Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-04-14
2 Editosiel Corr Yespondsncs.
Tas' CAriToL AT WAsnssoTos. 4

n s,|, 81 = .---------l4-. Il gYJgss
\ The fret Federal Congress was held Ia ths
City Of New York in 1850. Aspiri,ed con.
test then oommenosdas to the permauent 10.
cation Of the capitol. Ponnsyl,ania aud
the adjoining States were in favor Of
having the capitol located In Philadelphia.
Naturally the Southern States were opposed
to this. AZ a, ,Mbseaaen. session Of 0opgress
the vexed question was Ysgein in,roduced:
Partisausbip ran hfgh,H andS ia the opinion Of
many, upon its disposition seemed to hang
the continued existence of the recently
formed Union. 1t was at :.his junotore that
another question. involving the Anances Of the
young republic. about which great diversty
of opinion prevailed, and which also had on
listed warm and excited feeling, was made
the basis Of compromise between the con.
tending parties. ian@ st'i = 7G
Gen. Alex. Hamilton, Of New York, Sec.
retary Of the Treasury, had recommended
the assumption by tho Federal Government
of the State debts. This was opposed by
Virginia and tho Southern States. 1t was
asoertained that it required the change of two
votes to carry into effect the financial project.
To accomplish this, and also settle the ques,
ton of the selection of O permanent capitol,
the aid of Thomas Jefferson, then recently
returned from France and appointed Seore-
tary Of State, was invoked.
The great Democrat proposed that the
subject should be talked over at dinner, to
which Hamilton was invited. 1t was there
settled that if tho votes Of Lee and White, of
Virginia, should bo changed in favor, Of as-
sumption, that Hamilton and Robert Morris,
Of Pennsylvania. would bring such on iDau-
ence to bear upon the question of the location
of the capitol as would insure its permanent
establishment upUn the banks of the. Poto.
mao River.
The bargain was faithfully kept. Hamil-
toms fpnnoial scheme was adopted. aud 10
May, 1900, Col. Pierce Butler, of South
Carolina, introduced bill to determine the
permanent seat Of Government Of the United
S,ates on tho Potomac River. This bill be..
came law.
In 1888 Maryland ceded to the Govern
ment ten miles square Of territory for this
purpose. The City Of Washington was
conveying their title to the Government,
stipulating that they were to receive 80 much
Of tho purchase money ON sale Of the lots,
Sc.
AS before stated, o Frenchman, Maj.
L'Eofant, originated the plan Of the city,
which was adopted BY General Washington.
The capitol was to be considered the centre
| Of the city, from it the streets are oounted-
North, South, East and West; several of tho
avenues also radiate from it. The streets
cross each other at right angles. Those
running East and West arc called aftor the
letters Of tho Alpbabet-A. b. G, D. streets,
&C.; those running North and South, fret,
| second, third, streets Co. The avenues,
named after the different States at the time
since, crosse those streets dagonally and point
in every conceivable direction. North,
South and East capitol streets intersect each
other ut the center of the capitol, and with
an imaginary line continued West. divide
tho city into four sections. So there is
first street East and fret street West. an A
street North and nn A street South, and 30
on throughout, blending regularity with har-
mony, md system with beauty. PennsylVa-
nia avenue is the great thoronghfare Of the
city and extends Northwest to tho Presi
dont's Mansion, one mile and hall distant.
There is no West capitol street. but 10 i,s
place are beautiful grounds, gardens. &c..
large tract extending to the Washington
| monument on tho bank of tho Potomac,
| formerly called the mall.
The capitol, liko the capitol Of ancient
Rome. stands upon hill, commanding a
view Westward, pronounced by the great
traveller Humboldt ono of the most beautiful
his eyes had ever seen. Tho building covers
an area of nearly four acres and oost Sl3,
100000. The old building is built of yell
lowish sandstone, painted white. The ex-
tensions are of white marble. slightly tinged
with blue. The dome is of iron. painted
white, surmounted by the statue of freedom,
a bronze figure nineteen and a half feet high.
The top Of the dome is nearly four hundred
feet above the tide water. IN comparison. |,
may be stated. that the height Of St. Peters
ut Rome is four hundred and thirty feet and
that Of st. Paule, as London, four hundred
aud four feet.
| Fast Of the centre portico, fronting either
side, arc to be magnificent fountains. each to
cost $50 900. Costly lamps are interspersed
throughout tho grounds. making at night
time, when lighted. o scene resembling our
idea of fairy land.
| The main front of tho capitol is East II
consists of central portico. one hundred
and sixty feet wide, with projection, inc
Guiding the steps Of sixty Eve feet. orna-
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