The Portland daily press., 1867-04-25
IFrom the Washin yton Chronicle,
The Capitol Grouuds.

Hon, William P. Fessenden, the new chair-
man of the Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, is giving much time and attention TO
the important duties of that position. 1t is in
teresting to note the manner IN " which gentle
man, heretofore absorbed in the exactins de-
tails Of financial legislation, devotes himself to
a subject entirelg different, and yet Que well
calculated to arouse the attention of the stu.
dent and scholar. Some years ago, while the
lamented Senator Douglas was member Of the
Committe on Public Buildings and Grounds,
Mr. Fe.s .senden heartily supported the views or
that lamented patriot in regard to the District
of Columbia There was no suhje upon which
Judge Douglas more delighted TO converse than
the future OF Washington. he always advo-
Gated liberal appropriations, and was par
ticularly anxious that the Capitol build
ings should be magnificently SURROUNDED,
He anticipated the day when the CapI.ol
grounds would rival ali that we read uf the
taste and even the splendor OF the engirons OF
the pubic buildings in foreign countries. 1t
was a habit OF his to take his stand on the
northern side of the Capitol and predict what
c-anges the future would necessltate in that
and in other directions; aud the beautiful i'm
provements in the vicinity of what aIlerward
became his own property, on New jersey ave-
nue. and streets, are the result of his efforts
ON the Committee of Public Buildings and
Grounds. The great care and attention now
given to the general subject by Mr.. FesseuGen
is sure guarantee that the same broad and
comprehensive policy will not be abandoned.-
u
so strong during the lifetime OF Juoee Iouclas
whie yet slovery held the reins OF society and
business in this city, and while both houses OF
Congress were control ed by the pro slavery
Democracy, it ought to be irresistible now that
the District has become the seat C1 perfect free
dom and equality, and wren the Whole South
is nreparipg itself for the new dlsI ehSatlUn-
Great changes have taken place since the death
of the Illinois statesman-changes preparing
tb;s ten miles square and the whole or tha
mjgbty Southern empire, extending from the
Potomac to the Guit-to all the efforts, how
ever grand, of the philanthroplst and states-
man Universal suffrage, the magic talisHan,
is converting a whole race into citizens and
clothing them with thousand new respo Isl.
bilities, infusing into them new energies and
new emulation. The District of Columbia is q
type OF the whole. A new railroad wiz short
ly compete for travel and transportation b.
tween Baltimore and Richmond and b-tween
Baltimore and Washington. New men are be-
ginning to buy the rich lands of Virginia and
Maryland near the city, long neglected and al,
most abandoned by their former owners, tho
Shareholders, and are settling for the pur-
pose of redeeming and improving then.--
Our great water powers will soon be employed
by the building capital Of the North, and then
manufactures of all kinds will convert Wash
ington from what 1t has always bseu-a mere
rendezvous of official consumers-into a COM
muni of public-spirited and thrifty producers
The city government will shortly be as thor
oughly reconstructed as any OF the old ilsur-
rectionary States; with progressive officers and
councils, inspired by progressive impulses and
pressive laws. All these will tend to make the
rational capital and object of national soGci-
tude and pfide, and will Justify Whatever ex-
penditures Congress may make. We can only
hope that Mr.. Fessenden will not tire in the
good work he has so well begun.