</em>, easing -himself, without a shirt on his back, holding -a thunderbolt in his right hand! Every -wrinkle and every feature of his face, and -his Roman dress, without a shirt, and coated -with dust, proved to me at a glance of the -eye, in a moment, that some Italian had -either stolen and brought off the original -statue, or he had exactly copied it; and -that some one had placed it here, for the -purpose of setting up the worship of Jupiter -here at the seat of the national government! -And this in a christian country, in this nineteenth -century! Until I saw this statue -here standing, I did suppose that christianity, -in her onward march, from the banks of -the Jordan to our farthest West, had overthrown -the pagan religion, and had erected<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122">122</a></span> -the cross wherever Jupiter Tonans and his -kindred gods had once stood. After examining -the statue of this heathen deity, I -looked, and behold it stood on a granite -rock, inscribed: “WASHINGTON!” That -Washington was well represented by a -block of granite, I was not prepared either -to affirm or deny, but that any one could -with any sort of propriety introduce into -this square, the worship of Rome’s old pagan -gods, I do deny, and will maintain my -denial on substantial grounds of correct -taste. The old story of Jupiter Tonans, if -my memory serves me, after having read it -forty-four years ago, for the last time, I believe -is this. Some Roman emperor, perhaps -Augustus, was being carried along in -a litter, when one of his bearers was instantly -killed by lightning. The emperor, from -a sense of gratitude to “The Thunderer,” -for sparing his own life, promised to erect, -and finally did erect a temple, dedicated to -“the thundering Jupiter” and placed his -statue in it, in the very act of darting his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123">123</a></span> -deadly bolt. Who would have thought -that that statue would have been transported -here, and erected for the adoration of the -pagans in this christian country? Paganism -in Washington, in the nineteenth century! -Why not forthwith get up lectures and send -around beggars to crave money in order to -stop its further progress?</p> - -<p>To say that Congress ought not to encourage -ingenious foreign artists at all, -would be contrary to our feelings and to all -our history, but our own artists should have -a preference, all other things being equal. -And I do not say, that our artists may not -with great propriety go to Europe and there -study the best labors of the best artists. But -let our Americans carry with them American -hearts, and return to us untinged with -European feelings, and not be imbued either -with the ideas of paganism. Washington -clad in a Roman dress, instead of his -American uniform! Daniel Boone dressed -in a toga, instead of his Western hunting -shirt! An American Indian in a toga, fighting<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124">124</a></span> -a battle in a personal contest, instead -of his being clad in his simple breech clout! -Why such sights are presented to us here, -is a mystery—a mystery of Washington city -which I cannot unfold to the reader. So of -the pedestal of a bust of Mr. Jefferson, resting -on the heads of infants, whose mouths are -wide open, rendered so apparently by the -pressure on the top of their skulls. Whose -absurd taste produced these abortions? To -mingle paganism with the ideas of christianity -in our statues and in our architecture, -is in bad taste, especially in this age. Within -about three hundred years after the -death of the Founder of our religion, against -the superstition of Jews and pagans, against -the ridicule of their wits and the reasonings -of their sages, against the craft of their -politicians, the power of their kings and the -prowess of their armies, against the axe, -the cross and the stake, christianity ascended -the imperial throne, and waved her broad -banner in triumph over the palace of the Cæsars. -Her march and conquests extended<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125">125</a></span> -to every part of the then civilized world. -The idols and all the gods of paganism fell -down prostrate, before the onward march -of christianity, and who will now, set up -these idols <em>here</em>, for the worship of Americans? -Away then with these gods and goddesses—away -with Mercury and his rod, -with Minerva and Venus and Cupid, they -are blemishes, not beauties, they are pagan -and not christian, barbarous and not civilized -signs of the times. We want a Congress -sufficiently christian to overthrow -these idol gods, and all idol worship in the -capitol. The ancient Greeks and Romans -have long since gone down to their graves, -and even their gods have perished from off -the face of the earth. Why dig them up -and bring them here to imbue the minds of -our youth with pagan ideas?</p> - -<p>With a view to learn the mystery of wearing -unnatural beards, some filled with vermin, -and some with ginger bread! some resembling -those of Saracens, Turks and -Russians, I visited Lipscomb’s near Gadsby’s,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126">126</a></span> -on the avenue, and M’Cubbin’s on -Eighth street, and there gravely sat often -for a long time, studying beards and mustaches, -but in vain. At last I came home -to my lodgings at <span class="smcap">Mrs. Tilley’s</span> on Tenth -street, nearly opposite Peter Force’s large -library, and falling asleep in my easy armchair, -a form stood before me in my dream, -with mild aspect a sympathising look, she -thus addressed me: “Let not thy thoughts -about beards and mustaches trouble thee, -because I am sent to reveal to thee the sublime -mysteries of beards and mustaches. -All men are created with certain propensities, -and He who made them, has marked -them, so that their propensities may be -known as soon as the eye sees them. Euruchs -have little or no beards, but a man -whose disposition is Saracenic, Turkish, -Tartarean, Gothic, barbarous or christian, -has given him a beard in accordance with -his natural disposition, But if he is like, in -all respects, a goat, in smell and sensuality, -a goat’s beard is given him and he wears it,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127">127</a></span> -leading about some frail female, dressed in -silk velvet, while his wife with six small -children, and one at the breast is left to -starve at home. Such a man will never -buy or read thy book, otherwise he will -buy it. In compassion to thee, I further inform -thee, that as to beards full of vermin, -that circumstance is owing to the poverty -of their owners, whose purses do not contain -money enough to pay for a comb! -Those beards which contain ginger bread, -it is owing to a fact which is as well known -to me, as it is to this whole city, that many -of the bearded race are so poor, that I have -seen twelve of them contribute a cent a -piece, to purchase a large roll of ginger -bread; they would then tie a cord around -its centre and suspend it to the ceiling over -their heads in the middle of the room, and -seating themselves flat on the floor, in a circle, -and in that position each one of them -would catch a bite, as the ginger bread -was whirled around from mouth to mouth. -And although every mouth was wide open<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128">128</a></span> -like an anaconda’s when swallowing a rabbit, -yet, sometimes the roll struck the beard -and got entangled in it, until the mouth -was filled with the delicious morsel. The -beard itself retained the roll, until some of -the beard stuck to the roll. The fragments -of tobacco in the beard, are to be accounted -for in the same way.” I awoke, refreshed -in body and in mind, having had revealed -to me one of the greatest mysteries of this -city. My mind is now at ease about that -mystery, because I know every man I see -on the avenue, by the beard he wears, -whether he is civilized or savage, rich or -poor. If he is able to get shaved without -running in debt for shaving, he is shaved -clean and smooth. Has he a beard like a -goat’s; his beard proves him to be one that -will stand on the left hand. And so of all -the other signs, they are all revealed to -me, and I, without fee, tell the reader all -about it.</p> - -<p>There are other mysteries in this city of -mysteries, which I cannot find out, although<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129">129</a></span> -I have slept in my easy armed chair and on -my pillow time and again.</p> - -<p>What the Senate will do about the Texan -treaty? whether they will discuss its -merits public or privately? whether they -will stay here, until they have gone through -their long docket of nominations, now before -them? Whether the House will continue -to sit until they complete their business -not yet finally acted on? or whether -they will go home soon, and the people -thereby lose all the benefit of what has -been begun, I cannot divine in this chapter.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130">130</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Officers of both houses of Congress.—Vice President Mangum.—Speaker -Jones.—Members of Congress, their labors and unenviable state.—Eloquence -of members.—Senators Choate, Crittenden, Morehead, &c. &c.—The -Tariff, Oregon and Texas to go down to the foot of the docket and be -postponed until next session of our honorable court.</p></blockquote> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Officers of both Houses of Congress.</span></h3> - -<p>In the Senate, the Honorable <span class="smcap">Willie P. -Mangum</span> presides. John Tyler, the Vice -President, on the death of General Harrison -became President of the United States. -The Senate thereafter elected Samuel -Southard, their presiding officer, he dying, -they elected Judge Mangum their president. -He lives, when at home, in Orange county, -North Carolina. From his name, I should -suppose that his ancestors were from Wales. -However that may be, Judge Mangum’s -family is an ancient one in North Carolina,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131">131</a></span> -the name being found among the earliest -settlers of that colony. He presides in the -Senate and occupies the Vice President’s -room in the capitol. He is a man above -the common size, of fair complexion and -commanding air, rather grave in his manners, -but very agreeable and appears to be -kind hearted. His voice is clear, sufficiently -loud and distinct to be heard all over the -Senate chamber and its gallery. On the -whole, he is, taking him all and all, the best -presiding officer, that I ever saw in any legislative -assembly. He is always at his -ease, always dignified and always agreeable. -His appearance is that of a man about -forty years old. He is a whig, unwavering -and unflinching, yet, like the Kentucky -Senators, not a persecuting whig, often voting -to confirm men in offices, who are not -whigs, nor any thing else—long. He appears -to look more to the interests of his -country than his party. When I say this, -I mean to draw no invidious distinctions between -Judge Mangum and others in the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132">132</a></span> -Senate. The feelings of senators must have -been often severely tried by having presented -to them the names of very incompetent -men. Where the man is not decidedly -a bad one, though wanting <em>decision of -character</em>, without which no man can be relied -on, in any pressing emergency, the -Senate let him pass as Hopson’s choice, -because they expect nothing better. In -this way they have confirmed many nominations -which I should have rejected at -once, as destitute of a qualification, without -possessing which, no man is fit for any office -or any calling. So far as Ohio is concerned, -not even one appointment of a citizen of -that State, has been a good one, nor such -an one as I would have made, during the -last two years. I feel no hostility to any -one of these weak men, but wish they had -belonged to some other State, not to ours. -Where the imbecility of a country is placed -in the offices, it shows the strength of our -institutions and the virtue of our people, -which can get along tolerably well, though<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133">133</a></span> -such weak men are appointed to offices. -To have found so much imbecility, so carefully -selected from the very surface of society, -must have cost those a vast deal of labor, -care and diligence, who have succeeded -so well, so perfectly in hunting it up, and -in bringing it forward to the President and -his secretaries for their acceptance and gratification! -It is a strong argument in favor -of the permanency of our institutions, which -can bear such appointments. The Senate -appear to be as hungry for the nomination -of men well qualified for the offices to which -they are nominated, as any trout ever was -for a well baited hook—they jump at them -in a moment and unanimously confirm them. -The confirmation of <span class="smcap">Calhoun’s</span> appointment -as Secretary of State is a case in point. The -news spread like wildfire, and fell upon the -ear like the roar of a water fall in the ear of -a thirsty traveller, in the desert of Sahara.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Asbury Dickens</span> is clerk of the Senate, -and a better clerk of that body could not -have been found in the Union.