The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-09-26

V Is. Weeks Esq, VINO recently Pal"
yisit to the &" city Of magnificent distances,
was interviewed on his return home by a FREE
TRADER emissary, who succeeded in OBJ
tanning the following;
"The most that could interest the readers
NJ The FREE TRADER about what | saw and
heard while East, occurred during my three
DAYS visit in Washington, SO let the inter
view be Unite to that which heard and
saw while in that city. When | went TO
Washington | determined to divide my time
shout equally between places Of public in
,erest and public men. | carried out that
determination, and believe no one could
visit Washington with no etteracquainance
.han had and see and hear any more of
public concern than | did in the same length
of time. saw nearly all the public grounds
and public buildings, including the Capitol
and Washngton's monument saw all the
Raest streets and avenues where the best and
richest reside, and had many of the resi-
dences Of our public men pointed out to me.
including Blaines, Sherman's, Letters, &c.
1t is these residence streets and avenues
that make Washington the most beautiful
city in the country if not in the world
IL saw all the great department buildings,
inside and out, but don't pretend that saw
more than a small portion of the inside of
g II, Al, "a ,t,la A
mansion, which pretty thoroughly explored.
Z went into the White House conservatory
and heard the concert Of the marine band on
the rear lawn Saturday p. NJ. The finest
putiic building is the new State, War and
Navy building combined NEARLY completely;
the most beautiful sight is the agricultural
gardens and green house; the grandest, the
monument; the most curious and wonder
full, the specimens in the patent Office
IL also visited Georgetown, Alexandria,
Arlington and the national cemetery there.
As | have n little more admiration-akin to
reverence--for Washington than for any
other public character that ever lived, may
be excused if give II little more in detail
an account of my visit to Alexandria and
my attendance at Christ church where the
Father Of his Country once worshiped 1t
is about six or seven miles from Washington,
rs nm told, and down the Potomac
on e~opposite side. | started about ten
o'clock Sunday morning on an old ferry
boat and arrived there just in time for
church. Iexpeiie fenced feeling of eIhile
ration not unmixed with awe as | first
stepped on the old sacred soil and APP
preached the quaint old church where Wash
ington prayed. | was 80 impressed with the
surroundings that paid but little attention
to the service or the sermon, although, | as
sure you, felt prime necessity for sin
oere recitation of my prayers in the ancient
and cherished church The building is Of
brick with pulpit in front and choir in the
rear. 1t never has been changed, am told.
since Washington's time. In front is the
old cemetery. with quaint old stones and in
scriptions, broken and decsying and placed
there hundred and fifty years ago. 1t re-
called the words Of Byron. in that grandest
Of all his poems, The Siege Of Corinth;'
There is temple in ruin stands
Fashioned by long forgotten hands;
Two or three columns and many stone,
Marble and granite with grass o'ergrown!
Out upon Time 1t will leave no more
OF the things to come than the things before!
Out upon Time! Who forever will leave
But enough Of the past for the future to grievc.
Der that which hath been, and DER that
which must be;
What we have seen our sons must see;
Remnants OF things that have passed away,
fragments Of stone reared by creatures OF
clay!
Twas greatly interested and regretted that
could not have visited Mount Vernon too
"0n' the other topic,-allow me to say, by
WY ofPreface, that was highly gratiied
and e!ated to visit Washington for the first
time in my life, and, perhaps, for the only
time under a Democratic administration.
For over twenty years l have anxiously la
bored for the success Of the party and prin-
eiples that have now assumed or are fast
assuming control of our national government.
And at no time during that period could a
Democrat like myself have visited the CAPT.
tol with the same eIultation and pride as
since the advent OF Clevelands administra.
zion. was born and raised in q Northern
Dtste and under abolition and republican
Influences. From honest and patriotic motives