Miscellany: Dickens In Washington

Tiie JJVnife of Representativos isn benuriful nnd ppncinns hall. ofVerniciicnlnr shnpe, Mipporled by hnmïsome pillurs. One part oftlio gallery is nppropriatcd to tjie l:id:os, and thore Ihey.eitjn front rosvs, mul curan in, ;m 1 r ia out, as at u play or concert. Theéfinir s cmopir-d, niul nii.-cd rorikiilerably nbovè fhé f1or of tho llnuso; mul evpry n ember bas an pns=y choirnnd a wririnff dck to liimspif ; wliicli is denoniïced by some pcopio out of doors as a most iinfoiniiiaie nnd injudicious armrii-ement. lond ng io lOntr eittincfi anti prosaic speeches. It is ar elegant chnmbeir to ]x k af. hut a sinpnlarly bul ene lor all pnrposcs nf hfiiriiiL'. The Sennte, which is eiriiïHefi s frec firom tftia objcction, and is excfoHinrriv wo!l ad?pJ.ed to ihe uses Cor which it is desjgngd. The .'-ittirifr;, I neod li.-irdly add, take piuco n thpday: ! and tbc parliamoritary fóVras are mudelled on tlxve of the oíd couníry. Did I soe in tbis public body, nn as?cnib]age ofmon. boDn tojretbor in tlie sácréd nhtríea of Ljborty nnd Freedom. nnd so asseiting tbo chaste dinfiiity of tbepe uvin godrtepsél?, in :i!l thcir disniissions, as tocxalt nt onco fio Eternnl Princ!pifs to wbich tbeir náino aro iven, and tbeir own cbarncter, nnfl tbe cbaracler of tbeir counfrymen, in ibe adminng eyes of the whole vyoríd? It was bnt a vvcpIí since, nn npi], proyii'ired man, a lasïinff lionnr totbe Tand t at rhve ■ hi'm birth, vyhó Iñis dono joqd ser.vicolo country, as bis forefalhers did, nnd who wil! [ be remembered scores upon scores aficr the I vvorins bred íñ its citfruption, nre but so hmm prainsof dust - it wás bnt a week, sim thw Jd man had stóód lor days iVpön bis tiia! before tliiá vory body, chárged with lrrving darcd to afsert llio inlbinj of thitt tiíiílie, "víiu:!i has for its nccursed mercliandize, mrn nnd Uyomen, and llicir nnbm-h c!:ldren. Yos. And pünlrcly exliibilcil ili the snrae city all ilic while; eíláed, li.uned and glied; hoíig up íor írnieral admiratioi); sliosvn to fstfaneera noiwitli Bhame, bnt pride; its focoriot luni-'.i towanls i!o w.-.ü, !.-e!fnot taken down tu,;] biirned; is tHfe Uiíariimoiis D clnmtion of tllfe thirie-n Uml.-d of Aini'iir-;i, whicli sul cm:ily dcí-l.'üTs !!.it UI .v.„ ;1!() created nqunjiínd are endowed by thejr Cfeatör wiiii ihInalTcnablé Righta of Life, Liberty, and ih0 Púrsuit of'JEIftppihesè! II. was nota tno.ntíf, sinro thls same body liad sat cíimlv i,y, :md lu-an! a mao, o,ie oV tiipmselvos, with oatb whU-.U bgfrnrsj iu their .linlc, rrjct, thrrntoii to cm nn-ther's throat froin car lo éor. Th'er he sAf, am.Vtm tliom: rio cniihe;] !iy th.c ponera I faplinjr öf tlio aásemhiy, but as (rond a man as unv. Tlinre was but. a wwk to como', and anotl er u, umi iiouy, uiv domnr ,,a duty to tfiose ylii) Bont nim thero; for ciaiiriinj in a Repub. lic he Litu-rly and Prètedoriï öF ëxjireasinir itosjr jmhnoüts; ená making kijown ihcïr prayer; woulo be tried, f.mri,1 '.r'vüy, and Ijaye 6tr.tinjcr censure a ppiI upon liim b'y tlio rest, Hï was a gfravè offt-nco inièoa: foryéa'á beforo, lie hal ri-en u; and éhtd, töA g'niig of mnle ffild r'.