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134">134</a></span> -<span class="smcap">Edward Dyer</span> is sergeant-at-arms, and -he is an excellent officer.</p> - -<p>In the House of Representatives, <span class="smcap">John -W. Jones</span> is the speaker. He appears to understand -the rules of the House pretty well, -but owing to the weakness of his voice, or -to the structure of the room, perhaps, we -should attribute something to each cause, I -cannot hear speaker Jones at all, on any occasion, -from any location in the room which -I have ever been permitted to occupy, by -the courtesy of the House.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Caleb J. M’Nulty</span> is clerk of this House, -and a better clerk, a more obliging one, -more correct, more industrious, more attentive -to all his duties as a clerk, more obliging, -polite, and in all respects capable and -faithful, never filled the clerk’s office. M. -St. Clair Clarke, his predecessor in office, -although applauded constantly for his good -qualities of all sorts, yet our Ohio man does, -for aught I can see, as well as M. St. Clair -Clarke himself ever did in his best days.</p> - -<p>Among the ladies attending on this session<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135">135</a></span> -of Congress, we mention with pleasure -and pride <span class="smcap">Mrs. M’Nulty</span>, wife of the clerk -of the House. She was born and educated -in Ohio. She is beautiful in form and manners -and does honor to our <em>Buckeye State</em>.</p> - -<p>This handsome couple are young in -years, just beginning the world and bid -fair to live long and be useful in the world, -and be ornaments of Ohio. Prosperity and -success to them!</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Doctor Lane</span> of Louisville, Kentucky, is -the sergeant-at-arms in the House, and he -is a very gentlemanly, faithful and attentive -officer.</p> - -<p>The door-keeper, <span class="smcap">Jesse E. Dow</span>, and the -postmaster, <span class="smcap">John M. Johnson</span>, are as good -officers as need be, and they give general -satisfaction.</p> - -<p>Members of Congress, generally speaking, -are not idle men by any means. Besides -their attendance on the daily sessions -of the two houses, they are on committees, -which occupy no small portion of the day, -and, sometimes they are in their committees<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136">136</a></span> -to a late hour at night. The more laborious -part of the members work more hours, -than any farmer does in the country. Some -of them have a great correspondence with -their constituents and others. They are -obliged to call at the public offices, on the -business of those whom they represent. -Some members, who represent the farmers -of the interior, have little to do, and such -members, are not often chairmen of important -committees, and they may lead an easy -life. Those who represent large cities, or -many commercial people, have more than -they can find time to do it in. The same -remark applies to those who represent manufacturing -districts. Delegates from Territories, -like the Dodges, father and son, -have an immense amount of business to do, -and a great correspondence to carry on. -Such men labor night and day. Calls on -them, made by their constituents and by -others from all parts of the Union, interrupt -them a good deal. General Vance, chairman -of the committee of claims, performs<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137">137</a></span> -daily a very laborious task. So far as Ohio -is concerned, in sending representatives to -both houses, I am sure that we have little -reason to complain of their remissness or inattention -to the duties of their station. -There is not a dissipated man among them -nor an idler. So far as I know, they faithfully -attend to all their business in Congress. -Their per diem, eight dollars, seems -to be a very liberal compensation for their -services, but after paying all their bills for -living here, very little remains. Those -who have families here, actually fall in debt, -and have to borrow money to pay a part of -their expenses. A very considerable number -of the members have their wives with -them—and where they have daughters and -female relatives, their compensation is -wholly inadequate to pay their expenses. -The ladies visit the library often and there -read and amuse themselves, or they sit in -the gallery of the House, listening to the -debates. The families of such members as -are able to bring them here, appear to be<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138">138</a></span> -quite happy. By associating with many respectable, -well informed and polite people, -they learn a great deal of the world and its -affairs. They become personally acquainted -with the first men in the nation. In this -way they can form a more correct estimate -of such men, their character, dispositions, -manners, habits and talents. In vain do -we look into newspapers, pamphlets and -periodicals for correct ideas concerning -these men. They are much better, or not -so bad, as common report makes them. -Though I had known Mr. Calhoun forty -years, by common report, and, although I -had seen him often presiding in the Senate -chamber, yet until I sat down beside him -in his office, and had conversed with him -sometime, I had never had any correct ideas -of the man at all. I had always been told, -that he was impetuous, sour and morose, -but I found him to be the mildest, kindest -and most agreeable man I ever saw. I was -truly astonished at the contrast between -the man as he really was, and the one he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139">139</a></span> -was represented to be! I was agreeably disappointed -in many others. With the character -of our western men I was in no case -deceived, because I knew them either personally -or from correct sources of information. -For instance, although I had never -seen the Kentucky senators, yet I found -them, Crittenden and Morehead, as agreeable, -as well informed, as friendly, kind and -conciliating in their manners, as I had always -understood they were.</p> - -<p>By mingling in such society, our young -men may acquire a fund of information, -which may be of great value to them in after -life.</p> - -<p>Though I knew Colonel Benton personally -well and knew him to be a man of -kind feelings towards his friends, and even -towards many who are not friendly to him, -yet, he is often represented as malignant -and overbearing. It is not true, because at -the bottom of his heart there is a great deal -of good feeling. He cannot always suppress -the exhibition of his better nature, even towards<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140">140</a></span> -open and avowed political opponents. -So of our senators, Tappan and Allen, the -whigs of Ohio believe that these senators -are their enemies, but I always found them -very friendly to me, doing me many favors -and no injury—quite the reverse. They -have their own political creed, differing -from mine in some respects, but they endeavor -to serve their constituents when -they come here, even if they are whigs.</p> - -<p>Those who have been long in Congress -can be much more useful to their constituents, -than those who have had less experience. -Understanding all the rules of proceeding, -they know how to take advantage -of circumstances, when to make a motion, -and the exact moment when to oppose an -opponent. They say less and more to the -purpose. Young men are quite apt to be -impetuous, hasty and rash, and thus often -get overwhelmed by a more cool, deliberate -member. <span class="smcap">John Quincy Adams</span> is the -hardest man to deal with in the House. -Understanding all the rules of legislation,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141">141</a></span> -with a large store of information, he is sometimes -sarcastic and witty, sometimes profound -and those who attack him always -come off second best. Of all the attacks -on Mr. Adams this session, C. J. Ingersoll’s -was the most unfortunate for the assailant. -Mr. Wise related the whole of it to me in -the library, immediately after the assault -was made and the chastisement which Ingersoll -got. Mr. Wise condemned C. J. -Ingersoll, as every one else did, for his behaviour -towards an aged, respectable man, -whose public services, years learning and -talents ought to command and do command -the respect of all good men in the nation. -Any member of Congress who respects himself, -will always be treated with respect, -because he deserves it. Any young man, -who thinks to obtain any advantage by assailing -Mr. Adams, will find himself to have -made a false calculation.</p> - -<p>The Senators preserve their own dignity, -and do not mingle much with the turbulence -around them. They are often misrepresented<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142">142</a></span> -by malignant letter writers, -and the falsehoods they invent, have a wide -circulation. These Senators cannot devote -up their time to explanations and contradictions -of such misrepresentations. They -have something else to do.</p> - -<p>I will state an instance in point. About -the time that the speculators in Texan land -scrip, began their operations, to effect an -annexation of Texas to this Union, some -letter writer pretended to tell exactly how -all the Senators would vote on that question. -A number of the members of that -body told me, “that they had neither made -up nor expressed any opinion on that subject.” -I afterwards ascertained from the -highest source of information, that not a few -Senators would not vote as the speculators -had predicted they would, but exactly the -reverse. Such miscalculations are daily -made by interested or malicious persons, -who hover around the capitol. Seeing the -papers from a distance, and conversing with -the members on the subjects treated of by<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143">143</a></span> -the letter writers, induced me finally to -distrust all I saw, coming from such a polluted -source. These falsehoods do their -authors no good, but often an injury. Placed -as members of Congress are on a pinnacle, -in view of a whole nation, unless they possess -well ballanced minds, they are not to -be envied. They have rivals at home, sometimes -ready to misrepresent their motives, -their services and their talents. There is -always requisite, the constant exercise of -one virtue, at least, which is patience, and -they must labor incessantly to gratify friends -at home, who expect at their hands more -than they can do for them. To be a member -of Congress, requires talents of all sorts—great -industry, great attention to business, -constant care, strength of body and -strength of mind. Members of Congress, -who make a figure as orators, can do little -indeed for individuals among their friends. -Moving in a higher sphere, they aim at some -high station—to be a minister abroad, a Secretary, -or to obtain some lucrative office.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144">144</a></span> -Apparently laboring for the public good, -their real object is frequently very selfish. -Such men have rivals among their own party, -and all their political opponents are opposed -to them. If they succeed to their -hearts’ content, how long does their prosperity -last? In a few short years their race -is run and they are seldom mentioned, but -oblivion covers them from our view and -even from our thoughts. Those who figured -on the stage at some great era in our national -affairs, and stood high then, are remembered -with affection and gratitude, but -the little party politician is forgotten as soon -as he walks off the stage. In this changing -world, how soon is the mere demagogue -forgotten? In his day, he impresses his retainers -with the idea, that, unless some favorite -theory is adopted, all is lost. It is -exploded, he disappears from our sight, and -the world moves on in safety. There is an -elasticity in the American character, not -existing to the same extent in any other nation. -Under any great national disappointment,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145">145</a></span> -there may be, and there is, sometimes -a season of national gloom, but recovering -from such a state of mind, our people rouse -up all their wonted courage, and confiding -in their own strength, they move onward to -new enterprises, entertain new hopes, and -finally realise, and frequently more than -realise all their most sanguine expectations. -In the natural world, the storm and -the tornado may be as necessary as the -clear sunshine and the gentle shower, and -why should the mental world differ from -the natural one in this respect? “This is a -crisis,” says the demagogue—“a nation’s -fate depends on the issue of this crisis,” but -the mighty crisis passes by as harmless as -the Zephyr’s breath in May moves over the -meadow. These getters up of crises are, -on the whole, quite a harmless set of beings. -They keep up a ripple on the ocean -of human life and prevent a dead calm in -the political ocean. In this session of Congress -I have seen none of these crises and -panic makers in the two houses. The debates<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146">146</a></span> -on the twenty-first rule, on the Oregon -question, on the army bill, on the tariff -and some other topics were ardent, long -and exciting, but they did not produce a -very angry debate. These several storms -passed over without doing much harm, like -a squall of wind without hail, or even much -rain descending to deluge the earth.