The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-31
Correspondence Of the Spirit Of Demo1aeyl

SITTY OF WAsHIN GToN, MAY zZ, lo44.
Mr.. Editor: Cousin Pete and come in las
week into the federal sitty Of Washington. II is Z
terrible skaiterin sort of place tell you-kiyerine
in spots nj on to FIVE miles of flat, excepting the
big hill at the east end whar the capitol is sot, and
the little hill at toher end, tord sunset whar the
white house is sot A broad street mile long
runs between ,em--jist as level as an old maid'i
bosom.
The kapitol they say kivers an aker and hat Of
ground. If it was turned into private dwellin
house, it would accommodate fifty virginny fami'
lies, with all the niggers in the basement. The
Rotunda is a circular room, 80 feetIacross and Sc
feet high, and has six big pictures around it agn
the wall that cost they say, from to 10000 dol
lars apiece; and higher up all around, they have
Indians, and William Pen and Dannel Boon, all
cast as big as naur in plaster. They keep tarnal
big nigger in the Rotunda with brush scrubbin'
away the tobacker juice all the time; although they
have about twenty spit boxes about yard square
filled with saw-dust, and some on 'em planted with
blue grass, for people to spit their amber in
They chaw desperate sight of tobacker in the
capitol.
Me and cousin Pete past into the gallery Of the
Honse. Below us in the big hall was about 200
men a setting some, some standln', and others
walking about-one man talking to the speaker,
and most all the balance talking to one another.
The reporters round the sides kept scribblin' away,
though you couldn't tell what they was recordin'
bekaze it was impossible to hear five works at a
time of the man a-talking to the speaker, though
he roared and hollered like house-a-fire. They
said it was the House of Representatives that was
transactin' the business of the government. You
would think they have precious easy time OF it.,
these members, gittin' from eight to ten dollars
day-going TO the house at II o'clock in the
morning, and shutting up shop at or in the
afternoon, and going out to their dinners, most
of 'em by twos and threes all day long.
It's rally surprisn, too, how the members, even
from way out back, git in the way of the narrstok-
kisy of Washington city We old farmers, not
excepting those from Ohio, take as natural to a
plate of reasons at dinner time cheese and crack
ers oysters and apples, and sich like for dessert as
the white house folks themselves. / say nothing
of lickers.
Well. as was telling you, we left the fuss
bilin' in the house, and crost back through the
Rotunda to the Senate; and it was great relief,
I tell you. There they sot, the old wheel-horses
of Congress. No fuss thar, reckon. When
man speaks to Mr. Mangum, he hears him, and
every body hears, fol nobody talks louder than the
man on the floor. There was Col. Benton right
alongside of Judge Tappan, and our young Ajax,
Senator Allen, he was setting rite alongside of
the old Judge; and Allen got up to speak when he
seed US in the gallery, aud he talked like book in
the hands of good reader and no mistake. He
laid down the law and the gospel for little while
about right We had told him to say something
when we come to Washington, and he remember
ed it and kept his promise. believe it was on
little private bill he was speaking on, in which
some handsome young widow had a claim. But
don't believe he is marryn' mar-for when
he's not in the Senate he keeps close quarters,
writing and corresponding with the demokrats all
over Ohio and from other States on government
affairs. He sends off power of demokratick and
public documents all round and about among the
people. Then there was Dixon H. Lewis the
watiest man in the Senate-weighing hard on to
500 pounds. You have to keep pilin' on the fifty
skies before you can raise HIM, the same as if there
was three barrels of flour in the scale. He swets
of hot days perdigiousIy, and drinks like dry
sistern. He is a good looking man, for al and
nifty pleasant and chatty; and they do say he is
a very lille eater. While we was expectin' TO
hear Senator Wright next, up jumps Mr. Buchan-
an, rale fine old bachelor stout, harty, and six
foot high, with his head little one side and when
he was done, and scme other matter was talked
over while, Col. Benton give the hint, and the
galleries was emptied, gals and all, and the doors
was locked, an d we was told that Col Benton was
going TO speak on the Texas matter The papers
will show that he did speak about right on that
subject.
But, speaking about Mr.. Buchanan, they say he
got in the way of holding his head little one side
by talking to the ladies aside-always walking with
'em on the same side, and always inclining his he'd
little to hear 'em till it growed 1t don't hurt
his looks at all; but, if any thing, makes him look
he cuter,-an that he is cute old chap every
body knows, in the Senate and out of the Senate.
They have been making tarnation fuss about
he statures OF Kolumbus and his Indian sweet |
heart, done up in white marble by one Persico, |
you know. They are rae handsome and no quail |
ication is asked Kolumbus is rugged out in a coat
If mail, short breeches and buckskin shoes, and
lolds big ball in hIs right hand about fifteen feet
ugh in the air from his feet. The gal stark Naked
excepting a table cloth about her, is stealing
ound and looking up in the face Of old Kolumby,
IS if she wanted 10 kiss him and was afraid They
ay that they cost between and 10000 dollars
piece, and that Persico has been FIVE or six years
hseling at 'em in Europe.
We saw the President near the white house
other dav. He has got to be nifty thin in the
owls, and looks out of his eyes, as if there was
omething out of keller in his upper story No.