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 LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 
 
 IN MEMORY OF 
 
 STEWART S. HOWE 
 
 JOURNALISM CLASS OF 1928 
 
 STEWART S. HOWE FOUNDATION 
 
 917.53 
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 TO THE CITY OF 
 
 A S H I N G T 
 
 AND ITS VIC1N)TV 
 
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 ''M iJJ) VAULT AT W VERWO" 
 
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 MORRISON'S 
 
 sffiiEA3Kr©iiiEgi^ ©wnisii 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CITY OF WASHINGTON, 
 
 AND ITS VICINITY. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED WITH SEVENTEEN ORIGINAL DESIGNS ON 
 
 STEEL, AND A HEAD OF WASHINGTON FROM 
 
 A PICTURE BY WRIGHT, NEVER 
 
 BEFORE ENGRAVED, 
 
 PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM M. MORRISON, 
 WASHINGTON CITY. 
 
 '>-^» >CK^'N/' >■ > 
 
 18 42.
 
 4 CONTEJN'TS. 
 
 Georgetown 74 
 
 Heights of Georgetown 76 
 
 Catholic College 77 
 
 Free School 81 
 
 Convent of Visitation 81 
 
 Alexandria S3 
 
 Mount Vernon 89 
 
 Potomac River 92 
 
 Little Falls Bridge 95 
 
 Bladensburg 97 
 
 Carriage Fare 99 
 
 EMBELLISHMENTS. 
 
 Portrait of Washington— Vingnetto, Old Vault at 
 Mount Vernon— View of the city of Washington- 
 East view of the Capitol — South-west view of the 
 Capitol— President's House— Treasury Department- 
 General Post Office— Patent Office— Navy Yard- 
 Burial Ground— Georgetown— Heights of George- 
 town— Alexandria— Mount Vernon — Vault at Mount 
 Vernon— Little Falls Bridge— Bladensburg.
 
 si®miEns®:^^s ©whidiio 
 
 CITY OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 The Metropolis of a great country, is always 
 a subject of interest. It is supposed to be the 
 mirror of the nation, and travellers and stran- 
 gers are ever inclined to form an 'opinion of 
 the people at large, by the state of the Me- 
 tropolis of the country. This holds good 
 in a moral point of view, and is equally cor- 
 rect when adopted as a criterion of judgment 
 of the state of the Arts and Sciences of a 
 nation. 
 
 The City of Washington is the seat of 
 the Government of the United States. It is 
 located in the District of Columbia, a territory 
 of ten miles square, formed into a separate 
 and detached jurisdiction by the Constitution 
 of the United States. Within the limits of the
 
 6 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 District of Columbia, lie the towns of Wash- 
 ington, Georgetown and Alexandria. The 
 river Potomac, flowing from the moimtainous 
 regions of Virginia and Maryland, divides the 
 District in twain ; Alexandria being on the 
 Virginia side. The other two cities lying on 
 the shores of Maryland. 
 
 The City of Washington was laid out by 
 General Washington, according to an act 
 of Congress; and in ISOO, Congress for the 
 first time took up its permanent abode with- 
 in its limits. It lies in latitude 38° 53" 
 north. 
 
 The view given by the artist, of the City 
 of Washington, is taken from a point of land 
 known by the name of Giesborough, at the 
 mouth of the Eastern Branch, and embraces 
 every point of interest. In front flow the 
 Potomac and the Eastern Branch, the former 
 opening from the narrows of Georgetown, 
 and the latter pouring its tributary waters 
 into the larger stream, after liaving swept the 
 wharves of the Navy Yard. Directly op- 
 posite is the Military Arsenal, while to the 
 south is seen the President's House, and the

 
 CITYOFWASHIXGTON. 7 
 
 Capitol towers over all in the eastern sec- 
 tion of the city. The figures employed in 
 the picture are historical. They are fisher- 
 men engaged in the Potomac fisheries. This 
 is a peculiar feature of this great and valuable 
 river. Millions of Herrings, and immense 
 numbers of Shad, are annually caught, packed 
 up in barrels, and thence distributed to every 
 region of the United States. The fisheries 
 commence in the spring, and usually last from 
 four to six weeks. 
 
 The whole area of the city consists of up- 
 wards of four thousand acres. The ground 
 is about forty feet above the level of the river. 
 The original proprietors of the land on which 
 the city is laid out, in consideration of the 
 great benefits which they expected to derive 
 from the location of the city, conveyed in 
 trust, to the Commissioners, for the use of 
 the public, and for the purpose of establish- 
 ing the city, the whole of their respective 
 lands which are included within the lines 
 of the city, upon condition, that after retain- 
 ing for the public, the ground of the streets, 
 and any number of squares that the President
 
 8 MORRISON-S GUIDE. 
 
 may think proper for public improvements 
 or other public uses, the lots shall be fairly 
 and equally divided between the public and 
 the respective proprietors. By this means 
 the public had possession of more than ten 
 thousand lots, from which funds were to be 
 raised, to defray the expense of the public 
 buildings, in addition to 192,000 dollars, (Vir- 
 ginia gave 120,000 and Maryland 72,000,) and 
 to effect all the other objects of a permanent 
 location. Many of the streets of Washington 
 are one hunded and sixty feet wide, and none 
 under ninety feet. The laws of Maryland, 
 and Virginia, very generally prevail in the 
 jurisprudence of the District. 
 
 The following is the 1st section of an act, 
 passed on the 16th July, 1790, to establish 
 the seat of Government. 
 
 " An act for establishing the temporary and 
 permanent Seat of the Government of the 
 United States. 
 
 " Sect. 1st. Be it enacted by the Senate 
 and House of Representatives of the United 
 States of America in Congress assembled: 
 That a District or Territory, not exceeding
 
 CITY OF WASIIIjN-GTOIV. 9 
 
 ten miles square, to be located, as hereafter 
 directed, on the river Potomac, at some place 
 between the mouths of the Eastern Branch 
 and Connogocfieqiie be, and the same is here- 
 by accepted for the Permanent Seat of the 
 Government of the United Slates : Provided, 
 nevertheless, That the operations of the laws 
 of the States within such District sliall not 
 be affected by the acceptance until the time 
 fixed for the removal of the Government 
 thereto, and until Congress shall otherwise 
 by law provide." 
 
 In obedience to this clause. General Wash- 
 ington, the President, after diligent observa- 
 tion, selected this section, as the ssat of the 
 Federal Government, and had the city laid 
 out on a plan of magnificence, commensurate 
 with his own great and expansive mind. 
 
 HISTORICAL FACTS WITH REFLECTIONS. 
 
 It is an historical fact, that even before the 
 Revolutionary war, the site of the City of 
 Washington was laid out, and called Rcmf-. 
 A gentleman by the name of Pope was the 
 proprietor of the soil, and the Tiher rnii 
 
 A*
 
 10 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 through his tract. The stream still flows, a 
 muddy brook, and has its ancient name of 
 fame. 
 
 Here, also, even when these names were not 
 remarkable among the people of those days ; 
 when, though they were, they were not look- 
 ed upon as prophetic, the Indians of many 
 tribes congregated, and deliberated in council. 
 Here they regulated their wild government, 
 made treaties and declared war. The legend 
 is true, and General Washington, it is sup- 
 posed, was aware of the fact. 
 
 How singularly, then, has this location be- 
 come the seat of a great empire. There is a 
 romance around every, even the most com- 
 mon, incident of life, and here we find it. 
 Here, where the name of Rome, the mighty 
 znistress of a world dead but unforgotten, was 
 a familiar word, where even the common til- 
 lers of the soil recognized its sound, and ap- 
 plied it to the mighty forest lands that then 
 were here, when in going and returning to 
 their daily work they crossed the Tiber, how 
 strangely has it happened that here, an empire 
 great as the mother of empires herself, has
 
 CITY OF WASHINGTON. H 
 
 been established — that on the land called 
 Rome, a Capitol is built, a Senate house and 
 a Forum — that here a bridge spans the Ti- 
 ber's yellow tide, and thousands pass it on 
 the avocations of a millioned empire — that 
 here is the house of a Chief Magistrate, and 
 all the forms of a republic, and more than its 
 shadow.
 
 THE CAPITOL. 
 
 This building was commenced in 1793, by 
 Mr. Hallet, as architect. During the last war 
 it was destroyed by the British army, at the 
 time of their memorable incursion upon tlie 
 Metropolis. Jn 1813, Congress determined 
 to rebuild the Capitol. 
 
 The Capitol of the United States is situated 
 on an area of twenty-two and a half acres — 
 is on an eminence, whence the eye runs 
 along the distant shores of the Potomac, the 
 green-clad hills of Georgetown heights, and 
 the umbrageous shores of the Eastern Branch. 
 Looking from its terrace, the vision is refresh- 
 ed with beauty, and the whole view, north, 
 south, east and west, combines a panorama of 
 grandeur unsurpassed by any location in the 
 country. From the grounds can be seen the 
 cities of Alexandria ^nd Georgetown, the 
 former lying some six or seven miles down
 
 THE CAPITOL. 13 
 
 the river, and the latter three miles distant to 
 the west, 
 
 Tlie exterior of this edifice presents a rus- 
 ticated basement of the height of the first 
 story ; the two other stories are comprised in 
 a Corinthian elevation of pilasters and co- 
 lumns. The columns are thirty feet in height, 
 and compose a portico on the eastern front 
 of one hundred and sixty feet in extent, the 
 centre of which is crowned by a tympanum, 
 embellished with a group of statuary, the 
 composition of the venerable J. Q. Adams, 
 and the execution of Persico, the Italian. 
 
 The building is surrounded by a balustrade 
 of stone, and covered with a lofty dome in 
 the centre, and a flat dome on each wing. 
 
 The dimensions are as follows : The en- 
 closure within the iron railing contains twen- 
 ty-two and a half acres of ground ; length of 
 foot walk outside of railing, three quarters of 
 a mile and one hundred and eighty-five feet. 
 Length of front, - - 352 feet, 4 inches. 
 Depdi of wing, - - 121 " 6 " 
 East projection and steps, 65 " 
 West « « 83 «
 
 14 MORRISOX'S GUIDE. 
 
 Covering one and a half acres, and one thou- 
 sand eight hundred and twenty feet. 
 Height of wings to top of balustrade, 70 feet. 
 Height to top of centre dome, - 145 " 
 Representatives' Room, length, - 95 " 
 " " height, - 60 " 
 
 Senate Chamber, length, - - 74 " 
 
 " " height, - - 42 « 
 
 Height of great central Rotundo, - 96 " 
 Diameter " " " - 96 " 
 
 The north wing was commencetl in 1793, 
 
 and finished in 1800 : cost, ^480,262 57 
 South wing commenced in 
 
 1803, and finished in 1808 : 
 
 cost, - - - - 308,808 41 
 Centre building commenced 
 
 O 
 
 in 1818, and finished in 
 
 1827: cost, - - - 957,647 35 
 
 Total, - - - $1,746,718 33 
 
 The Hall of the Representatives is in the 
 second story of the south wing, and is of the 
 form of the ancient Grecian theatre. The 
 chord of the largest dimension is ninety-six
 
 THE CAPITOL. I5 
 
 feet. The height to the highest point of the 
 domical ceiling is sixty feet. 
 
 This room is suiToimded by twenty-four 
 columns of variegated native marble, from the 
 banks of the Potomac, with capitals of white 
 Italian marble, carved after the Corinthian 
 order, still remaining among the ruins of 
 Athens. The dome is rich and grand, simi- 
 lar to the Pantheon of Rome, and executed 
 by a young Italian artist, Benoni, now dead. 
 In the centre of the dome is a cupola, to ad- 
 mit the light upon the desks of the members. 
 The Speaker's chair is elevated above the 
 floor, and canopied ; above it, and under an 
 arch, is a statue of liberty by Causici, and on 
 the entablature beneath, is an American eagle, 
 copied from nature by an Italian artist, who 
 has left but this one specimen of talents in 
 this country. 
 
