The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-07-28


are cultivated pretty extensively in the Presidents
garden, which address themselves for admiration
immediately To the palate than To the eve Of the be-
holdsr-such fine Neshanock potatoes honest
drumhead and early York cabbages, white and red
sugar and pickle beets marrowfat peas carrots pars
nips, &c &c with abundance of the fragara Virgi-
MANA, or strawberry, the dewbery raspberry, &c &c.
In short sir the Presidents garden in all its arrange
nents and beauties It's trees, shrubs, vines, plants,
howers and eseulens, is in perfect keeping with the
sumptnous and magnificent palace | may add that
we have been informed, by official report commu-
neated TO Congress in December last that during the
past season, the public grounds at the Capitol and
PRESIDENTS MANSION have been faithfully attended
10 by the PUBLIC GARDENER AND THE
HANDS UNDER HIM The trees hare been
sktHuty prunsd and trained; many choice orna-
mental trees and shrubs have been planted and The
piats borders, and grarel ralks hare been kept in
SUPERIOR ORDER The report might have also stated,
with perfect truth, that men had been hired by the
Government and paid out Of the public Treasury 10
PICK up NE falling ieares, and pluck up by the roots
the xanthIum Symposium and rumcx' acetosela or,
cording TO vulgar lingo, burdock and sheep sorrel
As the Presidents garden is enclosed by high
stone wall, and as the gates generally secured
with locks, very few persons have been informed,
visit it, except by special invitation, or in company
with the President member of his household
his exclusion, however, does not extend 10 members
of Congress of whom, (and more especially such
as are avores every alternate that is during
every long session frequently take stroll through the
garden and adjacent grounds The present session
Is my fourth al Washington, and have been in the
garden twice but on both occasions we (another
member was in company were compelled reach
ing the end Of the garden Chamber over the
stone wall finding the gates locked
Ia regard to the progressive Improvement of the
grounds and garden OF the President various suggcs
tons have recently been made and particularly by ndi-
nduals whose taste and nee discrimination Gin mat
tiers Of luxury and rcinement) have been greatly inn
proved by visit 10 the magnificent gardens at the
palace Of Versailles, and TO Of the rich and stump
tuous parks and gardens belonging to the Crown OF
England II IL supposed by these persons that the Presi
dents grounds would present more complete and
finished appearance by erecting Parian marble balus
trades on either side of the main gravel walks by
building some twenty thirty miniature temples and
paylions al regular intervals along and adjacent to
the southern outer wall by constructing five six
artificial lakes and fountains pour their silver wa
tiers through the mouths of F." huge river gods and
sea-horses with double the number of Jets dcau to
fill the atmosphere with spray and vapor To these
improvements might well be added two or three
hundred pieces of the first class of Italian statu-
ary~-such, for instance, Saturn, Jupiter, Juno,
Mercury, Diana, Neptunus folus, Apollo, Venus de
Medics, the Loves and Graces, the Naiades and
Dryades jolly Bacchus and the Bacchantes Vulcan
and his Cyclops Hercules Pan, Plutus, Midas and
the Dragon that guarded the Golden Apples in the
garden Of the Hcspcrdes.
There Is only one other ornament which may with
great propriey be procured nasmuch it would serve
to illustrate and perpetuae in suitable form the truth
should be bronze colossal equestrian statue Of An
drtE Jackson lnih The iiiHe kinderhook magician
meqnted behind him. This statue | would have
conspcuousy placed upon the stone balustrade which
crowns the palace Before the administration of J. q.
Adams, the appropriations for improving the Presi-
dents grounds had been Very rifing During his
term, however, two considerable sums voted by
Congress for that purpose he first of these grants
five thousand dollars by the Of the 25th of Fee
bruary, 1928 for eretiing, grading, and importing
the Presidents square. The second grant five
thousand eight hundred and sixty five dollars by the
act Of the 22d May 1896, for finishing the fences,
graduating and importing the public grounds Prior
TO the disbursement ofthese appropriations the grounds
presented rude uneven, and shapeless appearance
not few of the pristine sandy knobs and small ho
lows still remained. The fencing, too, quite i'm
perfect hut, by the exercise OF conmendable econo
my the expenditure OF the sums Just mentioned and
by the application u he money in The most beneficial
manner to accomplish RE objects contemplated By the
lars the grounds Of the President brought into
fine condition the fences put III excellent order,
the high hills were made plain, and the " deep
valleys made smooth, and the entire grounds, by
the close of Mr. Adanss Presidency wore style and
finish quite acceptable to the taste and judgment OF our
plain republican farmers But new order of things
was soon destined 10 take place. You sir, and l.
and large ma ority ofhe American people, about the
time whereof have been speaking, were incautiously
led to believe that Mr. Adams was lavish spend
THRIFT and that his administration not only waste
ully cxtrsvagant, but that il was RAPIDLY verging the
ons OF the Presidential palace and by the studied in
PRODUCTION of court ceremonials You doubtless well
remember the voluminous reports and the indignant
denunciatons the fruitful themes of extravaganza
and stocracy that spread before the country by
the renowned champions of economy in both Houses
of Congress during the neyertobe forgotten winter OF
ls1-S You sir cannot fail too, to recoliect the lu-
ruhrious homiles which were then addressed to all
pios and deyout Christians relation 10 the purchase
by President Adams of billiard table billiard balls,
cues and chessmen A III these solemn eXhortailons
were but the harbngers of the memorable era OF reform
then about overtsking he Administration IN its sup
posed headlong departure from the pure precePts OF
the frugal simple dem 1crac DAYS OF the fathers OF the
republic The pruning hook Of retrtnctment was
about being ushered in toop OF all supertiuous expen
dture skilfuly as the same useful Implement al
tins day prunc the redundant branches from the trees
in the palace garden The hickory broom was also to
he introduced in order to scrub away the filthy cob
webs of astocracy then believed TO be IN the process OF
weaving within the very precincts OF the palace itself
The Augean stable likewise to be cleansed by
the rcforners--a mighty work-and which in days of
wore required the labofs OF HeTcues-snd no marvel
for history informs that three thousand oxen had
been confined in It's stalls many years.
Well the reformcts attained TO the full enjoymen,
OF the powers Of the Government IN March, lsZ9 and
here Mr. Chairman | almost feel inclined TO resume
nv chair few moments untilwe may all contemplate
in silent admiration the strange results OF that most
unique system OF reformation which had the omnhc
words RETRENoHMEST ASD REFORM inscribed on
Hs haunting banner n IclofHallou ulat has iaitl-
fuy persevered in encouraging retrenehment until
il has reduced the annual expenditures of the Govern
ncnt from the enormously prodgal amount Of thirteen
millions down TO the trifng of thirty nine million
dollars reformation which has so exercised the
vi,ty faculties Of its friends that they have given birth
TO very useful (but hitherto occult} arhmetca rule,
nv which they are enabled demonstrate in manner
entirely satisfactory themselves this odd proposition
tnai fever units contained in the number ~ than
in the number - And the foregoing result IS reached
tiarF,a han he
mare bv the aid Of the black board, can wade
through the protrscel series OF raiocnation in The