disgra e which andoned in the it, with to com. at least ve seen alleries of fe. them a leserve as does ment, lighted with sky-lights. The opening fronting the Hall is always displayed; and no matter who comes or who goes, president, foreign minister, respectable citizen or stranger, this Hortensis proclaims the frightful progress of vice! She commands the pass to the gallery and the hall; and all who pass from the latter to the Senate chamber, or from thence to the hall, must necessarily pass through this temple; here she stands or sits in her chair of state, with a table spread with acen told) commodation, and a maid to attend her. I have seen her surrounded by her smiling votaries in dozens; I have seen the representatives of a great people cringing around this C....... ; yes I have seen this! while me thought the genius of Columbia dropped a tear! In short, the bold strides of licentiousness seems to threaten the total overthrow of virtue! It is a maxim universally acknowledged, that virtue is the basis of all republican governments; it is the ultimate security of the people; this once gone, farewell to freedom! One of the members informed me, that when an effort was made to expel those retailers of spiritous liquors, &c. from the capitol, it was alleged "that it was a place of general privilege, over which Congress had no control." It would be an useless waste of words to say what this argument would lead to; the inference is plain. But the municipal laws of every petty corporation contradict this principle. They cannot pretend to say the constitution denies the right. ishing ol: the - it was , were y were не сарis last all the osperi pports. riotism of hu of men d prine face mmon to be Before my visit to the metropolis I had heard much of the insolence of the subordinate officers of governinent, within a few years past. I had heard them stigmatised with every opprobrious epithet, such as "insolent mob, rabble, aristocracy," and many other harsh names; that it was almost unsafe for any one to venture in Washington, who was not a prince, a foreign ambas * A good story enough is related of General Jackson, which happened upon his first visit to Washington after the victory of New-Orleans. The general came on to settle his accounts, and those upstarts who are in the habit of quizzing strangers, by sending them from one room to another, tried the game with him, not knowing who he was. It may be supposed that the general soon discovered the scheme, and drawing his sword, said he would go no farther; adding, that his name was Jackson, that he came to settle his accounts, which must be done instantly, sador, or a member of Congress. No one, however, ought to credit report, least of all reports of this nature, which too often have their origin in envy. Nor ought we to expect any government, in which the infirmities of frail man are unavoidably blended, to be infallible; but that it should at once blunder upon such an assemblage of ignorance, is matter of singular surprise! In extenuation it may be alleged that prudence became sacrificed to zeal in extending relief to poverty, but it is a maxim that holds good, exalt ignorance and it immediately becomes insolent. Go to any of the public departments, and you are sure to meet with some indignity from those upstarts, which swarm in every part of them. Of such I am told (or at least the major part) are the officers of the legislative department. Even at the President's house, a pack of the most insolent miscreants, in the character of his domestics, guard the avenues to his presence. One would think that civility, at least, might be expected at the door of the first man in the nation, but I never met with more vulgarity or less polished ser vants. I would by no means however, be understood to say that these remarks are without exception; many of those clerks being men of desert and refinement. I am far from saying that poverty ought to exclude inen from any gift in the government, on the contrary, they are the very men upon whom they ought to be conferred. But I do contend that ignorance ought to be an eternal objection, because it strikes at the vitals of our government, not only by its dangerous tendency to encourage vice, but to arrest the progress of knowl edge, one of the surest props of its existence. It is ab surd to expect that men will respect rights, which they do not understand, or that learning can flourish when it has no incentive; what encouragement for aspiring gen ius when illiteral men are promoted over its head? Besides, it is casting pearls before swine, their growling souls are incapable of gratitude or estimation, they know nothing but to value themselves, and under-value every one else. I have seen men of worth and learning leave Washington for want of employment, who would have sacrificed their talents for $100, while a pet ty en an to ου mc fri los lea ос Th cla the me sto you whe But P. in e the boa bus dom to t king the car he: hou: on i ope thet in th man tho acte Owever, nature, : ought nities of le; but mblage exten. crificed maxim ely be tments, m those Of such icers of -ident's in the to his might nation, ed ser erstood many t. xclude trary, e con be an of our to en⚫ nowl. is ab. they hen it gen Be wling they value earn who pet ty door-keeper receives $1500 per annum, though not It is amusing enough to see the inturns, intrigue Whilst Col. L. acted as commissioner for the public building, some years back) I am told by several of the Here an important question might be asked, where a * It is now reduced to $1 25. visdom berty! he exs who nsibly onage clevayears. cracy -re the xious edged, e ex ber of I may be supposed, is enormous; nor do the people expect this business to be transacted for nothing, but they expect civil treatment from men in their service.* It often happened while in Washington, that I met with "uncle Sam's" men, as they call themselves. Walking in the capitol square one day, I stepped up to a man whom I found there at work, and asked him whom he worked for, (meaning his employer, from whom I wished to obtain some information.) "me," said the fellow, "I work for uncle Sam," in a tone of unequalled impudence. No matter where you meet those understrappers you may distinguish them by their unparalleled effrontery. Heads of Departments.-In order, I ought to have noticed these before the subordinate officers, and hope I shall be pardoned for the omission. The truth is, these gentlemen have been so often and so ably described, and so long before the public, that I had intended to confine my remarks to those objects less known. Besides, what can I say of them, that has not been said thousand times; yet, as it may argue a want of respect, in a general view, wholly to overlook men who have been so eminently distinguished by their country, I hazard a brief sketch of their persons; to attempt any thing more, would be a great piece of arrogance, even did I possess the talents, which I do not. To begin then with the President, I never saw him but once, and that in his carriage at some distance, I had merely a glimpse at his features, he looked very old and venerable. I went to his house for the purpose of seeing him, but was repulsed by his domestics, of him therefore, I can say no more. The next great man I called on, was the attorney general. I promised myself much pleasure upon seeing the author of the Spy, and waited for him at his office, with no little enthusiasm, but was never more disappointed. He received me with a smile, to be sure, but it was rather a sarcastic one. Mr. W. is a good figure, being tall, straight, and well' form * In justice to these clerks, I must observe, that they pay the strictest attention to their duty; in going through the various departments, I sband every man at his post. The hours of business are from 10 to 3. |