 " The artist, Seignor Valaperte, was but a 
 short time in America, the most of which he 
 spent in Washington. He was retiring in his 
 liabits, and of a melancholy temperament, as- 
 sociating with few persons, and with them 
 but seldom. Soon after the completion of
 
 16 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 this work, (the eagle,) he disappeared in a 
 mysterious manner, but soon after a body 
 being found in the Potomac, identified as his, 
 the doubt was solved, and the fated child of 
 genius was known to have met his death by 
 self-destruction." 
 
 In front of the Speaker's chair and imme- 
 diately over the entrance, is a marble statue 
 of History, recording the events of the nation. 
 She is placed on a winged car, traversed by 
 the signs of the zodiac, and the wheel of the 
 car is composed of a clock, the whole of 
 beautiful structure and design. 
 
 On one side of the Loggia is a portrait of 
 Lafayette, executed in full length by a French 
 artist, and said to be an admirable likeness of 
 the illustrious Frenchman. Opposite to this 
 picture is one to correspond, of Washington, 
 painted by Vanderlyn. 
 
 Between the columns, at thBir base, are 
 sofas placed for those admitted by rule and 
 privilege to the floor of the House, while in 
 the area sit the members at mahogany desks. 
 
 Between the House of Representatives and 
 the Senate Chamber, is the Rotundo. This
 
 THE CAPITOL. 17 
 
 grand hall is the most miposing part of the 
 Capitol. Ill its centre stands the great statue, 
 by Greenoiigh, of Washington, and around 
 its walls, in panels, are the various pictures 
 ordered by Congress. To the west are Trum- 
 bull's four pictures, the figures as large as life ; 
 one the Declaration of Independence; the 
 other the surrender at Saratoga ; the next the 
 illustrious closing scene of the Revolution, 
 the surrender at Yorktown ; and the last the 
 resignation of his sword by Washington, at 
 Annapolis. 
 
 It is not within the scope of these sketches 
 to criticise these invaluable paintings or works 
 of art, but they record events that give im- 
 pulse to patriotism, and impart to them a 
 value far beyond that which even the genius 
 of the distinguished artist himself could be- 
 stow. The only other picture of the four 
 now ordered by Congress, that is in the Ro- 
 tundo, is Chapman's great picture of the bap- 
 tism of the Indian Princess, Pocahontas, 
 before her marriage with Rolph, the English- 
 man. 
 
 The northern door of the Rotundo leads
 
 18 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 into the vestibule of the Senate Chamber. 
 This chamber is adorned by a screen of 
 Ionic columns, after those of the temple of 
 Minerva Polias. These columns support the 
 gallery to the east, and form a loggia below, 
 and a new gallery of iron pillars and railings 
 prop it from the semi-circular wall to the 
 west, and support a gallery for the use of 
 ladies. The chair of the Vice President of 
 the United States, and of the Senate, is a 
 canopied elevation under the eastern gallery, 
 and overlooks the floor of the Senate. In 
 the area, the Senators sit in semi-circular 
 form, each at his mahogany desk. 
 
 Within the Capitol is a Library, a large and 
 elegant room, filled with a choice collection 
 of books, bought by Congress, and disposed 
 in order by an excellent librarian. The Li- 
 brary is open, during the session, to visiters, 
 and every other day in the week during the 
 recess. The present librarian is a gentleman 
 of amiable manners, and takes pleasure in 
 exhibiting the books under his charge. 
 
 In the basement of the north wing is the 
 Court Room of the Supreme Court of the
 
 
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 THE CAPITOL. 19 
 
 United Stales, a low, ill-formed apartment, 
 which seems ready to burst under the weight 
 of the entire building. 
 
 STATUARY OF THE ROTUNDO. 
 
 The visitor to the Capitol ascending the steps 
 of the Eastern portico, in landing upon the 
 floor of that spacious colonade, finds himself 
 upon the Inaugural scenes of several Presi- 
 dents. Between the two centre pillars Gene- 
 ral Jackson and Mr. Van Buren were inaugu- 
 rated. Here, too. General Harrison was inau- 
 gurated. At this spot, some few years since, 
 Lawrence, the maniac, attempted the life of 
 General Jackson. Lawrence is still in the 
 prison of this city, full of the belief that he 
 is the President of the United States. 
 
 On the North side of the great entrance 
 door from the Portico to the Rotund o, stands 
 the statue of War, by Persico. It is made of 
 marble, Und is about nine feet high. 
 
 War is represented in the costume of an 
 ancient warrior. His helmet presses upon 
 his brow, and his breast is covered by the
 
 20 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 iron corslet. He leans with his left arm 
 upon his shield, and with his right, brings his 
 sword up to his heart, across which it lies in 
 readiness for combat. His eyes are lowering 
 with anger, and his whole attitude indicates a 
 roused and excited temper. There is, how- 
 ever, nothing fierce in the expression. A 
 manly sense of power and right, and calm 
 indignation seems to pervade the figure. His 
 nostril is not sufficiently distended, and the 
 whole statue is rather clumsy. The finish 
 given to this figure is very high. 
 
 On the other side of the door, stands the 
 beatific figure of Peace. The maiden, cloth- 
 ed in a simple garb, is in the act of extending 
 the olive branch to her warlike brother. A 
 smile of calm and sublime repose hovers about 
 her eyes, and her attitude is one of simple 
 and guileless innocence. 
 
 In neither of these statues, however, have 
 the ideas intended to be conveyed, been ful- 
 ly expressed, and we trust that some future 
 writer upon these topics, will have occasion 
 to mention the works of our countryman, 
 Powers, whose chisel should not be permitted
 
 THE CAPITOL. 21 
 
 to lay inactive, when so much remains to be 
 done about the Capitol of the United States. 
 When we enter the Rotundo and look 
 around at the statuaiy there collected, we are 
 startled at the sight. Grotesque figures start 
 from the walls, and startle us by their bur- 
 lesque appearance. Over the door leading to 
 the Senate Chamber, is a panel filled with a 
 representation of Penn's treaty with the In- 
 dians. Penn is in the act of delivering the 
 treaty to a couple of chiefs, whose heavy pro- 
 portions threaten a sudden incursion upon 
 the floor of the Rotundo. Two doves, ami- 
 cably placed in juxtaposition over the heads 
 of the Indians, coo an accompaniment to the 
 soft persuasion of the great William, and the 
 deep apoplectic gutterals of the obese Indians. 
 We trust that Congress will, ere long, order 
 the total erasure of this specimen of sculp- 
 ture. Circling to the west, we reach the 
 Rescue of Capt. Smith from the Indians, by 
 the Indian Princess Pocahontas. Here we 
 see the surgeon's skill. Anatomy flourishes 
 in lay figures for the lecture room ; and the 
 whole group looks more like a parcel of
 
 22 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 galvanized bodies, than an ideal work by the 
 hands of an artist. When will Government 
 learn to employ men of true genius — men 
 of the country, who can feel the incidents of 
 the country as natives of the land, and who 
 know what an Indian is in prose, and not in 
 romance, as half the Italian sculptors do. 
 
 Farther on, over the southern door, is 
 Boone's combat with the Indians. This is by 
 Causici. Boone is in the double act of ward- 
 ing off a tomakawk blow of his antagonist, 
 and of giving him a mortal stab beneath the 
 uplifted arm with his hunting knife. 
 
 Boone is calm, cool and brave. The gi- 
 gantic Indian whose head towers among the 
 branches of an o'erspreading oak, is full of 
 muscle and strength. His face is truly barba- 
 rous. At the feet of the coinbatants lies an 
 admirable figure — a figure which redeems the 
 whole of the Rotundo sculpture — a dead In- 
 dian. The hole made by the bullet in his 
 left side is evident. The grim contracted 
 brow, the scornful smile upon the closed and 
 rivetted lips, tell of the Indian's triumph in 
 his dying moment over his white conqueror.
 
 THE CAPITOL. 23 
 
 Many years ago, the writer of these sketch- 
 es was in the Rotundo, when a band of Win- 
 nebasfos came throucrh the hall. The tribe to 
 which they belonged, was one of the most 
 savage of the North American Indians. They 
 had never before permitted themselves to be 
 induced to visit the settlements of the whites. 
 They were wild, savage, proud and almost 
 intractable. 
 
 The delegation consisted of about twenty. 
 They were all of them noble looking fellows, 
 dressed in their own barbaric uniform. Their 
 faces were painted of various colors, and in 
 their belts were their scalping knives and 
 tomahawks, and over their backs their long 
 iron-looking bows and arrows. 
 
 As they were passing through the Rotundo, 
 their attention was arrested by this group of 
 statuary — Boone killing the Indian. They 
 formed a semi-circle, and the head man step- 
 ped forward and stood before the rest. They 
 looked intently for some moments, scrutiniz- 
 ing and recognizing every part of the picture, 
 and then suddenly, as of one impulse, they 
 raised their dreadful war-cry and ran hurried- 
 ly from the hall.
 
 24, MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 Over the Eastern door is represented the 
 landing of the Pilgrim Fathers upon the sa- 
 cred rock of Plymouth. The boat has just 
 touched the foot of the rock, and in the prow 
 is a Pilgrim in the act of landing. His little 
 son seems to caution him ere he ventures 
 among the savages. But the mother, with 
 her eyes elevated to heaven, places her trust 
 there and restrains the boy. Seated on the 
 rock is an Indian, holding in his hand an ear 
 of corn, as an emblem of friendship. The 
 conception of this work is noble — how could 
 it be otherwise, commemorating one of the 
 sublimest incidents in the annals of mankind .•* 
 Fleeing from the arm of persecution in Eng- 
 land, the Pilgrims of New-England stand at 
 this day pre-eminent among their kind, for 
 that one act of sublime self-sacrifice. Com- 
 ing to an unknown, a wild and savage region, 
 whose shores were washed by a tempestuous 
 sea, whose lands were sterile, whose inhabi- 
 tants were savages, enemies to civilization 
 and to Christianity, we can nov/ scarcely 
 estimate the greatness of their sufferings, or 
 calculate the amount of the reward that his- 
 tory owes them.
 
 THE CAPITOL. 25 
 
 This colony, commonly known by the 
 name of the Puritans, landed at Plymouth, in 
 Massachusetts, and soon after began the first 
 permanent English settlement in New-Eng- 
 land. 
 
 They fled from England to Amsterdam in 
 Holland, in 1607, with their clergyman, the 
 Rev. Mr. Robinson; from Amsterdam they 
 moved to Leyden, where they remained until 
 they set out for America. 
 
 Among the reasons for leaving their homes 
 in England, the prospect presented of enjoy- 
 ing " a purer worship and a greater liberty of 
 conscience," was the principal. They came to 
 the wilds of the Western world, pilgrims of 
 conscience ; and it was their descendants, 
 who, born with the love of liberty in their 
 hearts, reared the standard of revolution against 
 tyranny, upon the sacred mount of Bunker, 
 and met the foes of freedom for seven long 
 years, upon every field where man could die 
 or conquer. 
 
 In the centre of the Rotundo stands the 
 celebrated statue of Washington, by Green- 
 ough, the American sculptor. While these
 
 26 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 pages are passing through the press, the statue 
 is covered from observation, owing to the want 
 of a pedestal. Immediately beneath the statue 
 in a perpendicular line, in the basement sto- 
 ry of the Capitol, shrouded in gloom and 
 approachable only by lamplight, is the tomb, 
 prepared by Congress, for the Father of the 
 country. It is a large, and finelj^' constructed 
 vault, but it is tenantless. Mount Vernon 
 claims her hero. 
 
 CAPITOL GROUNDS. 
 
