Litchfield enquirer., 1860-04-26
&ittR6el6 Gn4nItet.
THURSDAY, APRIL 26th, 1860.
Editorial Correspondence.) Views from the Capital.
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 23d, 1860

"SSAA' -'>0~ N->S-H plary ENQUIRER. from this modern Babylon of politics and politicians, you will attribute the omission not to any lack of interest with me, but because knew you were so we'll provided for at home and because I suspected your regular Washington correspondent would much better fulfill the duties of his vocation than I could hope for But since the presence of his princi- pal seems to afford EYE GLASS a sufficient apolo- gy (to himself) for the interruption of his weekly efforts, am happy of the opportunity of taking his place for the nonce (although his pay con- tinues regularly9 and giving you a few nasty inklings of what "ye editor" sees on his travels
 Imprimis, let me tell you that Washington is city of the most magnificent humbugs your en- terprsing imagination can conceive. Take its public buildings away, and the city becomes blank wilderness on the banks of muddy majes- tic stream. The public treasury is the yolk that supports the whole concern take that away and the shell would crush into an airy nothing, or as they say here into nary anything"
 Public men, too, when you come to get a close look at them are not such Giants after all. They appear we'll through the newspapers and through the Eye Glass, but looking down upon them from the galleries of the Senate or the House. or meeting them sauntering through the corri dors of the capital or upon the avenue, their to- bacco stained shirt fronts, their shambling gait, and their rul11ed extcriors generally do not i'm press you with the highest awe or the greatest self abasement; and when you see two hundred and fifty together, half of them hallooing and screaming to the top of their lungs, and all to- gether as our dignifed Representatives are often heard doing as they endeavor to gain the Speak er's eye or his recognition, the scene can hardly be called impressive or grand.
 The capitol as you know by the yearly appro- priations that are made, is yet in an unfinished state, but the two houses of Congress are both of them occupied, and the huge dome only re- mains for completion. If I were to begin to write of the elegance and even boundless magni- cence of the building itself, with it's noble halls its marble corridors, it's elaborate ceiling, its res coed apartments, should more than exhaust the narrow limits of a letter, and have else to write of. But may say, in word, that no building in this country begins to compare with i; in its magnfcence and grandeur as a whole, when it shall be completed, and probably no where in the world will be found varied cham bers of such elaborate richness and beauty as fol- low one another in almost endless succession here. 1Tesselated pavcments and columns of single blocks of marble every where meet the eve and echo the foot fall, while gilded figures and brilliant frescoes burst upon the vision at every step. One chamber is composed wholly of mar ble, the foor the walls and the ceiling! Others are covered with the finest creations of the pen- cil, representing myriads of myths and scenes from our country's history The steps are every where of snowy marble, the ceilings every where supported by columns of the rich, dark stone from quarries in Tennessee. All, as have said, IS protusion of richness, and we'll repays visit to the capital merely to see. Gwish could say as much of the legislators, as can of the house they legislate inD The cost of it all will re- commend Eye Ghtss sometime to gather the sta tistics and inform you. Certainly hope Uncle Samuel is we'll able to pay for it all and indeed his funds seem to be inexhaustible hereabouts.
 One thing forgot to mention though, that among other little convenences of the capitol are half dozen restaurants within its walls and two large kitchens, to say nothing of innumera- ble apple stands, and other stands where hungry and thirsty Congressmen may refresh their wea- ry bodies, and recuperate their strength, lost or weakened by the tremendous pressure of their public duties.
 The other government buildings, of which I have not space to speak, are each of them almost on an equal scale of magnifcence and conven. fence. The Smithsonian Institute, as YOU know is the oldest of all architectural structures in ifs exterior, but pleasant and convenient within. The Washington monument stands memorial Of folly like huge white chimney stuck in the sand, uncapped, unfinished and unsipbt]v It probably will never get higher spite of the exer- tions of the worthy postmasters throughout the Union, who put little boxes into their oficez for contributions and return six or nine conts +o the managers here If a really decent monument or memorial were once designed, however. tbere would be no lack of funds to carry it on to ;ts completion while an American lived who rovor enced and loved the name and fame of W.su. INGTON.
 Last week paid visit to the restinp n1aco of the great Father at Mt. Vernon. The place and the tomb is, believe finally now made ovs, +o the ladies of the Association who have ;t ;, charge' and the present occupant is to movo mt ana Vaeate with his family and slapes on tb. first of May. '"e
 The old house is in sad condition of decay anu 'he grounds about it are not much better situated. The Association are now csll;no f,r more aid to put and to keep these in renoir and certainly worthier object couldn't be presented to the sympathies of the public. Evo,u ho.,, now speaks of Mt. Vernon as the Mecca of pts tS. American people. It belongs now to tho N. M tion-and that this almost sacred o,ovod s,o,,, be suffered to fall into decay and desolation c.n not will not be permitted by men and womon WHO reverence HIS name who lies entombed here
 | nave said nothing thus far of the pot;cians wno haunt and hunt in hordes this caravansorv ofpolitics, and the limits of my letter. uorn a,s Una. must defer all observations upon this topic until shall see you " face to face" Reforo ,h;. reaches you yOu will nrob,,l, , ~