Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-12-09
aditoriai correspondenee.
WAsHIxoroN, CI1Y. Dec. ia

sual sights visible about here. At the Patent
Office, found quite number, ladies and gem
tlemen, from all parts of the world, lost in adj
! miration and wonderat what they saw They
could hardly realize-indeed some of them did
express doubt, that before them, in a neat case,
hung the identical coat vest and brooches, worn
by General Washington, the occasion of his
snrrendering his commission to the Congress at
Anapolis There, too, was his sword, dinged
vintage and use, but whose steel had proved
more true and effectual than the famed Darnas-
Gus blade. Many a curious look was taken and
question asked about the old battered Portfolio,
the camp trunk, and the homely and original tin
pans, old fashioned knives and forks, and other
parts of his camp furniture, These were the
sources Of attrnction--of reverence akin to that
felt by the pious Moslern at Mecca. Here were
the children of the father of his country paying
obedience to the dumb lifeless relics made sacred
by the touch of his hand. These were more to
them than the curious collections gathered, ma
ny of them. at great peril and expense, from all
parts of the world
Itwouid need more space than could devote
to give your readers any idea of the countless
attractions in this building. Their name is .le-
legion, and embrace every thing, from rustic
Pegee war clubs to the last invention of educa-
ted and civilized industry. OF making many
patents there seems to be no end, and it must be
matter of concern TO the managers to know
what they will, aftera WHILE do with all the spe-
cimens daily increasing on their hands, One
other object attracted very earnest attention, and
that was the old identical press upon which
Franklin worked while ajourneyman printer in
London. IL seemed like clumsy, ridiculous
old affair, and it would make but poor show
along side of the elegant presses of the Inteli-
gencer job room, and still worse in comparison
WIN your steam press.
From the Patent Office we went to the Smith
sonian Institute, another museum, but of
somewhat different kind. The origination and
establishment of this institution, as you know.
wasby Alexander Smithson, of England, "a very
wealthy, benevolent and scientific man. who
left his immense property in trust with the Uni
ted States, to found an institution for the sdis-
covery and diffusion of knowledge" In fur
therance of this wish, this institution has been
built and furnished with beautiful rooms for the
deposit of all rare and scientific objects 1t is,
believe, obligatory upon all persons who take
out copyright for any book or map, to furnish
one copy to this institution, and in this way a
very large and rapidly increasing library has
already been furnished Constant accessions
are made TO the scientific apparatus by great
sSaol==-=s aud experiinenters throughout oil
parts of the world It has one room devoted to
the cultivation and exhibition of fine paintings,
Autographs, and engravings A great number
of these have already been obtained. There is
nlso very large reading room, pro bono pa5li-
tha
Europe and America are on the table In the
spacious and finely furnished lecture room, lee
lures are delivered at nights upon all scientific
and literary subjects. But it would be useless
for me to attempt enumerating its many attrac-
tons. The residents of Washington are q
highly favored people. They ought to be the
most civilized and intelligent people in the Uni
ted States They have mines of intellectual
wealth on every hand, flowing free as WATER
The cry ON every hand seems to be, come,
without money and without price"
Talking about prices, leads me to suggest
'doubtas to whether they return the compliment
on the same liberal scale. have not made much
experimental insight into the matter, but what
little Ihave seen, generates few fnisgvings that
the whistle is. after all, bought at very unwar-
rantable prices.
There was quite an animated session of the
Senate to-day, further debate on the merits of
the message having ensued It was very severe.
lyhapdled by several Senators. Hon. Mr.. Wade.
of Ohio, made quite speech against it, as also
did Mr.. Fcsscnden, of Maine. On the other side
of tho house it was commended and defended
by Messrs. Mason, Butler and Cass Mr. Wade
denounced the message as a libel upon the peo-
pie of his State, and on the majority of the pco-
pie of the free States He regarded the cffusion
IN the light Of chagrin and vexation on the part
of the President at his reputation by the people
of the North. He said that on the other side of /,
the chamber, day after day throughout each
session, they heard threats of disunion, and he
was tired of it He thought it was time both
parties understood each other, and that if the
South We're going to secede, unless the Northern
people gave up the idea of non-extension, why
they had better set about it. He said that il
was the fixed purpose and resolve of the North
to limit slavery-it was left in trust to them by 4
the fathers of the republic, and they would car
.ry, out the trust. Slavery and freedom could not
exist side by side, and it was not the intention
of the fathers to spread an institution that mug.
zled the press-preyented freedom of speech
sasAS SNtuelit from the clTcuuiocutor-s
airy style in which they got around it in the Con-
stitntion; they were careful not to insert the.
word slave; at that time the necessities Of a
united government were perching upon them,
and they were willing to tolerate and provide j
for slavery In the States where it existed as a
necessary evil; yet soon after they draughtcd
the Ordinance of 81, whereby it was forbidden
in the territory northwest of the Ohio
From the other side, Judge Butler, of South
= Nina al = n.EN
10 him about all these distinctions between the
various shades of anti-slaveryism. 1t was dis =
tinctioh without difference and rested ON one
idea, viz: hostility to this institution. For the