Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-17
WASHINGTON.
: liberty ana Uaion. now and forever, one and
insepxrable.o
MONDAY, DECEMBER II, 1853
TIE CITY or WASHINGTON

miniscenecs, AMI suffer them to lead the mind back
10 by-gOne days.
| The advent Of a new CoNGREss, under circum-
stances favorable 10 the progress Of this great Ma
ton aud not less proptious 20 the advance of this
City naturally recalls TO memory what the condition
q our Federal City was, when under the Constitu-
ton and the Law il became the seat of the General
Government. The wild and dcsolatc face which the
site Of our infant metropolis tlen wore, compared
with the smiling AMI cheerful locks with which it
nov welcomes its numerous yisitrs, presents most
striking contrast, which, however may be considered
a. but type Of the growth ard Improvement of
the Republic
| No, doubling that our readers will be willing to
be relieved, for brief moment, rom the consldcra
ton II the grayer matters that have been already
presented from Official sources Il the consideration
Of the assembled wisdom Of the Nation, we invite
them TO accompany US in viewing the very differ
eut circumstances under which tbe Congress of 1900
found themselves, when placed snder the legal ne
cessity Of coming together in an unbuilt city, from
those happier auspices under which they have now
repaired 10 the city in discharge Of their off,
cial duties
For ten years anterior 10 the removal Of the pub
lie offices to this place, the City Il Washington had
been already designated, on the statute book, the
permanent Seat Of Government Of the United
States but it is known tradtionly that the Of
Washington then scarcely contained five hundred
inhabitants, most Of the houses being mere
cabins, erected for the temporary accommodation Of
laborers
Ii was not until the year 1890 that the Govern
ment was actually transferred from Philadelphia.
In June Of that year Mr.. OLIVER WoLcoTT, then
Secretary Of the Treasury, taking time by the fore
lock, came to the city," that he might ascertain
whether the building which had been erected for
the accommodation of his department would suffice
for that purpose. On the 18th Of July he addressed
letter TO Mrs. WoLcoTT, in which he thus
describes his first impressions Of the city:
II write this letter In the building erected for the
OF the Treasury Department in the city Of Washington
and this being day Of leisure shall be able to give
you idea OF this famous place. the permanent
Of American Government.
"The city Of Washington, al lsaa part cf Is
about ferry miles from Baltimore The situation Is plea
SAINT and indeed beaui;a the prospects equal 70
those which called good Connecticut river; the
I
ceedingy stiff reddish clay, which becomes dust In dry
and mortar in rainy weather.
"lt 1.-THE Presidents House built 70 be looked at
by yers and strangers and will render its occupant
object Of rdcue with and Of pity with others II
be cold and damp In winter, aud cannot be kept in
toerable order without a regiment Of servants
1.-THE Capitol Is situated on emnence, which should
suppose the centre Of the country here
called NE city, II is mile and half from the Presi.
dents House and three miles on a straight line from
Georgetown. There Is good tavern about forty rods
from the Capitol and Gsr0al other houses built and
ersctng but do perceive how the members Of Con.
gress possibly secure lodgings, unless they win
TO live like scholars in college monks In
sstery crowded ten or twenty in one house. and poy
seiudd from ,ooey The only Tor such wish
to live comfortably will think be found In Georgetown,
three miles distant bad road Einir the clay
grounds near Hartford
81 have made every sxertion 10 secure good lodgings
the Office but shall be compelled 10 take them al the
distance Of than half nile There are, in fact
but ttr hosss a any place, and ~ e anal
rsJ hut, which present awful contrast the public
buildings The people are POOR and. ~ FAR a. ! can
judge they live like fishes, ~ saisg ssek ot All the
ground for several miles around the city being In the
opinion OF tho people, too valuable be cultivated re-
mains unfcnccd There are bat lev enclosures. even Cor
gardens, AMI those In bad order Yoa may look In
almost any direction, % FrOaai nearly
large n the city q New York. without seeing fence OF
any object except brckkns and temporary hus ior la
borers : Grecnoars Point presents the appear.
Of considerable town which hal been destroyed ~
some unusual calamity There ,Grsenlsafs Pointl
hfty sixty spacious houses Eve sK u which are 90
cupied by negroes and Migrants, AID fex more w de-
ceat working people; bot there fcnces garlons
the least appearance " business This place ahou
a mile and half south Of the Capitol"
! President ADAMS (the cdcr) arrived here with
his family in November q the sime year. On tie
18th Of that month Mrs. ADAMS wrote 10 her
daughter, Mrs Smith, a follows:
81 arrived here sunday last aud without meeting
with any accident worth noticing except lossy ou,,is.s
when We LEFT Baltimore, and gosg oyAf 4, nsss s.,, -
nsFfef,rick road by which We we're obliged q rs
the other eight through ~ roods where We wandered toe
hours without finding guide tho path FortanA,sy
struggling black up with D. ana 90 engaged aim
asa guide to eIircae u out Of difficulty Tat woods
are all you see from Baltimore until you reach "A, sf
which 10 only 50 In name. Here and there Il small ca
without glass window interpreted smonr. The Forest.
through which you travel miles without seeing any hu
man being. In the city there are builings snouza n
they were compact and finished 70 soeouuoaats Con.
gress and those attached 10 bat . they are ana seat
tered as they arc, sec great comfort fsr tAsu
"Ths house [Presidentsl il upon Q grad snA -.
psrb scale, requiring about thirty servants 10 sttonI ssd