 The grounds about the Capitol are laid out 
 with considerable taste. No site, however, 
 presents finer opportunities for landscape gar- 
 dening. The soil is capable of producing the 
 finest forest trees, and already great numbers 
 are planted there. These are ranged in regu- 
 lar order, presenting a range of stiff lines to 
 the eye, and failing in that great object of 
 park scenery, the illusion of distance. Were 
 the trees so arranged, by placing the darkest 
 foliaged trees near, and the lighter leaved 
 trees farther off in umbrageous vistas, so as to
 
 THE CAPITOL. 27 
 
 conceal the views of long rows of houses on 
 the Avenue, the eye would be led along, as 
 in a fine landscape, and the mind deceived 
 into the momentary belief that it was enjoying 
 some rich and glorious views through a wind- 
 made avenue of a forest, breaking open a path 
 for the vision to the blue hills in the distance. 
 A man of true taste and thorough talent could 
 so transpose the trees and shrubbery, and ar- 
 range the walks, so as to compose labyrinths, 
 apparently many miles in extent. It is feared 
 that nothing of the kind will ever be attempt- 
 ed. Whatever grows from the earth is beau- 
 tiful, and ignorance cannot rob the flowers of 
 their hues, or the trees of their trembling fo- 
 liage; but art could add charms to nature, 
 and give to the public grounds at Washington 
 an enchantment worthy the country. im- 
 mense sums of money are expended annually 
 upon the grounds, and every year we see 
 nothing but the same thing over again. It 
 does not take five or six thousand dollars to 
 furnish compost to the grounds, or as much 
 money to make the trees and the flowers 
 grow. The same amount of money expend-
 
 28 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 ed by a gentleman of taste, upon the public 
 grounds, would improve them a hundred-fold, 
 and give to the seat of Government, a true 
 and established benefit. Nothing could be 
 more beautiful than for visitors to ramble 
 beneath the shady trees, catching here and 
 there a view of an artificially formed landscape. 
 The river Potomac, with its lofty blue shores, 
 forming the back-ground, and a gnarled oak 
 crept over by red vines, with the silvery ash 
 and powdery sycamore between, to make a 
 rich and picturesque fore-ground and middle 
 distance. Now, you see every thing as it 
 is — there is no room for the imagination; 
 and that which Congress meant, and which the 
 nation intended, to be of the highest order of 
 landscape, is nothing more than a stiff Dutch 
 park. 
 
 The basin of water at the bottom of the 
 western yard, might be converted into arti- 
 ficial lakes, with pebbly shores, and swans 
 floating upon the surface. Trees of fantastic 
 shape might be planted along their banks, to 
 throw a checkered shadow on the still mirror 
 of the clouds.
 
 THE CAPITOL. 29 
 
 Nature, in her freest forest garb, might 
 be located here, and rocks, piled upon rocks, 
 be taught to imitate their kindred in the wild- 
 est mountain passes. Old withered tnmks of 
 trees scattered about, with ivy creeping over 
 their decayed limbs, clumps of trees inter- 
 spersed so as to complete an endless variety 
 would contribute to the perfection of the pic- 
 ture, which all the stiff regularity of poplars, 
 cedars and aspens could never aspire to rival. 
 But it is to be feared that the control of these 
 grounds will never pass into the hands of a 
 man capable of such elegant improvements. 
 These observations can apply as well to the 
 grounds about the President's house. In the 
 whirl of politics the arts are overlooked, and 
 that which is ornamental is left to languish 
 under the false excuse, that the people would 
 not sanction these improvements. The peo- 
 ple would not object, though petty politicians 
 might.
 
 PRESIDENT'S HOUSE. 
 
 The President's House is an object of great 
 curiosity to visiters. It is a place of resort 
 to strangers visiting the Metropolis. On tlie 
 13th October, 1792, a procession was formed 
 for laying the corner stone. 
 
 This building is situated in the western 
 part of tlie city, and stands on a plat of 
 ground of twenty acres, forty-four feet above 
 the tide water of the river. It has a southern 
 and northern front, the southern presenting a 
 grand view of the Potomac. On both fronts 
 the grounds are laid out with taste, and plant- 
 ed Avith forest trees and shrubbery. The 
 M'alks are of gravel, broad and delightful. 
 The mansion is one hundred and seventy feet 
 front, and eighty-six feet deep, and is built of 
 white free stone, with Ionic pilasters. There 
 are two stories. 
 
 The northern front is ornamented with a
 
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 VI 
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 PRESIDENT'S HOUSE. 31 
 
 lofty portico of four Ionic columns in front, 
 and projecting with three columns. Beneath 
 this portico drive the carriages of visiters. 
 
 The northern entrance opens upon a plain 
 but spacious hall or vestibule. Immediately 
 opposite the front door is the reception room. 
 The v^alls of 4his room are covered with rich 
 and beautiful paper. The chimney-pieces are 
 of marble, beautifully wrought. The tables 
 are of marble, and the curtains of rich crim- 
 son. The carpet is circular to suit the room, 
 with the arms of the United Slates displayed 
 in the centre. There are two large mirrors 
 and a splendid cut chandelier in this apart- 
 ment. On each side of this room, and com- 
 municating by large mahogany doois, is a 
 square room of thhty by twenty-two feet. 
 These three rooms, with the celebrated east 
 room, compose the reception rooms on occa- 
 sions of festivity. To the west of these 
 rooms is the dining room for company, forty 
 by thirty, and on the north-west corner is the 
 family dining room. "All these rooms are 
 finished handsomely, but less richly than the 
 oval room. The walls are covered with
 
 32 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 green, yellow, white, and blue papers, sprin- 
 kled with stars, and with gilt borders. The 
 stairs for family use are in a cross entry at 
 this end, M^ith store rooms, china closets, &c., 
 between the two dining rooms. On the east 
 end of the house is the splendid banqueting 
 hall, stretching the entire depth of the build- 
 ing, with windows to the north and south, 
 and a large glass door to the east, leading to 
 the terrace roof of the offices. This room 
 is eighty by forty feet, and twenty-two feet 
 high ; it is finished with handsome stucco 
 cornice. 
 
 "The paper is of fine lemon color, with 
 a rich cloth border. There are four mantels 
 of black marble, with Italian black and gold 
 fronts, and handsome grates ; each mantel is 
 surmounted with a French mirror, the plates 
 of which measure one hundred by fifty-eight 
 inches, framed in a very beautiful style ; and 
 a pair of rich ten-light lamps, bronzed and 
 gilt, with a row of drops around the fountain; 
 and a pair of French cepina vases, richly gilt 
 and painted with glass shades and flowers. 
 There are three handsome chandeliers of
 
 PRESIDENT'S HOUSE. 33 
 
 eighteen lights each, of cut glass of remarka- 
 ble brilliancy, in gilt mountings, with a num- 
 ber of bracket-lights of five candles each. 
 
 "The carpet, which contains nearly five 
 hundred yards, is of fine Brussels, of fawn, 
 blue and yellow, with red border. Under 
 each chandelier is placed a round table of 
 rich workmanship of Italian black and gold 
 slabs — and each pier is filled with a table 
 corresponding with the round tables, with 
 splendid lamps on each of them. The cur- 
 tains are of light blue moreen with yellow 
 draperies, with a gilded eagle holding up the 
 drapery of each. The sofas and chairs are 
 covered with blue damask satin. All the 
 furniture corresponds in color and style. 
 The principal stairs on the left of the en- 
 trance hall, are spacious, and covered with 
 Brussels carpeting. On ascending these, the 
 visiter to the President is led into a spacious 
 ante-room, to wait for an introduction. When 
 introduced, he ascends a few steps, and finds 
 himself in the east corner chamber, the Pre- 
 sident's Cabinet Room. 
 
 " The room is about forty feet wide, and 
 c*
 
 34 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 finished like those below. The centre is 
 occupied by a large table, covered with 
 books, maps, manuscript, &c. The Presi- 
 dent is seated at a smaller table near the fire 
 place." — Elliotts History of the District of 
 Columlia.
 
 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The Treasury Department is located on 
 Fifteenth street and Pennsylvania avenue. 
 
 This noble structure ' " . hundred and 
 fifty-seven feet in lengtn. ine colonade in 
 front is very imposing, being the entire length 
 of the building, and after the architecture of 
 the temple jMinerva Polias, at Athens. 
 
 The number of rooms amount to two 
 hundred and fifty. The corridors have vault- 
 ed ceilings with tesselated pavements. 
 
 This building is erected on the site of the 
 old Treasury Department, burnt in 1833. 
 The Treasury is adjoining the Department of 
 State. 
 
 As the burning of the old Treasury build- 
 ing was attributed to two men, brothers, Rich- 
 ard and Henry White, Henry was tried, and, 
 as participator in the crime, was convicted and
 
 36 MORRISOIV-S GUIDE. 
 
 sent to the Penitentiary of Washington. Rich- 
 ard, the elder brother, had several trials, the 
 jury not agreeing, until, finally, he was ac- 
 quitted. This extraordinary trial lasted for 
 three or more years, continued at intervals 
 through that time, and, during the whole of 
 its progress, the prisoner was attended by his 
 wife, a beautiful and interesting woman. In 
 jail she was with him, and at his trials she sat 
 by his side, devoted to his fate with the perti- 
 nacity of a deep and unfathomable affection. 
 She lived only to see him acquitted, and died 
 soon after. 
 
 The acquittal of the principal supposed 
 incendiary involved the guilt or innocence of 
 the accessory, and strange to say, that Henry, 
 who was convicted upon evidence proving his 
 having been seen in company with Richard 
 on the night of the fire, was suffered to linger 
 in the Penitentiary, though the trial of his 
 brother was his acquittal. A petition was got 
 up, and after some delay, the unfortunate man 
 was released. 
 
 It subsequently turned up, that every one 
 of the principal and most positive witnesses
 
 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 37 
 
 against the Whites were at different times 
 apprehended, convicted, and, for various of- 
 fences, committed to different penitentiaries. 
 
 .A hiffh reward for the incendiaries had been 
 offered by Government, and, induced by the 
 prospect of so much money, a band of vil- 
 lains united in a story of great plausibility, 
 and nearly succeeded in their dark conspiracy 
 against the liberties of two unhappy men.
 
 GENERAL POST OFFICE. 
 
 Three fronts of this edifice are of marble; 
 the other of granite. Tlie architecture is not 
 bold — is of the Corinthian style, composed 
 of columns and pilasters, disposed upon a 
 high rustic base. 
 
 The plan of the building is a parallelo- 
 gram., two hundred and four feet in extent, 
 and sixty-five feet in width, with two wings 
 at right angles, one hundred feet each in 
 length, and fifty-four feet wide. 
 
 It contains eighty rooms. 
 
 On the site where stands the present Post 
 Ofhce, stood, some few years since, the old 
 Post Office building. In the dead of night a 
 fire broke out in one of the rooms, and before 
 the city could be aroused, the flames spread- 
 ing in every direction, consumed the entire 
 fabric, with many invaluable papers. This 
 destructive fire happened during the admini-
 
 \ 1- •■ :-'^
 
 GENERAL POST OFFICE. 39 
 
 stration of the Department by Mr. Amos 
 Kendall. No clue was ever discovered as to 
 the origin of this fire, though dark surmises 
 M^ere hinted towards various quarters, but after 
 a time suspicion lulled into a conviction that 
 it was purely accidental.
 
 PATENT OFFICE. 
 
 This public building is situated on F street. 
 It is two hundred and eighty feet in length, 
 and seventy feet in depth. 
 
 The basement and first story contain each 
 one large room for models, seventy by sixty 
 feet, and eight rooms twenty by twenty-two. 
 
 The upper floor is one entire room, two 
 hundred and sixty-seven feet by sixty-two. 
 
 The ascent is made to the chief floor by a 
 flight of granite steps that end in a grand ter- 
 race, extending beneath the roof of the por- 
 tico one hundred feet by thirty-two deep. 
 The portico is composed of sixteen columns 
 in double rows, and two massive antae rising 
 fifty feet. 
 
 The portico is of the same extent as that 
 of the Parthenon at Athens.
 
 THE OLD DEPARTMENTS 
 
 OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Bl'ilt for the purposes of immediate and 
 pressing use, the old buildings of Government 
 present to the eye scarcely a lineament of 
 graceful architecture. They are of brick, 
 and the only pretension to the ornamental in 
 their structure are the free stone porticos to 
 the Departments of State and of War. 
 
 The three old buildings for the use of the 
 public concerns, are situated in radiating lines 
 from the President's mansion. The State 
 Department, to the east, adjoins, as has been 
 before observed, the new Treasury building; 
 the War Office a few hundred yards from the 
 north-western gate of the President's enclo- 
 sure, and the Navy within a hundred yards or 
 more distance, and parallel to the War. 
 
 The rooms of the various Secretaries are 
 furnished plainly, but with appropriate neat- 
 ness. The Secretaries attend their offices 
 
 D
 
 42 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 from nine, a. m., until three, p. m. At the 
 sound of their hand-bell, a messenger, whose 
 post is the adjoining passage, flies to hear his 
 wishes ; and visiters are ushered from a hand- 
 some reception parlor into the Secretary's 
 room. 
 