</p> - -<p>During Dr. <span class="smcap">Hammet’s</span> speech on the 21st -rule, I had a place, through the Doctor’s -politeness, a seat in the body of the House, -from which, by standing on my feet, I saw -every member in his place, and witnessed -the effect on the countenances of members, -which that speech produced. Those passages -which turned sixty faces pale, produced -convulsive laughter among the rest -of the members. The countenance of Mr. -Adams never changed from a serene aspect, -whereas the Ohio members mostly looked -unmoved as marble, in no wise excited by -the topics, except when the speaker alluded -to the old maids of Massachusetts. When -they were introduced into his speech, our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147">147</a></span> -members were taken by surprise, and they -laughed immoderately. Even Gen. Vance, -Judge Dean and all, with all their usual -gravity, laughed heartily, and forgot to be -grave. The hit was a fair one and well deserved. -Female fanatics are doing some -harm, and can do no good. On questions, -and even doubtful ones of great national -importance, our females would show more -wisdom to be silent, than to press forward -on the stage in buskins to show themselves -as players.</p> - -<p>Many persons think the members do -wrong to indulge themselves in so much -speaking, but better make long speeches -than pass many bad laws. That too many -laws are made by state, territorial and national -legislation is certain. The mania for -speech making is not as bad as many suppose -it to be—it is the safety valve that lets -off the superfluous steam, otherwise boilers -would burst, and blow into fragments the -vessel of state. Viewed in this light, we -can tolerate it from motives of sympathy for<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148">148</a></span> -the afflicted. Another good effect flows -from these long speeches, while they are -delivered, members can go into the library, -the lobby or the rotundo and amuse themselves -or converse with their friends. The -speech being made, it can be printed and -sent home to their constituents. They are -pleased and thus many ends are answered -by the delivering of a speech.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Eloquence of Members of Congress.</span>—Under -this head I shall not say much, for -several reasons. The chambers are but -poorly calculated for hearing in them; the -places occupied by those who wish to hear -and report speeches, are not such ones as -they should be, if hearing be the object of -those who sit in them; the noise necessarily -made by three hundred persons, moving -about and sometimes talking and whispering; -the opening and shutting of doors and -the confused din, attendant on such an assemblage -of men; the many objects, such -as the <span class="smcap">Ladies</span> in the galleries of the House, -naturally draw off the eye from the debater,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149">149</a></span> -the ear from the sound of his voice and -the mind from the subject in discussion. -With all these abatements and all these impediments, -we need not wonder if the -speeches are not very correctly reported, -they being so imperfectly heard when they -are delivered. This circumstance gives rise -to every day explanations, almost, in both -houses, to correct erroneous reports of -speeches. But with all these impediments, -there is a very considerable number of good -speakers, especially in the Senate. It is -possible, however, that the Senate’s chamber -being a place wherein one can hear -better than in the gallery of the other house, -may have had quite an influence on my -opinion in this particular. Senator <span class="smcap">Choate</span> -is quite a favorite among his friends, as an -orator. His voice is clear, sufficiently loud -and distinct; his method is clear, his language -elegant, often beautiful; the impression -which he makes on the hearer is highly -agreeable. He rises neither too high nor -sinks too low for his subject, but flies along -over the subject at a suitable elevation. He<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150">150</a></span> -looks as if he were a man of great labor, -and not in very good health. He appears -to be care-worn, and as if he was over-worked -by the incessant toils of his station. -I have no personal acquaintance with him, -and speak merely from what I saw of him -a few moments at Dr. Sewall’s, and from -hearing him in the Senate chamber a few -times. He is the brother-in-law of the Doctor -and lodges at his house. Mr. Choate -represents the manufacturing and commercial -classes and has a laborious task to perform, -in opposition to restless men, who, it -appears to me, mistake their own interest -in opposing commerce and manufactures.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">John J. Crittenden</span>, a senator from Kentucky, -is a most delightful speaker. With -a melodious voice, clear method, clear sentences, -in which every word is fitly chosen, -so that no one could be changed for any -other word in its location that would do as -well in its place. His arguments are lucid, -his manner is so fascinating that he is a -model of forensic eloquence in a parliamentary<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151">151</a></span> -debate. Honest, candid, sincere, pleasant, -sometimes eloquent, always happy in -his expressions, it is no wonder that he is -a very popular orator. On hearing him, -you esteem him as a gentleman, and love -him as a man. He was nominated by Mr. -Adams to the Senate of the United States -as a judge of the United States supreme -court, but was not confirmed, and Judge -M’Lean fills the place to which Mr. Crittenden -was nominated. He would have -made as excellent a judge, as he made a -member of General Harrison’s cabinet. He -has no enemy who personally knows him, -so pure, so sincere and candid is he in all -his intercourse with the world, that even -those who disagree in opinion with him, -love the man, his manners and his straight -forwardness of speech and of action. His -age may be forty-eight and he is quite grey -headed, of the common size and square -built. His lady has a young look and is still -handsome. She is always lady-like and -agreeable in her conversation and deportment.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152">152</a></span> -In these respects she resembles the -ladies of Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. -They always remind me of the West, and -recall to my mind the delightful recollections -of a large integral portion of my extended -life, spent among scenes and surrounded -by a people always dear to my -heart. No place, time or circumstances -will ever be able to obliterate these impressions -from my vivid recollections of a -delightful past. The Western people, possessing -as they do, unflinching courage, pure -patriotism, a love of liberty, of sincerity and -truth, decision of character, open heartedness -and sincerity, with broad and liberal -views, and possessing too an energy and a -determination to go forward, conquering -the forest and the prairie, they will soon -extend our dominion to the Pacific ocean. -Such a people will always go ahead of all -national legislation and compel Congress to -come limping and halting along on crutches -and stilts behind them.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">James T. Morehead</span>, the other Kentucky<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153">153</a></span> -senator, was formerly governor of that State. -He is six feet high or upwards, rather spare -in flesh, straight as an Indian, and he is -so agreeable in his manners and address, as -to be as he truly is the world’s idol. His -words flow along in a constant stream, -sweeter than honey. Sometimes he rises -into sublimity, and soars along on high, and -like our own eagle, revelling in the beams -of a clear sun. Sometimes he can be playful, -with an arch leer on his brow when he -is ironical. He can captivate with his witchery -of manner and of style. His method is -good, his sentences are clear, sometimes -pointed, sarcastic and withering. His manner -is winning and his arguments convincing. -He is shrewd, searching and occasionally -severe in his arguments, though not in -his language. His ideas may be hard, but -his words are soft, smooth and melodies. -He labors with his pen and his books incessantly, -sometimes more than his body can -well bear. Having come over into Ohio -and married and carried off a beautiful,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154">154</a></span> -amiable and good lady, the daughter of my -excellent friend, J. M. Espy, of Columbus, -I wish I had it in my power to present the -reader a short biographical sketch of Gov. -Morehead.</p> - -<p>Under the head of eloquence, I will confess, -that although I have been months attending -here, sometimes conversing with -members of Congress, sometimes with other -persons from all parts of the Union—standing -in the rotundo or sitting in the library, -there conversing or reading, I always found -it an unpleasant task to hear speeches, unless -some one was speaking whom I knew -or greatly desired to hear. I went to hear -Dr. <span class="smcap">Hammet</span> of Mississippi, <span class="smcap">John Q. Adams</span>, -<span class="smcap">General Dromgoole</span>, <span class="smcap">Judge Dean</span>, <span class="smcap">John -B. Weller</span>, <span class="smcap">Schenck</span>, <span class="smcap">Vinton</span>, <span class="smcap">Florence</span>, -<span class="smcap">Van Meter</span>, <span class="smcap">Potter</span> and a few others, but -I had so much difficulty to get a seat where -I could hear, that I seldom made an attempt -to get a seat in the House. <span class="smcap">Hale</span> of New -Hampshire, when he spoke, could always -be heard and understood.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155">155</a></span> -It appeared to me, that our western members -were more eloquent on the Oregon -question than the eastern members, and -that the eastern members beat the western -ones on the tariff question all hollow. The -eastern members were learned, eloquent -and sensible whenever they spoke of manufactures, -commerce or trade. These -speeches, properly digested, would make -an instructive and useful volume, that would -be read by every body.</p> - -<p>I took an interest in the army bill, and -contrived to hear a great deal of its discussion. -<span class="smcap">M’Cay</span>, <span class="smcap">Cave Johnson</span> and <span class="smcap">Black</span> -of Carolina never spoke a word in vain. -Mr. Black deserves a great deal of credit -for his exertions to reform the abuses of the -patronage of the government. The mad -ravings of the pets against him are recommendations -of him to his constituent, as -their faithful sentinel in Congress. He represents -a hardy, patriotic race of men, -whose ancesters fought bravely and well -for their country in the war of the revolution.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156">156</a></span> -The Cowpens, King’s mountain, and -all that country round about them are immortalised -by deeds of arms; and by patriotic -devotion to the interests and the glory -of our common country. The nation owes -that people a debt of gratitude.</p> - -<p>I spent an evening with Mr. Black and -Mr. Simpson, of Pendleton, S. Carolina, at -their lodgings in the old capitol, kept by -Mrs. Hill. They are excellent members -of Congress, honest, capable and faithful representatives—none -better. They are -friendly to Mr. Calhoun. Mr. Black was -born near Mr. Calhoun, that is within five -miles of him, and Mr. Simpson lives where -Mr. Calhoun does, and is his near neighbor. -He thinks highly of Mr. Calhoun’s family -and says that it is the happiest and the best -one he ever knew. If my memory serves -me, I think there is a sort of relationship -by marriage between Mr. Simpson and Mr. -Calhoun.</p> - -<p>In the Senate are a great many good speakers. -I heard Allen, Tappan, Choate, Benton,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157">157</a></span> -Woodbury, Buchanan, Crittenden, Upham, -Morehead and several others, who -spoke well and argued clearly, distinctly -and to the purpose. I have not room for a -criticism on their manner and matter, but I -was pleased to hear them speak so well on -all occasions. I wished to hear <span class="smcap">Rives</span> and -<span class="smcap">Archer</span>, but did not get an opportunity to -hear them, or even become personally acquainted -with them. As a Senate, we need -not be ashamed of that body, but the reverse -in all respects. <span class="smcap">M’Duffie</span> appears to -be out of health, and I fear that he is in a -decline that will carry him off before many -years. I should have been glad to hear -<span class="smcap">Bayard</span> of Delaware, to ascertain whether -he inherits his father’s talents, but I never -heard him. <span class="smcap">Foster</span> of Tennessee, I know -to be a man of talents and an excellent senator, -but I had not the pleasure to hear -him. He stands high at the bar as a lawyer, -and no one is more beloved than I know -him to be by his neighbors in Nashville, -where he lives when at home. Talented,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158">158</a></span> -learned and good, Tennessee may well be -proud of her beloved son.