-malo shves ion .ali, wnrrantcd to i'iend Kkê caüle, lii.-ko.'i to eacii otlior by iron fott f !-.-, ire p: s.'-inLT oyj aiorig t ho op.n s'ic'l beneath lie vvindn.ws of ymir Térnple of E qnúlifv! Lftoiii"' Eul ihcr'e me many hinrls ot huufera ênpiigl] in the iMfsniionappines?, ond tliey go v:irioi)]y nruiod. ]t is tho jn.nlien:ib!f n!;:. i.i'soir.o aniono; lliqm, to take tlie ficJii o( their li:ippiiiosp, equipi cd vi;h cat and caiiwiiip, s tocky, :i:id iron collnr, nucl to stóuï thcir vic.v hiiiloa! (alvvnys in pniise of Liberly.) o t lio ttiusie ofclauking ciiains arul hioo ! ' t-tripes. Where sát tlie many Jppislatora of conr'ss threal?; of wórdd aiv] blow.s sudi c.s co'tlhéaVers deal iipon eac!i oliwr, wIh.mi thev forget their bfepdjng? On every si(!e. Èvp;y sessioH had i s aiecidots of Lhut kind, and Uie actors ivére all ih Di ! I reco(Tni-c m thre ns-r-embly, a body nf rñfeiii ivho Rpplyfng themselvèfl ii";i ti-v vor!d !o corree; so:nc of liio fal.-elioods and vices of the old, purified Vuq iv. -na 's to public life, pavéil Uw dirty ways !o place ámi powW, debafpd iin-l mnde hwá for the common good, ;iiid had no pnfy hi:t t luir rninrrv? 1 sa-.v in thotn, the vvhwfg tliat mnvo ihe meanfst pcryersiui] of virtno;is politie] macliinqry ihit (he worst toola ever ivrougjif. DèVpfcab'ë irifkcry : t. eici-iions: un.lerlinnded taini erin-rs with pnhüc nfiicers; cowardiy nttncks opón ojipoiK'iits, with f?::)nili!iis nwapiipfira l'nr shieii!.--, and hirc !. reus f:-.r dagfirrs .-iiaiiieful trncklihgs to rncreenary knavee. vvhosó claitfi To hé bi'iéid'ercdj h that rvery day and wek tiipy - sow new bfófié oí ruin wiih their vena] tyes.w-Jnch are the díftífona tepih of vore. in every i!i;)rr b n t sharpness: aidins pnd ab,elting.s o!' evcry bad inclüjniion injlie pi -piilnr tn'-i.d, nn 1 artlVil fúppVcssióiifi f nil ita gfbod in'! ■i'üoi'ri: sur-'i thiiigs ns IfitèSé and in n word, Dis.'ione-sr l''arün in its most deprave.! a. m-.t ii!i'iliishin:r form, s'areJ out frotn every corne'r of Uie crowd-id li.ili.Jr.il I .oe amoiijj llieni, the rnteJÜgence anr refinemenr : tl)p truc, honest, p.-uriirtjq heaTí of' Arnorica? [Iere-and Uiero, were drop.s oi ite iloi)íJ and lile, bui í hoy Mrccly colpred tliestrenm of desperate ídventurers wíiicli sots I lint way for profil and Cor pay. U is íhv. patrie o!" those men, and of liicir proílip-atn organs, to make ílie'strife óf politics fo firefi nnd bru'al, atiá ?o dfétfiíclive ofa! s4f resppct in wovihv (nenílhnt,BensitíiIive Se (!clic;ite ifiin!eil per.-oiH sha]] be kept al.oof, and ihev, and suchas íiie'y bn fóft to bulle oiiVtbelr selfisli views nnc!ieck"d. And tlins this lówcñst of all cftt&bling fi?hrs gos on, andth'ey wboin ot'icr oounrnt'3 would, from tf.cir inJclÜjence ;;ud slqjtioflu ir.(.t aspire to mnko the law-s, do licrc recoil tiio farthést (rom tfiát cJeredationi I visited bol Ii HoUSeá nnnrlv ovory dav, dnrirtff tsiüy in Wrfsllinjgton. On my 'iniíiatoryvisit to tho flonse of Représenla! ives, they diyide.d ogainsjt a decisión nf tho clmir; bnt llie chair won. The secoíid titno I wout, the mrrnlier who wns épéflkíh', bejrr iníorrupted by a laujrJi, mibfckeíl.