 The Chief Clerk occupies the adjoining 
 room to the Secretary. 
 
 In a room in the State Department are kept 
 the presents presented from time to time to 
 our foreign ministers, consuls, &c. As the 
 law prevents the personal appropriation of 
 presents from foreign powers to the use of 
 the receivers, they are accepted in the name 
 of the General Government, and belong to the 
 public archives. 
 
 In this room are to be seen the diamond 
 decorated box of Alexander of Russia, pre- 
 sented to one of our public functionaries near 
 his Court', swords of different Governments 
 presented to our officers, all of exquisite 
 Avorkmanship, and many valuable on account 
 of the precious stones and solid gold with 
 which they are adorned. 
 
 In the War Office was formerly kept the
 
 OLD DEPARTMENTS, 48 
 
 line collection of Indian portraits, painted 
 from the original heads by King. These 
 valuable pictures are now in the custody of 
 the National Institute.
 
 THE NAVY YARD. 
 
 The view herewith presented of the United 
 States Na^y Yard of Washington, is taken 
 from the bridge over the Eastern Branch. It 
 embraces the ship houses, the building shed, 
 and the work shops of the yard, &c., &c. 
 
 The works at this place are very extensive. 
 Entering an arched gatew^ay guarded by a part 
 of the marines, the visitor enters a neatly kept 
 and extensive yard, of some twenty or thirty 
 acres in extent. On his left is the house of 
 the commandant of the yard, who is generally 
 a captain of the Navy, and on the right are 
 houses for the lieutenants and other officers. 
 Farther dowm towards the Eastern Branch are 
 ranged the various w^ork shops, the great for- 
 ges for anchors, the block and tackle factory, 
 the carpenters' shops, and many other houses 
 for the convenience of the public works. At 
 this place, several vessels were sunk when the 
 news of the defeat of our army at Bladens-
 
 THE NAVY YARD. 45 
 
 burg reached the authorities. There are sev- 
 eral hundred men usually employed at the 
 5^ard. It is said that vessels keep better here 
 than in any of the other Navy Yards of the 
 Government. This is owing to the peculiar 
 properties of the water, which prevents the 
 ships from rotting, and exclude the worms. 
 Several fine vessels of war, of the following 
 names and rates have been built and launched 
 at this yard : ship of the line Columbus, 74 ; 
 first class frigates Potomac, Brandywine and 
 Columbia, 44 each ; sloop of war St. Louis, 
 20 ; schooners Grampus and Shark, 10 each ; 
 and Experiment, 4. 
 
 Without the precincts proper of the Navy 
 Yard, are the barracks for the United States 
 Marines. There is a large settlement of hous- 
 es and inhabitants congregated around the 
 yard, but business does not flourish here. 
 There is no commerce, and what trade there 
 is, consists in coal and wood, and the produce 
 of the river, fish and oysters. Th^ houses 
 look ancient and time worn. Government 
 does not foster this post to a very large 
 extent.
 
 THE BURIAL GROUND. 
 
 This cemetery is situated in the eastern sec- 
 tion of Washington, about a mile and a half 
 from the Capitol. Below it flow the waters 
 of the Anacostia. 
 
 The Burial Ground occupies about ten 
 acres of land. Our view embraces the co- 
 lumn erected to Major-General Brown, com- 
 mander-in-chief of the Army. It is the bro- 
 ken shaft of a column, poetical in the extreme. 
 The small tomb beyond it is Judge Barbour's, 
 late of the Bench of the Supreme Court. Be- 
 tween it and General Brown's, unmarked by 
 a tomb, lies the grave of the eloquent and 
 elegant William Wirt. The pyramid tomb 
 marks the resting place of the gallant Rodg- 
 ers, a commodore in the United States Navy. 
 The square one is the tomb of Commodore 
 Patterson. Beyond, in the distance can be 
 seen a row of tombs, erected to members of 
 Congress.
 
 Pi 
 c 
 
 r 
 
 o 
 c 
 
 2 
 

 
 BURIAL GROUND. 47 
 
 The grounds of this burial place are neatly 
 kept. Trees are planted to shade the turf that 
 wraps the bodies of the dead ; and silence is 
 only broken by the murmuring wind, as it 
 moans through the branches and dies away 
 among the tombs
 
 THE DUELING GROUND. 
 
 Within a mile and a half of Bladensburg is 
 the celebrated Dueling Ground of the south. 
 It is enclosed by two hills, at the base of 
 which runs a small and reedy brook. To 
 the east the hills sweep round a little, and 
 conceal the parties from the Baltimore and 
 Washington turnpike road. Here fell Deca- 
 tur, in his duel with Commodore Barron. 
 The District line runs through this valley, 
 and the parties from the District of Columbia 
 and Virginia pass over the line into Mary- 
 land, and thus evade the laws of their own 
 territories. Those of Mar3'land pass over 
 into the limits of the District of Columbia. 
 This spot is about four miles from Washing- 
 ton. 
 
 The Dueling Ground is encompassed by 
 the limits of the battle ground of Bladens- 
 burg. All along the turnpike, passing by
 
 DUELING GROUND. 49 
 
 the dueling groiincU the British army ad- 
 vanced, and further west, towards AVasliing- 
 ton, within a mile of the valley of death, the 
 advancing column of the invading army was 
 checked by the gallantry of the brave Com- 
 modore Barney.
 
 LITERARY INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 NATIONAL INSTITUTION 
 
 FOR THE PROMOTION OF SCIENCE. 
 
 The National Institution for the promotion 
 of Science was organized in the month of 
 May, 1840. Its officers are — 
 His Excellency John Tyler, President of 
 
 the United States, Patron. 
 Hon. Joel R. Poinsett, President. 
 Colonel Peter Force, Vice President. 
 Directors jon the -part of the Govermnenf. 
 Hon. Daniel Webster, Secretary of State. 
 Hon. Walter Forward, Sec'y of Treasury. 
 Hon. John C. Spencer, Secretary of War. 
 Hon. Abel P. Upshur, Sec'y of the Navy. 
 Hon. Chas. A. Wickliffe, Post Master Gen. 
 Hon. Hugh S. Legare, Attorney General. 
 
 Directors on the part of the Institution. 
 Hon. John Q. Adams, House of Reps. U. S. 
 Hon. AVilliam C. Preston, Senate U. S.
 
 NATIONAL I NSTITUTIO IV. 61 
 
 Col. J. J. Abert, Chief Top'l Eng'r Bureau. 
 Col. Joseph Totten, Chief Eng'r Bureau. 
 A. 0. Dayton, Fourth Auditor, Treasury. 
 Com. L. Warrington, Board Navy Com'rs. 
 Francis Markoe, Jr., Corresponding Sec'y. 
 Pishey Thompson, Recording Secretary. 
 William J. Stone, Treasurer. 
 Dr. H. King, Curator. 
 
 Its stated meetings are monthly, and held 
 in the Patent Office building. Its collections 
 are in the Grand Hall of the same building. 
 This hall is about two hundred and seventy- 
 five feet long, and sixty-five feet wide, finish- 
 ed in the most chaste architectural style.. It 
 is considered one of the most splendid rooms 
 in America, and when completed by the ad- 
 dition of the wings, as proposed in the 
 original design, will be upwards of four 
 hundred feet in length. The rapidly in- 
 creasing and noble collections of the Nation- 
 al Institution will require this extension for 
 their accommodation by the time it would 
 now be possible to complete it. 
 
 Soon after the organization of the National 
 Institution, the Government of the United
 
 52 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 States placed in its charge the vahiable col- 
 lections in Natural History, &c., already sent 
 home by the South Sea Exploring Expedi- 
 tion. About the same time, the American 
 Historical Society, which had been already 
 organized, and actively engaged in the pur- 
 suit of its purposes, united with it, transfer- 
 ing its library and collections, and forming 
 now the department of American History 
 and Antiquities. This was soon followed 
 by a transfer of the library, collections, and 
 other effects of the late Columbian Institute. 
 These, again, by many further contributions 
 and deposites on the part of the Government, 
 particularly the valuable Gallery of Indian 
 Portraits and Curiosities in the AVar Depart- 
 ment; the Collection of Minerals and Geolo- 
 gical Specimens, made by Dr. D. D. Owen 
 in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, in a late 
 exploration performed by order of Congress, 
 and the valuable JMineralogical Cabinet, and 
 other interesting articles, the property of the 
 late James Smithson, Esq., of London. To 
 these from time to time have been added 
 many large and valuable contributions by the
 
 NATIONAL INSTITUTION. 52 
 
 members of the Institution. These, as far 
 as prepared for exhibition, have already made 
 the hall of the National Institution a place 
 of great resort for citizens and strangers ; but 
 when the entire collection now on hand, and 
 those expected from the Exploring Expedi- 
 tion and many other sources, shall have been 
 fully arranged, it will become one of the 
 most useful as well as interesting places in 
 our country. The publications of the Insti- 
 tution, so far, have commanded general at- 
 tention, and it is proposed before long to 
 brine out regularly volumes of transactions. 
 
 This Institution, although organized under 
 very flattering anticipations, has progressed 
 in a manner beyond the most sanguine hopes 
 of its earnest friends. This must be very 
 gratifying to the scientihc world generally, 
 but particularly to the American portion ; for 
 it must be evident from the experience of 
 other countries, as well as our own, that no 
 institution of the kind, fully competent to 
 accomplish all the purposes required of it in 
 this enlightened age, could be organized any 
 where else than at the scat of the goveru- 
 
 E
 
 64 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 merit of these United States. It is a matter 
 of no slight moment, as evincing the deep 
 interest taken by the Government in this 
 great national plan, that the President of the 
 United States has consented to become its 
 Patron. 
 
 COLUMBIAN COLLEGE. 
 
 This institution is delightfully situated on 
 the high range of ground north of the Pre- 
 sident's House, about two and a half miles 
 from the Capitol. The view from the roof 
 of the College edifice is rarely surpassed, 
 including nearly the whole of the District 
 and extensive portions of Maryland and Vir- 
 ginia. 
 
 It was incorporated by an act of Congress 
 in 1821. The buildings are a college edifice 
 of five stories, including the attic and base- 
 ment, having forty-eight rooms for students, 
 with two dormitories attached to each ; two 
 dwelling houses for Professors, and a philo- 
 sophical hall, all of brick. It has a library 
 of four thousand volumes, obtained chiefly in
 
 COLUMBIAN COLLEGE. ^ 
 
 England and Germany. The philosophical 
 apparatus is ample. 
 
 PROFESSORS. 
 
 Belles Lettres, Intellectual and 
 
 Moral Philosophy. 
 
 The duties of this Professorship are at 
 present performed by the Professor of Ma- 
 thematics and the Professor of Languages. 
 Thomas Sewall, M. D., College Professor 
 
 of Anatomy and Physiology. 
 William Ruggles, A. M., Mathematics and 
 
 Natural Philosophy. 
 Alexander McWilliams, M. D., Botany. 
 John O'B. Chaplin, A. M., Latin and Greek 
 
 Languages. 
 Frederick Hall, L. L. D., College Professor 
 
 of Chemistry. 
 Kendall Brooks, A. B., Tutor. 
 
 There are two sessions, one of six and 
 one of three months. The first from No- 
 vember to May, the second from July to the 
 first Wednesday of October, when the pub- 
 lic commencement for conferring degrees, 
 &;c., is held. 
 
 The higher classes are admitted to courses
 
 56 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 of lectures on Intellectual and Moral Philo- 
 sophy, Rhetoric, Anatomy and Physiology, 
 Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. On 
 occasions of great interest, the students are 
 allowed to hear the debates in Congress, and 
 the arguments in the United States Supreme 
 Court. The performances of the young 
 gentlemen who have received its honors at 
 the public commencements, have reflected 
 high credit upon the institution. 
 
 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The lectures in the Medical Department of 
 this institution commence on the first Mon- 
 day in November, annually, and continue 
 until the first of March. 
 
 During this period full courses are deliver- 
 ed on the various branches of Medicine. 
 
 PROFESSORS. 
 