</p> - -<p>General <span class="smcap">King</span> has gone to Russia, and -<span class="smcap">Lewis</span> has taken his place. General King, -like his friend Buchanan, is a bachelor; so -he can go abroad, having no family to detain -him here.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">A Digression.</span></h3> - -<p>The influence of the Christian religion, it -appears to me, begins to operate beneficially -on our legislative assemblies, and it is -to be hoped that it will in the end melt -down in its crucible our whole people. -That religion is the great fountain-head of -republics. It teaches us that our Creator is -our Father, and that we are all brethren. -In some respects, there is a falling off from -the practices of our fathers—for instance, -family government is not what it once was. -In former days we had infancy, youth and -age, but by the present generation youth is -struck out of human life altogether. A boy -or a girl five years old, assumes the dress, -the manners and the airs of a young gentleman<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159">159</a></span> -or a young lady. Last January, at my -room, in the Broadstreet Hotel, in New -York, after hearing their youngest child -read to me, (she was only about four years -old) I inquired of her, if her sister never -curled her hair? which hung in beautiful -ringlets on her head. She replied, that “her -sister Sarah would, within a few days, curl -her hair, and then she was to have a beau!” -The remark pleased me greatly, because it -was so characteristic of these times. No -sooner is the hippen laid aside, than the -pantaloons, and the boots, and the cocked-up -hat follow, as the dress of the boy—and -the girl, is dressed like a young lady. Her -locks are curled, and she looks around her -for a beau! Of these things we mean not -to complain, but we merely note them as a -change effected in our manners, since the -last age, whether for better or for worse, -we do not say. The days of our fathers are -gone by, and this generation assumes to be -wiser than the former one was, but whether -a better one, on the whole, is at best -doubtful with me.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160">160</a></span> -We prefer Old Virginia, with her old -principles to all her new fangled ideas. In -some things she may be behind the age, -but that does not convince me that she is -the worse on that account. I prefer the -principles of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, -Monroe, Marshall and Upshur, to those -of Aaron Burr and the spoilers. The former -are pure gold, in my estimation, and -the latter are mere dross. The sons, and -the descendants generally of the Randolphs, -the Lees, the Masons, and a long list of -Pendletons and other revolutionary patriots -are true to the principles of their ancesters -and the republic. Long may such men and -such principles shed a lustre on the Old Dominion. -Rives and Archer represent Virginian -interest and principles in the Senate -of the United States. In the other house -I am ignorant, wholly, as to their representatives, -and so I say nothing of them. Gilmer -was quite popular in the House, but he -is no more. <span class="smcap">Summers</span> is a western Virginian—so -western that he is exactly like an<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161">161</a></span> -Ohioan in his manners and feelings. He -lives on the Kenhawa, and truly and efficiently -represents the people who send him -to Congress.</p> - -<p>From our digression we come back to say, -on the subject of the tariff, that the eastern -members appeared to us to have the better -arguments. They said, in substance, that -the tariff of 1842 had injured no interest of -our country; that agriculture was more prosperous -than before; that manufactures were -more flourishing; that our navigation was -more active; public and private credit was -restored, both at home and abroad. These -members then enquired, whether it was -wise, prudent and statesmanlike to change -a law that worked so well? They contended -that the experience of all nations proved -that sudden and frequent changes in the -laws of any country, were highly injurious -to all classes of people. We do not use the -very words, but we give the sum and the -substance of what fell from the lips of many -friends of the present tariff law. It appeared<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162">162</a></span> -to me that those who wished a new tariff, -took a very narrow view of the subject. -They looked at what they considered the -interest of their several districts of country, -without looking further around them on the -whole Union. It is a matter of opinion, and -feeling as I certainly did, coolly and calmly, -I made up a deliberate judgement, as -disinterested as it could be. We in Ohio -are an agricultural, manufacturing and commercial -people. These interests are in reality -the same; they prosper or fall together. -Mr. Jefferson, by his embargoes and restrictive -measures, made the people of New -England a manufacturing people, against -their wills at first, but following his advice, -they became a manufacturing as well as a -commercial people. Their industry, perseverance -and energy made them prosperous -and rich. The change in their pursuits -ruined thousands of them at the time, but -as soon as their prosperity was everywhere -apparent, there were not wanting those, -who envied and wished to ruin that prosperity<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163">163</a></span> -by frequent changes in our tariff -laws. Those who wished to check their -prosperity, remind us of a private soldier in -the revolutionary war, while he was suffering -corporeal punishment. When the lash -fell upon his shoulders, he cried out, “strike -lower, strike lower!” but when the lash -struck his loins, he cried out, “strike higher.” -Strike where the corporal would, the -culprit was not at all satisfied with the -blows, nor pleased with the corporal himself. -Could all our people be willing “to -live and let live,” it appears to us that we -should all be happier and better off, and in -that way become an united people in the -bonds of mutual interest and mutual affection.</p> - -<p>All laws calculated to affect a whole nation -should never be changed for slight -causes, nor changed without giving the people, -and the whole people, time to duly reflect -upon such changes, in all their bearings -on the whole people. Such are our -ideas of that republican form of government,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164">164</a></span> -which was erected by our fathers, to promote -the happiness of the people, aye, of -the whole people. Keeping this great object -in view, the laws should be plain, simple -and few, and be changed as seldom as -possible, otherwise no man in any business -can make any safe calculations as to the -course he should pursue—what plans he -should form, or how he can execute them. -There is an union of interests, not always -duly considered. The farmer, the mechanic, -the manufacturer, the merchant and the -mariner have precisely the same interests -in the prosperity of all the great interests -of all our people. Destroy or greatly injure -any one class of people, and the whole body -politic feels the wound and suffers by -the injury. One class may feel it first, but -in the end, all feel it.</p> - -<p>On all great national questions of policy, -time, reflection, prudence and caution seem -to be required by the dictates of patriotism -and true wisdom. And our legislators, and -indeed all our wise men, should always remember,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165">165</a></span> -and be sure never to forget, that -we Americans are a very exciteable people, -more so, much more so, than many nations -are in the north of Europe. Our southern -people may be the soonest moved by any -sudden impulse, but get our northern people -once fairly started, and they move like -a tornado. Knowing ourselves, and how -exciteable we are, let us endeavor to keep -cool, on all the political questions, which -agitate the public mind, from time to time. -Our republican institutions have been dearly -bought—with the blood of our ancestors, -freely shed, in the battle fields of glorious -memory, and on the mountain waves, where -our sailors fought, bled, died and conquered -in the cause, the holy cause of liberty.—When -the liberties of this country go down -to their graves, have we not reason to fear -that free government all over the world, -will be overwhelmed in one universal ruin? -May my eyes be closed in death before that -day arrives.</p> - -<p>Having decided that the tariff case shall<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166">166</a></span> -be put down to the foot of our docket, on -the principle of want of more time for national -reflection, it follows as a matter of -course, almost, that we ought to put the -Oregon question at the foot of our docket -also, and continue it for a trial at the next -term of our high court of judicature. Whether -the Texas case shall be disposed of in the -same manner, we will not decide, until we -have ascended to our seat on the bench, and -there patiently heard the arguments of -counsel learned in the law, on the motion -for a continuance of the cause until the -next session of this honorable court.</p> - -<p>The idea that the American people are -to be taken by surprise, and that six large -States ought to be added to this confederacy -by legerdemain, without notice and -without sufficient time for reflection on all -the consequences of such an addition to our -territory, calls for deliberation, reflection -and a solemn pause, like the stillness of a -Quaker’s silent meeting, before we decide -this question—especially in the affirmitive.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167">167</a></span> -Let us hear it discussed openly in the Senate, -and in all places of public resort.</p> - -<p>Our right to Oregon, up to the fifty-fifth -degree of north latitude, is quite clear and -our people will occupy that territory forthwith, -and then Congress will limp along -after them, carrying our laws to them. In -the mean time, villages, towns and cities -will rear their spires along the rivers, the -stage driver’s horn and the steam boat’s bell -will be heard there. The sound of the axe, -the hammer and the saw, will rival in speed -the roaring of the waters rushing over mill -dams, or dashing against the rocks in the -streams of Oregon. All these things will -soon be heard and seen there, but we can -wait a little time yet, until the nation is -ready to rush in one mass of men, to wash -their feet in the waters of the Pacific, as -they roll their briny waves on to our great -western boundary. As Mr. Owen said, in -the house, “the Pacific is our destination -and our destiny.”</p> - -<p>Lay the question over, gentlemen, till<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168">168</a></span> -next session of Congress. The prancing -steed and the nodding plume shall be seen -there and the star spangled banner shall -wave, and rustle in every breeze that -moves over the prairies, the hills and the -plains of our own farthest West. A rail-road -from Astoria to Boston can transport -the salmon of the Multnomah to our farthest -East. Between the salmon of Penobscot -and those of the Columbia river, let -the Bostonians decide which is preferable. -We will wait, sitting with gravity in a wig -and gown in our court, until the Bostonians -are called into it, to give their testimony on -a point of so much delicacy, in a matter of -taste, too, about which old Horace has said -there is no disputing.—“<i xml:lang="la" lang="la">De gustibus non disputandum.</i>”</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169">169</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Visit to Mr. Calhoun, Secretary of State.—Alexandria, its early history.—Reminisences -of General Washington.—Memoir of Mr. Anthony Charles -Cazenove; a most interesting tale.—He was the old partner of Albert Gallatin, -at New Geneva, Pennsylvania.</p></blockquote> - -<p>On the fifth day of April, I went early in -the morning to see Mr. Calhoun, the new -Secretary of State. I found him already in -his office, attending to his official duties. It -was long before office hours, and I had a -long conversation with him. He received -me most cordially and entertained me most -agreeably for an hour or two. When it -was announced to him that Mr. Chilton, a -member of Congress, had called to see him, -I retired to call on Mrs. Murphy, of Ohio, -and her son, who were putting up near the -Secretary’s office. After spending an hour -or two with them, I called again at the Secretary’s -office, but found him engaged with<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170">170</a></span> -the Texan ministers, Mr. Henderson and -Mr. Van Zandt. The messenger brought -me a slip of paper with Mr. Calhoun’s place -of residence written on it, “at Mrs. King’s, -between 13th and 14th streets, on F st.” -I went thither, and waited not long but until -Mr. Calhoun and his son had arrived and -dined. The Secretary came into the parlour -where I was sitting, and we conversed -together several hours, until General Anderson -of Tennessee came, when I took -my leave of Mr. Calhoun. During these -interviews I had in my mind two regrets: -first, that I had never before in my lifetime -had an opportunity to converse with him so -freely on a great variety of matters, deeply -interesting to the people of these United -States; and secondly, that my <em>first</em> was to -be my <em>last</em> opportunity of conversing with -Mr. Calhoun.