Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-09-27

phiiosepher who moraliZes on the turf that Coveis
the Wondering dust of ambition, valor OF patrio'
ism. from the fashionable vagabond VINO hu,.e.S
among the flowers which bloom over their graves
Among all the objects OF mental assoc.aue .s
ancient buildings and ruins anect US wiz . Io
deepest and most vivid emotions; e,ey WEI '
works Of beings like ourselves; while mist I'M
nerv;ous tn mortal view hangs over the future
ali our fond imaginings Of the things when eye
hath mot seen nor ear heard" III the eternity u
come are inevitably associated with the men,
the events and things which have gone 10 JON 'e
eternity that is past When imagination mas IN
vain essayed TO rise beyond the stars who" .'Pro
claim the story oftheir birth, inquistlve to Know
the osxpation & condition Of the Sages and Heroes
whom we hope to join in higher empyrean; she
drops her weary wing, and is compelled to alight
smonu. the fragments of gorgeous, palaces ana
cloud can't towers" which cover their human
ruins, and by aid of these localities, to rnminate
pnon their virtues and their faults--on their
deeds in the cabinet and the held, and upon the
revolutions of the successive ages In which they
lived. To this propensity may be traced the sub
hma,ed feelings of the man who familiar with
the stories of SesOstris, the Pharaohs, and the
Ptolemies. SURVEYS the Pyramids, net merely as
stupendous fabrics IF mechanical skill, but as
monuments of the pride and ambitious folly of
the wretched myriads by whose Iabors they were
raised 10 the skies. To this mast be referred
the awe and contrition which solemnize and melt
the heart of the Christian who looks into the no.
" sepuichre. and believes he sees the place where
the Lord was land From this originate the mu-
sinqs Of the scholar, who amid the RUNS OF the
parthenon and the Ac.np0iiS, transports his I'M
aginatioa 10 the age Of pcriCles and PMdias -
The reflections of all not dead 70 sentiment who
descend to the suber,anean habiatlons OF Pom
neil handle the utensils that once mlnistered to
the wants, aud the ornaments SuDservient 10 the
luxury of polished city, behold the rut ut
wheels upon the pavement hidden for ages rom
human SIGHT, and realize the awful hour when
the hum Of industry and the song OF JOY, the
wailng of the infant, and the garru'ity OF age,
were suddenly and forever silenced by the fiery
deluge mich buried the city until accident x in
dustry after the lapse of nearly eighteen CEN
turtles, revealed its ruins to the curiosity and Gu
pidity of the passing ages.
These remarks in which you may think there
is more of truth than Of novelty, have been sug-
gested by the experiment which few days since
attempted to condense in the compass OF short
address. few ideas appropriate TO tins occasion.
Beginning to think upon matters connected with
the old Town House. found my mind confused,
tons of our early history which it natural IN
duced. Toiudulge them to a great extent, VOID
trench upon the province and the hour assigned
to another, whose eloquence will furnish the prin-
cpal qualification Of the day II is therefore in
dispensable. to couiine myself TO few Observa-
tons and consequently To do but imperfect jusn
tice to nv feelings and the subject.
The history of the Town House consdereS
merely as c0mpages Of brick and wood Is short
and simple. 1t was erected between the years
1867 and 1869 and was principally of wood, so
far as can be asccrtaned. The contractor re-
ceived six hundred eighty pounds, on final set
tlement in full of all contracts. This was pro-
badly the whole amount OF the cost, being dou-
bic that of the estmate--a ratio. pretty regular
" kept up in our times. The population OF the
town sixty wears afterwards was about ten thou
sand, and it is allowing an increase beyond the
ordinary rate. and beyond the criterion of its &C
tual numbers ar subsequent periods. to presume
that at the time of me first erection of the Town
House, il numbered three thousand souls. In
III the building was burnt to the ground. and
soon afterwards rebuilt with brick. In 1741 the
interior was again consumed BY fire. and soon
repaired in the form which it retained until the
present Improvement, with the exception of some
alterations in the apartments made upon the re-
moval of the Legislature to the new State House.
The eastern chamber was originally occupied by
the Council. afterwards hv the Senate. The re-
representatives. constantly held their sittings in the
western Chamber. The floor of these was sup
ported by pillars and terminated at each end by
doors, and at one end by fight of steps leading
into State street. In the day time the doors were
kept open, and the floor served as walk for the
inhabitants. always much frequentcd: and during
the sessions of the courts. thronged On the
north side. were Offices for the clerks of the su-
preme and inferior courts. In these the Judges
robbed themselves and walked in procession fol-
lowed by the bar at the opening of the courts
Committee rooms were provided in the upper sto
nv. Since the removal of the Legislature. it has
been internally divided into apartments and leas
ed for various uses in mode familiar to you ALL
and it has now undergone great repairs. This
floor being adapted to the accommodation Of the
City Government, and principal officers. while
the first floor is allotted to the post-ofFce, news
room and private warehouses.
In this brief account of the natural body of
II, huil,l;D,r. which ia helieved