MORRISONS' 
 
 Stranger's Guide 
 
 FOR 
 
 WASHINGTON CITY; 
 
 WITH 
 
 E T I Q U ETT E 
 
 TO BE OBSERVED IN CALLING UPON 
 
 THE PRESIDENT, OFFICERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, 
 FOREIGN MINISTERS, &c., 
 
 LATE OF THE STATB DEPARTMENT. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 'WITH 'WOOD AND STEEL ENGRAVINGS, EN TIRELY RE-WRITTBN, 
 AND BROUGHT Dpj^CjW^Q f^g^l^^ 
 
 J- WASHlNGT(Wr»rerr 
 
 w!' H. & 0. H. MORRISON. 
 
 186S. 
 
 <1_ 
 

 Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1866, by 
 
 W. H. & 0. H. MORRISON, 
 
 In the Clerk'8 Office of tho District Court for the District of 
 Columbia. 
 
 JScGiLL & Wnatnow. Printers & Stereotjpfrs, Washinaton. D.C 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 STRANGER'S GUIDE. 
 
 Washington 7 
 
 The Capitol 9 
 
 Discovery of America 13 
 
 Civilization 13 
 
 Statue of Washington 13 
 
 Plan of the Capitol, with location and number of rooms, etc 16 
 
 First Floor 16 
 
 Location of Rooms ou the First Floor 16* 
 
 Second Floor 18 
 
 Location of Rooms on the Second Floor 18* 
 
 Third Floor 24 
 
 Location of Rooms on the Third Floor 2i* 
 
 Dimensions rf the Capitol 25 
 
 The Patent Office 25 
 
 The Post Office Department , 26- 
 
 Treasury Department 27 
 
 The Pre.--ideuts House 29 
 
 The Smithsonian Institution 31 
 
 The Navy Yard 33 
 
 The Natiouiil Observatory 33 
 
 The City Hall 34 
 
 The Congressional Burying Ground 35 
 
 Washington Monument 36 
 
 Jackson Monument 38 
 
 Georgetown 39 
 
 Bladensburg 39 
 
 Alexandria , 39 
 
 The Potomac at the Little Falls 40 
 
 Hospital for the Insane 40 
 
 Military Asylum 41 
 
Mills' Statue of Washington 42 
 
 The National Armory 43 
 
 Mount Vernon 43 
 
 ETIQUETTE OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 Introduct on „.... 45 
 
 Society in "Washington 46 
 
 Polite Manners the key to Sela:t Society 48 
 
 Rules for Yisitlng.... 49 
 
 Privileged Classes 51 
 
 Etiquette at the White House 53 
 
 State Occasions 56 
 
 Etiquette in Private Life 60 
 
 The Uninitiated 61 
 
 Deportment at Musical Soirees 63 
 
 Members of Congress 64 
 
 Conclusion 65 
 
 Alphabetical List of all the Rooms, &c., in the Capitol. 
 
NOTICE 
 
 We present to the public the sixth edition of this 
 little work ; or we should more properly say, a new 
 work, embracing a Guide to Washington, with the 
 more essential rules of polite society in the Metropo- 
 lis. It has been entirely rewritten, and embraces a 
 description of all the public buildings, grounds, and 
 objects of interest in the city and its vic'nity, including 
 hospitals, &c. 
 
 It is believed that no work of the kind embraces 
 a greater amount of valuable information for stran- 
 gers and citizens in so short a compass. 
 
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 WASHINGTON CITY. 
 
 ^'ItASHINGTON, the Seat of Government of the 
 ^V United States, is situated at the head of tide- 
 water and of navigation on the Potomac, the broadest, 
 and, in many respects, the most beantifnl river in the 
 Union. The city is surronuded by hills on the cast, 
 north, and west, forming an amphitheatre, from the 
 sides, and tops of which every house and street is 
 visible. 
 
 The engraving presents a view of the city, with the 
 Capitol in the foreground. On the right are seen the 
 towers of Trinity Church, the City Hall, the Post Office, 
 and Patent Office, and far beyond is the lofty range of 
 hills above Georgetown. Pennsylvania Avenue, with 
 its beautiful rows of trees, and its busy throngs, is 
 seen in the centre ; to the left of it the meandering 
 course of the Washington Canal is marked by a white 
 line ; and on the extreme left is Maryland Avenue, 
 leading to the Potomac, which is in full view. Imme- 
 diately west of the Capitol, and between the two 
 Avenues, are the Columbian Armory, the Smithsonian 
 Institution, and the W^ashington Monument. The 
 hills beyond the river are in Alexandria county, 
 Virginia. 
 
 ifo city in the Union, perhaps, has a more beautiful 
 
\ * 
 
 
site than "Washington, and few are better situated for 
 manufactures and commerce. But, with Baltimore 
 and Alexandria in the immediate vicinity, which had 
 many years the start of it, Washington may be said to 
 have literally no commerce, and her manufacturing 
 enterprises are yet in their infancy. The Federal 
 (lOvernmeut, with its annual distribution of official 
 prizes, has hitherto monopolized the attention of a 
 majority of those who have turned their ambitious 
 thoughts towards the Seat of Government ; and the 
 great natural advantages of the position for business 
 enterprises have been neglected. The city is cotem- 
 poraneous with the Capitol. Prior to the location of 
 the Seat of Government at this place, there was not 
 even a village where "Washington now stands. The 
 act bears date July 16th, 1790 ; and, as may be sup- 
 posed, population immediately began to flow to it, 
 though less rapidly than was anticipated. The num- 
 ber of inhabitants is at present supposed to be more 
 than 100,000. The magnitude of the plan of the city, 
 and the distances of the public edifices from each other, 
 seem to have retarded its growth, as the responsibility 
 of paving the immense streets, with one exception, 
 has been thrown upon the city. But these early diffi- 
 culties are now overcome, and Washington is rapidly 
 rising into importance as a city. Within a dozen or 
 tifteen years the style of private building has greatly 
 improved, and become more worthy of the noble public 
 edifices in their midst. The munificent supply of water 
 by a grand Aqueduct, now near completion, which, 
 while it is a tardy fulfilment of the original plan of 
 the city, will add greatly to the prosperity of the place, 
 as well as to its beauty, interest, and comfort. 
 
THE CAPITOL — GENERAL DESCRirTION. 
 
