New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-05-05
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
5aoo1 ouR srpc1AI CORRESPOND sr.l

these, stands MIR. George NY. Tennessee 1t
is very proper as every one will admit that the ex
penditures and appropriations Of the Government
should be cautiously and iudiciously made. Butany
member who places himself in indiscriminate oppos
ton to all, necessarily comprehends the good as well
as the bad. # the theory Of Mr.. George W. Jones
and his associates carried into practice, we should
have the strange and unusual spectacle Of a govern
ment existing without any costa thing as difficult
Of practice as . man living without food, or fish
without water. Corporations are said to have no
souls, but they have theoretical stoachs least and
very capaeious ones at that.
The Democracy inVeigh against the expenditure Of
money at this time on the plea that the expenses of
the Government have already reached too high fig
ure. True enough. Mr.. Fillmore MANAGED to admin
lister the Government, with an opposition majority in
Congress- on an allowance Of between fifty and sixty
millions per annun. Under the present Adninistra
tion with swinging majorities in both branches Of
Congress, with the exception Houss at the
present SESSION. the expenses
if they fall short Of seventy Ill ii An
year, shall be very much dis
4 made some deyelopnies
ago, in respect Of tits tter, ei
present condition, Of atfahs in Il
He showed, from official statist exI
Of the Government, during Gen.
istration, did not reach two nllfiorls one
that during the last war with GreaS when
! expenses were necessarily large the amounts
expended in any one year, OIL
eight Millions that during thesar sexico,
the highest amount aIfopriated in one yeaS was q
little upwardsof fifty 1lions. And yet now ID NY
time Of profound peace spending seventy oil
eighty millions per aniiun Increasing in an
lalar nronortion fFRB
There are thousands q @si Treaasury
! which the people know nothsg The main
appropriations made by necessary and
proper, as a general thin eGss tea48 various
| little tissures through Whigls # in the
aggregate, ereeps out. aell the
general current, md eaa year makes and
| larger. 5s@ j
H. The reception Of Mr.. Buchanan at New York, and
his progress to Philadelphia appears to have been
triumphal display all aroeaas The prospectsof his
nomination to the Presidency has attracted to him
large majority Of the myriads Of ofice-seekers who
swarm every populous city. But lam more and more
confident that he will not receive the nomination.
Presidential nominations by the Democracy nova
days are gained by low cunning and intrigue. At
such game Douglas or Pierce calTheat old Buck two
to one. But, Notwithstanding the divisions and dis
| putes Of the Democracy touching the Cincinnati
nomination. I do not yet despair of the endorsement
of Mr. Fillmore by that Convention, and the declining
Of the Democracy to put up candidate against him.
This they will obliged to do if they are honest to
their expressed wish to have the South united in the
coming contest.
Yesterday another batch Of Congressional digni-
tares went down to Annapolis to visit the new steam
figate Merrmac. After they all had gotten aboard,
and had paid their respects to the good cheer pro-
vided for them the steamer made to go through
all the usual movements Of naval battle The
operations Of loading and firing, and boarding and all
that sort of thing were practically developed to the
admiring eyes Of the company, who expressed them
selves in terms Of great satsfaetion-a satisfaction
highly increased doubt, by the reflection that it
was only sham fight, and not real one.
Turning aside from the ungrateful paths of party
politics. propose to give brief description of visit
which yesterday made to Mount Vernon.
Having received an invitation from party of ex
cursioniss consisting Of about sixty of both sexes
| to join them in trip to Mount Vernon, very viii
| lingly and gladly accepted IT, The steamer which
was chartered for the purpose was profusely orna
mented with national flags and streamers and fine
band of music gave additional attraction to the ex
cursion Leaving Alexandria about eleven o'clock,
we soon reached Mount Vernon, which is twelve
appropriate music of Washington's March, the COM
pany landed from the steamer and defed up the hill
on which the house is situated The first object of
interest which is reached, is the tomb in which the
mortal remains of Washington repose. A plain brick
vault covers the sarcophagus. This vault is always
locked and it is only through the iron bars that the
interior can be seen. shall not affect any false SEN
timentality in describing the emotions with which
looked upon the sarcophagus which held the remains
of Washington 1t is sufficient to say that felt as if
I stood on hallowed ground, and that appreciated
| more than had ever done before the impershable
glory Of Washngtons name. Yet there is an air of
desolation and neglect about the tomb and the sur
rounding grounds, which is painful to some and
pleasing to others painful to those who would wish
to see this spot, of oil Others beautied by the hand
of ar-and pleasing to those who like the contrast of
this quiet and secluded tomb with the glare and gilt
ter of Westminster Abbey This neglect to rescue the
tomb of Washington from the decay into which it is
falling, does not proceed from lack of veneration for
his name, and grateful admiration of his services
There are thousands OF persons every year who make
pilgrimage to this place-not from mere idle curl
osity but from deepseated appreciation Of the char
acer OF one who seems to have been born for the mis-
sion which he executed and to whom we are indebted
for all the political blessings we enjoy. These pill
grims all see the desolaon which regns around-but
many of them, have no doubt, prefer that it should
be than that such spot should be profaned by the
hand of improvement.
The wife of Washington, in a sarcophagus similar
to that in which he himself reposes, was placed by
his side These are the only tenants Of the vault.
Outside, the other members Of the Washington family
have been inferred, with plain marble shafts desig-
mating the graves
Passing up the hill we next come to the Mount
Vernon house. The same evidences of decay which
arrest the attention at the tomb are also seen about
the house and the grounds. It lisa large oldashioned
country house-such may be yet in many parts
of Virginia, with long portco in front, and six rooms
on the ground floor. The company was kindly re-
ceiyed by Mr.. John A. Washington grand nephew
of General Washington-Who now owns Mount Yer
non by hereditary descent Mr.. Washington accorded
us special favor, which he very seldom does to
yisitors-permssiont to enter the long room' as it
is Called in which the family portraits are hanging.
The proprietor has been compelled to close this room
to visitors generally account of the depredatons
committed upon it by persons anxious to carry off
relic of the place. Among others observed that the
beautiful ornamental marbe-work over the fireplace
had been Clipped and dsfgured by the rude hands of