Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-09-18
TCDEMUCKIT.1


% mAoe t0r the erection Of Q Ht1inl
house for the residence Of the Presi
dents Of the United States, ct the sea
Of national government We hop,
that the effort will be successful. tn,
present mansion is situated IN one o
the District Of Columbia. The conse
quence has been that no family cal
reside in it for any long period without
danger, and perhaps destruction r
their health. We think that We should
not greatly err, were we TO say, tina,
this Inconvenience has been felt, in 4
greater or less degree, by every incum.
bent of the Presidential Office since
the city Of Washington became the
seat Of government. 1t has been . con-
slant topic Of complaint and facts,
within the knowledge Of all who have
been in the habit OF spending much
time at the national capital, have album
dainty substantiated it as well-groun-
ded complaint.
The gazetteers and guide books, in
describing thepublic buildings Of Wasl :
ington, unite in representing the Pres.
ident's House rs situated ION beauti.
full lawn, gently sloping towards the
Potomac, and elevated forty four feet
above it," But this description, though
technically correct conveys an errone-
Gus idea, inasmuch as this beautiful
lawn does not skirt the Potomac at all.
In the first place, there is a public road
between its boundary wall and the Dor.
der Of Tlber Creek, which runs in from
the river, and is great portion of the
time low, marshy, and Stagnant. Mas
ma, at certain seasons Of the year, ia
exhaled from its bosom continuously,
and renders the White House unten-
antable by persons who have any re-
gard for their health.
In point Of fact, there is hardly an.
other location in the city Of Washing
ton, (which, as a whole, cannot Justly
be said to be an unhealthy place of re.
sidcnce,) which would not be better,
in sanitary point Of view, as the site
OF the Presidents mansion, than that
now occupied ~ such. And now that
the Treasury is full, and can we'll
enough afford the expense, we hope
that the desideratiOn Of 10 many wears
will be attained, by the adoption by
Congress ofthe proposed measure. A
splendid addition to the Capitol is now
in the course Of completion, and there
would be peculiar fitness in erecting
y white House" that should be a fit.
ting companion TO it at the same time.
In an economical view of the mat.
ter, it may be suggested that the pres
cnt mansion house Of the President
need not be abandoned by the Govern
ncnt II is well known that some oil
The public offices are not little cramp
I'd for room; and that buildings, by no
means adequate for their accommoda.
'lon, and for the convenient transaction
II business, have been leased or pur-
'hased, as matter Of absolute neces.
'lty, for lack of more fitting ones. The
White House, though untitled by its
ocatlon for family residence, would
furnish excellent accommodations for |
several Of the departmental bureaux.
We cherish the hope that the time
3 not far distant when, the Capitol OK.
enslon being completed, there may
Use at the seat Of the national Govern
ncnt a residence for its Chief Mayis.
rate that may be proudly pointed at
s in every way worthy Of the nation.
las Russia been Interfering In India ?
from the Paris Dcbats, August %.
The opinion is widely spread in In.
liza that the long train Of powder which
las exploded under the feet of the Brit.
sh at Teheran, Delhi, and Canton pro-
:ccds from concerted plan prepared
" Russia during the late war, and not
abandoned by her alter the conclusion
If peace. In India a sincere belief
clgns with resi- ect to the power of in.
rignc and the diplomatic skill Of Rus.
ia, notwithstanding the events Of the
asst few years ought to have proved to
he most preiudised that this skill has
'cen vastly exaggerated, and that the
'ower to intrigue chiefly exists in the
redulity Of the public. Did VIC not,
n fact, witness during the late war the
liter impotency of Russia to produce
IN explosion in countries undermined
y her influence, such as Bulgaria, Ser.
ia, and Montenegro. BM, if we in
europe are aware Of THO feality. people
n India are not SO iadvanced.
That Russia p2 'csses agents in Cen
raj Asia is a " alter Of certainty, and
thSf mission is to raise enc.
MES to England. Some of these
'gcnts, md especially the unhappy
who disappeared SO sudden
y, nth his papers at st. Petersburg,
vNc created too much noise in the
world to permit any doubt with regard
o their existence; but it is not so Ger.
ain that these agents penetrate into
British India. The presence there Of
! European is difficult to conceal, and
would be almost impossible for a
trangcr ,n~.-a@ong populations
peaking an infinity Of languages and
lialects without being detected aNl>de'
,onnced by the police. 1t may be re.
orted that il Russian policy does not
,ossess direct afents in India, it EN-.
,loys host Of emissaries, recruited
.mong the traders, travelling fakirs,
&c, Of Asia.
Now, the slightest knowledge Of the
East teaches that nothing serious
could he obtained from such iustru |
ments, even if they were employed, for |
Asiatics placed between two Christian |
powers would betray both. Now, Eng |
and pays better and more willingly |
han Russia; consequently, any intri. |
yues Of the latter would speedily be
disclosed to the British suthorities.-I
In reality, the theatre Of the struggle
tic two countries IL still