It was my pleasure to pass an evening, with my wife, in the private parlor of President Grant and family, who gave me a cordial reception. Among those who shared in this social interview were Rev. Dr. ——, L.L. D., from England, his wife and daughter, and our much-esteemed friends, Rev. Dr. N—— and wife, of the Metropolitan Church, D. C.
We were shown through some of the pleasant apartments of the Presidential mansion, and, among others, the private dining-room. In this the arrangements for meals are perfect and tasteful. A small bouquet of choice flowers, selected from the conservatory, which abounds with rare exotics, is placed at the side of every plate at dinner, and, that no interruption may interfere with the arrangement of the table, a plate is always provided for a casual visitor.
On entering Washington, the first building to attract the eye of a stranger is the Capitol, which is built on a prominent height, and forms the most conspicuous object as one enters the city; especially is this so when the magnificent dome is lighted; one then gazes with delight on the beauty of its perfect architecture.
On entering the Capitol by its massive marble portico, the visitor first views the reception rooms, then passes to the rotunda, the walls of which are adorned with paintings, many of which are commemorative of important events in the early history of America, and some of a later date. Statuary also meets the eye, and prominent amongst it is the life-size statue of the martyred President, Abraham Lincoln, from the chisel of Vinnie Ream. As one looks on this work, which has been so severely criticised, he will feel the injustice done her, and be likely, with the writer, to believe that the attacks were prompted by the fact that it was a lady who secured the contract. I enjoyed the pleasure of a visit to the studio of the gentle sculptor, where we found the lady, surrounded by specimens of her wonderful skill in this noble art.
To return to the Capitol—that general resort of strangers—one must visit the dome, and thither we go, laboring up—up—till it seems almost as though the top would never be reached, though pleasant company served to beguile the time as we mounted the hundred and eighty feet of ascending steps. When, at length, we reached the top, and stood in the presence of the paintings which completely decorate the upper portion of the dome, all else was forgotten, and it seemed as though we had passed into another sphere, away from all the cares of ordinary life! Books can be obtained, explaining the historical paintings, and in the study of these, days might be profitably employed. The brief time a visitor can give is far too short, to satisfy the eye, which desires to still gaze on, reluctant to depart. From the outer side of the dome a view of unparalleled beauty is presented: Georgetown, General Lee’s old homestead, in the distance, and the Potomac River, together with the elegant public buildings, are among the many objects included in the panoramic view.
As we descend again, and come amongst the sights and sounds of daily life, a sudden awakening to reality occurs. We now pass to the wings on either side of the main building devoted to the use of the two Houses composing our American Congress. On visiting the House of Representatives, when in session, the visitor is directed to the gallery which surrounds and looks down upon the hall; and, should he be a favored one, he is shown to a seat in that portion of the gallery reserved for the diplomatic corps, friends of members and distinguished visitors. There one can sit at ease, apart from the crowds which fill the other portions, and may listen to the speeches of representatives from every State in the Union, as they deliberate on the laws by which the country is to be governed; may note the voting, and sometimes hear the exciting contest as the dignity of debate is lost in some partisan wrangle.
The Treasury Building is a beautiful edifice, and is always the scene of busy life, the activity extending from the topmost floor to the furnace in the cellar, where the mutilated currency is burned. It is in this building that the paper money of the country is prepared, after which it is sent to the banks for circulation. It is customary for visitors to exchange a note for one that has never been in circulation, to be kept as a souvenir.
The elegant Smithsonian Institute, with its numerous objects of interest, and the Agricultural Buildings, with their beautiful grounds, offer their attractions to the visitor, while the Patent Office, with its multitude of models, showing the inventive genius of our countrymen, is of equal interest. Here, while admiring the ingenuity displayed by the inventors, we learn by the number of rejected models how many have spent perhaps the best years of their lives only to reap disappointment at the last.