</p> - -<p>Mr. Calhoun, in conversation, is as great -as he is in every thing else. He can say a -great deal in a few words. His language is -appropriate and as beautiful as one could<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171">171</a></span> -possibly imagine it to be. He is in the full -possession of all his corporeal and mental -powers, he sees every thing at a glance of -his mind, and he can speak as easily as he -thinks. He is unquestionably one of the -most talented men in the nation. It is quite -possible that he has been treated very ungratefully -by the men, who have been -raised into high places by Mr. Calhoun -himself. Without a particle of intrigue in -his composition—unacquainted entirely -with the machinery of party management -and party drill, he has stood no chance of -success among such men. He appeared to -know and to feel this, though he has always -scorned to stoop to such low means -of rising into the highest office in the Union. -He has not a particle of ill will towards his -enemies, and, he said, that he had taken a -real pleasure in doing good to those who -were employing themselves in their endeavors -to injure him, although he well knew -what they were doing at that moment -when he was serving them. He has come<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172">172</a></span> -here, merely to treat with England and -Texas, and having finished his intended labors, -he will resign his present office, and -retire to the high ground where he dwells, -there to spend the remainder of his days. -Just back of the country where he lives, the -Alleghany mountains rise to an altitude of -seven thousand feet above the sea, which -is higher than the White mountains in New -Hampshire.</p> - -<p>In the vallies of the Alleghany, near him, -Indian corn grows and comes to perfection -four thousand feet above the sea. Though -I did not ask him, yet, I suspect that at such -an elevation it is the New England corn, -and not our gourd seed corn. He tells me, -that on his elevated ground, where he lives -the climate is nearly the same, as that of -the District of Columbia. He has no ambition -for public life, its cares and responsibilities. -After being thirty-five years in -office, he desires to retire from it, and be at -peace at home, surrounded as he is by a family -endeared to him by all the ties which<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173">173</a></span> -none but a parent can feel. He has five -sons and two daughters. The son with him -here, is an officer in the army—a promising -young man. He appeared to think that his -part of the Union had been wholly neglected -by the general government. If that be -the fact, and I am sure he thinks so, the representatives -from South Carolina, should -use their endeavors to obtain their due -share of the public patronage. To strengthen -the bonds of our Union by mutual aid -and mutual affection, should be the constant -aim of all our national legislation. I told -Mr. Calhoun that Ohio had paid twenty -millions of dollars for her lands, into the -United States treasury, whereas the people -of the Atlantic States had gotten their lands -originally, merely for settling on them. Mr. -Calhoun in reply stated that Wayne’s war, -with all its expenditures, must be charged -on Ohio and Indiana.</p> - -<p>I told Mr. Calhoun that within ten years -from this time, the national government -would be in our hands in the West for safe<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174">174</a></span> -keeping, and so will remain thenceforth -and forever. This idea, I told him, had its -full weight on our minds—it made us bear -and forbear—bear our evils and forbear to -use any violent means now, to acquire what -would, of its own accord soon fall into our -possession, and be forever ours.</p> - -<p>General Anderson of Tennessee, coming -in here, I left Mr. Calhoun with the most -friendly impressions towards him, which -will never wear off from my mind during -my life-time. Devoid of all intrigue, he is -too honest a man to compete with the little -men, who have always opposed him. He -will only be called for, when great and -commanding powers of mind are imperiously -demanded by some great emergency. -Like a great lamp, he shines to give light -for the benefit of others, who see by the aid -of its lustre. Perhaps it is best that the -greatest talents are unemployed, except in -cases of emergency. They are the army -in reserve, upon which a defeated party in -advance can fall back and be saved from<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175">175</a></span> -destruction. Why so many incompetent -men should rise into high places of trust, -while the greatest and the best ones should -be passed by, is not always seen. Envy of -living merit may be the cause.</p> - -<p>Mr. Calhoun’s private character is pure -and spotless. He never had any vicious habit -of any sort, nor indulged in any vice. There -are very few such public men in this nation, -or even in this world, and there is no better -one anywhere. Whether he belongs to -any church, I do not know but that he practises -all the christian virtues is certain. His -hair is grey, but his step is strong and elastic, -and his body like his mind is as strong -and as active as it ever was. For strength -of thought, deep, vigorous, keen, searching, -discriminating, methodical, logical and clear -Mr. Calhoun has no superior in this nation. -His feelings are mellowed down by years -and by a large experience in the affairs of -the world and all its vicissitudes. His great -learning, derived from books—his agreeable -manners, derived from a good heart<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176">176</a></span> -and from his associations with the best society -in the nation; his business talents; -his industrious habits, and all his other great -qualifications, eminently fit him for his present -high station, and for even the highest -station in this republic. The Senate did -but yield to the unanimous desire of all our -citizens here, when they unanimously confirmed -the nomination of <span class="smcap">John C. Calhoun</span>, -as Secretary of State. In whatever station -he is, we may always feel assured that a -talented, patriotic and good man occupies -it, who will faithfully, honestly and correctly -do his duty at all times and in all emergencies.</p> - -<p class="p2 sigright"> -<span class="smcap">Alexandria</span>, <span class="smcap">April</span> 10th. -</p> - -<p>I came here yesterday, to spend a few -days—to rusticate. This city of ten thousand -people is made up of an agreeable, -well informed and industrious population. -The streets all cross each other at right -angles, like those of Philadelphia. It is free -from the dust, which loads the air of Pennsylvania<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177">177</a></span> -avenue at this time, and is, on the -whole, a better place for me than capitol-hill, -where I was so happily located, at Mrs. -Ballard’s, within two minutes’ walk of the -capitol, its rotundo and library. This spot -is more retired from company, so agreeable -to me as to take off my mind from my business. -On attending the market here, the -most prominent object in it, was the fishes, -such as shad, herring, &c., just taken in this -river, and brought here for sale. I saw yesterday -three large shad sold for a quarter of -a dollar, and single ones, large, fresh and -fair, for ten cents each! The quantities taken -are great, and a great many wagons -from the country, back of this city, and -from Maryland and Pennsylvania were here -for the purpose of carrying them away. Before -I came here, I heard much of the decay -of the city, but on my arrival I found -none of it. I found signs of thrift, but none -of decay. Houses were repairing, the people -were all employed in some useful calling; -the streets are all paved, with good<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178">178</a></span> -side-walks, and what surprised me, was, -that I saw no coffee-houses where spirits -are retailed, in this city of ten thousand people. -There are only two taverns in it, and -one of the innkeepers sells no ardent spirits -in his house. I am now writing these lines -in his inn. I doubt much, whether such -another town of the size of this can be -found in America, where no more intoxicating -liquors are drank in it. I have now -lying before me, a record of the first town -meeting in this old American town, and I -extract from it the following, viz.</p> - -<p>“At a meeting of the majority of the trustees -of Alexandria town, July 13th, 1749. -Present: Richard Osborn, Wm. Ramsay, -John Carlyle, John Pagan, Garrard Alexander -and Hugh West, Gent.”</p> - -<p>What a record! Ninety-five years almost -since this was a frontier town, and then -the majority of the trustees held their -first meeting, of which any record remains. -Before that time, the place must have been -occupied by settlers, and must have been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179">179</a></span> -laid out as a town, into lots, because the -same record shows that John West, junior, -was appointed a clerk of the town, and the -proceedings of the meeting were recorded -by their clerk, and his book, in manuscript, -lies before me! John West, junior, was -“appointed cryer to sell the lotts at publick -sale, within five minutes, from the time they -are set to sale.” The price of the lots is -given in the record, in pistoles. No. 36 -was the first lot sold at the public sale, and -John Dalton was the purchaser, at 19 pistoles. -Among the purchasers of the lots, -we find the names of Lawrence Washington, -W. Fairfax and Geo. Fairfax, Nathaniel -Harrison, Wm. Fitzhugh, Wm. Ramsay -and Major Henry Fitzhugh, besides the -names of the trustees first named, and their -clerk and Roger Lindon and Allan McRae.</p> - -<p>I visited the printing office on Saturday -morning, April 13th, and introduced myself -to the editor, a pleasant sensible and obliging -man. The Alexandria Gazette was established -by Samuel Snowden in 1800. It<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180">180</a></span> -was continued by the original proprietor -until his death in 1831. Since that time it -has been conducted and owned by his son, -Edgar Snowden—it is therefore one of the -oldest newspaper establishments in the -United States.</p> - -<p>Between this place and Washington there -are two steam boats running, starting almost -every hour of the day from each city, and -passing each other about half-way between -Washington and Alexandria. They start -at five in the morning, and their last trip -commences at five in the evening. They -charge twelve and a half cents for the passage. -Some of the officers of the departments -live here, and daily pass the distance -between the two cities. A stage coach -runs between them also several times daily.</p> - -<p>The citizens of Alexandria often attend -the debates in Congress, and know what is -doing in Washington as well almost as those -who live there.</p> - -<p>I visited the Alexandria museum over -the market house, and among the collection<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181">181</a></span> -there, I saw the mantle in which George -Washington was christened; his masonic -robes, apron and gloves; his pistols, presented -to him by Louis XVI; a model, in -stone, of the Bastile, presented to him by -the national assembly of France; his pack-saddle, -used in the revolutionary war; his -flag, borne by his body guard in that war; -the first British flag, captured in that war, -called Alpha by Washington; the last flag -taken in that war from Cornwallis; La Fayette’s -flag—blue; Decatur’s flag; Paul -Jones’ flag, on board the Bonne Homme -Richard, in his battle with the Serapis; -Gen. Morgan’s flag, borne by his Virginia -regiment; and a great many other relics of -revolutionary times. General Washington’s -letter to the cotillion party, which used to -assemble in the house where I am located, -is in the museum. In this letter the General -declines to meet with them, on account -of Mrs. Washington’s age. What thrilling -recollections of times gone by, do these relics -stir up within us? What a crowd of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182">182</a></span> -emotions, of all sorts, rush upon the mind, -when looking on these memorials of former -days, former ideas and opinions? of old -customs and ancient manners, compared -with modern ones? We live in a world -that is passing away—in its habits, customs, -dress, weapons of warfare; all is changed, -changing and never will be stable, scarcely -an hour! Ninety-four years ago, this spot, -where this city is, was surrounded by a -dense forest, on the verge of civilization, -now it is quite on the eastern side of -our domain.</p> - -<p>There is a large market house here, of -brick, over which are rooms for the several -public offices, and in the third story is the -museum. The mayor, clerk, auditor, &c. -have their offices in the first story above -the market house. The market is well -supplied with meat, fish and vegetables. I -saw too in it many flowers and small evergreen -trees, in a proper state for planting -them. The vegetables, flowers and trees -were offered at very low prices—hardly<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183">183</a></span> -sufficient to pay for bringing them to market. -Those who brought them appeared -to be poor, with families to support.