Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-08-19

The Alexandria Gazette mentioned that Sc
yeraI costly and beautiful chandeliers for the
executive mansion. are now In preparation by
Mr.. Nicholas of that city, and has some un-
gracious sneers in consequence, at the pre-
sumed luxury and grandeur OF such exotic ne
cessaries, This is not in good taste. and we
did no, expect j, from the political candor of
our contemporary, especially as we thought
that all such remarks has been sufficiently re-
buked by the united voice Of the most intiuen-
,ial presses Of his party.
Candidly, there is too much of this pseudo
economy, The Presidents residence, Ear from
being furnished with an undue magnihcence,
wants comforts, and conyenlences which
should be inseparable from the nations house,
and the absence of which reflects severely up
| on the liberality of Congress. Its cold bare
walls should be relieved with appropriate ma
tionai pictures. Full length portraits OF the
Presidents, for instance, would look better on
| the lofty walls cfihe east room. than silk hang
ings or French mirrors in gilt frames, and
would in time form prouder gallery for Ame-
ricans than the salon des m1rech0uL OF the TG-
| ileries. What an interesting and valuable ma
tional collection, TOO, could in like manner, be
made, by portraits of all the executive officers
| of the federal goyemment.--nott to speak of 9TH
or subjects for the pencil, equally appropriate,
with which proper American feeling should
take pride in adjoining the perpetual residence
of the political head of the country. Why, too,
| is the President debarred the use of suitable
library-an appendsge inseparable from the
residence Of gentleman, and doubly requi-
site in such house! No one would blame
Congress were it to appropriate twenty thous-
and dollars in the first instance, and two thous-
and dollars syery year afterward, for the pur-
chase and sustenance Of such an appendage 10
the executive mansion.
Inc country, moreover, does not place at
the command of the citizen whom she elevates
to the dangerous, responsible, and unenviablc
lot of guiding her political destinies, local
conycniences which no private individual OF
means would be without. There is no garden
attached 10 his rcsidcnce---no suitable ground
---no orchard---none Of the pleasant attractions
OF horticultural and agricultural skill, with
which every private gentleman delights to a.
dorm his residence, and which, in the national
sense we speak now---would be not less char
ming recreation and attraction to every Anne
rican citizen visiting the metropolis, than an a
greeble appendage, to the Presidents house.
Would it in like manner, be extravagant or
despotic, were suitable summer residence
purchased for the temporary retirement OF this
high officer from the distracting cares OF bust.
ness! Mount Vernon for instancc;---which
would then become, as it ought to be the pro-
perty and the political shrine Of every Ameri-
| can. We are quite sure that many thousands
of our abundant means might be spent in this
manner, without the country mourning the guilt
or the approbrium, abroad, of extravaganza.
Surely the citizen who discharges the ungra-
cious duties of that thanklcss ofice-would not
be cnyied by his countrymen, to whom his
time and talents are devoted, and for whose
high interests he is often compelled to sacri-
fec his health, and too certainly, we are afraid
his peace of mind---the enjoyment of these or
any similar comforts, which would have ten
dency to smooth, or cheer the thorny path Of
his brief political authority.