 CgfHE Capitol has a noble and commanding sitnation 
 ^-^ upon the brow of a hill, a mile northeast of the 
 Potomac. From its roof the eye surveys a magnifi- 
 cent panorama of the surrounding country. The 
 river is seen to emerge from the narrow gorges of 
 the hills in the direction of the Blue Ridge. Suddenly 
 it turDS from a nearly eastern to a southern direction, 
 and meeting with the ocean tides, it Avidens into a bay 
 a mile in width, whose placid waters mirror the ele- 
 vated slopes which wall it in on cither side. The site 
 is worthy of the noble structure which stands upon it. 
 The Capitol, like Eome, was not built in a day. It 
 has gradually grown up with the country, but, like the 
 country, it was modeled upon a great scale, and with 
 an eye to future enlargements. The corner-stone of 
 the old building, which now constitutes the centre of 
 the new edifice, was laid on the 18th September, 1793, 
 by General Washington, in the presence of a large 
 concourse of citizens, and with imposing ceremonials. 
 The plan was drawn by Dr. Thornton, and the work 
 executed under several successive architects, (Messrs. 
 Hallet, Hadfield, Hoban, and Latrobe,) but was not 
 complete when it was destroyed by the British array in 
 1814. It was rebuilt in the course of the succeeding 
 ten vears ; but after a quarter of a century it Avas found 
 2* 
 
10 
 
 inadequate in many respects to the public convenience. 
 It is 352 feet 4 inches in length. The width of the 
 wings is 121 feet, and the width of the centre, includ- 
 ing the portico and steps, 290 feet. This whole struc- 
 ture, including centre and wings, becomes the centre 
 of the new building. The corner-stone of the new 
 wings, was laid by President Fillmore on the 4th of 
 July, 1851. Mr. Webster delivered an oration on the 
 occasion. They are connected with the main building 
 by corridors, each 44 feet in length and 56 in width. 
 The wings are each 324 feet in length, from east to 
 west, including porticos and steps, by 152 feet 8 inches 
 from north to south, including porticos. The total 
 length of the whole edifice is made up of the old centre 
 building, the corridors, and the width of the two new 
 wings. It is therefore 745 feet 8 inches. 
 
 The material of the old edifice is yellow sandstone, 
 which has been painted white, to beautify and preserve 
 it. The wings are of white marble. The architecture 
 is Corinthian, and the style of finish, exterior and inte- 
 rior, is elaborate. The new dome, as presented in the 
 engraving, rises 241 feet above the top of the building, 
 and 396 feet 4 inches above the level of the grounds 
 at the foot of the terrace, or only 4 feet less than St. 
 Paul's, and 36 feet less than St. Peter's. The material 
 «f the dome is cast-iron. 
 
 The Rotunda, though shorn of its glories while the 
 new dome remains incomplete, is still worthy of the 
 especial attention of visitors. It is 96 feet in diameter, 
 and its walls are ornamented with historical paintings 
 and sculptures. Of the eight large paintings which 
 occupy the panels in the lower surface of the walls, 
 the four illustrative of revolutionary events are by 
 
11 
 
 Colonel Trumbull, of Connecticut, who was an aid-de- 
 camp of General Washino^ton. They are greatly ad- 
 mired by the lovers of art. The events chosen by the 
 artist for representation are, the Declaration of Inde- 
 pendence ; the Surrender of General Burgoyne, at 
 Saratoga ; the Surrender of Cornwallis, at Yorktown ; 
 and the Eesignation of the command of the Army by 
 General Washington to Congress, at Annapolis, at the 
 conclusion of peace. The other paintings in the oppo- 
 site panels are, respectively, the Embarkation of the 
 Pilgrims by Weir, the Landing of Columbus by Van- 
 derlyn, De Soto's Discovery of the Mississippi by 
 Powell, and the Baptism of Pocahontas by Chapman. 
 These great paintings are all by American artists. 
 
 Above the four entrances to the Eotunda are four 
 groups of sculpture in high relief, also illustrative of 
 events in the history of the country. They are accu- 
 rately delineated by our engravings. That over the 
 north door represents William Penn in the act of 
 making a treaty with the Indians, under the shadow 
 of an elm tree. On the opposite wall, Daniel Boone, 
 the pioneer of Kentucky, is represented in a desperate 
 hand to hand conflict with Indians. This group 
 speaks for itself, and needs no description. A band 
 of Winnebago Indians who visited Washington some 
 years ago, were greatly affected by it, and actually 
 raised the war-whoop in the Rotunda ; when, perhaps, 
 frightened at the sound of their own voices echoed 
 through the lofty dome, they fled from the hall. 
 
 Over the eastern doorway is a group representing 
 the Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, Mas- 
 sachusetts. The boat has just touched the rock, when 
 the Englishman is met by the Indian with the offer of 
 
12 
 
 an ear of corn, as a symbol of hospitality and friend- 
 ship. The child of the white man seems to beg his 
 father not to venture on shore, while the mother looks 
 with trustful ej-es to heaven. 
 
 Over the western door, Pocahontas is shown in the 
 act of shielding Captain John Smith, the pioneer 
 colonist of Virginia, from the savage ferocity of her 
 father, Powhatan, by thrusting her form between him 
 and his victim. These groups are by Italian and 
 French artists, and are greatly admired. 
 
 Under the eastern portico, on the north side of the 
 entrance to the Rotunda, is a statue of War, by Per- 
 sico, an Italian. It is 9 feet high, of Carrara marble. 
 There is nothing fierce or ferocious in this piece ; the 
 angry brow and the determined bearing are rather 
 expressive of indignation at wrong, and a conscious 
 power to punish it. 
 
 On the opposite side of the door. Peace is personi- 
 fied by a maiden, who, in simple gai'b, and with the 
 expression of the sweetness of woman, extends the 
 olive branch to her warlilie brother. These pieces are 
 highly finished. 
 
 As has been elsewhere indicated, the Dome is sur- 
 mounted by a tholus, upon which is placed a collosal 
 statue of Freedom, in bronze, 18 feet high, said to 
 weigh fifteen tons. It was designed in plaster, in 
 Italy, by the great American sculptor, Crawford, and 
 the model for more than a year stood in the old Hall 
 of the House of Representatives, the admiration of all 
 who beheld it. The statue has been cast in bronze 
 from this model by Clai'k Mills, who has succeeded in 
 preserving the grace and beauty of the original. 
 
 The beautiful group which surmounts the pediment 
 
Puhhs'heA yrj ^ 
 
 COLUMBTJS 
 \hj- Tereico.) 
 
Mzshcd. byWIL^: O.RMo 
 
 J ^y 0, G Z A -f d ® y^ 
 
 by Greeuoug-ii 
 
STATUE OF WASHINGTON 
 ;' liy Greenou^.) 
 
 w^-*-^^'^ 
 
13 
 
 of the new Senate wing is also by Crawford. The 
 principal figure is that of a lovely woman wearing the 
 cap of liberty ; it is intended to symbolize Liberty. On 
 her right and left are the merchant, the mechanic, and 
 other American characteristic figures. 
 
 Discovert of America. — This group occupies the 
 southern abutment of the steps leading into the por- 
 tico of the Capitol. It is by Persico. It represents 
 Columbus landed in America. He holds a globe in his 
 right hand, symbolic of his discovery of a new world. 
 He is encased in armor, and the artist is said to have 
 copied it, to a rivet, from a suit worn by Columbus. 
 Tlie figure on his right is an Indian female, and her 
 attitude expresses the astonishment and dismay which 
 was manifested by her race on first beholding Euro- 
 peans. 
 
 Civilization. — This group by Greenough repre- 
 sents the conflict of civilization with savage life. The 
 female figure on tlie left represents a terror-stricken 
 mother holding her child, while the murderous savage 
 is arrested by the father, as his arm is raised to deal 
 the deadly blow. The dog on the right looks on the 
 conflict with eager interest. This group has been 
 greatly admired by the lovers of art. 
 
