The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-05-02
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.

1hs Capitol Bnilding- Washington's Stat
ue--The E,hite House-.Sights in the
Patent Office = The .SmiMsonian--A
Look in upon the Congressmem, espe-
ctaHy 7hedker.
BALTIMORE, April 10, 1850.
Dear Spirit-Having just returned from
trip to the renowned City of Washington, we
concluded to write an account of our travels
and let your columns spread them abroad to
AZ admiring public. To commence, after fill
ing our pockets with peanuts, chewing gum
and "lickerish," we went to Camden station,
got aboard the cars and off we were going at
the rate of rs miles per hour (not including
stoppages) tow ards our destination.
In the course of couple of hours we
rived there all right on the Gander, as Shakes
peare or some other great man has it and pro-
ceeded to make a tour of the place.
Washington as every one knows is the cap
itol of these United States situated on the
Potomac river, in the District of Columbia, it
contains about forty or fifty Thousand inhab-
itants. We first proceeded to the capitol, and
took a survey of it and the surrounding
grounds. The building is one of the finest in
the world-it is built of white marble, and is
745 feet inches in length and l so in breadth.
The dome in the center of the building is not
yet finished, but will be in short time.
As Congress was not yet in session, we ex-
amined the paintings and statuary of which
there are great many very fno specimens.
and then took a "Bus'' and rode out Pennsyl-
vania Avenue to take look at the equestrian
statue in bronze of Gen. Washington. This
splendid work Of art was cast in Munich under
the supervision of Clark Mills, ESQ.,, the cele-
brated Sculptor.
Returning we stopped few minutes to look
at the White House and walk through the
beautiful grounds adjoining that splendid
building, and from there we strolled over to
the Patent Office, where we scratched our dis
tingushed names in the visitors book, dropped
cent (our last ''red'D into the monument
fund, and proceeded to take general survey
of the premises and "the things therein con-
tanned
Although most of the curiosities have been
removed to the Smithsonian Institute, there
were still enough remaining to occupy an hour
or two of our time looking over them: The
original Declaration of Independence, Wash
ington's commission, clothes and arms being
building as we'll as the General Post Office
building close at hand, is splendid specimen
of architecture
From the Patent Office we next proceeded
to the Smithsonian Institute. This building
was built with the money of an English gen
tleman of that very uncommon name Smith
son, which he left for that purpose, and Is one
of the most beautiful buildings in the City
1t contains specimens of everything, from Al
Egyptian Mummy down to the smallest insect
Here we spent several hours looking over an
cient curiosities relics of the illusrious living
as well as dead, and thousands of sp!endit
specimens of beasts, birds, fishes and reptiles
and last but not least, the Stanley gallery o
Indian paintings and the statue of the dyins
Gladiator. This last is one of the finest pieces
of statuary we saw during our trip.
Feeling now pretty well used up as the say
ing is, we concluded to spend the rest of ou
time in the Senate chamber and House, ant
thither we slowly wended our way. Their
were bu. few members of the Senate present
among them however were the Hons. S. A
Douglas, VIM. II. Seward, Simon Cameron
Jefferson Davis, R. M. T. Hunter, Andrew
Johnson, and one or two others of note, all il
s., 81
Importance was going on, and after taking
good view of the members, we marched across
to the House of Representatives, whore th
Hon. c. l.. Vallandingham was making
Texan frontiers but there was so much con
fusion and talking going on, that like th
Frenchman with his dictionary, we "could no
keep the run of the story"
The Hon. Jno. Sherman, of Ohio, was OF
the floor, for few minutes, but his remarks
were of no importance. The gifted Thos.
Thealer was present, but that gallant gentle
man (as when Mr.. Blake's resolution was offer
! ed) had nothing to say. We then left tn,
House not without feeling of regret at no
having heard that illustrious Representative
of the 18th, and having concluded our tour o
the place and seen all the sights, we brok
for the cars and returned home wiser if no
sadder, and now hoping you will pardon ou
mistakes, ETC., We remain,
Yours Truly,
JINX & COUSIN.
The Census.