and many of them insolent. The labouring class (of which there. are a great number employed, both at the capitol and the navy yard, and improving the city,) are mostly very dissipated, and spend their earnings as fast as they obtain it. And as to that class which may justly claim the appellation of the first citizens, unfortunately, they form but a small minority. In justice to Washington, however, it must be observed, that amongst these are to be found many men of worth, whose virtues and talents may justly rank them with the first men in the United States. The ladies of Washington are very handsome, they have delicate features, and much expréssion of countenance, and excel in the beauty and symmetry of their persons*; but (excepting the higher class, who are females of education,) are, withal, most detestably proud. As to the appearance of the men, as observed above, it is impossible to say what it is, differing so much as they do. Dialect. The dialect of Washington, exclusive of the foreigners, is the most correct and pure of any part of the United States I have ever yet been in. It is very rare that you hear an improper word, even amongst the common people. A few words are, however, peculiar to them, such as the following, "you're right, he (or she) did, tantamount to an affirmative." A negative is signified by "could ever," which means "I will not ;" as well as a general negative. Another phrase is "my dear," used by all sexes and ages, and upon all occasions: my dear, when we saw the cloud, we ran the balance of the way." 66 General Remarks.-No conception can be more fallacious, or any idea more wide of the truth, than that entertained by one who has never seen this city. Our hearts swell with national pride at the mention of its name-Washington! Washington city is repeated with a sort of holy enthusiasm; nothing evil or low mingles with the sound; it conveys sentiments at once the most elevated, the most pleasing. But how are we disap pointed upon coming to this Idol of America! In every "This can only be said of the natives, as the foreigners are very eparse and ill shaped. ot bl ра bu ed do ho So m ly on the ter pu cit be! the me par mo fem nan ers ver mal had aga thin for writ so plac said Nat tory tant say of W haz other country, in every other town or city, some sein- Warden, in his history of Columbia, extols every thing with servile minuteness, a remuneration, no doubt, for the kindness lavished on him by the great. But a writer of more independence will not give Washington so high a colouring. True, respecting the beauty of the place, and the surrounding scenery, too much cannot be said; it far exceeds whatsoever can be sung or said. Nature and art seem to vie with each other for the victory in decorating this spot. Warden says "the inhabtants of Columbia are social and hospitable," he does not say they are polite, and had he said so, of the citizens of Washington generally, he would have said it at the hazard of truth. The same writer observes, "at Wash ington, respectable strangers, after the slightest intro. duction, are invited to dinners, tea and evening parties." To one the least acquainted with the extent of the opulence and refinement of the persons he alludes to, this remark might excite a smile. Either he must have overlooked the general character, or they must have underwent a most wonderful change since his day. Perhaps he meant the heads of Department. As respects their hospitality, for myself I cannot boast much of it, and from the opportunity afforded me of judging, were I to express an opinion, I should say that the number able to appreciate the society of respectable strangers, is very limited. Speaking of the ladies of Washington, he says "they have been accused of sacrificing too much to the empire of fashion." He does not, however, confirm the accusation. Whatever Washington has been heretofore, I am unable to say, but at present, it yields even to Lexington, Kentucky, in point of taste and fashionable elegance. This will readily be admitted by those who have seen both places. After paying a high-wrought compliment to the ladies, Warden remarks," with all our predilection for the Columbian fair, we have seen with regret, among the ladies of Washington a fondness for play, that bewitching passion which extinguishes the very best sentiments of the heart, and creates a dislike for every useful or pleasant occu pation. When indulged from motives of gain, the vioolence of fear, and other worse passions, changes the very features, in effacing that divine impression of the female countenance, which is so often irresistable." Gambling, and play of every description, is almost wholly exploded in Washington at present, and (I am sorry to add) I wish I could say the same of other vices. It is certainly not to be expected, that the Metropo lis of the United States should be exempt from evils common to every large city, but I will venture to say that no elty of the sume age has kept pace with it in vice and dissolute manners. And what is still more astonishing, is, that it should erect its empire in the very capitol itself. In the first place, there are about two hundred hands engaged at work, on that part of it which re th do W an ho gr fo wi $0 tur cm bas lad a m ste from cup cen she one for pen he! the ere M. Lice in t ther dati be ort. intro. par. ent of ludes must must day. is remuch ging, tthe ctable lies of i sac. ⚫ does Wash P but at point lily be After War Colum dies of assion heart, : occuhe vio es the of the able." almost (I am vices. tropoa evils to say th it in ore as. e very ut two which remains to be finished, and out of the whole number, there are perhaps not half a dozen sober men.* They do however work during the day, but when their day's work is ended, they hie to the grog-shops and taverns, and usually spend their day's wages, sitting up to a late hour, and often committing broils in the streets, to the great annoyance of the citizens. Besides these there are a number of strangers who flock to Washington during the sessions of Congress. with a view of begging money from the members; and so great is the infatuation of those unfortunate creatures, that they will implore even a cent in the most emphatic language. They will sell the coat off of their backs and hat off their heads to purchase drink. The lady with whom I boarded relates several anecdotes of a man, her next neighbor, who, to obtain spirits, will step into a house and ask for a cup to procure a drink from some neighboring pump; and upon receiving the cup, will step into another house and sell it for a few cents, which he will instantly lay out in drink. Before she was aware of his character, he came to her house one day with an axe, which he offered to sell to her for a trifle. While he was speaking, a young lady happened to step in, and exclaimed "don't buy it Madam, he has just stole it from Mr.." In the mean time, the owner suspecting the truth, followed him and recovcred the axe. But the evil does not stop here. M..... of C..... are accused of indulging the practice, and (it is said) their C..... cannot steady the pen in their hands, till they have swallowed a draught of their beloved beverage. And for the mutual accommodation of all parties, spirituous liquors are permitted to be retailed in the capitol! Can we blame those of inferior rank for want of discretion, when their superiors set The * The means they use to elude the vigilance of the overseers, is con clusive evidence that those who are fond of drink, will not be restrained from indulging the habit. One of them will place a bottle or jug in a pail, put it on his head, and set off to the spring for water; on his way he fills the bottle with scule, (as they call whiskey) and when he procures his water, he plunges the bottle into the pail, aud returns ta his shop, which with many others stands near the capitol. them the example?" But of all sights that ever diagra- What would the saviour of his country think, were Near to the very door of the Representatives Hall, im mediately fronting it, is a temple (as Mr. W. calls it,) dedicated to one of those females; it is a circular apart I ventured one day to expostulate with one of those mechanics ( very promising young man) upon the subject of his intemperance. Af ter saying all that I could to convince him of the fatal tendency of a practice, so disgraceful to the character of man; he burst into a laugh in my face, and replied, “why, the very hends of Congress do the same thing me the or siti ful go! to t ned or con ber bay aro me sho en sall lica peo the to |