 Statue of Washington.— Greenough's Statue of 
 Washington, of collosal size, sits on a pedestal of 
 granite, in the grounds east of the Capitol. The 
 Father of his Country is represented in a sitting pos- 
 ture, with his right hand pointed to heaven, while the 
 left holds a Roman sword, with the handle turned 
 from the person, symbolic of his trust in Providence, 
 and ascription of the glory of his achievements to that 
 source. The statue is of one piece of marble, though 
 
14 
 
 not pure white. It is greatly admired by persons 
 whose tastes have been cultivated and familiarized 
 with works of art. Mr. Everett regards it as one of 
 the greatest works of sculpture of modern times. 
 
 The interior architecture of the extension is elabor- 
 ately finished. The walls are decorated with fresco 
 paintings, and the floors are covered with incaustic 
 tiling. The walls of the Vice-President's room are 
 entirely of Tennessee and Italian marble. There is 
 also a retiring room adjacent to the Senate chamber, 
 whose wall and ceilings are richly covered with gilt. 
 
 The new Senate Chamber and House of Representa- 
 tives are worthy of the especial attention of strangers. 
 They are entirely similar in construction, but differ 
 in size and finish. They are situated in the centres 
 respectively of the north and south wings of the Capi- 
 tol, with continuous halls running around them, and 
 separating them from the outer walls, or from the 
 committee rooms. They are, therefore, necessarily 
 lighted from above. The ceilings are cast-iron frame 
 works, the large square panels being filled with glass 
 richly embellished with symbolic representations of 
 the arts, history, and characteristics of the country. 
 These rich ceilings temper while they admit the light 
 of day which comes without stint through the glass 
 roofs above. There is also an arrangement of mova- 
 ble metallic plates, on the principle of Yenitian blinds, 
 under the sunny sides of the respective roofs ; so that 
 when the sun is at meridian height, and when it is 
 descending in the west, the amount of light admitted 
 may be the same. Above the ceiling there is an in- 
 genious and complicated apparatus for lighting the 
 halls with gas, the effect of which is to produce a light 
 
^^.k^^fJ.^ mm 
 
,<<^^/^^ 
 
 nil r 
 
/ 
 
»! 
 
 • Wi>^ 
 
 1 
 
 » -» Jl % 
 
15 
 
 scarcely distinguishable from that of day. The ven- 
 tilation of these halls is admirable. 
 
 The Senate Chamber is 113 feet 3 inches long, by 80 
 feet 3 inches wide. These dimensions include the gal- 
 leries, which extend, entirely around, and will accom- 
 modate about one thousand persons. The space under 
 the galleries is partitioned off into small apartments, 
 and the area of the floor is diminished to that extent. 
 It is 83 feet 11 inches long by 51 feet 1 inch wide. 
 
 The House of Representatives is 139 feet long by 93 
 feet wide, in its greatest extent. The floor is 113 feet 
 by 67. The galleries will accommodate some fifteen 
 hundred persons. The elevation of either hall is. 37 
 feet. The accurate pictures which accompany these 
 descriptions will render them perfectly intelligible to 
 every reader. 
 
 The grounds surrounding the Capitol, which now 
 embrace about thirty acres, and which are famed for 
 their beauty, are to be enlarged to some four or five 
 times their present dimensions. The whole cost of 
 the Capitol, including the old and new additions, with 
 the ground that surrounds it, will amount to perhaps 
 ten or twelve millions of dollars. T. U. Walter, Esq., 
 is the architect of the extension and the dome. The 
 work was under the superintendence of Captain M. C. 
 Meigs, of the Engineer Corps, until about the begin- 
 ning of the war, when he was restored to his more 
 appropriate sphere of military duty, and Mr. Walters 
 was placed in charge of the work. 
 
16 
 
 PLAN OF THE CAPITOL, WITH LOCATION AND 
 NUMBER OF ROOMS, ETC. 
 
 Every Room, Picture, piece of Statuai-y and object 
 of interest in the Capitol will be foi^d under its proper 
 Alphabetical head, numbered to correspond with the 
 number on the Plan to which it belongs, and located 
 80 as to show on what Floor and in which Wing it may 
 be found. Persons following the passages laid down 
 on the Plan, can experience no difficulty in finding any 
 place they may wish. There will be found also the 
 names and a description of eveiy thing that would be 
 likely to interest the Visitor. 
 
 ON THE FIRST FLOOR. 
 
 Law Library.— Old Building, No. 8. 
 
 This room was formerly used by the United States 
 Supreme Court, but is now used as a Law Library ; it 
 contains a very fine collection of Law Books ; none 
 but Members, Senators, and Heads of Departments are 
 allowed to draw books from here : but strangers can 
 consult any books they may wish, without being per- 
 mitted to carry them out of the room. This Library is 
 open from nine o'clock A. M. until Congress adjourns ; 
 and when Congress is not in session from nine A. M. 
 until three P. M. 
 
 Folding Room of the Hoin^ie.— 016. Building, No 16. 
 
 This Dep^ tment is used for the Folding and Distri- 
 bution of Books, Speeches, and Documents, authorized 
 to be printed by Congress. There is a similar estab- 
 lishment on the First floor, Senate Wing, No. 47. 
 
 Resta^lranU.—YLo\\^Q Wing, No. 18— Senate Wing, 
 No. 41— and Old Building, Second Floor, No. 3. 
 
16* 
 
 LOCATION OF KOOMS ON THE FIRST FLOOR. 
 
 No. 
 
 Crypt Old BuildiDg. 1 
 
 Police Guard Room " 
 
 Store Room of Law Library " 
 
 Senate Baths •' 
 
 Store Room of Supreme Court " 5, 6, 
 
 Law Library " 
 
 Offices of Court of Claims " 9 
 
 Court of Claims " 10 
 
 Store Rooms of Court of Claims. . . " 11 
 
 Library '' 13 
 
 Judges' Room " 13 
 
 Solicitors " " 14 
 
 Folding Room, House of Represen- 
 tatives. Store Room " 15 
 
 Folding Room, House of Represen- 
 
 tives ** 16 
 
 Superintendent of House Folding 
 
 Room " 17 
 
 Restaurant House Wing. 18 
 
 Bath Rooms " 19 
 
 Store Rooms " 20 
 
 Investigation Committee Room. . . " 31 
 
 Elections " 32 
 
 Upholsterers' Room '' 23 
 
 Post Offices and Post Roads Com- 
 mittee Room " 24 
 
 Public Buildings and Grounds Com- 
 mittee Room " 25 
 
 Committee Room '' 26 
 
 Tei-ritorial Committee Room " 37 
 
 Public Expenditures Committee 
 
 Room " 38 
 
 Doorkeepers' Office, House of Rep- 
 resentatives " 29 
 
 Patents Committee Room " 30 
 
 Claims " " •« 31 
 
 Agricultural'-' " " S3 
 
17* 
 
 JTo. 
 
