Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-05-24
Correspondence of the Times.
WASHINGTON, May 8, 1864.

]. w. BARNS g. Co.-GENTs. The weather
has cleared off warm and pleasant, after very
cold and backward spring for this latitude
There is no excitement in the political world.
Nebraska is worn threadbare; you can find no
one willing to get up conversation on it. 1t
is now fairly before the House, and will be dis
posed of in a few days. The advocates of the
bill claim a clear majority Of twenty-one votes,
and it is now quite certain that it will becomea
law. All honor to our veteran old Senator for
originating the doctrine of non-irtervention, and
in the face of opposition, both North and South,
maintaining it SO ably that it is now the ortho-
dox doctrine of the majority of the American
people. Yesterday went on an excursion to
Mount Vernon. We took the steamer at Wash
ington and had pleasant sail down the Poto-
mac, passing Georgetown and Alexandria, both
handsomely located cities and places of consid-
cradle commercial Importance we arrived soon
at Fort Washington, where the Captain kindly
stopped sometime to give the passengers an op-
portunity of inspecting the Fort. 1t commands
the Potomac in every direction, and is as strong
ly fortified as the ingenuity of man can make it,
Johnny Bull would do we'll not to attempt sail
ing up here and burning our Capitol again; he
would catch hail Columbia in something else
besides music from Fort Washington. After
leaving the Fort we soon arrived at Mount Yer
non, vending our way up the hill by shady
path till we arrived at the tomb. All mirth and
levty ceased as we approached the place-the
company seeming to feel as if treading upon
consecrated ground-and you could plainly see
that Washington's memory was yet " first in the
hearts of his countrymen." There was no
North, no South, but the words of the noble
and true man were remembered" avoid all
sectional controversies" The pilgrim at this
shrine, however dull and faded he may be- how
ever stold and Indifferent, must feel. He may
travel through the whole world, may see all the
grand and glorious works of art, may read with
indifference, or at the best with but feeling Of
curiosity, the inscriptions on monuments and
tombs of great men, but here before this plain
and unpretending vault the spectre of the
mighty dead arises and commands respect and
awe; and every selfish, bitter and unholy feel
ing is reproved and silent in its presence. Eng
land may boast of her Westminster Abbey, fill
ed age after age for hundreds of years with her
ilustrious dead, but we would not exchange
Washington's memory and tomb for all the glo-
ny and pomp she has gathered beneath its dome.
The vault is plain brick structure Of about
fourteen by sixteen feet, and ten feet high. No
person is admitted to 60 inside, but you look
through an iron railing close to which the sarco-
phagus that contains his remains is laid. The
sarcophagus is made from solid block of mar
BILE and on the top is chiseled the American coat
of arms. On the other side OF the vault is the
sarcophagus of Martha Washington, made the
same as the Generals, only without inscription.
From the vault we visited the mansion. 1t is
plain wooden house, two stories high, and
without any pretension to architectural display.
They were embarrassing the outside when we
were there. 1t locked old and in dilapidated
condition. There are three of the rooms of the
mansion kept open for the reception Of stran-
gers. The furniture, paintings and everything
in the rooms are the same as when Washington
was living. The location Of Mount Vernon is
beautiful. never saw more pleasant place,
and do not wonder that Washington would have
been glad to have escaped from the cares and
troubles of political life and spend quiet old
age in his pleasant home.
The veto of the Insane Land Bill by the Pres
dent causes quite an excitement, but think
will be acquiesced in without much feeling
There is much speculation in regard to his ac-
ton on the Homestead Bill, should it pass
The class Of strict constructionists here is
larger than is generally supposed; and internal
Improvement men have to play rather shrewd
game to carry through their measures. Those
advocating donations of lands for railroads are
yet in hopes that they will work their bills
through if so be Mr.. Clark and all our delega-
ton are ready to guard Michigan interests.
Washington is full of strangers, and very
gay. There are men from all parts of the Union
and Of the world; all "goin' it," all working at
something, and all anxious to have Nebraska
disposed Of, SO their pet measures and schemes
can be attended to.
Ny health is improving slowly, and hope
soon to be back on Grand River, as think l am
better adapted to numbering than "pollytcks"
or reporting. ISLE"
Recent Intelligence from the Sandwich ISL