The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-04-15
concluded from last week.
A WEEK IN WASHINGTON.
MAsHNeroN. February 81

the President and Mrs. Grant, who with sundry
ladies in elegant ~toilettes, and long trains, stooC
to be victimized for the benefit of the glorious
democracy of this glorious country. Mrs. Gran
is a plain but pleasant looking woman, who put
on no airs, and is much respected for her socia
and christian character. We were introduced tC
sundry people during the hour we remained-but
to no one who interested us more than the wife
ofspeaker Colfax-a sweet, refined looking woman
whom Colfax found, not in New York or Wash
ington, but in Ohio, | was told-and brought her
to the Capital, without asking consent OF the
bellies of Washington-which, am sure he never
would have obtained. 1t will not do to gossip,
but there are certain stories aioat about letters
to him with long dark tresses inclosed one at
least, which the lady referred to a well-knoWn
friend of yours and ours in Boston, for further
information. Mrs. Colfax told us she was to
have a reception the next day, her = last for the
season. and invited US to be present, which OF
course we should desire whether invited or not.
Dined with Com. Reynolds. Wednesday NOR
ming we set out early for Arlington Heights.
After crossing the Potomac, we assembled It's
gently sloping bank for a mile or two, when we
came to the foot of the hill which is crowned by
the mansion of the late Confederate Gen. Lee.
The white pillars of the immense portico in front
of the house, contrasted exquisitely with the fine
forest trees through which We saw them, as the
carriage wound slowly up the hill. The situa-
ton of the house, the grounds. the view from the
p~ortico across the broad Potomac-all arc mag
nifcent and as we stood almost spell bound by
the beauty of the scene, we could not help ex-
claiming: o. how much the rebels lost by their
own folly! On looking through the house, you
find it plain and cheap,-and if its walls and
porches could whisper out their secrets, they
would no doubt become immortalized in the annals
of treason. We went all over the house, which
is entirely unfurnished, but kept clean by an
attendant on the place. Our driver was once a
slave of Gen. Lee, and has an aged grandmother
once a slave, now living on the place. There is
another notable {" Aunt Sallie, - to whose house
the driver was told by our friends to take us
which he did. We found her in a very ancient
block cabin, kept neat and clean by her grand
daughter. She is over eighty years old-was
= raised on the place, as she said-had borne
nineteen children into the kingdom of slavery
[ asked her if Lee sold them from her. Old
Curtis did that" she said.-the father of Mrs.
Lee, and relative of Martha Washington. They
were scattered everywhere. One went to Africa,
and of the rest, she knew not where they were,
or whether they were alive, with exception of
three, who had found their way back to her since
the war. She told of her Jim" dragged out
of the whipping-house in chains to be sid
farther south, saying in a choked voice, g
wished they had taken a gun and shot him. As
the poor creature swayed continually back and
forth in her seat, and wiped her nearly sIghtless
eyes during her whole narrative, it was plain
that the hot iron of slavery was still burning
into her soul.
As we passed over hill and dale to get to her
house, we saw more of the beauty and extent of
IL
not calculated for by the chivalrous
owner-the cemetery where fifteen thousand
Union soldiers hold quiet possession of these
magnificent grounds. Acres upon acres of
graves as lar as the eye can discern the little
white spots which mark the soldiers last visiting
place. The sight was overpowering. 1t must
be seen to be felt. There was a fascination about
the place, and we wanted to linger till shutdown,
but other engagements hurried us away.
At 2 P. NJ, we went to a meeting of a Woman's
Board of Missions, lately organized in Washing
ton, and at three, to Mrs. Coliax's reception.
When we were presented to her, she Immediately
stepped from her position to introduce us, as she
said, to her husbands mother-a venerable lady
whom we all remember to have read of,-as
giving receptions, and doing all the honors of her
sons house, with admirable grace, until the
advent of the bride, some two or three wears ago.
The fine old lady was elegantly, but appropriately
dressed, and sitting at some little distance from
the daughter, and Ter group of younger women,
VINO were of course standing. After short but
pleasant stay, we went to dine with Gen. Whit
telsey, one OF the Professors in Howard University
after which the General took us to a public
meeting appointed for the purpose of conierrlng
the degree of NJ. ID. on the first graduating
medical class of the University. The class was
small-abOut equally divided between white and
colored students; but one of the latter took the
vaIedictory. The address was highly applauded,
and was very creditable to the :" colored gentle
man and to the University. The first class in
was graduated a week ago.
Thursday morning, found us on board a little
steamer, bound for Mount Vernon-that shrine of
every true American heart. The day was mild
and perfect IN every respect. and the boat was
crowded with fine looking people, on the same
pilgrimage as ourselves. DIR. Chickering of
Portland, and bis wife and daughter, were in our
and pointed out to US many interesting
Alexandria is an old, SLOtO looking
but it holds the house in which Ellsworth
murdered-unless, as some say 1t is entirely
carried off by relic hunters. We could not see
it, but the direction in which it stood, or stands.
was pointed out to us. AS we steamed past the
streets which opened on the river, our attention
was called to one in particular, the first paved
street in the United States. After two bours
we reached the sacred grounds-less than
'acred we could not consider them-and SLOWLY
wended our way up the somewhat steep ascent.o
Washington's tomb. Was it a reality, or was il
dream, that only a slab of marble separated us
rom all that remained of one whose body only is
mortal. We stood long before the iron grating,
which is the simple inscription, . Within !
his vault lie the remains of Gen. George Wash !
ngton." {
Other visitors crowded up to the grating, and
We gave place to them, going ourselves to the
pring which gushes from a steep bank near the c
iyer's brink. 1t is under cover, and the cool t
water drips from a tube inserted in the hill side. e
nto a marble basin below. We drank of the o
pring from which Washington drank. 1t seemed :
ike a sacrament. We looked into the old tomb.
nd other objects Of interest in that locality, and
hen took our upward way to the Mansion. 1t
90, has its wide portico-white pillars of large a
and commands a superb view of the Potomac. -
Nothing could be finer than the prospect from =
he house and the high grounds In the vicinity. I
little wild flowers were beginning to peep out Of p
he ground, and the air was full of spring. We
lmost felt like saying, Let us make three Sc
lbernacles." At length we entered the house, II