 Thos. Sewall, M. D., Prof. Pathology. 
 Harvey Lindsly, M. D., Prof. Obstetrics. 
 Thos. Miller, M. D., Prof. Anatomy, &:c. 
 J. M. Thomas, M. D., Prof. Materia Medica. 
 J. Frederick May, M. D., Prof. Surgery. 
 Frederick Hall, M. D., Prof. Chemistry, &c. 
 S. C. Smoot, M. D., Demonstrator of Anat'y.
 
 UNION SOCIETY. 57 
 
 The Medical College is situated at the cor- 
 ner of Tenth and E streets, equi-distant from 
 the Capitol and the President's House. 
 
 UNION LITERARY SOCIETY. 
 
 The Union Literary and Debating Society of 
 Washington, is an Association of gentlemen 
 which has been in existence for many years. 
 We have some recollection of its meetings 
 as far back as 1818 ; but it seems to have been 
 discontinued for a time, for a re-organization 
 of the Society took place in 1824. During 
 the last seven years its operations have been 
 conducted with great zeal and vivacity ; and 
 talents of a very superior order are still ex- 
 hibited before crowded audiences of both 
 sexes, on the evenings of Thursday in each 
 week, at the Lecture room of the Medical 
 College, at which time and place their meet- 
 ings are held. There is a small initiation fee 
 and a quarterly contribution paid by the mem- 
 bers for the purpose of defraying the current 
 expenses of the Society. The subjects usu- 
 ally discussed are connected immediately or
 
 58 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 remotely with the well being of society, con- 
 sisting of literature, science, morals and gen- 
 eral policy. Religion in the sectarian sense, 
 and politics in the party sense, are both exclu- 
 ded. The constitution and rules of order are 
 formed upon the most approved parliamentary 
 models ; and the proceedings of the Society 
 are conducted with a dignity and decorum 
 that might do no discredit to some delibera- 
 tive assemblies. Its officers are a President, 
 1st and 2d Vice Presidents, Secretary and 
 Treasurer, which offices are at present filled, 
 respectively, by Joseph S. AVilson, Esquire, 
 James Clephane and John M. Duneanson, 
 Esqs., John H. Lang, Esq., and James 
 McGuire, Esq. The term of office is one 
 year, and the election takes place on the first 
 regular night of meeting in January.
 
 THE ARTS. 
 
 It would not do to omit, in a work of this 
 kind, the very elegant Exhibition Rooms of 
 Mr. Charles King, artist. These rooms, 
 comprised within a tasteful building, are 
 situated on Twelfth street. Mr. King has 
 shown great taste in the construction of his 
 Exhibition House, and in the manner with 
 which he has decorated his grounds. 
 
 His galleries are filled with many fine pic- 
 tures by himself, and deserve the repeated 
 visits of strangers. 
 
 On F street, near to Mr. King's, is Chap- 
 man's Studio. This distinguished artist has 
 no public exhibition room, but the walls of 
 his Studio are ornamented by some noble 
 pictures, copied by him while in Europe, 
 from some of the old painters. His easel, 
 generally, is rich in smaller gems, the fruits 
 of his finely cultivated taste and exquisite 
 handling.
 
 60 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 Thomas Doughty, the landscape painter, 
 has a Studio, and resides also in Washing- 
 ton. This distinguished painter, like Chap- 
 man, has no room of public and paying exhi- 
 bition, but a series of great and poetical land- 
 scapes is passing under his brush. During 
 the winter season numbers of artists, both 
 European and native, flock to Washington, 
 and generally, through the politeness of heads 
 of committees, obtain a committee room in 
 the Capitol, for the prosecution of their 
 studies or profession. 
 
 There are several other artists of Wash- 
 ington, portrait and landscape painters, whose 
 names as yet are unknown to fame. 
 
 STATUE OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 The followmg beautiful description of Green- 
 ough's Statue of Washington is from the pen 
 of the Hon. Edward Everett, extracted from 
 the Boston Miscellany of Literature and Fash- 
 ion. 
 
 " Mr. Greenough has in his studio, among 
 other projected works, the cast of a group de-
 
 STATUE OF WASHINGTON. gl 
 
 signed for the front of the Capitol at Wash- 
 ington, which he is desirous, and we trust 
 may be permitted, to execute in bronze. It is 
 matter of painful reflection to see beautiful 
 works in marble exposed in open air in a 
 climate in which they will so soon be disco- 
 lored and corroded by the weather. Even in 
 Florence, where the winter is mild compared 
 with that of the District of Columbia, the 
 marble statues exposed to the weather for any 
 length of time, have been seriously injured. 
 
 " But the work on which Mr. Greenough's 
 reputation must for some time principally 
 rest, is his Washlxgtox, which, while we 
 write these sentences, is on its way to Ame- 
 rica. At an early age it was the distinguished 
 good fortune of our townsman to have at- 
 tained such a reputation, as to receive from 
 Congress the honorable commission to exe- 
 cute the statue of the Father of his country, 
 to be placed in the magnificent Rotundo of 
 the Capitol at the seat of Government. A 
 more important and more honorable commis- 
 sion was never confided to an artist. It has 
 engaged the greater part of the time of Mr.
 
 63 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 Greenough for eight years ; and will be deem- 
 ed, we are confident, by all competent judges, 
 and by the well informed public at large, to 
 have been most successfully and honorably 
 performed. 
 
 " This statue is a seated figure of heroic, or 
 rather colossal size, being twice the dimen- 
 sions of life. Were it erect, it would conse- 
 quently stand about twelve feet high. It re- 
 presents the great hero, statesman, and citizen 
 with the right hand pointed to Heaven, and 
 the left hand holding a sword, with the han- 
 dle turned from the person. The upper part 
 of the figure is bare ; from the middle of the 
 body down it is covered with a Senatorial 
 drapery. A very pleasing effect is produced 
 by the manner in which the back of the chair 
 is carved in open work, so as to display the 
 back of the figure. The sides of the chair 
 are wrought in low reliefs, symbolical of the 
 character and fortunes of North and South 
 America ; and on the top of the chair, right 
 and left, are figures of Columbus and of a na- 
 tive of our continent. The face is composed 
 from that of Houdon, with a judicious com-
 
 6TATUE OF WASHINGTON. 63 
 
 parison of the other contemporary authorities. 
 It represents all the elevation, benignity, and 
 force of Washington's character — his iirm- 
 ness, tempered with pure benevolence ', and it 
 possesses an advantage, not shared in an equal 
 degree by that of Chan trey, and still less by 
 that of Canova, in faithfully reproducing the 
 well known features, with which every Ame- 
 rican claims a personal acquaintance, as of a 
 familiar friend or venerated parent. It will be 
 seen, however, that Mr, Greenough has by no 
 means slavishly copied Houdon. 
 
 " We regard" Mr. Greenough's Washington 
 as one of the greatest works of sculpture of 
 modern times. We do not know the work 
 that can justly be preferred to it, Vv^hether we 
 consider the purity of the taste, the loftiness 
 of the conception, the truth of the character, 
 or, what we must own we feel less able to 
 judge of, accuracy of anatomical study and 
 mechanical skill. Had it been the work of 
 Canova, Chantrey, or Thorvvaldsen, it would 
 have been deemed, we doubt not, worthy of 
 either of those artists. Nay, we are prepared 
 to go further, and disclaiming all pretence to
 
 64 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 connoisseurship, we are persuaded, if, instead 
 of being a statue of Washington, it had been 
 a statue of Julius Caesar or Alexander the 
 Great ; if, instead of coming from the studio 
 of a young American of the present day, with 
 all its freshness upon it, it had been dug up in 
 the ruins of the baths of Titus, or the Villa 
 of Adrian, shattered and mutilated, arms, legs, 
 nose, and even head gone — stained and cor- 
 roded; when it had been>scraped and pieced 
 together, furnished with modern extremities, 
 and perhaps a head of doubtful authenticity 
 — and thus restored, had been set up in the 
 Vatican or the Tribune, it would have been 
 deemed as fine a piece of sculpture as any 
 there. 
 
 "This grand work is of one single piece of 
 marble, not of pure white, which it is impos- 
 sible to procure in masses of sufficient size 
 for such a statue without stains fatal to its 
 beauty, but of a bluish tinge highly favorable 
 to the effect of a work of art. The marbles 
 of this kind are now pieferred for works of 
 this description. 
 
 " There are two points, in reference to
 
 STATUE OF WASHINGTON. 65 
 
 which we have heard Mr. Greenough's Wash- 
 ington criticised, and on which we beg leave 
 to state our impressions. One is the absence 
 of drapery from the upper part of the figure ; 
 the other is the precise significance or mean- 
 ing of the statue, and the propriety of a sitting 
 posture. 
 
 " The first topic, that of the costume of 
 M-^orks of art, is, of course, too extensive to 
 be exhausted on an occasion like this. It pre- 
 sents, undoubtedly, some difficulties. There 
 are two schools among artists in this respect, 
 and two opinions among judges of art. With- 
 out engaging in the discussion, we may with 
 safety say, that to confine the sculptor, in a 
 great monumental work like the statue of 
 Washington, to the exact imitation of the 
 clothes and the manner in which the hair was 
 dressed, is greatly to limit the field in which 
 the creative skill of the artist is to be exer- 
 cised, and to reduce to a low point the stand- 
 ard of the art. It rests upon the false as- 
 sumption that the closest possible imitation of 
 life is the object of the art of sculpture. It 
 leaves little but the face, which would not be
 
 66 MORRISON'S :GUIDE. 
 
 purely mechanical imitation, and not only so, 
 but the imitation of the most grotesque and 
 fantastical of human inventions. The caprice 
 of man has certainly never wandered so far 
 in the tasteless and the extra'^'agant, as in the 
 department of the tailor and the hair-dresser. 
 With all due respect even for these person- 
 ages, as they existed and flourished in revolu- 
 tionary times, we must boldly say, that there 
 are few things more ungainly than the pow- 
 der and pomatum, the ear locks, and clubbed 
 hair, the coat and small clothes of a conti- 
 nental major-general of that period. If it 
 were deemed desirable to perpetuate them, 
 and if the imitation of nature were v\dthout 
 qualification the prmciple of the art, it would 
 be better as they do in the wax-work muse- 
 ums, instead of torturing the marble, to put a 
 hond fide peruke, and a cloth uniform, faith- 
 fully fashioned after the model of 1776, upon 
 the head and shoulders of the statue. 
 
 "Mr. Chantrey, who belongs to what the 
 English consider the school of historical imi- 
 tation, in the matter of costume, has given 
 Washington a drapery destitute of the only .
 
 STATUE OF WASHINGTON. 67 
 
 merit such drapery can have, that of resem- 
 blance to the costume of the time. Canova 
 gave to Washington the Roman military cos- 
 tume, bearing no resemblance to the modern, 
 covering the upper part of the person, but 
 leaving a portion of the leg bare, conforming 
 to ancient usage in military statues, but as 
 unlike as possible to any dress actually worn 
 in America and Europe in modern times. Mr. 
 Greenough has adopted a drapery which meets 
 all the requirements of delicacy; which is 
 sanctioned by the authority of the greatest 
 masters of art in ancient and modern times, 
 and to which the public is now reconciled 
 and familiarized in busts, which are almost 
 invariably made either wholly nude, or with 
 an artistical drapery unlike any thing actually 
 worn. This drapery in the statue of Wash- 
 ington gives the artist the opportunity of dis- 
 playing the nervous arm, the broad shoulders, 
 the full throat, the arching breast, and swell- 
 ing muscles of an heroic figure, in all their 
 beautiful and manly proportions and sym- 
 metry. That some objections to this mode 
 of representing Washington will he felt by
 
 68 MORRISOIV'S GUIDE. 
 
 those who have not reflected much upon the 
 subject, nor traced the necessary details and 
 consequences of any other system, we the 
 less doubt, as we have already heard them 
 made, and have at a former period felt them 
 ourselves. We have, however, a confidence 
 founded on experience, that the more the sub- 
 ject is weighed, the more these objections 
 will be found to lose their force j and we are 
 strongly inclined to the opinion, that the pub- 
 lic taste will finally settle down in the con- 
 clusion that Mr. Greenough has, in this 
 respect, adopted the plan most consistent with 
 the dignity of the work to be performed, and 
 most likely to afford a refined pleasure, inde- 
 pendent of the caprices of fashion, in all 
 future time. For the period can never arrive, 
 so long as there is any taste or fondness for 
 the beautiful creations of art, when the skill- 
 ful delineation and idealization of " the human 
 form divine " will not be considered one of 
 the highest efforts of imitative skill. 
 
