The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-10

SKETcH.-Ihcre have been several sketch
es OF the American House of Representatives,
but none more truly graphic than the folowI
ing from the New York Knckerbocker Ma
gazine. The reflections to which il gives
rise, are enough 10 make an American proud
er Of his glorious country.
What mass Of representatives there are
herei What singular samples Of our vast
country? Here sits Tennessean and there
nurtured in forest--as intimate with the pas
ses of the Rocky Mountains, as the cit with
Broadway-who lives where hunters and trap
pers have vexed every hill, and who cares no
more for Pawnee than prolessed beau for
Albright plumed belle. Here is man from
the praries-and there another from the
s"amPs and morasses, whose blood the mus
htoes have utterly stolen away. There is
sallow face from the rice grounds, and here
a flushed cheek from the mountains--and by
ms side man from the pine grounds--land Of
tar and turpentne. What people are we
What country is this Of ours How wide
in extent-how rich in production--how va
rious in beauty. have asked in my travels
for the West, in the streets Of the Queen Of
the West-a fairy city, which was but as yes
terday, was wilderness. They smiled at my
enquiry,and said il was among the " boosters"
Of Indiana or the suckers" of Illinois,
Then journeyed along. crossed great rivers
and broad praries, and again asked. for the
West. They said it was in Missouri, ar
rived at the capital. They complained that
they were too far down East. but CO."
they said, "f you see the West, days and
days, and hundreds of miles up the Missouri
farther than from us 10 New England, and
beyond the Rocky Mountains, and among the
Snake Indians of the Oregon, and you may
find it." 1t was the work of dozen years
to find the West and ! turned about in de-
spair. Indeed have no bounds to my coun-
try. / have searched for them for months, in
almost every clime-under the torrid sun Of
Louisiana, the land of the orange and olive,
and beneath the cold sky Of Maine. have
seen the rice planter gathering rich treasures
from bountiful soil and the fisherman anchor
ing his little bark on the rock island, dropping
as carefully as if the ocean were full Of pearls,
and not Of -- mackerel. / have seen the
mill-man saving wood in all variety Of forms,
on the larthest soil of New England; and !
beheld the same wood floating down the Sa-
strangest metamorphoses it may be in a
clock regularly ticking off the time, or in
pail, perchance, in button and for aught
know. in tasteless ham, or an unfragrant
nutmeg. have never been of the soil OF
my own country, and yet have seen the sun
60 down ball Of fire, without moments
notice of twilight, finging over rich alluvial
lands-booming with magnoios and orange
trces-a robe Of gold and again, have stood
upon the bare rocks Of colder climes, and
when the trees were pinched by the early
frost, have marked the same vanishing rays
reflected from the leaves, as if a thousand
birds of paradise were resting in the branches;
and when the clouds streaming with red, and
purple, and blue-tinged and tipped by the
pencil of beauty--were floating atar, like rain
bows in motion, as if broken from their con-
6nement-now mingling and interlacing their
dyes and glittering arches and anon sprinkled
over and mellowing the whole heaven-then
have fancied that was indeed IN fairy land,
where the very forest danced its golden robes
responding to the setting sun, as the statue
of tabled Memnon gave forth its welcoming
notes as the rays of the morning played upon
its summit. | have been where the dog star
RACES, scattering pestilence in its train where
the long moss hangs from the trees-where
the pale faces and sad countenance give admo-
milton, this is region of death. have
stood by the wide prairie, and beheld the
green pillows rise and fall, and the undulations
chequered with sunlight and shadow, causing
one after the other, alar over the expanse.-
And have gone amid the storms of winter,
over the high hill upon the loud cracking
crust, amid the music of the merry sleigh
bells. And here are the Representatives
from all these regions-in one grand council
all speaking one language-al impelled by
one law! Oh, my Country, my Country :
If our destiny be always linked as one-if the
same flag Of our UNIoN-never unfurled or
defended but by FREEMEN-,hen Poetry and
Prophecy, stretching TO their utmost, cannot
pre-announce that destinyn' "
From the Nsr York Star.
AMERICAN ARTISTS in ENGLAND.