 Document Room of Clerk of House . 
 
 of Representatives House Wing. 33 
 
 Entrance to Heating and Ventilat- 
 ing Apparatus " 34 
 
 Revoluiionary Claims Committee 
 
 Room " 35 
 
 Accounts Committee Room " Sfi 
 
 Indian Affairs " " " 37 
 
 Store Room " 38 
 
 Water Closets for Gentlemen " 39 
 
 Bronze Stair Case " 40 
 
 Restaurant Senate Wing. 41 
 
 Store Rooms " 42,43 
 
 Pensions Committee Rooms " 44- 
 
 Public Lands " " " 45 
 
 Revolutionary Claims Committee 
 
 Room " 46 
 
 Folding Room " 47 
 
 Post Office and Roads Committee 
 
 Room " 4S 
 
 Foreign Affairs Committee Room.. " 49 
 Superintendent Senate Folding 
 
 Room " 50 
 
 Enrolled Bills Committee Room.... '' 51 
 Private Land Claims Committee 
 
 Room " 52 
 
 Territorial Land Claims Committee 
 
 Room " 53 
 
 Water Closets for Gentlemen *' 54 
 
 Judiciary Committee Room *' 55 
 
 Naval Affairs " " " 56 
 
 Military " " " " 57 
 
 Indian " '* " " 58 
 
 Heating and Ventilating Apparatus 
 
 Entrance " 59 
 
 Claims Ct^niiJiittee Room *' 60 
 
 District of Columbia Committee 
 
 Room " (51 
 
 Store Rooms " 62 
 
 Bronze Staircase " 63 
 
^^-aTE "* 
 
 if ua(£l(S 
 
I 
 
17 
 
 Bath Room. —'RouQQ Wing, No. 19. 
 
 This room is for tlie use of tlie Members of the 
 House and is fitted up in the most approved style ; it 
 is worth looliing into. 
 
 Agricultural Committee Boom. — House Wing, No. 33. 
 
 This is one of the handsomest of the Frescoed Rooms 
 in the Capitol. The Paintings in this (as well as the 
 other rooms) are emblematical of the business in- 
 tended to be transacted in it. On one side is a Paint- 
 ing of Cincinnatus leaving bis Plough, to take com- 
 mand of the armies of his country ; on the opposite, 
 Putnam leaving his plough also, to fight for Independ- 
 ence. On the other two sides are portraits of Wash- 
 ington and Jefferson, and the Ancient and Modern 
 mode of Reaping, &c. While on the ceiling are beau- 
 tiful representations of the Four Seasons. 
 
 Heating and Ventilating Apparat^ts.—TioViSQ Wing, 
 No. 34— Senate Wing, No. 59, in the basement. 
 
 It is very interesting to see how such an immense 
 building is heated and ventilated ; this is done by ma- 
 chinery. Two engines in each Wing, driving fans 18 
 and 24 feet in diameter, force currents of hot or cold 
 air through miles of steam pipe, by which it is heated 
 or cooled, and forced again into all the rooms and 
 passages. In the summer the building is kept cool by 
 shutting off the steam from the pipes and forcing 
 nothing but the pure cold air through the building, 
 the current of air is so great as to aid in the ventila- 
 tion also. 
 
 Bronze Stair Case. — House Wing, first floor, No. 40. 
 Senate " " "63 
 
 House " second floor, *' 32 
 Senate " " " £4 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 There are two of these stairwaj'S in each Wing and 
 are considered the finest pieces of bronze work cast in 
 the country. The figures on it consist of eagles, deer, 
 snakes, squirrels, birds, &c. They were cast in Phila- 
 delphia, by Warner, Miskey, Merrill & Co. 
 
 Naval Affairs Committee Room. — Senate Wing, No. 56. 
 
 Militarrj " " " " " " 57. 
 
 Both of these rooms are emblematically frescoed. 
 
 All of the passageways are handsomely painted in 
 the Senate Wing. 
 
 SECOND FLOOR. 
 
 Botunda. — Old Building, No. 1. 
 
 This is the centre of the building immediately under 
 the dome. In it are many large and valuable paint- 
 ings, there are eight on the walls, viz. : Declaration of 
 Independence, Surrender of Cornwallis, Surrender of 
 Burgoyne, and Washington Resigning his Commission 
 to Congress, all by Trumbull ; Embarkation of the 
 Pilgrims, by Weir ; Landing of Columbus, by Van 
 Dulyn ; Discovery of the Mississippi, by Powell ; and 
 the Baptism of Pocahontas, by Chapman. In other 
 parts of the room are Equestrian Portraits of Generals 
 Washington, by Peale ; Jackson, by Healey ; and 
 Scott, by Troye, and portraits ef Webster, Ex-Presi- 
 dents Adams, Van Buren, Fillmore, Polk, and Peirce. 
 Over the four doors are pieces of statuary set in the 
 wall, consisting of Pocahontas Saving the Life of Cap-, 
 tain Smith, William Penn Treating with the Indians, 
 Landing of the Pilgrims, and Daniel Boone's contest 
 with two Indians. On the East Portico, outside the 
 Rotunda, are four pieces of statuary, representing 
 
18^ 
 
 LOCATION OF ROOMS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. 
 
 No. 
 
 Rotiiuda Old Building-. 1 
 
 Restaurant and Stairs to Dome " 3 
 
 Supreme Court Clerk's Office " 3 
 
 " « Chief Clerk's Office. " 4 
 
 Judges of Supreme Court ^" 5 
 
 Supreme Court Ante Room " 6 
 
 Supreme Court Room, (formerly 
 
 the Senate Chamber,) " 7 
 
 Marshal of District of Columbia's 
 
 Office " 8 
 
 Library of Congress— (opposite the 
 
 Rotunda) " 9 
 
 House Stationery Room " 10 
 
 Store Room " 11 
 
 Document Room of House of Repre- 
 sentatives, (up stairs,) " 12 
 
 Old Hall of Representatives " 13 
 
 Captainof Capital Police's Office.. " 14 
 
 Old Speaker's Room " 15 
 
 Bronze Doors House Wing. 10 
 
 Military Affairs Committee Room . " 17 
 Statue of Jefferson, by Crawford. . . " IS 
 Post Office of House of Represen- 
 tatives " 19 
 
 Ways and Means Committee Rooms " 20 
 
 Ladies' Reception Room " 21 
 
 Serg-eant-at-Arms, House of Repre- 
 sentatives " 23 
 
 Speaker's Room " 33 
 
19* 
 
 No. 
 
