The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-01-25

Z
a more profound admiration than for any
Statesman in the Nation, looked the very
man to preside in this august body.
called on the President last evening, and
took daylight view of the outside of the
mansion this morning. The President rs
very approachable and afable, and gains on
ones good opinion upon acquaintance lie
is easy, and rather languid than ylyaclous IN
his manner, and seems careworn and exhaust
ed with the burden of business and anxiety.
He makes himself very agreeable, however,
in conversation, and relieves one from any
feeling of restraint, or rather excites no
such sensation. The public rooms of the
House were not lighted up, and those that
was in exhibited nothing more remarkable or
differing from the apartments OF prlvategen
temen's houses elsewhere.
The Presidents House is something over 3
mile between west and northwest Of the
Capitol, on Pennsylvania Avenue, which for
that distance is the most busy and fashlona-
bic thoroughfare of the City. 1t is OF stone,
ITO feet in length by IS in width, and two
immensely tall stories high. 1t has large
porticoes, supported by Ionic columns, and
is surrounded by some twenty acres of pleas
ure grounds, upon which much care and ex-
pense have been lavished.
The Patent Office is situated nearly half q
mile East of the Presidents house, and is Il
very fine, large building, 400 by 275 feet on
the ground, and IS feet high. found Judge
Mason in his office, looking as usual, gen
tleman Of talent and man of business. l
ranged through the grand exhibition nails,
) taking O rapid glance at the countless cases
| of "models'' Of inventions, instruments and
machinery, of every description, of all man
ner of things organized and unorganized, OF
Sch &c nj deem
+ and Of the land, Of birds and beasts, vege-
tables and minerals, even a catalogue OF
which would eli book. But of all this rich
and varied display only paused to examine
and contemplate q suit of old clothes and
some old rusty iron vessels These were the
military suit worn by Washington, and the
camn eauipage used by him through the Rev
olutionary war. They are more precious IN
the eyes of patriots, more suggestive OF glo-
rious memories and soul-stlrrlng thoughts,
than all the vast collection beside. There
were the domestic utensils used by the Ia
Their of his Country through oil that dark ana
arduous struggle which resulted III the Ma
TONS independence and freedom; ana there
was the uniform which in proud humility he
laid aside when that struggle was over, as
emblematc Of his resignation Of supreme
command, and retired, to the qmazement OF
|
through all time, TO the quiet and humble po-
siton of q private citizen of the country he
had saved.
The Post Office building, though not quite
so large, is more elegant, and is generally re-
garded us the finest building IN the City
The Treasury building is about equal in size
to the Patent Office, and stands nearer the
/ Presidents house. The buildings for the
State Department. the War and the Navy,
are still nearer the Presidents House, and
are of smaller dimensions, and built of
brick. | did not visit them, and merely men
ton them to fill out the list and indicate their
location.
The Smithsonian Institute, Of which we
have all heard IA great deal, is iocated on
what is called the Island, being large plat
Of ground living between a kind OF slackwa-
ter branch of the Potomac River. Ii stands
in full view from the Capitol, as well as
from the Presidents Hoase; is two lofty sto-
ries in height, about 45o feet in length by
$50 in width, having central building and
! wings. The material is Il fine red stone,
and the stvle of architecture Romanesque,
which | suppose implies the idea of pro-
fusion of irregular towers, steeples, and Gu
. polas US counted nine or ten OF various
e sizes and different heights. The workman
: ship is Of the most finished character, and
:, the building impresses one very fayorably,
> both from within and without, on close IN
n spection But nj distance, in consequence
o Of being situated on large naked plaln.
d probably, the building does not show to such
!, advantage, and really disappoints expecta-
. ton. | should think the style in which 1t is
u built not at all adapted to level site, though
3 il might show well on the top Of cliff OF
| promontorv.
The interior Of the building seems admir-
ably planned, and the work is all Of the
ie most perfect character. There is one Of the
u best arranged Lecture Rooms | ever saw
= which will seat some fifteen hundred persons
The Library Room is also very fine, anc
= contains already choice collection Of books
- The picture Gallery contains some two hun
:, dred portraits of distinguished aborigines o.
this country, amongst which recognize ole
:: | keokuk rs natural as life. The Museum il
= not finished off as yet, aud is to occupy thu
n centre of the main building, over two hundred
feet in length, and supported by a row o.
a lofty columns on each side. The Philosoph
= lcal apparatus Is extensive, and makes
~ splendid show Of itself.
a The Washington Monument is on the SAM
- plain with the Institute, but some distanc
ns off, and did not present sufficiently imposing
IA and attractive appearance to draw III
~ through the deep snow to closer inspection
- 1t is, take it, rather u failure, certainly il
a. design, and probably III execution.
\ There are various other public places, sue
hv as the Arsenal, Navy Yard, &C., which
= would visit were the weather less Indictment
i; but II degrees below zero and the difficult,
Of Of getting about in consequence of the dec
~ snow and the closing up of the river by ice
must excuse M apparent lack Of patriotism
ha in foregoing a visit to these places, as wei
he as TO Mount Vernon, till more agreeable j
a not convenient season.
30 AS intimated before. one Of the most at
tractiye features of Washington is the ex
Al 4