, 1872-11-10
When It Was the Federal
Capital.
4 Reading from Old Days---noW
Washington Was lnaugu-
rlted.
His Reception---The First Cap
r. itol Edifce.

From Our Otc7a Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Nov. g. 1872.
The flies OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, burned up
more than one year ago, arc not to be replaced.
This loss might stimulate many man to keep
his files. newspaper-flo for long standard |
term is b valuable piece of property, and a whole
library in itself. attempt in this letter to fur
uish SOHO old news not to be had in book:
WASHINGTON GOING TO BE 1SAUduRATEp.
At 81 early hour in the morning, on the 23d |
OF April, 1889, Washington reached the marshy |
point Of Elizabeth City, and scene like m
aquatic picnic was spread bafore him. Flags
we're blowing over the high ridges Of Staten
Island Newark Bay was dotted with sails and
pennons fastening toward the rendezvous !;
through the Kill von kull came boats from New
York, and by the Sound came music from Amboy.
barge of large size, superbly fitted up, rode
at the pier, and thirteen pilots, dressed in
white, manned tho oars thereof, while large
fleet Of craft, Of all sizes, from Bloops and
echooners to yawls and pinnaces, scudded to and
fro or lay at anchor. Tho old Executive Gov
ernment-Jay, the Foreign Secretary; Knox,
Administrator Of War; Hazard, the Postmaster
General; and the three Chiefs OF the Treasury,
0sgood, Lee and Livingston-was fully repre-
eented, and Committee from each House Of
Congress stood By to welcome the new master Of
affairs As he dismounted at tho wator-side,
cannons announced the glad fact and other can
hons passed it to the distant Capital Then,
with music, speeches, and mutual congratula-
tions, tie President took his seat in the barge,
the oars struck the water, and, as the Doges Of
Venice went in state to wed the Adriatic the
new President proceeded By the salt tide to COM
plete the union Of the new American Govern
ment.
He little conceived perhaps, what stately
villas we're to line the shores Of those pastoral
hills, what hotels we're to arise there for the
pleasure OF the future millions Of the neighbor-
ing city, what " Snug Harbors" were to shelter
her old eea-capta ins, and what merchant-princes
we're to be born from the ranks Of the very pilots
amongst whom he sat.
TIE FIRST CAPITAL CITY.
After q time, the Bay of New York opened be-
fore the regatta, and the pulses Of the ocean
we're felt beneath theirkees, and to then north the
little city Of the Dutch and English showed its
those sta1wart steamers which, at later day,
we're to put to sea so tame1y; quiet fields and
steep and bent gabled fazm-houses stood for fu-
tu1e towns, and fishermen for commerce. There
VAS no Brooklyn worthy of the name; there was
nc jersey City whatever; the solitary clump Of
Bergen appeared On the Jersey Shore where
the Norwegials had planted it so airily; but
the atmospere of mighty city was replaced BY
the atmosphere Of the mightier sea, which WAS
to nurse New FORK to strength and assist it to
splendor. The population Of the whole basin Of
New York Bay, including the city,-which was
to pass 10000 in eighty years,-was not, at
that time, above $4,000. The Island OF New
York, year afterward, contained but 50. .13l peo-
pla. ahd the State only $50, ,000 less than that
of the future Brooklyn. It is not probable that
the highest estimate Of Washington-who WIS
not a sarguine man-reached within q tenth of
the actual progress to be achieved in this richly
endowed basin but, even at that time, the ad-
vantages of New York over either Boston, New
port, OF Philadelphia, were conceded.
New York City vas then Q790) valued, in es-
tate, at 81 563, 900, and the taxes were, in bulk,
value of property WAS to rise to 81, 900 0000e0.
TIE FIRST CAPITAL N PUBLIC SPIRIT.
Amongst American cities Of that day, New
York Was already the most popular. Although
quarters converted into prison and barrack,
and nearly ruined By pillage and fire, the situa-
tion Of the cty,-so accessible to the great post
road Of that day, the an,--and the large, ro-
the fayorite Of all the Colonies. In like man
ner, the British had esteemed it. It's inhabit-
ants had neither the exceeding righteousness OF
the Puritans, the querulous inquisitiveness and
small apprehension Of the Quakers; the
staggering. opinionntedness of the Southern
planters. Hearty, volatile, charitable elements
softened the manners OF the population. The
French Huguenot and the rollicking Dutchman
the frank Swedo and the Spanish factor, were
mingled with the more aggressive and mnteria!
English and Irish, and the hard Scotch element
was comparatively weak here. Brissot. the e1
ecting Republican, afterward the chief Of ths
Girondists, said Of the city, the year before il
sIf there is town on the American Cont
nent where the English luxury displays it's FOL
lies, it is New York. You will find here all th'
English fashions. In the dress Of the women
hats, and borrowed hair. Equipages arc rare
but they are elegant. The men have more sim
plcity in their dress; they diBdain gewgnwB, bu
they take their revenge in the luxury Of the ia
BILE. Luxury already forms, in this town, clas
of men very dangerous to eociety,-I mea,
bachelors. The expense Of women causes mat
rimony to be dreaded by men.
''Tea forms, as in England, tho basis of tn
principal parties Of pleasure.
four to six dollars; the fees Of lawyers are ea
cesBive,-out OF al proportion.
Elegant buildings, in the English style
take the place Of those Bharp-roofed, alopin
houses Of the Dutch. You find some still stand
ing in the Dutch style, and they afford som
pleasure to the European observer"
EXPENSE OF LIVING THERE.
Other authorities chow the condition Of socit
life in the first Capital City. For example, th
Price OF DOaIQ a1lu 4ouBtub NUS tl6ut uoAa4e
week at the popular Tontine Coffee-House, th
Delmonico's Of that day,-wine not being II
cluded. Yet as to luxury, an English travele
said:
at is probable that all the iewela and dis
uonds worn by the citizens Of the Unite
States, their wives, and daughters, are less
value than those which sometimes form q pa
Of the dress Of an individual in several countrit
OF Europe"
That the most exacting Puritan statesma
liked New York, is apparent from this passae
OF Oliver Wolcott written to his mother:
"The manners Of the people are favorable
the plan which have in view. Great e1pen'
is not required, nor does it add to the reput
ton Of any person. There appears to be gre
regularity IN the city. Honesty is as much
faahion as In Connecticut, and ! am persuade
that there 1s much greater attention to go<
morals than has been supposed in the countr
So far as ar attention to the Sabbath is crit
rion of religion, 8 comparison between this ci
and many places in Connecticut would be
favor Of New York"
THE METROPOLIS N THAT DAY.
The Island City, however, WAS mere eros
roads cluster compared to its present extent al
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