</p> - -<p>The rail-road from Cumberland to Baltimore -has injured Alexandria, by taking -some of the trade of the upper country -away from this district. An extension of -the canal to this city will bring back some -of the trade which it has lost temporarily. -The water in the wells of this city is not -good, except a few in the suburbs, from -which the city is well supplied. By taking -the water out of the canal, it can be easily -conveyed to the houses and supply all the -citizens with healthful water.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Religious Sects.</span>—There are episcopalians, -presbyterians, methodists, catholics, -baptists, and perhaps some other denominations -of christians. They appear to live together -in unity, and agree to disagree in -opinion about their several forms of worship. -To the community at large it matters -little what may be their several forms, -so as they have the same great fundamental<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184">184</a></span> -principles of charity and benevolence towards -each other and towards God and -man. There are too, some quakers, as I perceive -by their dress and conversation.—They -are the same industrious, neat, quiet, -friendly people every where.</p> - -<p>On Sunday April 14th I attended church -in the morning at the first presbyterian -church, and in the afternoon at Christ -church, the oldest episcopalian church. In -the forenoon I heard the Rev. Mr. Harrison. -Calling at Mr. Cazenove’s to accompany -him, he being absent, I went to the dwelling -of his son-in-law, expecting to find him -there, but, learning the object of my calling, -a daughter of my deceased friend, the -late Colonel <span class="smcap">Fowle</span>, came forward, and accompanied -me to the church; she was a -child nine or ten years old. She behaved -perfectly lady-like, and conducted me to -her mother’s pew, where her parent was -already seated. The congregation was not -a large one, though a very serious and devout -one, to whom the preacher addressed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185">185</a></span> -a very good discourse. Colonel <span class="smcap">Fowle</span> was -lost in the <span class="smcap">Moselle</span>, when that vessel was -blown up at Cincinnati, a few years since. -I shook hands with him, and bid him farewell, -only fifteen minutes before his death. -I had been personally well acquainted with -the Colonel for many years, and had spent -many happy hours at different places in the -West with him, on many a day, and I always -had a high regard for him. His little -daughter resembles him very much in her -looks and manners. I could not refrain from -thinking how happy he would have been, -had he seen her, and noticed how lady-like -his daughter was, in her behaviour, while -conducting his old friend to church, in this -city. If spirits hover around those friends -whom they have left behind them in this -world, and take a peculiar pleasure in any -thing that relates to them in this life, the -spirit of my departed friend, Col. Fowle, -must have been pleased to see me seated in -his pew, yesterday, at church, with his widow, -her father and his daughter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186">186</a></span> -In the afternoon I went to the church -where Washington used to attend divine -worship, and found in it but two persons—ladies, -dressed in mourning. I stated to -them my case, that I was a perfect stranger, -who wished to attend their meeting at that -time. One of them offered me a seat in -her pew, which I accepted. It was near -the pulpit, and she pointed out to me the -pew in which General Washington used to -sit; it was the largest one in the church. -At the proper time, the congregation assembled, -some three hundred people perhaps, -and three-fourth of them were females. -The weather was warm and it was -after dinner. Where the men were I did -not know, but they were not in the church. -Two preachers at last appeared, and began -the service. The regular minister read the -service, but another clergyman preached -the sermon. I soon discovered that this -was an old school episcopalian church.—Their -creed told me so, because it stated -what Jesus himself has contradicted on his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187">187</a></span> -cross. The creed said, he descended into -hell, but he himself told the thief by his side -suspended on the cross, that on <em>that day</em> he -would be in paradise! The sermon was -an eloquent one, and so far as I could judge, -very correct in its doctrinal points. As a -literary composition, it was good too, and -its delivery occupied an hour perhaps. The -regular preacher was Mr. Dana and the one -who officiated, was the Rev. Mr. Johnson. -Young, or middled aged at most, tall, erect, -active and well educated, they may yet live -long to be useful and successful preachers.</p> - -<p>Forty-five years since, General Washington -attended this church and sat in the pew -now occupied by a square built, heavy man, -fifty years old, possibly. To me every person -in the church was an entire stranger. -The church has a good organ, and on each -side of the pulpit are printed on boards the -ten commandments on the south, and the -Lord’s prayer and their creed on the north, -or right hand side of the minister in his -desk.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188">188</a></span> -Reuben Johnson is the present clerk and -auditor of the city. From him I obtained -leave to inspect all his records. Joseph -Eaches, Esq., is the present mayor, from -whom I have derived very useful information, -concerning this city.</p> - -<p>The people of Alexandria have in their -manners the simplicity and straight-forwardness -of a people in a rural village.—They -have the hospitality of their ancesters -of Charles II. time, when the Scotch, under -Lord Fairfax settled the northern neck of -Virginia. The pure morals and pure principles -of those primitive times have been -handed down unsoiled and uncorrupted to -the people who now dwell here. Should -the seat of the national government be removed -farther west, Alexandria would not -suffer much by that change. The Potomac, -broad, deep and navigable, would still roll -its tide from Georgetown to the sea. The -industry, enterprise, economy, morals, religion -and patriotism of the people would remain, -and render prosperous, useful, good<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189">189</a></span> -and happy, a thriving people. An increasing -city will forever remain here an ornament -of the nation. This is a nucleus, -around which men of good principles may -rally, and from this point spread far and -wide, sound morals and sound principles of -all sorts. Near this town Washington was -born and died, and his spirit hovers over -this people. His example, his precepts and -his principles govern Alexandria still. We -see it in every thing all around us.</p> - -<p>The stage house, where I am, is kept by -Mr. <span class="smcap">George Wise</span>, and it is the best in the -city. As such I take pleasure in recommending -it to travellers.</p> - -<p>I cannot conclude my remarks on Alexandria -better, than by introducing to the -reader Mr. <span class="smcap">A. C. Cazenove</span>, a native of -Geneva, Switzerland, but now and for many -years past an enterprising merchant and -importer of foreign goods. Mr. Cazenove -is as stirring a man, as there is in Alexandria. -At my request he drew up a short -memoir of his life, which, in his own words,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190">190</a></span> -I present to the reader. Gen. <span class="smcap">Archibald -Henderson</span> married Mr. Cazenove’s eldest -daughter and Colonel Fowle his youngest -one.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Memoir of Mr. Cazenove.</span></h3> - -<p>The cradle of the Cazenove family was -Nismes in France, though it is probable, -from their name and coat of arms, that they -were originally from Italy or Spain, where -you find some Casanovas and Casanuovas.</p> - -<p>Being protestants, they had to fly at the -revocation of the edict of Nantes, and took -refuge in Geneva, in Switzerland, from -whence some of them afterwards branched -off to Lausanne, in Switzerland, to Holland, -England, France, and lastly to the United -States. This last event took place during -the summer of 1794, when the leaders of -the dreadful French revolution fomented -one of a similar character, only on a smaller -scale, in the little republic of Geneva, -then not one of the cantons of Switzerland, -but in close alliance with that ancient and -admirable confederation. The object of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191">191</a></span> -the French being the geographical situation -of Geneva, being fortified and by nature -one of the gate-ways into France, -Switzerland and Italy, besides its great -wealth for an inland city, and the high -state of information possessed by the generality -of its inhabitants, being acknowledged -to be one of the luminaries of the -world.</p> - -<p>Although France had succeeded in overturning -their old form of government, and -substituting in a population, then amounting -to about 25,000 souls in the city and -about 15,000 in the surrounding villages -and country, a national assembly as democratic -as it could well be. They were -attached to their independence and desirous -so to remain. It therefore became necessary -for Roberspierre and the leading -jacobins of France, to find some pretext -for taking possession of Geneva, for which -purpose they surrounded it (being then -in possession of Savoy and having military -posts close by) with the worst of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192">192</a></span> -their jacobins, and such Genevans as had -been banished from it for any cause, and -in one night, with the help of their sattelites -in Geneva and their own people -which they had introduced into the city, -took possession of the three gates of the -city, arsenal and powder magazines. They -armed the most desperate amongst them, -to intimidate others, and early next day -went and dragged the heads of our best families -and distinguished citizens, into two -large warehouses, used before that for public -granneries, to the number of about 400 -persons, and established a national tribune, -before which they brought several of the -best, most virtuous and patriotic citizens of -Geneva, but ranked by them as aristocrats, -which they pretended to have conspired -against the independence of the republic; -the very thing they had themselves in -view, and were aiming at. Nor could they -have had the reign one single day, but for -the knowledge that France was ready to -pounce upon Geneva, if any thing like a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193">193</a></span> -scuffle had taken place, to avoid which the -people of Geneva thought it best to submit -for a while to the tyranny of their own jacobins. -As it was impossible to substantiate -any charge against such men, however -depraved their revolutionary tribunal was, -they were necessarily acquitted and sent -to the common jail for safe keeping. This -however so enraged their blood-thirsty -Marseillois, (the worst of jacobins) that -they forced the jail during the night, and -by torch light shot sixteen of the best men -Geneva ever possessed, and so overawed the -revolutionary tribunal itself, as to compel -it to take on itself the responsibility of so -atrocious a deed.</p> - -<p>In order, however, to appease in some -respects public indignation, the revolutionary -tribunal brought before them forty of -the prisoners, amongst whom were Mr. -Paul Cazenove, myself, and his two and -only sons, John Anthony and Anthony -Charles, when, after having charged them -also of conspiracy against the republic, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194">194</a></span> -threatening them in an awful manner if -they persisted, they were allowed to return -to their respective families, where I -found seven jacobins guarding my mother -at her country seat, not allowing her to -leave her own room, and I was not even -allowed to go in and see her, nor have I -seen her since; for my brother and myself, -under cover of the night, with the help of -a Swiss boat, escaped the second night, -through the lake to Copet, the nearest -town in Switzerland, on the lake of Geneva, -where we were joined by our cousin -Fazy, one of the defenders of Lyons when -beseiged by order of the French national -convention. Having long felt that we could -not live in peace in Geneva, under the sway -of the jacobins, we and several other Genevans -had determined to leave it, for a -while at least, and under the impression -that the jacobinical principles of revolutionary -France were destined to go through -Europe, we determined to come to America, -where the revolution had happily terminated,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195">195</a></span> -and where we had already friends -and relatives. In order, therefore, to avoid -the French armies, which were then making -their second incursion into Flanders and -Germany, we proceeded through the interior -of Germany to Hamburg, where we -were met by other Genevans, who had -formed the plan of emigrating to America. -There we heard of the death of Roberspierre, -and were all on the point of abandoning -our project, but we determined to -persevere in it, because every leader of the -French convention having been heretofore -succeeded by one still more sanguinary -than the last, we did not expect any change -for the better. We all, to the number of -eight, therefore, embarked together with -our four Swiss servants, for Philadelphia, -where we landed in November 1794, and -were soon after joined by three other Genevans, -two of whom, with their wives, had -left Geneva after us for the United States. -There I found my cousin, Mr. Theophilus -Cazenove, the same after whom Cazenovia,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196">196</a></span> -in the State of New York, is called, who -had made in that State and in Pennsylvania, -as agent of wealthy capitalists of Holland, -the extensive purchase of the Holland -company. Also my cousin Odier of the -house of Odier & Bousquet Brothers, and -soon after Mr. Albert Gallatin, then a distinguished -member of the Legislature of -Pennsylvania, joined us.