-Jíi os ono niiild vvoúJd in qii -irrcllinir vv'r.li ;)infÍ!Cr, nnd ndded. 'that bel vvonld innke l.onr-iLle pentlciucn pposité, o it a little more n the o: her si!e of.iheir Diutha pivsenlly. ' 13ut iiñerrnptions nr.' ráre; ■ lie spealcor boino; nxiaiK heard in silence. Ther; aro more q-iarrels ili:m wiíh u; orifl more Uirenteoinae tlmn entlenirn aro nccuslomrd lo cxciianirp in anv Civilizei bocicty of wliich ve liave record; bút farmyard iinitatións li.ive nt as vii Unm imponed from Ihe ParlianiciUof thf United ICujfrdpm. The fealiue n oratory vliicl appoarsIo bemost pracrisedj and mosr rehshed, is ilie cnnslnnt repeiitioa of ilie sanie id.-a. or pjiadow of an iijcn in ('rpsh words; and die inquiry out. of drors i? not, "Wlint did hesay?" bu(, ' Nuw long (lid he sponkV fThese, however, are hut oritorgemente of a principie which prevails elsfwliero.jlr. Dirkpns ílien sketches lus joiirney to Ricliinoiii], Va. Aftrr rivinjr a rr:ifjluc desrripiii'ii of a siajre jaimi ver mudtjy ronds, and corduroy bridpes, lie es.v's: - Tiiis sinirnlar kind of coaehinnr te'minales nt Frpiriekl)urh. whenco i!ior" isa rniluny to Riclimond. The iract-of country hroujfli wbtch it nVikps its conreo wns once productivo: hut the soil luis boon exhanstcd by'the pyslPtn of rmployin? B proüt atnonnt ofsIflVP labor n forem crops, witliout ftreng.thenii)g thé Innd; and it is now 1 it l Ie beUcr (hnii a sandy oésCTt overo rowp uilli !rcos. Dipory oud niiiníorcí!iiiLr as i: aspect i--. I wns g.íad ■ to ti.o hoartto find anytlün on wliirli oic pf thn óiKRés ofthis horxibje insiilution Ikis !m1 len: :wl -Imd cre:ilrr p!p:isuru n ronlémpi&iins: llio u-irli-rc.l rrr-Miiii]. th:in thfi rfchéit and most tliriviPii cnhivaüon in :lie MtpepJace cptild po.-süily Havo ;fí'T(}r-] mo. Tiilhii dis'r:ct, as in al! fithoïs wlierp f];ivpry sif hrnodiiirr, (I lm(! tYf-qtionf y !icnrl this uliiiitPi!, ovni) by iIipso who are ts warno?l ndvQcntSi};) there is.an air ofrüin nnd (iecay pbronVf, wliicd ipse'pnnibffe fr'oiiï'tlip TIn' liarn ■- afid biifhbiisW! [ driiifr away: tiic eheds are patched and liplf roofless; the log cabins (built in Virgin a vitli !exterml chimneys muae of clay or vvood,) are squa.ljid in the lat degree. There is no look of decent comfort añywhee. The miserable stolions by the railway sido: the giéat w;de woody.irds, wi.ence the enrno is sud phed withtiiel: the ncffro cliildreS rollin on the gronnd l.efore the cabin doors, witl dorS ■mdpigsj thebiped .beast ofburden elinkipg past: grloom and dejpciipr} are won a'l. In the n-nrro car beloning to the traim in which we m;;.:c (his jouriïey, wero a m.ither nnú her children, wli,, liad jtist boen pitrchased; fhe hueband nnd fa'thèr bern? léft behind thcir ol(i fnviicr. The thiWren cned the whole v.-.iy, and ,e mother wns miiory's picUirp. Tho nh.im;.ion of Life, Libejty,and the I remt of Hnf.piness. who hajl boii-r,t them, rode in the same traiij,and, every time we stopppd. pot down 10 se tint they uere enfè - 1 He hl.mlf in Sihbad'iiTraveb, witfi one oye "" the mid(fle of his forehend, whicli shone li'ke n liü-nij) ronl, wns noiure'p ariátocrat com pared willi this wliiie L!'iiilr;man.