 "The other point on which we presume 
 BIr. Greenough"'s statue will be criticised, be- 
 cause we know it has been, regards the con-
 
 STATUE OF WASHINGTON. 69 
 
 gruity of a sitting posture, with the action 
 supposed to be indicated ; that is, the resigna- 
 tion of Washington's command at the close 
 of the war. We emphasize the word sup- 
 posed^ inasmuch as this idea, however current 
 and even natural on a hasty inspection of the 
 work, is wholly groundless. That a military 
 officer would not perform the act of resigning 
 his command in a sitting posture, is so ex- 
 ceedingly obvious, that it could not have 
 escaped an intelligent artist. Common polite- 
 ness requires the performance of every such 
 act in a standing posture. Again, in point of 
 fact, Washington resigned not his sword but 
 his commission. It is not supposed that an 
 artist, undertaking to record a specific event, 
 would have wandered so far from the well 
 known historical truth, as to substitute a 
 sword for a roll of parchment. The object 
 of the -work is misapprehended when it is 
 supposed to record the performance of any 
 specific deed. It is designed to represent a 
 character, not an action. It is Washington in 
 the aggregate of his qualities, not Washington 
 performing a particular exploit, or discharging
 
 70 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 any particular function or duty. It is the 
 Washington of a whole life, not of any one 
 moment. It is expressive and suggestive, not 
 historical and descriptive. With such signifi- 
 cance, a seated posture is not only appropri- 
 ate, but it is preferable to a standing one. 
 There are very few actions that can be per- 
 formed by a public personage sitting in a 
 chair. Canova has selected one of the few 
 for his Washington, but the congruity of the 
 action with the military harness in which it is 
 performed is questionable. But this posture 
 is most in keeping with the repose and calm- 
 ness personified in the character of Washing- 
 ton. The uplifted right hand, pointing to 
 Heaven, does not perpetuate any gesture made 
 by Washington on any particular occasion, 
 but it is in this way that the voiceless marble 
 speaks out that habitual reliance on Provi- 
 dence which was so substantial an element of 
 the character of the man. In like manner, 
 the sword in the other hand is there, not as a 
 weapon, but as a symbol. It indicates the 
 military leader, but it is neither presented nor 
 wielded. Washington is neither going to the
 
 STATUE OF WASHINGTON. 71 
 
 field nor resigning his command. He holds 
 the sword which belongs to him as the com- 
 mander-in-chief of the American armies. Jt 
 is not taken in hand for use, although it is so 
 held that it can be easily turned and grasped 
 if occasion requires. It is not offered to be 
 resigned, although it might, perhaps, without 
 over refinement, be inferred from the peculiar 
 manner in which it is held, that its owner is 
 prepared and inclined to lay it down when- 
 ever it can be done with safety to the country. 
 This explanation of the statue, it may be pro- 
 per to say, is not given on the authority of 
 Mr. Greenough. The writer of this article 
 has never conferred with him on this point. 
 It is the view of the matter which has spon- 
 taneously presented itself to his mind, for 
 which the artist is in no degree responsible. 
 
 " We will add but a single reflection on the 
 subject, and it is this : that there is no one, in 
 our judgment, however exalted his concep- 
 tions of the character of Washington, that 
 will not derive new views of its harmony, 
 dignity, and elevation, from the survey of this 
 noble work."
 
 PLACES OF AMUSEMENT. 
 
 NATIONAL THEATRE. 
 
 Between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, 
 within a few yards of Pennsylvania ave- 
 nue, is the National Theatre. This resort is 
 opened every night during the winter months, 
 and is generally the Theatre where all the 
 Stars of the drama, the tight rope, juggling, 
 dancing, singing, &c., are congregated. The 
 system of Washington starring has entirely 
 destroyed all hopes of a good permanent 
 Theatre, sustained by a stock company. 
 The lights of the stage are too brilliant for 
 the more grave complexion of the regular 
 delineators of the drama. 
 
 WASHINGTON ASSEMBLY ROOMS. 
 
 The old Theatre on Louisiana avenue, in the 
 rear of Gadsby's hotel, has recently been
 
 AMUSEMENTS. 73 
 
 converted into a splendid suite of rooms for 
 assemblies. There are two immense rooms, 
 each furnished with dressing apartments and 
 supper rooms. Great care and considerable 
 money have been expended to render these 
 rooms worthy of metropolitan fashion
 
 GEORGETOWN. 
 
 Our artist has selected a spot on the Virginia 
 shore of the Potomac for his fore-ground. 
 In viev/ lies the city of Georgetown. This 
 town formerly belonged to Maryland. It is 
 boldly and beautifully situated on a range of 
 hills that tower above the river, and rise in 
 undulating beauty along the eastern and 
 northern horizon. 
 
 Georgetown possesses the ancient college 
 belonging to the Catholics, under the direc- 
 tion of the Jesuits ; also a nunnery, and 
 various other seminaries of learning. The 
 heights of Georofetown are remarkable for 
 the noble and expansive view commanded 
 from them. Along these elevations gentle- 
 men of wealth have built their dwellings, 
 and no city in the union has scenery around 
 it so interesting. 
 
 During the session many members of Con- 
 gress reside here. In former days George-
 
 GEORGETOWN. 75 
 
 town was a place of great commercial enter- 
 prise ; and now, those merchants who are 
 largely embarked in trade, are full of zeal 
 and energy. Her flour mills are numerous, 
 and rank with the best in the country. 
 
 The artist, with strict fidelity, has included 
 a view of the Aqueduct of the Chesapeake 
 and Ohio Canal. This stupendous work is 
 at present unfinished. The piers, nine in 
 number, are built of granite, and imbedded 
 seventeen feet in the bottom of the river, with 
 a foundation upon solid rock, so as to with- 
 stand the shock of the spring ice, which, rush- 
 ing furiously from the stormy regions of the 
 falls and narrows above, passes with almost 
 resistless force against the bridges of the 
 Potomac, sweeping every thing before it. 
 These piers, built in the most masterly man- 
 ner, will bear up against any force that may 
 be brought against them. This Aqueduct 
 connects the great Canal of the Ohio and 
 Chesapeake with the city of Alexandria. 
 It has occupied several years in the construc- 
 tion. Its length is fourteen hundred and 
 f 
 'orty-six feet. The piers are thirtv-six feel 
 
 above high water mark.
 
 HEIGHTS OF GEORGETOWN. 
 
 It is needless to extend our remarks upon 
 this point. The view is taken from the 
 turnpike road, leading from Georgetown to 
 Fredericktown in Maryland. 
 
 Nothing can surpass this splendid pano- 
 rama. Below reposes the city of George- 
 town with its spires-^ to the left the Metro- 
 polis — like a waving band of silver, the 
 Potomac stretches as far as the eye can reach 
 to the south — while the Cupola of Mount 
 Vernon can be distinguished, breaking up 
 against the southern horizon. 
 
 No strangers at the seat of Government 
 should omit visiting the spot whence this 
 view was taken.
 
 V 
 
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 y 

 
 CATHOLIC COLLEGE, 
 
 GEORGETOWN. 
 
 Georgetown College was founded in 1791, 
 under the auspices and by the united efforts 
 of the illustrious Archbishop Carroll and his 
 confreres of the society of Jesuits, who had 
 found an asylum in America from the perse- 
 cutions which had nearly destroyed the order 
 in Europe. Archbishop Carroll, in a letter 
 still preserved in the College, dated 1790, 
 writes to F. Charles Plowden in England : 
 " Next sprhig we will commence our acade- 
 my on a sight the most lovely the eye could 
 wish to rest upon." The description is not 
 exaggerated, and the many improvements 
 made since the days of Carroll, both in the 
 number and finish of the buildings, the ex- 
 tension and cultivation of the demesne, ren- 
 der the locality of Georgetown College infe- 
 rior to none in the union ; while its peculiar 
 
 G
 
 78 MORRISOiV'S GUIDE. 
 
 salubrity is attested by the extraordinary fact 
 that no student has died on the premises 
 since the foundation of the College. It is 
 situated on the northern bank of the Poto- 
 mac, on the summit of a lofty hill, which 
 rises gradually as you approach it from the 
 town, with a very rugged and abrupt ascent 
 on the south to the margin of the river, and 
 on the north and west to a deep valley. The 
 northern declivity, however, has been beau- 
 tified by the application of great labor and 
 art, which have been successfully^ employed 
 in the formation of a magnificent garden, 
 falling in regular gradations to its base. 
 
 The buildings are of brick, and are very 
 elegant and commodious. They are capable 
 of containing above two hundred boarders. 
 The most prominent are the old and new 
 colleges, occupying opposite extremities of 
 the lofty eminence on which they are erect- 
 ed, and about three hundred feet asunder. 
 The old college i's occupied by the profes- 
 sors. The new one is appropriated to the 
 students, and in it are the class rooms, dor- 
 mitories, library, museum, &c.
 
 GEORGETOWN. 79 
 
 About ten years ago another splendid edi- 
 fice was erected near the old college, in 
 which are the refectory of the students, the 
 study room, and a most beautiful chapel. 
 From the fourth story of the new college 
 there is a prospect not surpassed in richness 
 and variety by any in the union. It em- 
 braces within its range the Xvhole of Wash- 
 ington and Georgetown, commanding a dis- 
 tinct view of the Capitol and the other public 
 buildings, with the great Potomac, bearing 
 on its waters the commerce of the sister 
 cities, the third of which, Alexandria, is 
 seen at a distance. 
 
 On the first of May, 1815, the College 
 was raised by Congress to the rank of Uni- 
 versity, with the amplest literary privileges. 
 She was then able to point with exultation to 
 some of the most distinguished men of the 
 Republic as her first eleves ; and since that 
 period she has continued to be focunda vi' 
 rum parens, who form a galaxy of talent 
 and virtue of which any institution might 
 well be proud. The course of studies occu- 
 pies, generally, seven years, inclusive of the
 
 80 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 preparatory classes, which last four years, 
 unless the proficiency of the student autho- 
 rizes an abbreviation of that term. The Col- 
 lege possesses a select library of twenty- 
 two thousand volumes, and is provided with 
 an extensive philosophical apparatus, and a 
 cabinet of minerals. The system of educa- 
 tion embraces the Greek, Latin, English, 
 French, Spanish, and Italian languages ; Rhe- 
 toric and Polite Literature, Geography, the 
 use of the globes, Book-keeping, a complete 
 course of Mathematics, Moral and Natural 
 Philosophy, Divinity and the fine arts. Dur- 
 ing the whole course great attention is paid 
 to composition, particularly English. For 
 the improvement of students in public speak- 
 ing, they are exercised every week before 
 the professors and students in declamation. 
 The College enjoys no endowment, and re- 
 lies for its resources upon the current income 
 derived from tuition. The number of stu- 
 dents varies from one hundred and twenty to 
 one hundred and seventy ; the present num- 
 ber is one hundred and thirty. The pre- 
 siding officer at this time, is Rev. James 
 Ryder.
 
 GEORGETOWIN'. SI 
 
 FREE SCHOOL. 
 
 There is attached to Trinity Church, George- 
 town, a free school, support^ by the vokm- 
 tary contributions of the Catholics. It is> 
 under the direction of Rev. Peter Cruz and 
 P. O. Flanagan, S. J., pastors of the congre- 
 gation, and is at present in a very flourishing 
 condition. Above a hundred children receive 
 instruction in this institution. 
 
 CONVENT OF VISITATION. 
 