</p> - -<p>A number of Genevans having, while yet -in Geneva, much approved our intention of -removing to the United States, and desired -that we should remember them and also -prepare a retreat for them. We formed the -plan of a large landed company, in which -a number of influential individuals became -interested. But having ascertained during -the spring of 1795 that, justly adverse to -emigrate, the French revolution and that -of Geneva having assumed a somewhat milder -course, after the fall of Roberspierre, -we were not likely to be joined by other -Genevans as we expected, we relinquished -the plan of our landed company, and I formed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197">197</a></span> -a co-partnership with Mr. Albert Gallatin, -his brother-in-law, Mr. J. W. Nicholson, -and two other gentlemen, under the -firm of Albert Gallatin & Co., and purchased -a tract of land at the mouth of George’s -Creek, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, -where we located the town of New Geneva, -on the Monongehela river, and established -stores, built mills, glass-works, &c. -I remained there until having married in -Alexandria, where I then settled myself -for life. Some years after that, the Swiss -government, having thought it desirable, for -the first time, to establish consuls in the -United States, unexpectedly to me, knowing -nothing of their intentions, I received -from the federal government of that country, -their appointment of Swiss consul for -the middle and southern States, with a very -kind and obliging request from them to accept -it; which was the more flattering, as -it had been unsought by me, and though it -was impossible for me to forget the country -of my birth, or my attachment for Switzerland<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198">198</a></span> -ever to be weakened, still it was very -pleasing for me to see that I had not been -forgotten by her, and had such agreeable -opportunities afforded me of keeping up an -intercourse with that excellent government -and equally excellent people, which it is -the delight of all travellers to exalt above -all other nations.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199">199</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> -</div> - -<blockquote> - -<p>Officers of the government.—Remarks on the permanency of the seat of government.—No -authority in the constitution to remove it.—Monomaniacs, -one who fancies himself in paradise! and the other expects to be elected -the next president!—Other monomaniacs equally crazy.—<span class="smcap">Local Information.</span></p></blockquote> - -<p>The chief clerks, such as M’Clintock -Young of the treasury department, Mr. -Moore of the general land office, Wm. B. -Randolph of the treasurer’s office, Mr. Pleasants, -Thos. L. Smith the Register, and M. -Nourse, his chief clerk, are always at their -posts, attending to their duties. Without -just such men, the public business could not -be done. In the state department, Messrs. -Winder and Carroll and Pleasonton are always -engaged in their proper business. Perhaps -there is not an idler in that department. -Major Lewis and all his clerks, James Eakin, -his chief clerk, Josiah Polk and all, are -very industrious and attentive to their duties.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200">200</a></span> -So in the general post office, M. St. -Clair Clarke and all his clerks, the several -assistant postmasters general, and Judges -Smith and Hotchkiss, S. B. Beach, Stone, -Gen. Allen and all the clerks labor hard all -day long. In the offices of the war department -and in the naval office, I am not sufficiently -informed to tell the reader anything -about them. Generals Towson, Abert, -Bomford, Gibson and all the officers of their -grade are always industrious, always attentive -to their business. In all these stations -no changes could be made for the better I -am sure. Judge Blake of the general land -office deserves an honorable mention, for -having appointed Wm. Darby and several -others like him, clerks; and for his kind -treatment of all his subordinates. The -changes of heads of department, which are -more and more frequent of late years than -formerly produce changes among the clerks. -No sooner is any new head of department -inducted into his office, than he seeks forthwith -a place for some relative or dependant.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201">201</a></span> -If there be any vacancy, this creature -fills it; if there be no vacancy, the new -head of department creates a vacancy and -puts his creature in it. When any secretary -leaves his office, he endeavors to keep -his dependant still on the list of office holders. -James Madison Porter left three relatives -in offices, two Porters and a Wolf. -These secretaries being changed very often -of late years, renders the tenure of office -very uncertain, very precarious. In looking -back on the last few years, we see -changes of heads of department so frequent -as to render it almost ludicrous for a secretary -to undertake to get personally acquainted -with his clerks, before he goes -back into private life again. Why is it the -ambition of any man in this country to be -a secretary or a head of department? And -yet, it is evident enough that those who fill -these stations, think highly of them—their -gait, their air and address prove this. Looked -these gentlemen on their stations, as -the whole nation does, these offices would<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202">202</a></span> -not be coveted at all. Such men as Calhoun -are exceptions, because they act as if -they knew what they were doing and felt -all their responsibility and all the cares of -office. In his manners and industry Mr. -Calhoun naturally reminds one of old times, -when men in high stations were beloved -by all who had any business to transact -with them. From all I see and hear, I -doubt whether the frequent changes in our -highest officers operate beneficially on the -public interest. However, if the chief -clerks are not changed, perhaps, the head -of the department being often changed does -no great harm, because the chief clerk is in -reality the head of department. M’Clintock -Young has been in reality the secretary -of the treasury for four years past. -Without him every thing would have gone -to ruin, long ago, in the department over -which he presides.</p> - -<p>Former presidents, from Jefferson downward, -used to visit the rooms of clerks and -inspect the offices very often, but his Excellency<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203">203</a></span> -John Tyler is not so hard on clerks -and heads of bureaus. He never visits -them—at least I have not seen him on any -such tours of duty. General Jackson has -often gone with me to the rooms of secretaries -and clerks, to inspect their books and -to ascertain how they kept their accounts. -Having doubled and trebled the force in -the offices, renders such tours of inspection -unnecessary, in order to do all the business -of the several departments faithfully, -correctly and well. Two families hold four -clerkships each; so I hear from an authentic -source.</p> - -<p>Should any citizen of the United States -wish to know exactly what is done with -every cent of Uncle Sam’s money, let him -call on Thomas L. Smith, the register of -the treasury, and he can there see it at a -glance. Maj. Smith holds the purse strings. -If any one wishes to see models of all the -light-houses in the world, let him call on -Mr. Pleasanton in the state department and -there he will find them, and a perfect gentleman<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204">204</a></span> -to explain every thing that relates -to these light-houses. If any one wishes to -see all the books, for which American authors -claim a copy-right, let him call on the -Messrs. Winder and Carroll in the state department, -and he will find the books, and -the gentlemen in whom Judge Upshur most -confided, as his confidential clerks. Mr. -Calhoun will extend to them the same confidence -as Judge Upshur did. The former -is the son of General Winder and the latter -is the descendant of Daniel Carrol of Duddington, -a signer of the declaration of independence.</p> - -<p>To those who visit the city from a distance, -local information may be useful, and -we give such as we suppose may be of service -to them. If the stranger wish to tarry -only a few days, having no business but to -see the city, perhaps Brown’s or Gadsby’s -will best suit him; but if his business be -with Congress, capitol hill will best suit -him, and he can put up with Mrs. Ballard, -Mrs. Owner, Mrs. Hill or some other keeper<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205">205</a></span> -of a boarding house—Mrs. Whitney for -instance. I prefer Mrs. Ballard’s, although -the others are all good houses, with good -accomodations. If the stranger’s business -is with the departments, he can stop at Fuller’s, -or Mrs. Galabrun’s on the avenue, or -Butler’s on F street, or Mrs. Tilley’s on -Tenth, near the avenue. But there are a -hundred other boarding houses, as good as -need be, such as Mrs. Hamilton’s, Miss -Polk’s, Mrs. Arguelles’ and a long list of -good houses. Five thousand persons can -be well accommodated in Washington city. -For the size of it, this has more and better -accomodations for travellers, than any other -city with which I am personally acquainted. -I prefer it to any other east of the Alleghanies, -but until the late riots, Philadelphia -stood highest with me. It may be owing -to my long acquaintance with this to me -delightful city, that I prefer it.</p> - -<p>However much we may loathe occasional -loafers, who come here, and quite too many -of them do come here, yet the people themselves<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206">206</a></span> -are as good, as the people of any other -section of the Union. As a whole, they -are more polished in their manners than -any other people in the confederacy. Trusting -to the constitution itself, in accordance -with which, and the laws made under its -express provisions, this district was selected -for the <span class="smcap smaller">PERMANENT</span> seat of government, -many persons settled here, and fixed on the -District of Columbia as <em>their permanent</em> residence. -Their all is here, their families -and their whole fortunes. Until the seat -of government was fixed here, it never had -been fixed permanently any where. Those -who had the power delegated to them, having -expended all the power over the subject, -that ever was delegated to any persons -to fix on the site of the general government, -no power to change it, remains in -the constitution. That vast regions have -been acquired and added to the Union, -without a particle of constitutional authority -for the acquisition or addition to the original -States, is true; but that fact cannot<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207">207</a></span> -change the constitution itself, so far as a -permanent seat of government is concerned -in the question.</p> - -<p>However, let us change this serious subject -for one serio-comic. We have heard -of two maniacs to-day—monomaniacs. One -of them seriously believes himself in paradise! -and the other believes that he will -be the next president! Paradise was a -place of innocense, the abode of happiness, -a bed of roses, but the presidency is a bed -of thorns. Reposing on such a bed, who -could sing, with Thomas Moore,</p> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">“Will you come to the bower I have shaded for you,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Where your bed shall be roses bespangled with dew?”<br /></span> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>We hear to-day also, that a monomaniac, -another one altogether, thinks that if he -can get a certain man elected president in -1844, he, the maniac, will be elected president -in 1848! Still other maniacs expect -to be foreign ministers! What strange -delusions in this deluded and deluding -world are all these vagaries of the brain? -Shall we call in Dr. <span class="smcap">Mayo</span>, or shall we import<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208">208</a></span> -forthwith all the helebore which both -the Anticyras produce and administer it all -to these afflicted patients? or what shall -we do to restore these men to a sound -state of mind? Who can calculate the -chances of the next election? We cannot -tell by 400,000 individual votes, and we -suppose we know just as much about it as -the voters themselves do at this moment.