The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-05-16
[Correspondenee Of the Citizen.I
WASHINGTON, May s. 1873.

WASHINGTON, May s, 1878.
The beautiful May How Clio
rious It's fair mornings break upon
us, like a new creation fresh from
the hands of God. 1t has been my
fortune during a long life, to visit
most parts of our glorious Union,
from the orange groves of Florida
to the semi arctic regions of Lake
Superior, and from the barren hills
of New England to the gold fields
of the Pacific slope. have also
visited many of the cities and fair
scenes of Europe. London, Edin-
burgh and the lake country of Scot
land, dear old Ireland with its fair
cities, green fields, beautiful lakes
and most characteristic of all its
blarney stone; Paris with its almost
celestial glories, Naples. Rome, Flor
ence, Venice, the wild mountain
scenery of Switzerland and the
tanner, but not less romantic beau
ties of the Rhine. But in all my
wanderings in home or foreign
lands, l have never seen a grander
or more beautiful landscape than is
spread out before me under the
canopy of this mornings blue sky.
From Capitol Hill the prospect
stretches away mile upon mile in
every direction. Close by us stands
the Capitol itself-with its glorious
dome, one of the grandest struct-
ures in the world. Before us lies
the city with its broad avenues,
lined everywhere with shade trees
in full foliage; its hundred parks
and circles rich in fresh verdure,
empowering trees, towering shrubs,
flowing fountains and works of
monumental art; scattered here and
there magnificent structures of mar
BILE constituting the department
buildings, elegant churches with a
forest of spires, towers, domes and
gilded pinnacles, and hundreds of
proud mansions built by rich Sena-
tors, or richer ambassadors from
foreign countries, and then comes
the broad Potomac rolling to the
sea, and away beyond the river the
forest crowned heights of Arlington
and away beyond "sweet fields stand
dressed in living green" and miles
away the fair landscape fades into
the horizon, and you cannot say
which is more beautiful, the blue
sky or the green earth.
The moral of this speck of ro-
nance is that the Capitol of the
American Republic fifty corresponds
with the grandeur and opulence of
the country, and makes Washing
ton city a fair monument to the
fame of its great founder.
ARIDE IN THE ENvIRoNs.
In the afternoon Washington is
on wheels, and Penn sylvania Ave
nue. is thronged with hundreds of
vehicles ranging all the way from
the boys velocipede or dog cart all
the way up to landeaus and landeau-
lets with fine horses, iveried coach
men and freighted with fair ladies
and their gentleman companions.
My good friend Capt. Greason in
yites your humble servant to a ride
behind his three minute roadster;
and nothing 10th we strike out for
quieter and shadier avenues in the
suburbs of the city. After making
a detour out to Georgetown the
head of our Rosenante is turned to
wards the Soldiers Home, and
ride of three or four miles along
winding avenues embowered With
green trees, and bordered every
where With green pastures or flow
cry gardens, We come 10 2 spot full
of rare beauty and of the most ex-
allied associations. Gen. Winfield
Scott gave the first impulse to the
movement which has eliminated in
providing this charming retreat for
aged and crippled soldiers. War is
full of horrors and it is as little as
we can do 70 provide asylums for
those who have sacrificed health,
limbs or the best part of their lives
in the service of their country.
Here are assembled little army of
veterans from all the wars of the
Republic since 1912. During the
pleasant days they are out in force,
engaged in light work in the gar
dens, orchards and vineyards, or re
moving every particle of rubbish
from the lawns and roadways, and
when the days pleasant task is
ended, they eat their meat with
gladness and smoke their pipes in
peace. But the greatest army of
the place is just beyond the build
ings on a gentle declivity where the
trees and grass look greener, and
the flowers look brighter than any
where else. Here are the dead bat
talions gathered from all the battle
fields of the country. Rank upon
rank they stretch away in military
order as if on dress parade. Thou
sands of brave soldiers lie here, and
neither the mornings reveille nor
the roar of a thousand belching
cannon will ever disturb their quiet
rest.
"Roy sleep the brave who sink to rest
By all their country's wishes blestP'
These armies of the dead are
found in q hundred cemeteries all
over the land, and in many of them
the ashes of the ''blue and gray"
mingle together in eternal peace,
and the sweet offering of memorial
flowers is bestowed upon their
graves alike, When the same spirit
that scatters spring roses upon the
graves of the dead combatalts with
out distinction, shall take the place
of national malice and hate, the
bloody chasm will close and the war
be ended forever.
DoIEGs AND UNDoINGs OF CONGRESS.