 The Convent of Visitation, Georgetown, 
 founded by the most Rev. Archbishop Neale 
 in 1798, is at present the most flourishing 
 establishment of its kind in the United States. 
 It is situated at the north-west extremity of 
 the town, upon the declivity of one of the 
 beautiful heights of Georgetown. The hand- 
 some range of buildings appropriated for the 
 ladies' academy are of brick, between two 
 and three hundred feet in length, by forty in 
 breadth. In their interior, usefulness and 
 convenience are combined with neatness and 
 elegance ; and the apartments are admirably 
 
 G*
 
 g2 MORRISOTV'S GUIDE. 
 
 adapted to the uses made of them. These 
 buildings occupy part of the side of an ob- 
 long square, which contains an area of four 
 or five acres, part of which is appropriated 
 as play ground for the scholars, and the 
 remainder as an excellent botanical garden. 
 There are other edifices of great extent on 
 the same square, comprising the Bishop's 
 residence, an elegant church, the convent 
 and charity schools. The whole is under 
 the direction of the sisters of the visitation, 
 the sole object of whose united exertions is 
 the advancement of the young ladies in piety 
 and virtue, in intellectual and external culti- 
 vation, and in fitting them for the domestic 
 duties of life. The number of boarders is 
 generally one hundred. The benevolent 
 school for the instruction of poor female 
 children is numerously attended.
 
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 ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 The spectator, who, from the western front 
 of the CaDitol, overlooks the beautiful and 
 diversified plain which stretches beneath and 
 around it, will discern, at the distance of 
 about six miles to the south, the town and 
 port of Alexandria. 
 
 Facilities for reaching it are afforded by 
 the steamboats, which ply at almost every 
 hour of the day, and also by a bridge* 
 across the Potomac, and an excellent turn- 
 pike. The strikingly beautiful features of 
 the intervening country — the graceful out- 
 line of the Virginia hills, confronted by those 
 of Maryland — the broad and majestic ex- 
 panse of the Potomac, (whose name, we 
 
 * This bridge was broken by the ice during the 
 winter of 1840, but a hberal appropriation has been 
 made by Congress for its repair, which is expected to 
 be finished next summer. In the meantime, a ferry 
 boat supplies the communication.
 
 84 M O R R I S IV ' S G U I D E. 
 
 have been told, signifies in the Indian lan- 
 guage, " the River of Swans,'''' and might 
 seem descriptive of its characteristic gran- 
 deur and stateliness,) — all these conspire to 
 render an excursion to Alexandria one of the 
 most ao:reeable incidents which can await 
 the soiourner in Washing-ton. We deem it, 
 therefore, entirely compatible with our plan, 
 to dwell with some little particularity on the 
 history and condition, of this third and oldest 
 of the cities of the District. 
 
 Few, comparatively, of the interior towns 
 of the United States can look back, like 
 Alexandria, on the vicissitudes of nearly a 
 century. Its foundation dates from 1748, 
 and that it was early a place of some note is 
 shown by the fact, that five colonial Gover- 
 nors met here by appointment, in 1755, to 
 take measures with General Braddock re- 
 specting his expedition to the west. That 
 expedition proceeded from this place ; and 
 tradition still points to the site on which now 
 stands the older Episcopal Church, (but then 
 ** in the woods,") as the spot where he 
 pitched his tents, while the road over the
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 85 
 
 western hills, by which hi's army withdrew, 
 loniT bore the name of this unfortunate Bri- 
 tish commander. But the reminiscences 
 which the Alexandrians most cherish, are 
 those which associate their town with the 
 domestic attachments and habits of Wash- 
 ington. The reader of his letters and ad- 
 dresses will remember that he constantly 
 speaks of them as his old and valued fellow- 
 citizens, his kind and cherished neighbors 
 and associates. Writing from York Town, 
 he assures them that, " amidst all the vicissi- 
 tudes of time and fortune, he should ever 
 regard with particular affection the citizens 
 and inhabitants of Alexandria." On another 
 occasion he mentions with seeming exulta- 
 tion, that the people of Alexandria, who, on 
 hearins: of the ratification of the Constitution 
 by the requisite number of States, had deter- 
 mined to devote a day to festivity, "consti- 
 tuted the first public assembly which had 
 the pleasure of pouring out a libation to the 
 ten States that had actually adopted the Ge- 
 neral Government." This friendly interest 
 was manifested on every occasion, and a
 
 86 1 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 legacy of £1,000 to a free school in the 
 town, testifies that it ceased only with his 
 life. Nor were the Alexandrians backward 
 in acknowledging, nor have they been since 
 unmindful of, the honor which so intimate 
 and cordial an intercourse conferred upon 
 their city. Of the sympathies which reas- 
 sured him in the hour of difficulty, of the 
 acclamations which greeted him in that of 
 his success, theirs were not the least fervent, 
 or the least welcome. It was this " voice 
 from home" which, amid the applauses of 
 the world, seemed ever to c'ome with most 
 acceptance to the heart of Washington. The 
 stranger in Alexandria is still pointed to the 
 church of which he was a vestryman, to the 
 pew in which he customarily sate — and 
 many striking memorials of his varied life 
 are carefully preserved. Among the local 
 anecdotes which relate to his intercourse 
 with the town, the follov/ing, which, though 
 authentic, has found its way into but few 
 biographies of Washington, may not be un- 
 acceptable. 
 
 When yet but twenty-two years of age,
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 87 
 
 he was Stationed with a regiment of Virginia 
 militia, of which he was Colonel, in the 
 town of Alexandria. An animated election 
 for delegates to the Assembly came on, and 
 Washington, who entertained a warm politi- 
 cal and personal partiality for one of the can- 
 didates, engaged with ardor in the contest. 
 The opposite candidate was supported with 
 equal warmth by Mr. W. Payne, a respecta- 
 ble citizen of the neighborhood, between 
 whom and Washington an angry discussion 
 ensued in the street. In the cjurse of it, 
 Washington was hurried to the length of ap- 
 plying a direct personal insult to Payne, and 
 was answered by a blow, which felled the 
 future hero to the ground. The military 
 crowded around, and would have avenged 
 their beloved leader on the spot, but Wash- 
 ington, with characteristic moderation, ap- 
 peased the tumult, and withdrew to his 
 quarters. The next morning Mr. Payne 
 was invited to his room, and went, expecting 
 arrangements for a resort to the usual and 
 extreme mode of reparation. But Washing- 
 ton had passed the interval in reflection, and
 
 88 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 had regained the mastery of his passions. 
 He received his late opponent v/ith courtesy, 
 acknowledged the injustice \vhich he had 
 done him, and a personal friendship was 
 cemented which terminated only with their 
 lives. It may safely be said, thai; but few 
 men would have been thus capable of recog- 
 nizing and atoning for a wrong : of the he- 
 roes of the world, Themistocles might have 
 acted thus from policy ; Turenne from con- 
 stitutional equanimity ; but Washington was 
 actuated by that high princij)le which accom- 
 panied him through life, and which rendered 
 him as incapable of inflicting as of submitting 
 to injustice. * 
 
 Alexandria, as is commonly known, came 
 with the rest of the District, under the exclu- 
 sive control of the General Government in 
 the year 1800. Previously to this, and for 
 a few years afterwards, the commerce, re- 
 sources, and general prosperity of the town, 
 seem steadily to have advanced. Owin(y, 
 however, to causes which have been various- 
 ly sought in the restrictive policy which it 
 was thought necessary to oppose to the ag-
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 89 
 
 gressions of England and France, in the 
 rivalry of neighboring cities, and even in the 
 disfranchisement which attended the separa- 
 tion of this part of the District from Virgi- 
 nia, the prosperity of Alexandria received a 
 check in the early part of the century, fol- 
 lowed by a long period of vicissitude and 
 depression. But the visitor will be gratified 
 at witnessing many proofs of revived ac- 
 tivity, and will observe, in the style of seve- 
 ral recent build ing,s, sufficient evidence that 
 a new impulse has been communicated to the 
 hopes and spirit of the inhabitants. 
 
 Among the public works which attest the 
 spirit or animate the hopes of the Alexan- 
 drians, the first place is undoubtedly due to 
 the Canal, now nearly completed, and ex- 
 pected to open to them the resources of the 
 upper Potomac. The intelligent observer 
 who views the Aqueduct at Georgetown, 
 which forms a part of it, will wonder how 
 so stupendous an undertaking could have en- 
 tered into the contemplation of a community 
 like that of Alexandria. Nor is it possible 
 that it could have been efiected until after 
 
 H
 
 90 MORRISO^''S GUIDE. 
 
 long years of embarrassment and distress, 
 had not the timely and munificent aid of the 
 Federal Government been extended to the 
 work. When completed, this canal will con- 
 fer on Alexandria unsurpassed facilities for 
 manufacturing. The abundance and cheap- 
 ness of provisions, and the salubrity of the 
 air, are favorable to this object ; and many 
 flourishing manufactories of iron, leather, 
 peltries, &:c., already exist. 
 
 A new Court House, of large dimensions 
 and handsome design, has been recently add- 
 ed to the conveniences of the town through 
 the liberality of Congress. 
 
 The Museum, kept in rooms over the 
 market-house, is well worth attention, com- 
 prising, as it does, more personal relics of 
 General Washington than can be found else- 
 where, and also a large and curious collection 
 of specimens in Natural History. 
 
 The churches and houses of worship be- 
 lono-ins; to the town are numerous, commo- 
 dious, and well attended. Public schools are 
 many, and their exemplary character has 
 acquired for Alexandria wide repute as a
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 91 
 
 theatre of education. It will not be invidi- 
 ous to particularize that kept by Benjamin 
 Hallowell, since his numerous scholars have 
 carried its reputation into every part of the 
 union. 
 
 Within a few years past, an association 
 styled the Lyceum, and accommodated in a 
 new and tasteful edifice, built of free-stone, 
 after the Doric order, has served to evince 
 that the citizens of Alexandria are not behind 
 the most enlightened communities of the age 
 in a love of letters, or a zeal for improve- 
 ment. The course of lectures delivered 
 during the winter, brings together with great 
 regularity a crowded audience, and to the 
 ordinary attractions of the institution have 
 been occasionally added the names of such 
 lecturers as Adams, Barnard, Gushing, Good- 
 rich, Gurley, &c. 
 
 The channel of the river tends obliquely 
 from the mouth of the Eastern Branch to the 
 wharves of Alexandria, where its depth is 
 between forty and fifty feet. Rising by a 
 gentle acclivity from the water's edge, the 
 country subsides into a wide and level plain,
 
 92 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 until it reaches the base of a range of hills 
 whose summits, at different points, (such as 
 Shuter's Hill, Mount Ida, Arlington, &c.,) 
 present a succession of views, which, for ex- 
 tent, variety, and beauty, it might be difficult 
 to rival. 
 
 The population of Alexandria by the late 
 census, is as follows, viz: 
 
 Whites, 5,758 
 
 Free colored, - - - - - 1,627 
 Slaves, 1,074 
 
 Total in 1840, - - - 8,459 
 in 1830, - - - 8,263 
 
 ( ( 
 
 Increase, - - - - 196
 
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 ©
 
 MOUNT VERNON. 
 
 The picture herewith presented of this classic 
 and patriotic shrine, is eminently correct. 
 The house stands on a bold hill overlooking 
 the Potomac. It is distant about fourteen 
 miles from Washington. Every thing about 
 Mount Vernon is in keeping with the great 
 man whose home it was. The trees are large 
 and shady. The vistas through the woods 
 commanding glimpses of the glittering river, 
 and the passing sails, the green slopes bask- 
 ing in the sun, and gradually losing themselves 
 beneath the shadowy underbrush. The house 
 itself is two stories high, and surmounted by 
 a small cupola, over which is an ancient and 
 storm beaten weather-cock. The piazza 
 reaches from the ground to the eaves of the 
 roof, and is guarded on the top by a light and 
 tasteful balustrade. The pillars are large and 
 graceful, and present a simple and grand idea 
 to the mind. Beneath this porch the Father 
 
 H*
 
 94 MORRISOIV--S GUIDE. 
 
 of his country was accustomed to walk, and 
 the ancient stones, to hearts of enthusiastic 
 patriotism, are full of deep and meditative 
 interest. The interior is wainscotted after 
 the fashion of those days, with highly wrought 
 cornices and shafts. The rooms are generally 
 small except the dining room, which is a spa- 
 cious and hospitable hall. The whole house 
 presents a curious spectacle. Every thing 
 reminds you of former days ; and in treading 
 the halls of Mount Vernon, the mind reverts 
 incessantly to that majestic form, whose sha- 
 dow cast upon those very walls, seems to the 
 mind's eye, ready to start before you into life. 
 On the hill side toward the river, the visitor 
 is led to a rude and despoiled vault. Every 
 thing about it bears evidence of neglect 
 and almost of desecration. The door way 
 is broken in, the wood rotted, the stones 
 thrown in disarray. The ceders on the sodded 
 vault are withered. H ere slept from the day 
 of his burial until within a few years back, 
 the body of the illustrious chief. A new vault 
 was built some distance off, and thither he 
 was removed. In a sarcophagus now sleep
 
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 MOUJVT VER^'OX. 95 
 
 the remains of Washington. The lid is 
 wrought with the arms of his country, and 
 his simple but elegant epitaph is his name. 
 By his side in a corresponding tomb, are the 
 ashes of " Martha, consort of Washington."
 
