Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

triple palisade, which is to be ornamented with a cap

of brass.

The other Public Buildings.The war office and the navy office are vast buildings of brick; they are on the left of the President's house, and not far distant from it. The treasury office, and office of the department of state, are likewise large brick buildings; they stand on the right of the President's house, and about the same distance from it as the former. Another large building of brick is occupied by the general post-office, the city post-office, the patent office, and the Washington library. But the largest building in the city, excepting the capi tol, is the city hall: it is 200 feet in length, and high in proportion. In it the mayor holds his court, and here all city business is transacted. The whole of these great edifices are divided into numerous rooms and apartments, and swarm with clerks and other subordinate officers of government. The city hall and the general post-office occupy the highest ground in the city, and the scenery from this point is by far the richest ground view within it. Near the city hall is the prison; it is a large building, surrounded with a high brick wall. The other public buildings are, a poor-house, an orphan asylum, two churches for Roman Catholics, three for Presbyte rians, three for Methodists, two for Baptists, two for Protestants, one for Friends, one for Unitarians, two masonic halls, four banks, four market houses, a theatre, a circus, a fort, a ware-house, and a magazine. Besides these there is the navy yard, with its work-shops and offices, and barracks sufficient to contain one thousand

men.

Navy Yard.-The navy yard is a complete work-shop, where every naval article is manufactured: it contains twenty-two forges, five furnaces, and a steam-engine.The shops are large and convenient; they are built of brick and covered with copper to secure them from fire. Steel is prepared here with great facility. The number of hands employed vary; at present there are about 200. A ship-wright has $2.50 per day, out of which he maintains his wife and family if he have any. Generally wages are very low for all manner of work; a

common labourer gets but 75 cents per day, and finds himself. The whole interior of the yard exhibits one continual thundering of hammers, axes, saws, and bellows, sending forth such a variety of sounds and smells, from the profusion of coal burnt in the furnaces, that it requires the strongest nerves to sustain the annoyance. The workmen are as black as negroes, and the heat of the furnaces at this season of the year, (June,) is insupportable to one not accustomed to it. The whole is one scene of activity, not one is idle.

After amusing myself with those sons of thunder, I was gratified with a sight equally new to me ;-this was an inspection of a forty-four gun frigate. It was lying up, under cover, completely out of water. This was really a curiosity to me, having never seen a ship of any sort, with the exception of a small merchant ship, at Alexandria. Its amazing length, its great height from the bottom to the top, afforded sufficient matter of wonder. I had a very indistinct idea of a ship, till seeing this; but I lost half the pleasure, in the total absence of the rigging, as they were unable to draw her under cover, without divesting her of this incumbrance. The greatest disappointment to me was the width: I had expected to find those vessels not so narrow in proportion to the length; but until I can see one properly rigged for sea, I shall never have an accurate idea of a ship of war. I saw one more on the stocks, at which men were at work. I found in the yard three hundred cannon, thirty-four and forty-two pounders, with two brass pieces; and was told there was a large quantity of arms in the armory, which were kept in excellent order. After several unsuccessful attempts, I was unable to get into it. Of them, therefore, I can say nothing.

The navy-yard is enclosed with a very high wall, and no one can be admitted without the permission of the commandant: I found some difficulty, although furnished with a letter, through the politeness of Mr. Seaton, editor of the National Intelligencer. The interior is guarded by a centinel, who parades before the gate, day and night, with his gun erect in his arms. Besides himself, a large eagle, cut out of solid stone, guards the

:

outside it looks down from the top of a magnificent gate, which opens for the admission of strangers, as well as the workmen who may have occasion to pass. While beholding this eagle, I could not help upbraiding him for his cowardice, in suffering the British to pass unmolested under him, and his ostensible bunch of arrows, telling him, at the same time, that he deserved to be disfranchised for this dastardly conduct of his.

Directly fronting the gate, on the inside, stands the monument erected to perpetuate the memory of the brave men who fell at Tripoli. This monument, which is of marble, was executed in Italy, by eminent artists. It is a small Doric column, embellished with suitable emblems, crowned with an eagle in the act of flying. The pillar rests on a base, sculptured in basso relievo, rep. resenting Tripoli, its fortress, the Mediterranean, and our fleet, in the fore ground. On each corner stands an appropriate figure, elegantly executed; one representing Columbia directing the attention of her children to History, who is recording the daring and intrepid actions of the American heroes. The third represents Fame, with a wreath of laurel in one hand, and a pen the other. The fourth represents Mercury, or the god of Commerce, with his cornucopia and caduceses. This is all the trophy Potomac can boast. Besides this part of the navy-yard which is enclosed, there are a great number of houses on the outside, which likewise take the name of the " navy-yard." These contain stores, shops, and private families. In the midst of them stand the barracks.