 Members' Reception Room House Wing. 24 
 
 Private " 25 
 
 Clerks' Office, House of Represen- 
 tatives " 26 
 
 Clerks' Offices 27 
 
 Picture of Western Emigration, by 
 
 Leutze, *' 38 
 
 Naval Affairs Committee Room " 29 
 
 Hall of Representatives " 30 
 
 Private Passage " 31 
 
 Bronze Staircase " 33 
 
 Senate Chamber Senate Wing. 33 
 
 Bronze Staircase " 34 
 
 Private Passage '' 35 
 
 Finance Committee Room *' 30 
 
 Statue of Franklin, by Powers, House Wing. 37 
 
 Stationery Room of Senate '' 38 
 
 Post Office of Senate " 39 
 
 Sergeaut-at-Arms' Office of Senate. " 40 
 
 Ladies' Reception Room " 41 
 
 Vice-President's Room " 43 
 
 Marble Room " 43 
 
 President's Room " 44 
 
 Private " 45' 
 
 Secretary of Senate Office " 46 
 
 " t« Clerk's Office.. " 47 
 Picture of the Battle of Chapultepec, 
 
 byW^alker " 48 
 
 Statue of Hancock, by Stone *' 49 
 
SENATE WING. 
 
S{E®®li3© [?iL®®S» 
 
 nnTT«w WTV(1. 
 
 SENATE WING. 
 
■-"■[■•&1 
 
 'B 
 
 
 n 
 
 J" 
 
 ei 
 
 3 
 
19 
 
 Peace and War, the Landing of Columbus, and Civili- 
 zation overcoming Barbarism. 
 
 Stairway to the JDome.— Old Building, No. 2. 
 
 Visitors will find the stairs outside the Rotunda door 
 leading towards the Senate. 
 
 Supreme Court i?oom— formerly the Old Senate 
 Chamber.— Old Building, No. 7. 
 
 Here are held the sessions of the United States Su- 
 preme Court, during the Session of Congress. 
 
 Library of Co7igress.—0\d Building, No. 9, opposite 
 the Rotunda, on the west front. 
 
 This library is for the use of Senators and Members 
 of the House of Representatives, and heads of Depart- 
 ments. It would be difficult to estimate the number 
 of books contained in it as additions are daily being 
 made to the collection. It is, however, one of the 
 finest libraries in America, and perhaj^s no other in the 
 country is so well guarded against fires. The whole 
 shelving is of iron, so that the books are brought in 
 contact with nothing combustible. The apartment 
 is magnificent. 
 
 Old Hall of EepresentativeR.— Old Building, No. 13. 
 
 This room was formerly used for the meetings of 
 the House of Representatives ; the roof is supported 
 by massive columns made of pudding stone, taken 
 from the Potomac. They constitute an object of much 
 interest. 
 
 Old Sjicaker^s Room. — No. 15. 
 
 Bronze Boor. — Corridor of House Wing, No. 16. 
 
 This door is believed to be the most magnificent 
 and costly piece of work of the kind in the vvorld. 
 Including the casing, it is seventeen feet high, by nine 
 in width, and weighs 20,000 pounds. It is ornamented 
 
20 
 
 witli a symbolic history of Columbus and his discov- 
 eries, in high relief. The facing contains fonr figures, 
 representing Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, with 
 the name of the American artist, Randolph Rogers, 
 and date of the design, 1858, on one side, and that of 
 F. Von Muller, of Munich, who executed it in bronze, 
 in 1861, on the other. 
 
 The door is divided into eight panels. The lower 
 one on the left represents Columbus unfolding his plans 
 of discovery before the Council of Salamanca, which 
 rejected them. The next panel above it represents 
 Columbus' departure from the Convent of La Rabida, 
 near Palos, which received him and his little sou 
 Diego, when in great poverty, and the Prior of which, 
 Juan Perez, introduced him to the notice of Queen 
 Isabella. The third represents the audience he received 
 at the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. The fourth 
 represents Columbus in the act of sailing from Palos, 
 on his first voyage. The fifth represents the first 
 encounter with the natives of the West Indies. The 
 sixth his triumphal return, and entrj' into Barcelona. 
 The seventh panel represents Columbus as a prisoner 
 in chains, by order of Don Francisco de Bobadilla, 
 who was sent to the West Indies by the Court to inves- 
 tigate charges against Columbus. The eighth and last 
 panel, at the bottom of the door, on the right, repre- 
 sents Columbus on his death-bed. The door is also 
 ornamented with statues of cotemporary sovereigns, 
 discoverers, and warriors, whose names are associated 
 with the discovery of America. 
 
 The transom panel over the door represents the first 
 lauding in state on the Island of San Salvador. 
 
 The door is also ornamented by the heads of distin- 
 guished historians, European and American, who 
 
21 
 
 liave written upon the discovery and exploration of 
 the Continent, with various other emblematic devices. 
 Mr. Walter, the architect of the Capitol has very 
 justly remarked that the present location of this pon- 
 derous and superb door is inappropriate ; and suggests 
 that while it has too much fine detail to be exposed to 
 the weather, at the exterior entrance of the building, 
 another and more fitting place may be found for it, 
 when certain contemjDlated modifications of the east 
 front of the main building shall have taken place. 
 
 Statue of Jefferson. — House Wing, No. 18. 
 
 This fine piece of statuary is placed at the foot of 
 the east gallery stairs ; Crawford was the artist. 
 
 Ladies^ Reception i^oom.— House Wing, No. 21 in the 
 passage in the rear of the Hall of Kepresentatives. 
 
 Ladies having business with any of the members, 
 can send their card to the person they wish to see by 
 one of the Doorkeepers, and wait their coming in this 
 room. 
 
 S2}eaJcer^s lioom. — House Wing, No. 23. 
 
 This room is occupied by the Speaker of the House 
 of Representatives. The ceiling and walls of this 
 room are of iron, very richly gilded and painted ; the 
 furniture and all the appointments are very hand- 
 some. On the walls are the portraits of nearly all the 
 Speakers we have had since the first organization of 
 Congress. 
 
 Picture of Western Emigration. — House Wing, No. 28, 
 Leutze, artist. Located in the West Gallery stairway 
 of the House of Representatives. 
 
 This picture is painted on the wall, and represents a 
 I^arty of emigrants crossing the mountains. It is 
 greatly admired. 
 
 3* 
 
22 
 
 Hall of Re2yresentatives. — No. 30. 
 
 Our Congressional Representatives meet in this 
 room the first Monday of every December. The paint- 
 ing and furnishing are very rich. In the front of the 
 room are three white marble desks ; the highest is 
 occupied by the Speaker, the nest by the Clerks, and 
 the lowest one by the Official Reporters of the debates. 
 The members' desks are divided in the centre of the 
 Hall by a broad aisle. On the west side are the Repub- 
 lican, and on the east, for the most part, the Demo- 
 cratic members' seats. Under the galleries of the Hall 
 are two Cloak Rooms, a Barber's Shop for the use of 
 the members, a Folding Room and Document Room. 
 During the Session the galleries are open to the pub- 
 lic ; one portion set apart for ladies, and gentlemen 
 accompanying them ; another for gentlemen, and a 
 third for the Diplomatic Corps. Immediately over 
 the Speaker's desk is the NcAvspaper Reporters' Gal- 
 lery, where a desk is assigned to each Reporter. The 
 ceiling of the room is of iron in the centre of which is 
 a beautiful glass Sky-light, on which is painted the 
 coat of arms of the several States and Territories. 
 Above this Sky-light is a Gas Pipe running all over it 
 with burners about one inch apart, and which, when 
 lighted, have the effect of sunlight. 
 
