The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-12-27
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on Pennsylvania Avenue, about half way
between the Capitol and the White House,
kept by an EngliShmap named Pishey
Thompson. He was native of Boston in
the Lincolnshire fens, a historical account
of which he published before he came to
America; and after having acquired com
potency At Washington, he returned to his
quaint old birth place to publish new and
handsomely got up edition of his history.
He was short, stout gentleman, OF very
courteous manners, with small, black eyes,
always neatly dressed in black with snow
white Shirt rutties. 1t was his delight to
chat with any one acquainted with the
early history of Boston in New England,
and to tell how many of it's pioneer settlers,
including the Leveretts, the Wheelwrights,
sons, the BellinShams, the Bradstreets, and
the Iohnsons, were from old Boston or its
Immediate neighborhooi.
The BARRIERS shops which dotted Pennsyl-
vania Avenue, with others On Capitol Hill
and at Georgetown, were also much fire.
quented. Elderly gentlemen then wore
powdered wigs, or had their hair combed
back and tied en- queue, while all men who
had any pretensions to gentilty were shaved
every day. Mustaches were unknown, and
only military and naval officers sportcd
whiskers, which never came more than two
inches below the ears. BARRIERS and hair
dresssrs had consequently abundant en-
ploynent, and their shops were generally a
morning rendezvous for persons entertain
ing congenial political views. The walls
we're generally adorned with English carl
catures, in which Napoleon and the French
were presented in ridiculous aspect. In
large eupboartls with glass doors there were
freshly dressed wigs, in readiness for the
daily visit Of their owners, who would ex-
change them for others which needed the
comb and hair powder. When every high
backed chair was occupied by some one in
the hands of a barber, and the seats around
new corners were greeted with cordial as
surancss that their turns would soon come
while the freshest bits of gossip were mar
rated to secure good humor.
Washington had not at that time any Or
gained and uniformed police force, and the
peace wa. preserved by a few constables
The whites were not molested when they in
dulged in private shooting matches in the
streets, or resorted to the cudgel or the cow
hide to secure satisfaction for sons fam
cied or real Insult. Tho blacks were neces-
sarily subjected to severe police regulations,
framed to prevent runaways and to guard
against instruction. Any person of color
found abroad after nine o'clock at night
without a pass was fined or whipped and
they We're not allowed to enter the Capitol
enclosure, except when performing mental
duties.
There were so few hackney coaches that
on great occasions additional ones were
brought from Alexandria and even from
Baltimore; but the fares were very low,
twenty-five cents being all that was charged
for conveying passenger from the Capitol
to the departments or hotels There was
but one letter carrier, whose route extended
from the navy yard to Georgetown, q dis
lance of four miles, ana who trampcd about
with great rapidity. Postage was then
rarely paid in advance, but he was always
willing to deliver a letter on an assurance
that the requisite sum-senerally twenty
five cents-would be forthcoming when lie
next passed that way.
THE CAPITOL
was pronounced completed in 1875. The
two wings, which were the only portions of
the building finished when the British oc-
cupied Washington, were burned with their
contents, including the congressional library
and some works of art. When Congress
was convened in special session after the in
yasion, the two houses assembled in the I'M
finished hotel previously mentioned, but
soon occupied a brick building erected for
their temporary use, which was afterwards
known as the Old Capitol Prison, and has
more recently been reconstructed into dwell
ing houses. The Capitol was completed
under the direction of Mr.. c. Bulfach, .
Boston architect. Tho freestone columns
IVA Inv Nti!FI'si Iplli1'VS vi tnt bilItlIS
were quarried on Higginson's Island in Ac-
quia Creek, near where it empties into the
Potomac, brought to Washington on a large
fiat bottomed boat, and dragged TO the Cap
itol by men, many of the Senators and Rep
resentatives pulling at the drag ropes.
The tympanum of the eastern pcdiment
was ernamented by u historical group
which Mr.. John Quincy Adams designed
when Secretary Of State, after having re-
jected a number Of designs raade by artists
in competition for an offered premium of
5000. 1t was executed in marble by Luigi
Persico, an Italian sculptor, whose work
gave such satisfaction to Mr.. Adams that
he secured for him an order for the two CO.
lossal statues which now flank the central
door way. War is represented by stall
wart gymna,t with a profuse development
of muscle and 4 benign expression of coun-
tenance, partially eucased in ancient Roman
amor, while Peace is nIatronly dame,
somewh hat advanced in life and heavy in
tiesh who carries an olive branch as if she
desired to Use it to keep Off flies.
DESCRIPTION OF TIE RoTUNDA.
The then recently completed rotundd of
the Capitol-Mr. Gales took pains to have it
called rotundo in the National Intelligencer
was a hall of elegant proportions, ninety
six feet in diameter, and ninety-six feet in
height to the apex of its scmi-circular dome.
1t had bsen decorated with remarkable his
torical has reliefs, by Cappellano, Gevelot,
and Cau.ici, three Italian artists, two of
them pupils of Canova. They undoubtedly
possessed artistic ability, and they doubt
less desired to produce works of historical
value, but they failed i.nsminiously. Their
respective productions were thus interpreted
by Grizzly Bear, = Menominee chief. Turn
ing to the eastern door way, over which
there is representa- The Landing of the Pill
grims, he said, There Ingen give hungay
white man corn" Then turning to the
northern door way, over which is represent
ed William Penn making 4 treaty with the
Indians, he said, "There Insen give " hite
man land" Then turning to the western
door way, over which is represented roca-
hontas saving the life Of Captain Smith, he
said, There lngen save white mans life -