New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-24
INTERCEPTED LETTERS....No. V.

DT.RS In addition to the usual ills Of uncer-
tain climate Washington has an assortment of WINDS
that come Unexpectedly and blow in irritating, Mt
full clustering way-or no other purpose, apparently,
than to gather up the light soil in clouds Of binding
dust, and whiIl Il around and over, and in every
where. You cannot escape. II dashes against you,
sticks you you over, until your eyes feel a.
succeed and your throat filed with sandbars. The
wide avenuesracecourses for the elements-seein 10
invite the contest and afford material for the annoy
ance Nor does the evil come once in long while, or
once in reasonable time with intervals of rest be-
tween-ke the tempest in Lear, with pauses for con-
| yersaon-but il blows by the month You retire at
night with blast rafting the easements and bowling
down the chimney, and you awaken next morning 10
| the same music TO find the furniture of your room
pow dered with dust. This reminder of mortaty-this
raw material Of poor humanty-gets to be hideous
evil and one ends by Regarding il with horror scarce
| ly Conceivable by other than a sufferer.
made an engagement with some friends TO VISIT
the Senate chamber, on the occasion of Gen. Hous
tons speech. The day came, with winds blowing
from every quarter, bringing in specimens of earth
from all parts of the country adjacent 1t wonld be of
no use TO put off the engagement; the winds would
continue to blow, and Gen Houston would cease
speaking. So we secured hack and started. The
sunshine glared upon everything. The avenues and
streets were dazzlingthe houses reflected the light
in sheets of glare; look up down, and one saw
nothing but painfully white day. seasoned with dust
The habitations had look of retiring within them
selves shutting out it were, this abominable day,
with its winds and clouds As for ourselves imagined
that we were caught out and the one solitary hack
was seized on as prey long watched for. The winds
caught at They seemed TO gather and speed after
| with shrieks of delight. We saw them way down the
Avenue start huTiedly at the sight of us, and come
roaring Un ond soigo carriage, and shake II, and
roll IT, until other winds would suddenly bounce round
corners and the several winds-sreet winds and cor
| ner winds-woud seem to battle about our carnage,
throw clouds of dust at each other and over u.s. I'm
agne ii you can, little picnic in the Desert of
| Sahara.
In such IN hour we visited the Senate Chamber.
| On the way, well as the clustering, noisy storm would
permit my friend w. gave me graphic description
Of the sleghing here last Winter. 1t not for
day or two days, but continued weeks. The deep
snow hard trodden upon the frozen ground, solid
az rock and smooth as glass. The idle denizens Of
Washington did not lose this opportunity. The gay
sodges sprung like magic into existence, and soon the
streets and avenues were spotted with what seemed
animated flower beds, and rung as if millions OF
blackbirds were pouring foods of melody upon the
dazzling snow. ALI what delicious enjoyment.
When blues are gathering about me, when LIES loco
motive rolls slower and slower upon its iron track,
and all seems desoate and dreary lap in urs and
let me hear the music of the bells as glide mer
rily over the smooth snow and through Heavens
bracing element and these will chase after like
wolves but be distanced by until all have
disappeared, and earth more is bright, beautiful
and happy. But TO Washington sleghing:
The principal amusement racing on Pennsylvania
avenue. AS many fifty, hundred sleghs, drawn
by the switest from Baltimore, Philadelphia
and various parts of Virginia, would gather in front of
the Capitol gate, and, al given signal start at full
speed along the wide even course. What bursts Of
silvery musc-what thrilling shouts, as the gay cava
cade moved swiftly on. A. the race continued, the
excitement grew intense. For while order would be
preserved but in little time the trot would break
INTO gallop and the gnlop TO a rum Then came the
accidents, the collisions and upsets-what fearful
smashes until out Of the great crowd remnant only
would, Ike beaten host of DID, ay past the Treasury
buildings The rest were scattered along the route,
laid up in cafes, hotels and gambling houses; where,
w. assures ne, they yet remain.
What an unhappy entrance is this for the sovereign
people 10 the Senate, by winding, narrow sairways in
at small doors TO q narrow, uncomfortable gallery.
Let US bsye with all practical speed, the cham
ber where spectators supposed to have rights,
at least IN existence The gallery is crowded. Tor the
gallant old General Of Texan memory is popular aud
attractive and forced into places reserved for
the reporters The gentlemen of the press give way
politely 10 the ladies' where one is neither young
nor handsome, ard we have comfortable positions
dir, city above the Speaker and facing the Senators
Now look with me down upon the seda.e dignifed
body, and see where your eye will rest knew i'll
recognize the most remarkable feature That youthful
almost boyish fgure-that head, young in its abuu
dance of flowing hair, among these aged heads-thst
face on which an irregular, harsh beard has been
cultivated with the evident design o. giving m exDe-
riercod appearance-all pertain to George E. Pugh.
Senator from Ohio.
That State You know, for wealth, population and
importance raj Ks among the second the Isl of sis
ter States and strange that in this important
body, playing so grand role as does the Senate in
the detiBes Of our country, this yoarg man should BE-
her representative. Even looked on as an accident
une1p, ciod result of sudden popular excitement it's
almost without parallel The story Of the Younger
Pitt makes precedent But j. it an accident St'pi
we shall have opportunity OF judging. H. has the
door, and : about making his FIRST effor, in toe Senate
We are fortunate. He stands for 4 moment as if hest
ta,irg-then commences in low, clear voice. The
chamber IS so still mouse would dhturb il. These
reverend Senators, dropping pen and paper lean for
ward in taeir Grxiety to Lear ere who has come So
unlookedioT among them; and frd Z they car,