</p> - -<p>Sanguine politicians think they know, -but they do not know more than we do, -whose minds are not made up yet what we -shall do, or how we shall vote—perhaps, -not at all this autumn. Instead of “a light -house of the skies” and buildings for “storm -kings,” telegraphs, &c. &c. why not appropriate -money for a lunatic asylum of such -large dimensions that it could accommodate -thousands who come here with their -humbugs of all sorts, asking for national aid -and support?</p> - -<p>Perhaps we ought to have added a chapter -on <span class="smcap">Humbugs</span>, in addition to our <span class="smcap">Mysteries</span>, -of this city. Kind reader, it is too<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209">209</a></span> -late now for such a chapter, our whole -little volume being all filled up and nearly -all its contents are already printed.</p> - -<h3><span class="larger">LOCAL INFORMATION.</span></h3> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Meeting of Courts.</span></h3> - -<p>Supreme Court of the United States, second -Monday in January.</p> - -<p>Circuit Court of the District of Columbia -for Washington county, fourth Monday of -March, and fourth Monday of November.</p> - -<p>Circuit Court of the District of Columbia -for Alexandria county, first Monday in May -and first Monday in October.</p> - -<p>Criminal Court of the District of Columbia -for Washington county, second Monday -of March, first Monday of June, fourth Monday -of October, and last Monday of December.</p> - -<p>Criminal Court of the District of Columbia -for Alexandria county, first Monday of -April, and first Monday of November.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210">210</a></span></p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Banks.</span></h3> - -<p>Bank of Washington—corner of Louisiana -avenue and D street—discount day, -Tuesday, Wm. Gunton, President; James -Adams, Cashier.</p> - -<p>Bank of the Metropolis—Pennsylvania -avenue, between F and G streets, opposite -the Treasury Department—discount day, -Friday, John P. Van Ness, President, Richard -Smith, Cashier.</p> - -<p>Patriotic Bank—7th street, between C -and D streets—discount day, Thursday, G. -C. Grammer, President; Chauncy Bestor, -Cashier.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Insurance Offices.</span></h3> - -<p>Firemen’s Insurance Company of Georgetown -and Washington—office in the Hall of -the Perseverance Fire Company’s building, -Centre Market Square. Jas. Adams, President; -Alex. McIntyre, Secretary.</p> - -<p>Franklin Insurance Company—office corner -of 7th and D streets, next door to the -Patriotic Bank. G. C. Grammer, President; -Alex. McIntyre, Secretary.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211">211</a></span> -Potomac Fire Insurance Company—office -on Bridge street, Georgetown. John Kurtz, -President; Henry King, Secretary.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Churches.</span></h3> - -<p>Baptist, Rev. O. B. Brown, 10th street, -between E and F.</p> - -<p>Baptist, Rev. Mr. Samson, Aldermen’s -room, city hall.</p> - -<p>Baptist, Rev. Mr. Tindell, corner of 4th -street and Virginia avenue.</p> - -<p>Baptist, Shiloh, Elder Robert C. Leachman, -on Virginia avenue, near 4½ street.</p> - -<p>Catholic, St. Patrick’s, Rev. Mr. Mathews, -F street, between 9th and 10th.</p> - -<p>Catholic, St. Matthews, Rev. J. P. Donelan, -corner of H and 15th streets.</p> - -<p>Catholic, St. Peter’s, Rev. Mr. Van Horseigh, -2d street, between C and D, Capitol -Hill.</p> - -<p>Friends, l street, between 18th and 19th.</p> - -<p>Lutheran, English, Rev. Dr. Muller, City -hall.</p> - -<p>Lutheran, German, Rev. Ad. Biewend, -corner of G and 20th streets.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212">212</a></span> -Methodist Ebenezer, Rev. Messrs. Phelps -and Hanson, 4th street, between F and G, -navy yard.</p> - -<p>Methodist Foundry, Rev. Mr. Tarring, -corner of 4th and G streets.</p> - -<p>Methodist Wesley, Rev. Mr. Wilson, corner -of F and 5th streets.</p> - -<p>Methodist Protestant, Rev. Mr. Southerland, -9th street, between E and F.</p> - -<p>Methodist Protestant, Rev. Thomas M. -Flint, pastor, 6th street east, between G -and I streets south, near navy yard.</p> - -<p>New Jerusalem, Council chamber, City -hall.</p> - -<p>Presbyterian, Rev. Dr. Laurie, F street, -between 14th and 15th.</p> - -<p>1st Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Sprole, 4½ st. -between C and D.</p> - -<p>2d Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Knox, corner -of H street and New-York avenue.</p> - -<p>3d Presbyterian church, on F, between -14th and 15th streets, near the Treasury -Department. Pastor, Rev. Dr. Laurie; Assistant -Pastor, Rev. Septimus Tuston.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213">213</a></span> -4th Presbyterian, Rev. J. C. Smith, 9th -street, between G and H.</p> - -<p>Christ, Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Bean, G st. -between 6th and 7th, navy yard.</p> - -<p>St. John’s, Episcopal, Rev. Dr. Hawley, -corner of 16th and H streets.</p> - -<p>Trinity, Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Stringfellow, -5th street, between Louisiana avenue -and E street.</p> - -<p>Protestant Episcopal Mission, Rev. Mr. -French, Apollo hall.</p> - -<p>Unitarian, Rev. Mr. Bulfinch, corner of D -and 6th streets.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Circulating Libraries.</span></h3> - -<p>Washington Library—room on 11th st. -between Pennsylvania avenue and D street; -open daily from 3 to 5 o’clock, P. M.</p> - -<p>Jefferson Apprentices’ Library Association—room -west wing City hall; open -every Wednesday and Saturday evenings, -from 6 to 9 P. M.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Fire Companies.</span></h3> - -<p>Union—located at the corner of H and -20th streets; W. B. Magruder, President; -Charles Calvert, Secretary.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214">214</a></span> -Franklin—located on 14th street, near -Pennsylvania Avenue; regular night of -meeting the first Tuesday in every month. -Robert Coltman, President; William Durr, -Secretary.</p> - -<p>Perseverance—located on Pennsylvania -avenue, Centre market square; regular -night of meeting, the first Thursday in every -month. Samuel Bacon, President; Geo. -S. Gideon, Secretary.</p> - -<p>Northern Liberties—located on the corner -of Massachusetts avenue and 8th street; -regular night of meeting, the first Wednesday -in every month. John Y. Bryant, President; -Augustus Brown, Secretary.</p> - -<p>Island—located on Maryland avenue, between -10th and 11th streets; regular night -of meeting, the first Thursday in every -month. William Lloyd, President; William -T. Doniphan, Secretary.</p> - -<p>Columbia—located on South Capitol st., -near the Capitol; regular night of meeting, -the first Thursday in every month. James -Adams, President; R. Bright, Secretary.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215">215</a></span> -Anacostia—located on Virginia avenue -and L street south; regular night of meeting, -the first Friday in every month. Thos. -Thornley, President; Wm. Gordon, Sec’y.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Armories.</span></h3> - -<p>Washington Light Infantry—west wing -City hall; regular night of meeting, the -first Monday in every month.</p> - -<p>National Blues—east wing City hall; regular -night of meeting, the first Monday in -every month.</p> - -<p>Columbian Artillery—west wing City -hall; regular night of meeting, the first -Tuesday in every month.</p> - -<p>Union Guards—hall of the Union engine -house; regular night of meeting, the first -Wednesday in every month.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Masonic.</span></h3> - -<p>Federal Lodge No. 1.—room corner of -12th street and Pennsylvania avenue; regular -night of meeting, first Monday in every -month.</p> - -<p>Potomac Lodge, No. 5, Georgetown—room -in Bridge street, opposite Union hotel;<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216">216</a></span> -regular night of meeting, fourth Friday -in every month.</p> - -<p>Lebanon Lodge, No. 7—room corner of -12th street and Pennsylvania avenue; regular -night of meeting, first Friday in every -month.</p> - -<p>New Jerusalem Lodge, No. 9—room corner -of 4½ street and Pennsylvania avenue; -meets on third Tuesday in every month.</p> - -<p>Hiram Lodge, No. 10—room over West -market, first ward; regular meeting, first -Wednesday in every month.</p> - -<p>Grand Lodge of District of Columbia—annual -communication first Tuesday in November, -semi-annual, first Tuesday in May. -Installation meeting, St. John’s day.</p> - -<h3>I. O. O. F.</h3> - -<p>Central Lodge, No. 1—room City hall; -night of regular meeting, Friday.</p> - -<p>Washington Lodge, No. 6—room City -hall; night of regular meeting, Tuesday.</p> - -<p>Eastern Lodge, No. 7—at present occupying -a room in Masonic hall, navy yard; -night of regular meeting, Friday.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217">217</a></span> -Potomac Lodge, No. 8—Odd Fellows’ -hall, Alexandria; regular night of meeting, -Friday.</p> - -<p>Harmony Lodge, No. 10—room City hall; -regular night of meeting, Thursday.</p> - -<p>Union Lodge No. 11—Odd Fellows hall, -navy yard; regular night of meeting, Wednesday.</p> - -<p>Friendship Lodge, No. 12—room over -West market, first ward; night of regular -meeting, Thursday.</p> - -<p>Covenant Lodge, No. 13—Odd Fellows -hall, Jefferson street, Georgetown; regular -night of meeting, Monday.</p> - -<p>Columbian Encampment, No. 1—room -City hall; regular night of meeting, last -Wednesday in every month.</p> - -<p>Marley Encampment, No. 2—Odd Fellows’ -hall, Alexandria; regular nights of -meeting, second and fourth Mondays in every -month.</p> - -<p>Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia -meets annually on the second Monday in -November, and quarterly on the second -Mondays of January, April, July and Oct.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218">218</a></span></p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Sons of Temperance.</span></h3> - -<p>Timothy Division, No. 1—room Buckingham’s -hall, on C street, between 10th and -11th; night of meeting, Wednesday.</p> - -<p>Harmony Division, No. 2—room St. -Asaph street, Alexandria; night of regular -meeting, Monday.</p> - -<p>Freemen’s Vigilant—room Carusi’s saloon; -regular night of meeting, Friday.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Beneficial Society.</span></h3> - -<p>Island Beneficial Society of the city of -Washington—night of regular meeting, the -first Thursday in every month. John W. -Martin, President; W. T. Doniphan, Sec’y.</p> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Typographical Society.</span></h3> - -<p>Columbia Typographical Society—Buckingham’s -room, on C street, opposite Carusi’s -Saloon. Regular night of meeting, first -Saturday in every month; President, Ferdinand -Jefferson; Recording Secretary, -James Wimer; Corresponding Secretary, -James N. Davis.</p> - -<p>The studio of C. B. King is on 12th street -between E and F streets.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="ERRATA"></a>ERRATA.</h2> -</div> - -<p>On page <a href="#Page_73">73</a> , for John H. read <i>John S. -Meehan</i>.</p> - -<p>On page <a href="#Page_119">119</a> for Sellons read <i>Selden’s refectory</i>.</p> - -<p>On page <a href="#Page_124">124</a> for a statue of Marshall, -read <i>a bust of Mr. Jefferson, resting &c.</i></p> - -<p>On page <a href="#Page_145">145</a> for Zephur, read <i>Zephyr</i>.</p> - -<p>On page <a href="#Page_163">163</a> read <i>Strike higher, strike -higher, Oh! strike higher!</i></p> - -<p>There are a few literal errors which the -reader will correct as he reads the work.</p> - -<hr /> -<div class="chapter"><div class="transnote"> -<h2 class="nobreak p1"><a id="Transcribers_Notes"></a>Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - -<p>Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant -preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed. -This book was published in 1844, so some words may have been -spelled differently than they are now.</p> - -<p>Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced -quotation marks retained.</p> - -<p>Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained; occurrences -of inconsistent hyphenation have not been changed.</p> - -<p>Most of the <a href="#ERRATA"><i>Errata</i></a> on the last page of the book have been -corrected within the text; the change to page <a href="#Page_163">163</a> was not made -because it was ambiguous.</p> - -<p>Page <a href="#Page_132">132</a>: “Hopson’s choice” probably is a misprint for -“Hobson’s choice”.</p> - -<p>Page <a href="#Page_153">153</a>: “smooth and melodies” was printed that way.</p> - -<p>Page <a href="#Page_168">168</a>: “De gustibus non disputandum” is a misquotation -for “De gustibus non est disputandum”.</p> -</div></div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mysteries of Washington City, during -Several Months of the Session of the, by Caleb Atwater - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYSTERIES OF WASHINGTON CITY *** - -***** This file should be named 55141-h.htm or 55141-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/1/4/55141/ - -Produced by Larry B. 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