 Senate Chamber. — No. 33. 
 
 This Hall is similar to the Hall of Representatives 
 in its construction, but differs much in the style of 
 painting and furniture. The Vice-President presides 
 over this body. 
 
 Statue of Franklin, by Powers. — Senate Wing, No. 37, 
 at the foot of the East Gallery stairs. 
 
 Fost Office 0/ /.Sbia^e —Senate Wing, No. 39. 
 
23 
 
 Sergeant at Arms of Senate. — Senate Wing, No. 40. 
 
 Both of these rooms are very handsomely painted in 
 fresco. 
 
 Ladies' deception Boom. — Senate Wing, No. 41. 
 
 In this room the Senators receive their lady friends 
 who call on them. The fresco and furnishing is very 
 rich. 
 
 Vice- President s i^oom.— Senate Wing, No. 42, in the 
 rear of the Senate Chamber, is very plain hut hand- 
 somely furnished and decorated. 
 
 Marble Boom. — Senate Wing, No. 43, in the rear of 
 the Senate Chamber. 
 
 This is one of the handsomest rooms in the Capitol. 
 The ceilings and columns are constructed of white 
 marble and the walls of Tennessee marble ; it is beau- 
 tifully furnished, and is used as a private Reception 
 Room by the Senators. 
 
 Presidents i^oom.— Senate Wing, No. 44, in the rear 
 of the Senate Chamber. 
 
 This room is painted very handsomely in fresco ; 
 prominent amongst the paintings are portraits of 
 Washington and his first Cabinet on the walls, and on 
 the ceiling Liberty, Legislation, Law, Religion, and 
 Executive are represented; and pictures of Benjamin 
 Franklin, William Brewster, Christopher Columbus, 
 Americus Vespucius, and many other objects, all of 
 which are very finely executed. This room is used by 
 the President when he has occasion to be at the Capi- 
 tol, and especially during the last hours of a Session, 
 when the great number of bills to be signed renders it 
 highly convenient for him to be present. 
 
 Picture of the Battle of Chajmltejycc, by Walker.— 
 Senate Wing, No. 48, in the West Gallery staircase. 
 
24 
 
 Statue of Hancock, by Stone. — Senate Wing, No. 49, 
 at tlie foot of the West Gallery staircase. 
 
 THIRD FLOOR. 
 
 Dome. — Centre of the Building, No. 1. 
 
 This massive piece of engineering skill is built 
 entirely of iron, 264 feet high, and weighs about 4,000 
 tons. On the top is a bronze statue of Freedom, de- 
 signed in plaster by Crawford, executed by Clark 
 Mills. Visiters can reach the top by means of a stair- 
 way outside the Rotunda door opening towards the 
 Senate. 
 
 Lighting Apparatus. — House Wing, No. 10. 
 
 The Senate Chamber and Hall of Representatives 
 are lighted by means of thousands of gas burners 
 placed above the Sky-light, which, when lighted, has 
 a most beautiful effect. 
 
 Ladies' Betiring Boom. — House Wing, No. 13, and 
 Senate Wing, No. 27. 
 
 These rooms are private, and exclusively for the 
 accommodation of lady visiters. 
 
 Be2yorters^ Gallery. — House Wing, No. 14, and Senate 
 Wing 26. ' 
 
 Desks are assigned Newspaper Reporters in these 
 galleries for their exclusive use. 
 
 Telegra2)h Office.— B-c 3 Gallery, No. 15. 
 
 Messages can be seiu any where from this ofiSice by 
 any person ; it is only open during the Session of 
 Congress. 
 
 Library of the House of Representatives. — House Gal- 
 •lery, No. 21, containing nothing but Congressional 
 Records, Law Books, &c., exclusively for the use of 
 members of Congress. 
 
24* 
 
 LOCATION OF ROOMS ON THE THIRD FLOOR. 
 
 Ko. 
 
 Dome Old Building. 1 
 
 Commissioner of Public Buildings 
 
 Office " 2,3 
 
 Clerk of Public Buildings Office. . . " 4 
 
 Photograph Rooms v.. " 5,6 
 
 Dome Stai-rs " 7 
 
 Foreign Affairs Committee Room. House Wing. 8 
 
 Judiciary " " .. " 9 
 
 Lighting Apparatus " 10 
 
 Commerce Committee Room " 11 
 
 Public Lands " " " 13 
 
 Ladies' Retiring Room " 13 
 
 Reporters' Gallery " 14 
 
 Telegraph Office House Wing. 15 
 
 Invalid Pensions Committee Room. " 10 
 Revolutionary Pensions " " . . " 17 
 Roads and Canals " " . . " IS 
 District of Columbia " *' ... " 19 
 Mileage " " .. " 20 
 Library of House of Representatives " 21 
 Public Buildings and Grounds Com- 
 mittee of Senate " 23 
 
 Pacific Railroad Committee of the 
 
 Senate Senate. 23 
 
 Patents Committee of the Senate. . " 24 
 
 Commerce Committee Room " 25 
 
 Reporters' Gallerj- *' 26 
 
 Ladies' Retiring Room *' 27 
 
 Private Committee Room " 28, 29 
 
 Printing " " " 30 
 
 Document Room " 31 
 
SENATE WING. 
 
w 
 
 SENATE WING. 
 
25 
 
 The floors in both Wings are laid with very hand- 
 some tiles, those of the old building are of flags. 
 
 DIMENSIONS OF THE CAPITOL. 
 
 Length, 745 feet 8 inches. Width of Wings, 324 feet. 
 Width of old building, 390 feet. 
 The architect of building and dome is Mr. T. U. 
 Walter, Esq. 
 
 PATENT OFFICE. 
 
 The Patent OflELce is sometimes miscalled the Inte- 
 rior Department, because the Secretary of the De- 
 partment with his Clerks occupy it, as a matter of 
 temporary conyeuience. But it was built for a Patent 
 Office simply ; and at the rate of increase of the busi- 
 ness of that bureau, a very few years will suffice to fill 
 the building with what pertains to patents, to the 
 exclusion of every thing else. It occupies two whole 
 squares, and fronts south on F street, north on G 
 street, east on Seventh street, and west on Ninth 
 street. The length of the building from Seventh to 
 Ninth street is 410 feet, and the width from F to G is 
 275 feet. The inner quadrangle is about 265 feet by 
 135. The style of architecture is Doric, and although 
 the finish is exceedingly plain, no building in Wash- 
 ington is more admired than the Patent Office. The 
 grand but simple majesty of its proportions seems to 
 address the sense of beauty in the least as well as in 
 the most cultivated minds. 
 
 The interior is marked by the same combination of 
 
26 
 
 plainness of decoration with grandeur of design. The 
 lower stories are divided into apartments suitable for 
 the business of the office, while the upper or third 
 story, when complete, will form one grand saloon, 
 running entirely around the quadrangle, measuring 
 1,350 feet in length on its outer surface. This room 
 is occupied, except on the north, which is unfinished, 
 by the models of the patents, admirably arranged on 
 either side upon shelves, while ample space is left m 
 the centre for promenading around the entire quad- 
 rangle. 
 