Barracks. The barracks are enclosed by a handsome brick wall, 400 feet in length, 50 wide, and 20 in height; the ground within is level, and neatly gravelled, while the apartments for the marines, line the wall; the Colonel's house stands at the head of the barracks, surrounded with a neat shrubbery, and a handsome spot of ground in which he keeps the marines at work, when not on duty. These men are mustered twice in the day, accompanied by an elegant band. Col. Henderson, the present commandant, waited upon me through the establishment, ordered the men to parade, and the band

to play. He is of middling age, and a man of genteel

manners.

-

The Poor-House. This wretched establishment only exists to disgrace Washington. I found several wretched children in this dreary and comfortless asylum,, without one cheering voice, or hand of kindness to com fort or cherish them. Some were stretched on straw, unable to rise, others were bedecked with crocus, (I think they call it) the coarsest stuff I ever saw. The whole group had a squalid appearance, which filled me with disgust, and the smell of the place was insupportable.. I asked one of the unfortunate women whose business it was to attend to these sufferers, what made the rooms smell so ill; but she was too simple to understand me. The intendant and his wife are Irish; he appeared to me to be wholly unfit for the place, and his wife a perfect she dragon. It is much to be lamented, that in such cases care is not taken to select persons of humanity, who are capable of administering comfort and consolation to affliction. The house is large and beautiful, and in the finest situation in the city, but death would be mercy compared to the situation of the unfortunate inmates. I was told that a part of the house was appropriated to a work-house, for the punishment of disorderly persons, but I had neither the courage nor the inclination to see more of a place so replete with human wo! and with an aching heart I turned my back upon those cheerless, friendless sufferers.* Three thousand dollars are appropriated annually for the support of this establishment!!.

[ocr errors]

The Prison. I found the prison of Washington under very different regulations from that of the poor house. Here I found health, cleanliness, and plenty of wholesome food; the prisoners cheerful and happy. I examined every cell that contained a criminal, which was twenty-four, and found neither desponcency nor complaint. They were severally laughing, talking, and singing; and but for reality it would not appear that they were confined. The debtors apartments are spa

*Warden, speaking of this, says. "No friendly shade appears to support the feeble convalescent."

cious and airy; and in no part of the prison did. I wit ness any thing but the greatest tenderness and humanity toward those unfortunate beings. Much credit is due to the keeper, whoever he be, who thus does honor to himself, and to human nature, The prison is supported by the county, whereas the poor-house is supported by the corporation.

Orphan Asylum.-But the glory of Washington is the Orphan Asylum. This Asylum, which reflects the highest honor upon its promoters, is supported by private contribution, under the care and direction of a number of ladies. It is truly interesting to see those destitute and forlorn little creatures amply supplied with every comfort. I found fifteen female children in the asylum, from five to twelve years of age, who bear every mark of the tenderest treatment; they were neat, and well clad, and had a healthy appearance. They were furnished with clean and comfortable bedding, disposed in suitable chambers. The Intendant, (Mrs M'Kenny,) is a lady, apparently well calculated to fulfil the high trust committed to her care. Unlike the tigress of the poor-house, she is mild, sweet, and compassionate. To these amiable qualities, she joins a highly cultivated mind, which enables her to teach those little orphans the rudiments of useful instruction. They are taught reading, writing, and needle-work. No male children are admitted. When they arrive at an age sufficient to procure a livelihood, they are discharged. Of all institutions which ennobles human nature, those which have for their object the alleviation of human misery, are certainly the most so; but no institution combines in one such a number of distinguished and laudable objects, or affords a greater instance of enlarged kindness and charity, than those established for the benefit of orphans. To cherish and protect their infant state; to sweeten their cup of sorrow; to sow the seeds of virtue, and "teach the young idea how to shoot," to draw out those hidden beauties of the mind, which gain our admiration, and fit them for the various duties of life, are certainly the most god-like acts of which our nature is capable. This establishment might

« PředchozíPokračovat »