 THE RIVER POTOMAC. 
 
 This beautiful river forms a junction with 
 the Bay of Chesapeake, one hundred and 
 fifty miles from the sea. From thence to the 
 head of tide water is about one hundred and 
 sixty miles. Its shores vary from the pebbled 
 and sandy beach, to the bold and wooded cliff. 
 Higher up above Georgetown, the scenery 
 elevates itself into the sublime, and rock piled 
 upon rock, lift their heads to u ^louds, while 
 far below, the boiling and vexed river sweeps 
 hurriedly along. In the upper regions of 
 Maryland it steals its way among sequestered 
 mountains, hiding itself in the deep forest 
 gloom, or sparkling along in the sun-light 
 tlaat breaks through the thick ^ " -^2. 
 
 " It is seven and a half mV at its 
 
 mouth ; four and a half at Noraon_y x^aj ; three 
 at Aquier ; one and a half at Hallowing point ; 
 one and a qivarter at Alexandria ; and the same 
 from thence to the City of Washington, which
 
 RIVER POTOMAC. 97 
 
 is within three miles of the head of tide water. 
 Its soundings are seven fathoms at the mouth ; 
 five at St. George^ s Island^ four and a lialf 
 at Lower Matchodic ; three at Swan's jioint; 
 and the same from thence to the city."-^/r/*- 
 ferso7i^s note on Virginia. 
 
 From the Capes of the Chesapeake to the 
 City of Washington, is upwards of three 
 hundred miles ; but the navigation is easy and 
 perfectly safe. A vessel of twelve hundred 
 hogsheads of tobacco has loaded at, and sailed 
 from, Alexandria. 
 
 The productions of the country in the Ter- 
 ritory of Coir" ' '1 and adjacent, are wheat, 
 tobacco, Indian corn or maize, rye, oats, po- 
 tatoes, beans, peas, and in short every thing 
 within the range of agriculture and horticul- 
 ture. The climate is genial, the lands capa- 
 ble of being Vv^orked to great advantage. 
 
 The river abounds in wild fowl and fish. 
 Up this V' ■-. John Smith sailed in the 
 
 early So. ... of Virginia, exploring its 
 
 shores, as high as the Great Falls, eighteen 
 miles above Washington. Within the mem- 
 ory of some of the old settlers of Waships--
 
 98 MOPcRI SON'S GUIDE. 
 
 ton, a small band of Indians inhabited the 
 banks of the Eastern Branch. They were 
 three adults and several children. They lived 
 in cabins near a spring of water, preserving 
 their original costume, and living by tilling 
 an acre or two of corn, and preparing baskets 
 of various colored twigs and barks, for the 
 use of the neighboring whites. They were 
 peaceable and orderly, but they passed away, 
 and no relic remains of their dwellings, and 
 scarce a record of their existence.
 
 V 
 
 ^iM^ 
 
 
 l!9
 
 LITTLE FALLS BRIDGE. 
 
 The view herewith given is the representa- 
 tion of a wild and romantic scene. It lies 
 about three miles above Georgetown, and can 
 be approached by an excellent road, along the 
 tow-path of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. 
 The Bridge is flung across the Potomac, 
 which is here very narrow, scarcely over a 
 hundred yards in breadth. The current is 
 rapid, rolling along over a rocky bottom. A 
 few hundred yards above the bridge, are the 
 lesser falls of the Potomac. These cascades 
 are about thirty feet in height. Their appear- 
 ance is very picturesque. The Virginia bank 
 of the river, is precipitous and rocky, and rises 
 to the height of more than a hundred feet. 
 The Bridge as presented in the plate, does 
 not exist. It was swept away by the ice 
 some three years ago. The spectator may 
 judge of the immense quantity of ice th,at
 
 100 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 comes down the river, from the fact of its be- 
 ing able to carry away a bridge so high above 
 the surface of the water. Tlie masses of ice 
 are piled mountains high, and until they reach 
 the wide open waters near Georgetown, pre- 
 sent a sublime spectacle. 
 
 Here it was, that Capt. John Smith, some 
 where in the year 1614, met a tribe of Indians 
 and had a talk with them. The mind's eye 
 can go back to that early day, and people the 
 rocky foreground of our picture, with groups 
 of painted Indians, with their bows and spears, 
 mingling with the stern and adventurous cava- 
 liers of Smith's party ; can see the plumed 
 cap of the Christian soldier, and the eagle 
 decorated head of the Indian chief, mingling 
 in friendly intercourse, and people the whole 
 scene with objects of high historic interest.
 
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 •I
 
 BLADENSBURG. 
 
 In order to make our views of the District 
 complete, we have included the village of 
 Bladensburg, in Maryland, five miles from 
 Washinscton. 
 
 History has the name of this- town record- 
 ed in her annals, and to the visitor at the seat 
 of Government it must always be an object 
 of historic interest. 
 
 The view presents the heights around the 
 village, and the bridge over the Eastern 
 Branch, which flows here in a shallow stream, 
 afterwards assumes the bold features of a 
 river, and at Washington is a mile in breadth. 
 The road in the foreground is that along which 
 the British army marched to the battle, and 
 afterwards to Washington. 
 
 On this bridge the English fell in column, 
 swept off by repeated discharges from the 
 American artillery. In vain, for some mo-
 
 102 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 ments, were the commands of officers, in vain 
 the force of thorough discipline and approved 
 courage : the forces could not advance. They 
 wavered under the terrible discharge, and had 
 the scenes of that unfortunate day been equalled 
 by the check given the enemy on the bridge 
 of Bladensburg, the chief city of the land, 
 would not have fallen under the fires of an 
 invading army.
 
 CARRIAGE FARE 
 
 OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 EXTRACT FROM THE LAWS OF THE CORPORA- 
 TION, RELATING TO HACKNEY CARRIAGES, 
 CABS, OR OTHER VEHICLES, CARRYING PAS- 
 SENGERS FOR PAY OR HIRE. 
 
 Sec 12. And he it enacted, That, from 
 and after the passage of this act, the follow- 
 rates of fare or charges for the conveyance of 
 persons from one place to another in the city 
 of Washington, in hackney carriages, cabs, 
 or other vehicles, carrying passengers for pay 
 or hire, between day break and eight o'clock, 
 P. M., shall not be exceeded, tliat is to say : 
 
 From the Capitol square to the Eastern 
 Branch bridge, (known as the Navy Yard 
 bridge,) thirty-one cents ; 
 
 From the Capitol square to the Eastern 
 Branch bridge, (known as the Middle bridge,) 
 thirty-one cents ;
 
 104 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 From the Capitol square to the Navy Yard, 
 twenty-five cents ; 
 
 From the Capitol square to the south end 
 of New Jersey avenue, twenty-five cents ; 
 
 From the Capitol square to Greenleafs 
 point, twenty-five cents ; 
 
 From the Capitol square to Seventeenth 
 street west, twenty-five cents ; 
 
 For any distance between the Capitol square 
 and any of the abovementioned places, notex- 
 ceeding one half of the entire distance, twelve 
 and a half cents ; but any distance more than 
 one-half, shall be reckoned as the entire dis- 
 tance ; 
 
 From the Navy Yard to the Middle bridge, 
 twenty-five cents ; 
 
 From the President's square to Greenleafs 
 point, twenty-five cents ; 
 
 From the President's square to the Western 
 limits of the city, twenty-five cents ; 
 
 From the Baltimore Railroad depot to the 
 National or Indian Queen Hotels, twelve and 
 one-half cents ; 
 
 From the said depot to the Hotel upon 
 Pensylvania avenue, between Fourteenth and 
 Fifteenth streets, twenty -five cents ;
 
 CARRIAGE FARE. 105 
 
 From the National or Indian Queen Hotels, 
 the City Hall, or any place in the vicinity of 
 those places, to the Steamboat wharf, twelve 
 and a half cents ; 
 
 From the Steamboat wharf to either of the 
 said places, or places in their vicinity, twelve 
 and a half cents ; 
 
 From the National or Indian Queen Hotels, 
 the City Hall, or any place in the vicinity of 
 those places, to any place east of Seventeenth 
 street west, or to any place west of Sixth street 
 east, or to any place south of P street north, 
 or to any place north of K street south, twelve 
 and one-half cents ; 
 
 For any distance between Greenleaf's point 
 and the Navy Yard, or between the Navy 
 Yard and the Middle bridge, or between the 
 President's square and Greenleaf's point, or 
 the western limits of the city, not exceeding 
 one half the entire distance, twelve and a half 
 cents ; but any distance more than one half 
 shall be reckoned as the whole distance : Pro- 
 vided, no charge shall be made exceeding 
 twelve and a half cents a mile for any distance 
 above two miles ; and in case of any deten-
 
 106 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 tion of a hackney carriage beyond five min- 
 utes, the driver thereof shall be allowed for the 
 whole hack a sum not exceeding twelve and 
 a half cents for every fifteen minutes. And 
 for the conveyance of persons from any one 
 place to another in the city of Washington, 
 not specified above, at the rate of twelve and 
 one half cents a mile. And for all conveyances 
 or detentions later than eight o'clock P. M., 
 the owners or drivers of hackney carriages 
 may demand and receive at the rate of fifty 
 per centum on the foregoing charges in addi- 
 tion thereto ; and in all the foregoing cases the 
 same charges shall be allowed for a part of a 
 mile as for a whole mile. 
 
 Sec. 13. c8nd be it enacted, That if any 
 owner or driver of a hackney carriage, cab^ 
 or other vehicle, carrying passengers for pay 
 or hire, shall refuse to carry a passenger or 
 passengers at the foregoing rates, or demand 
 or receive any greater sum for the conveyance 
 of persons than the rates by this act estab- 
 lished, or shall take up any passengers con- 
 trary to the provisions of the fourteenth sec- 
 tion of this act, he or they, on conviction,
 
 CARRIAGE FARE. 107 
 
 shall forfeit and pay the sum of five dollars for 
 each and every offence : Provided, always, 
 that nolhinfT herein contained shall be con- 
 strued to prevent any owner or driver of a 
 hackney carriage, cab, or other vehicle, from 
 receiving any voluntary compensation for the 
 conveyance of persons over and above the 
 rates hereby established ; but it shall never- 
 theless be the duty of the owner or driver 
 aforesaid to inform the person offering such 
 extra compensation of the rates fixed by this 
 act, otherwise the said owner or driver shall 
 be deemed guilty of having demanded extra 
 compensation. 
 
 Sec. 14. And he it enacted, That no dri- 
 ver of a hackney carriage, cab, or other vehi- 
 cle, carrying passengers for pay or hire, shall 
 when carrying any number of passengers 
 more than two, or when the passengers in the 
 carriage agree to pay for three seats therein, 
 be allowed to take up any other passenger on 
 the way, without permission of the persons 
 in the same, under a penalty of five dollars for 
 each and every offence. 
 
 Sec. 15. And he it enacted, That, when-
 
 108 MORRISON'S GUIDE. 
 
 ever any owner or driver of a hackney car- 
 riage, cab, or other vehicle, carrying passen- 
 gers for pay or hire, shall demand or receive 
 any greater sum for the conve5'ance of per- 
 sons who shall not have resided twelve months 
 within the city of Washington than is estab- 
 lished by the rates of fare established in this 
 act, or shall refuse to carry such person at the 
 said rates, he shall forfeit and pay double the 
 penalty prescribed by the thirteenth section 
 of this act.
 
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