 There are porticos on the east, west, and south. 
 The latter is an exact copy of the portico of the 
 Pantheon at Rome. The eastern portico is greatly 
 admired. The centre of the south front of the Patent 
 Office was built of inferior brown sandstone, and is 
 painted to correspond with the beautiful crystallized 
 marble of the other portions of the building. Wm. P. 
 Elliot was the original designer of this edifice, but it 
 has been built under other architects. The northern 
 portico remains to be constructed. 
 
 THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The Post Office Department, like the Patent Office 
 and Treasui'y, has been greatly enlarged within a few 
 years. The first building erected for the accommoda- 
 tion of the Department was burnt on the 15th Decem- 
 ber, 183G ; and the foundation of the present edifice, 
 which was designed by Robert Mills, was laid in the 
 summer of 1839. The extension, designed by Mr. 
 Walter, was commenced in June, 1855. The design 
 
''irni^f^^^ 
 
 '^m^ 
 
 I 
 
 e— r 
 
 r 
 
;1] 
 
 
 ^^e".,:'^' 
 
 if' 
 
 
27 
 
 is carried out in conformity with the original building, 
 though greatly modified and improved in its architec- 
 tural details and embellishments. The style is what is 
 called Palatial, and the order a modified Corinthian. 
 The columns of the extension are monoliths of Italian 
 marble. The whole stnicture is marble, but the old 
 part is inferior to the new, both in material and finish. 
 It covers an entire square, and is bounded by Seventh 
 and Eighth streets on the east and west, and F and E 
 on the north and south. 
 
 The length of the building from north to south is 
 300 feet, and the width from east to west is 204 feet. 
 The interior is divided into small apartments for 
 business purposes. Visitors should inquire for the 
 book of post office accounts kept by Dr. Franklin, the 
 first Postmaster General for the Colonies ; also, for the 
 Dead Letter Office. The City Post Office occupies the 
 lower story of the north front, and is well arranged. 
 
 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The old portion of the Treasury Department fronts 
 on Fifteenth street, between Pennsylvania avenue and 
 G street. It stands on the site of the old Treasury 
 building, (which was burnt in the spring of 1833.) 
 It was commenced in the summer of 1836, and pre- 
 sented an unbroken Ionic colonnade 343 feet long, 
 with the ends unfinished. The extension, the founda- 
 tion of which was laid in September, 1855, designed 
 by Mr. Walter, and superintended by Mr. Young, 
 who has designed many important details, is a great 
 
28 
 
 improvement on the old structure. The design, the 
 materials used, and the execution are all superior. 
 The old building is of inferior brown sandstone 
 painted ; and the colonnade, though imposing in 
 appearance, is monotonous and inconvenient, as it 
 serves to exclude the light from the building. The 
 plan of the extension flanks the old building at each 
 end with massive and beautiful terminations of the 
 north and south fronts, which break the monotony of 
 the long portico of the original building. There are 
 two inner quadrangles, formed by the old rear build- 
 ing, extending back from the eastern entrance. These 
 courts are each 130 feet square. The walls of the 
 extension are composed of pilasters, resting on a base 
 which rises some twelve feet above the ground on the 
 southern or lower side. Between the pilasters or anta? 
 are fillings tastefully arranged so as to form door and 
 window facings with beautiful mouldings. In the 
 centre of the southern, western, and northern fronts 
 are magnificent porticos in the Ionic order. The west 
 front has also the projecting pediments at the ends, 
 corresponding with those on the east side, and each 
 supported by square antos at the angles, with the two 
 columns between. The whole new structure is of the 
 best and most beautiful granite in the world, brought 
 from Dix island, on the coast of Maine. The antce 
 and columns are monoliths. The large solid antae 
 weigh nearly an hundred thousand pounds, and the 
 columns some seventy-five thousand. The facilty with 
 which these immense masses are hewn out of the 
 quarries, swung on board vessels, brought to the 
 Capitol, and raised to the positions which the archi- 
 tect in his studio designed them to occupy, conveys 
 
29 
 
 a high idea of American art and enterprize. The 
 Treasury Department, as extended, will be 465 feet 
 long, exclusive of the porticos, by 266 feet wide. The 
 interior arrangements are admirable ; and the interior 
 architectural ornamentation, while it is more elaborate 
 than in other public buildings except the CaiJitol, is 
 peculiarly American in its details. The composite 
 capitals of the interior, as well as the moulding, are 
 worthy of especial attention. The west front is now 
 nearly completed, and is occupied by the Secretary of 
 the Treasury and by the Commissioner of the Internal 
 Revenue and their clerical forces. The north front 
 will be begun during the present year, and will occupy 
 the ground upon which the State Department stands. 
 The south front has been finished for three years past, 
 and occupied. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE. 
 
 Tne President's House is situated upon the highest 
 ground, and nearly midway between the Capitol and 
 Georgetown, one mile and a half from the former. It 
 commands a fine prospect down the Potomac, with 
 Alexandria and Fort Washington in full view. The 
 grounds about the President's House are tastefully 
 adorned with artificial mounds, gravel-walks, trees, 
 and a fountain. The house has a rustic base, which 
 on the south side is entirely above ground, and gives 
 a facade of three stories. On the north, but two stories 
 rise above the level. The main building is 170 feet 
 long by 86 deep. It is of sand-stone painted white, 
 4 
 
with Ionic pilasters. The building is cotemporary 
 in age with the Capitol. While General Jackson was 
 President, a portico was added on the north side. The 
 south side has a bow in the centre, with a portico of 
 corresponding shape. Appended to the main build- 
 ing, at either end, are long, low ranges of stalls with 
 flat roofs, which are used for various household 
 purposes. That on the west is surmounted by a beau- 
 tiful green-house, which is filled Vv'ith exotic plants. 
 The public approach to the President's House is on the 
 north side, except on Wednesday evenings in summer, 
 when a sort of out-door reception is given, accompa- 
 nied with music, in the grounds on the south side. 
 Last year, however, this musical entertainment was 
 given in Lafayette Square, on the north side of the 
 White House, on account of the building rubbish which 
 surrounds the south grounds. The entrance from the 
 north porch, is into a long vestibule, through which 
 the visitor passes to the right into the President's Re- 
 ception Room. This communicates with the Round 
 Room, formed by the south bow front, and this with a 
 Square Room, which adjoins the great East Room. 
 This last is the grand parlor of the President. As its 
 name indicates, it is in the east end of the building, 
 and extends entirely across the house from north to 
 south. It is 80 feet long by 40 wide, and 22 feet high. 
 These rooms are elegantly but not extravagantly 
 finished and furnished. They can be seen at all times 
 by strangers — the President only at certain hours set 
 apart by himself. 
 
81 
 
 THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. 
 
