The record-union., 1891-02-23

world. asserts that spirit is the only true
and permanent reality, claims to work
wonders by the control of mysterious
spirits and forces of nature, makes its
final appeal to special interior illumina-
tion rather than to reason, and has for its
one object the speedy emerging of the in
dividual soul into universal being.
He showed it was derived-first, from
the old Greek paganism, through neo-
platonism; secondly, from gnosticism,
through the Rosicrucan and other mys-
terious medieval sects; thirdly, through
cabalism, and fonrthly, and chiefly, from
the so-called "esoteric buddhism The
name theosophy was applied originally to
the neo-platoniSm of the second century,
of which Porphyry and the Emperor
Julian We're adherents. The notes OF
genuine theosophy are syncretism, spir-
itual moniSm, thaumaturgy and myS-
ticiSm.
After reading the foregoing clear and
lucid explanation of the platform of that
formidable New York organization, we
find that it readily dovetails into and sup
plies a lOng-felt want on the benighted
Pacific Coast. 1t must be apparent to the
most capacious mental vacuum that its
easy adaptation to the platform promul-
gated by our Alliance cannot fail but
make us mystifying factor in the cam
paign of '92.
A little dry nursing will soon develop
its resultant forces. Farmer Frank
Rhoads of Sacramento, Farmer Ii. V.
Morehouse of San Jose, and Farmer
George A. Knight of San Francisco are
charged with this pleasant duty.
ANCIENT HISTORY.
There are doubtless quite number of
good citizens residing within the confines
OF California who are not aware that the
city OF Washington is located in the rear
of the national Capitol.
The bronze statue of PocahontaS, which
surmountS the dome of that mighty struc-
ture, stands with her back towards the
present metropolis, looking as though she
were either exceedingly displeased with
the favored location, or, being friendly
with the original promoters, was greatly
! disappointed at the way things went.
There is a bit of early history which ex-
plains this affair, and it may not be unin-
| tereSting to the readers of the RECORD
| UNION to learn the inside.
| After considerable debate in Congress
| at that time, extending through the ses-
sions of 17SS and 1879, law was finally
passed authorizing President George
! Washington to locate q suitable place fol
the Federal City, on the Potomac River
between Anacostia (Which is now known
! as the East Branch) and the mouth of the
| Conococheague, where Williamsport, Md
now stands. The distance intervening be
tween these two points is about los miles
| 1t might be well to state incidentally
that there were no California real estate
| bOomS with circulars and brass band at
tachments in those days.
On the 10Th of April, H9l, the President
! selected an elevated plateau ON the east
bank of the Potomac at this point, and
the States of Maryland and Virginia
ceded to the Federal Government suffi-
cient land to make a Federal district OF
ten miles square. The cession was sc
| planned that when the future national
! Capitol shall be built it would be located
in the center of the district, and the Fed
eral City, was to be in front of it.
THE ORIGINAL OWNERS.
| The proprietors and occupants of this
| land on the plateau before referred tC
were Motley Young, Daniel Burns great
grandfather of Dan Burns of California,
and Daniel Carroll (brother of Charles
Carroll of Carrollton, one of the signers
of the Declaration of independence.
They surveyed and plated their hold
| ings into town lots, with spacious ave-
| nues, squares and parks, donating a suffi-
cient quantity for the national Capitol
and other prospective uses of the General
Government. They named it CAROLS
burg. The remainder of the lots were
offered for sale. They still continued
| cultlvating corn, wheat and tobacco, how
ever, awaiting the advent of the Govern
ment.
AT the foot of the plateau to the west ii
was low and swampy land, and stream
of considerable size, called the Tiber
found its muddy way through the marsh
towards Bladensburg. The uninviting
character of this low country may have
| been one of the causes which prompted
those proSpectively wealthy real estate
owners to augment the prospective value
OF their town lots.
| The Government was not q very
cumbersome institution in those DAYS
yet it was not moved there untilsthe wear
| 1SG0, during the administration of Presi-
dent John Adams.
In the meantime, those who owned the
| low bottom land, having an eve to busi-
ness, had.their lands surveyed and plated
and commenced the disposal of lots on the
most demoralizing terms and conditions
A CHANGE OF BASE.
| The owners of the plateau lands now
changed it name to Washington" The
! Father of our Country erected large
brick mansion near the site of the future
Capitol, which is still standing.
| a modest little memento of those DAYS
is here reproduced, copied from the Toner
collection in the Congressional Library
/ George was a very methodical individual
in all his financial matters, and kept
regular diary of receipts and expendi
lures up to his last sickness. This is ont
item of expense incurred in coming from
Mount Vernon to visit the unbuilt city
in the fall of I79S. The entry is as fol
lows.
September 22d. By expenses to the Fed
eral city.
! Shoeipp horse . n