Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-04
VISIT TO WASHINGTON.
By WILLIAM CHAMBERS. OF oHAMBrns's JOURNAL.

ington Every one think his duty to have
slap at It's pretensons which fall very far short of the
reality. 1t is my misfortune in this in some other
things to differ from most Of my predecessors and
little ground for either ocularity All that
be said Of Washington is, that it is city in process
of being built and occupied, and has already since its
commencement about sixty years ago. acquired popu-
laon Of forty thousand independently Of increase
from members of the Legislature with their families and
vsters during the sessions of Congress After the wit
ticsms at its alleged spectral appearance rather
surprised discover that instead Of afew mansions
tered about among the trees, with miles of interval it
consisted Of number Of streets lined with continuous
Of houses, several fine public buildings and fair
show Of stores and hotels Why the Americans should
aim at building city specially for the accommodation Of
their Government is quite clear to the minds Of Euro
peans who accustomed to great overgrown capitals
in which the wealth and grandeur Of nation
trated Originating partly in the wish the ad
mnistraon beyond the immediate action of popular in
fuenoes, Washington believe, its rise chiefly to
the desrableness Of placing the political metropolis
locality apart from and independent of any particular
State. The situation though longer equidstant from
the several States in the Union, exceedingly we'll
chosen by the great man whose name was given to the
city The Chesapeake Bay, Of the largest nlets to
the Atlantic receives about half way up the
side, the large river Potomac, itself for long way up
kind of firth two three miles in width Where
it about mile at the distance Of two hundred
and ninety miles from the Atlantic the Potomac parts
branches and between these the left eastern
bank of the principal branch, Washington has been erect
ed The peninsula SO selected is spacious with gentle
slopes, and would afford accommodation for city many
miles in extent. On central ridge of ground, with
stretch of open downs between and the Potomac stands
the principal portion Of the city the Capitol seat Of
legislation being at the eastern extremity detached
emnence aud the house Of the President the top Of
rising gruund mile Westward
Planned wholly on paper before q single house was
built the horoughfares have been arranged in parallel
rectangular and diagonal lines; those which in
direction being called from the letters Of the alphabet
and those which them being named First Second,
Third street, and The diagonal thoroughfares,
the most important of ALL styled avenues; and of
these Pennsylvania may be considered the principal
should think this is the widest street in the world. 1t
measures hundred and sixty feet in width the whole
Of the middle part for carriages being well paved
the streets of London and the foowaks laid with
brick Along the sides Of these oopaths Of
trees, imparng agreeable shade in the heats Of
Built Of brick red sandstone, wood the houses
throughout the city are of the smar and tasteful kind
in Northern States there plenty Of space
for mews-n nothing incongruous is obtruded on the
eye of Stranger unless it be the number of negroes
of both sexes, principally slaves. At the period Of my
visit much doing in the way Of evellng and paving
the streets and learned that the value Of property had
lately risen considerably.
Having surmounted the nitatory difficulties Washing
ton may be said to be in course of Improvement
credtable to the iberaty of the nation; for all public
works undertaken at the expense of the Treasury
The District Of Columbia, In which the city placed is
small territory, formerly part Of Maryland and pos
sessng separate political character is under the ad
minstration of Congress. Complaints occasionally
heard of the expenses to which the country is put
count of Washington; but if the people only knew the
sums avished by Parliament the palaces parks, and
police Of the British metropolis at the cost of the entire
United Kingdom, they would have to be thankful
for being mercifully dealt with.
AS yet, comprehended within narrow compass and
open in all quarters to vsters Washington may be salts
factory seen in single forenoon The first thing done
is to visit the Capitol which is observed standing proudly
its emnence, surrounded by an enclosed pleasure
ground at the eastern extremity oPennsyvania
In walking down this principal thoroughfare the
ing after my arrival there little hustle to remind
OF being in political metropolis of celebrity In
the long line Of street there appeared only omnibus
its way to Georgetown, in the vicinity, end two
sckney-cabs As the morning ne the steps Of the
vari us hotels were already crowded with lately
member OF Congress- and the various parties clustering
in debate Vowed that matters in connexon with the ap
preaching ro.,eedings were in agitation.
Built of light -colored stone and in the Cornthian
style Of architecture the Capitol with its wings, hand
porco, and lofty dome is an edifce of imposing
appearance Advancing up the exterior fight Of steps
and entering the portal are ushered into central
tunda ninety five feet in diameter and lighted from the
pola above On the walls around this spacious vestibue
and level with the eye placed series of large
pictures representing in American history two of
which, the surrender Of Burgoyne and Of Corvallis
cannot but bring unpleasant recoectons to the mind Of
the English visiter Chairs placed in front of the
pictures for the benefit Of strangers who further
commodated with printed key to the figures At diff
frent points doors lead to inner obbies whence
is gained to the Hall of the House of Representatives and
the Senate Chamber the Library and other rooms all
frequently described that spare any account of them
the present occasion. / must not omit however to
mention thing from its extreme novelty This is the
perfect liberty to at will without question and with
out payment, the whole building Nor is there any
Of attendants ready and willing to afford any sort
of information. By Of these was oblgingly con-
Quoted to the top Of the cupola whence splendid view
obtained Of the city beneath the two environing
arms of the Potomac, beyond which the woody hills
of Virginia. forming framework to the picture. On
descending from this gddy altitude ventured to offer
gratuy to my conductor which he respectfully refused
with an explanation worthy of recordings cannot take
any money, sir for doing my duty. public officer
and paid by the public" If there be door or gallery
keeper in either House Of Parliament who would in this
way refuse half crown let him by oil means be named
for he must unquestonably be prodigy.
The grounds around the building are prettly laid out
with shady walks, and the entrance is o sparkling
fountain, with driIkng-cup, to appease the insatate
craving for water which kind of disease among
the Americans the grounds the is the ceebra
ed statue Of Washington by Greenough 1t is of colossal
size, in sitting POSTURE and, being executed in Paran
MARBLE the effect is striking, though the spectator
is not inclined to admire the exploded fancy Of repre-
sentng modern soldier rs halfnaked Roman. There
several other figures connected with the Capitol but
which appear to require notice. n
The public buildings which next visited were the
Post Office and Patent Office, two remarkably fine ed
fees of white marble near the centre Of the town The
Patent Office contains most extraordinary collection Of
models Of articles which have been the subject Of pa
tent and other spectacle could furnish SO compre
hensive notion of the inventive faculties Of the Amer
spacious hail. with ranges Of glass lining
the walls and projected across the foor is full Of every