 James Smithson, an English gentleman of liberal 
 cclncation, died at Genoa, in the year 1828, leaving his 
 property to an only son, and in the event of the death 
 of that son -without heirs, to the United States, " to 
 found at Washington, under the name of the Smithso- 
 nian institution, an establishment for the increase and 
 diffusion of knowledge among men." According to 
 the expectation of the testator, the heir of Mr. Smith- 
 son, who was in an almost hopeless state of consump- 
 tion, died without heirs, and the property, valued at 
 half a million of dollars, reverted to the United States. 
 Congress accepted the bequest on the 1st day of July, 
 1836, and the fund was received into the Treasury, 
 September 1st, 1838. After a prolonged discussion a 
 law was passed in 1846, for the establishment of the 
 Institution as it now exists. The building was erected 
 about seventeen years ago of red sandstone. It is 
 situated in an open space between the Capitol and the 
 Washington Monument, and is surrounded by an en- 
 closure extending from Seventh to Twelfth street, and 
 from the Canal to B street south. The area enclosed 
 contains about fifty acres, and the greater part of it 
 was beautifully improved under the direction of the 
 late Mr. Downing. The building was planned by Mr. 
 Eenwick in Romanesque style. It consists of a centre 
 building 250 feet long and 55 broad ; two connecting 
 ranges or cloisters, 60 feet each ; and two wings, each 
 40 feet by 80. The entire length of the building is 
 therefore 450 feet. The north entrance passes under a 
 double tower ; the one on the right hand, which is 
 
32 
 
 octagonal, being 145 feet high. The south entrance 
 passes under a large but not very elevated square 
 tower. The main building is also flanked at each angle 
 by a large toAver ; and the wings have smaller towers. 
 The towers contain the stairways. The vdiole lower 
 story of the centre building is in one grand apartment, 
 250 feet long by 50 in width, occupied by the museum. 
 The Library is in the west wing. The east wing is 
 occupied by the family of the Secretary or Superin- 
 tendent of the Institution. The Lecture Room, capable 
 of seating fifteen hundred people, is in the centre of 
 the main building on the second floor. On the east of 
 it is a large room containing the chemical and philo- 
 sophical apparatus ; and on the west is a room of cor- 
 responding dimensions, at present used as a picture 
 gallery. The Museum now contains the articles 
 brought by the Exploring Expedition, which for many 
 years were deposited in the Patent Office. The visitor 
 will be interested to observe, that while the Smithso- 
 nian is a regular building, with a centre united to 
 wings by cloisters, yet there are no two parts alike. 
 There are no two towers or facades alike. This is au 
 interesting feature of the Institution, and i)leases by 
 its variety, while it satisfies the love of symmetry by 
 the regular correspondence of the parts. Free lectm*es 
 on science and literature are given three times a week 
 during the winter ; and throughout the year visitors 
 are admitted between the hours of 9 A. M. and 5 P. M. 
 The Library is for the most part composed of works 
 of science, a large portion of them being in foreign 
 languages. The Museum embraces the articles which 
 for many years were deposited at the Patent Office, 
 with other interesting collections. In the department 
 
-"^ 
 
 %■- /Ju, 
 
 l:.i t: 
 
of natural history are extensive collections of the rep- 
 tile races, preserved in alcohol, together with a great 
 variety of skins of American animals, vs^hich are being 
 stuffed for exhibition. The Picture Gallery contains 
 Stanley's numerons collection of Indian Portraits, 
 taken from life by the artist, who spent several years 
 among the Indians in Oregon, California, and the 
 Western Territories. The Gallery also contains the 
 Dying Gladiator. 
 
 THE NAVY YARD. 
 
 The Washington Navy Yard is situated near the 
 mouth of the East Branch of the Potomac, one mile 
 southeast of the Capitol. This yard, though less ex- 
 tensive than those of Brooklyn, Gosport, and Boston, 
 is a place of much interest to strangers. It contains 
 two ship-houses, and a great number of machine shops, 
 in which whatever pertains to the naval service is 
 manufactured. The grounds, embracing some 25 
 acres, are tastefully improved. They are open to 
 visitors throughout every day, except Sundays. Since 
 the war commenced the amount of work done in the 
 yard has greatly increased, and steps are being taken 
 for its enlargement. 
 
 THE NATIONAL OBSERVATORY. 
 
 This institution, which is destined to play a distin- 
 guished part in the world of science, has already, 
 though founded in 1813, acquired a European reputa- 
 4* 
 
34 
 
 tion, by the important contributions it lias made to 
 astronomical science. It is admirably located on a 
 high knob, near the Potomac, between the President's 
 House and Georgetown. It is supplied with a supe- 
 rior telescope and other apparatus for observing the 
 heavens and the phenomena of the atmosphere, a de- 
 scription of which our limits will not permit. 
 
 Strangers can visit it at all hours, and are permitted 
 to inspect the telescope and other instruments when 
 they are not in use. Telegraph wires connect this 
 Observatory with all others in the Union, so that simul- 
 taneous observations of the heavenly bodies and the 
 conditions of the atmosiDhere may be made and com- 
 pared. 
 
 THE CITY HALL. 
 
 The City Hall has never been finished according to 
 the design of George Hadfield. It was begun in 1820. 
 About sixteen years ago, the south, east, and west 
 fronts were stuccoed, and a portico added, in the 
 Ionic order. The length is 200 feet, but it is too 
 shallow, and contains no apartment of suitable dimen- 
 sions for court rooms. Its appearance is imposing. 
 It is situated at the head of Four-and-a-Half street, at 
 the junction of Louisiana avenue and Indiana avenue 
 with D street. The Circuit and Criminal Courts of the 
 District of Columbia are held here, together with the 
 ]^Iayor's and other offices connected with the city 
 government. 
 
^^fim^^f^ 
 
35 
 
 THE CONGRESSIONAL BURYING GROUND. 
 
 This Cemetery is generally supposed to be the prop- 
 erty of the Federal Government, and to have been 
 especially designated as a burial place for Members of 
 Congress and other distinguished official personages. 
 This, however, is a mistake, originating in the name 
 assumed for it. It is the property of one of the Epis- 
 copal churches, and the Government is in no way re- 
 sponsible for its preservation. 
 
 This venerable city of the dead has partaken of the 
 general prosperity of the community, and has within 
 a few years enlarged its borders by the addition of 
 several acres. It now embraces nearly twenty acres. 
 It contains a plain cenotaph for each member of Con- 
 gress who has died during the term for which he was 
 elected, since the Capitol has been located in Washing- 
 ton. There are 147 of these simple memorials. There 
 are several monuments of interest. Among these is 
 one erected to George Clinton, one to Elbridge Gerry, 
 and one to William Wirt. There are also several 
 distinguished officers of the Army and Navy buried 
 here : among them Major-General McComb, the pre- 
 decessor of Lieutenant-General Scott as commander- 
 in-chief : Major-General Jacob Brown, General Gibson, 
 General Archibald Henderson, and Commodore Isaac 
 Chauncey. Also, Hon. A. P. Upsher, Secretary of 
 State under John Tyler, and Messrs. John W. Maury, 
 and John Towers, ex-Mayors of Washington, to whom 
 beautiful monuments have been erected. In the plain 
 old vault, near the centre of the grounds, the remains 
 of General Taylor and Mr. Calhoun reposed for several 
 
36 
 
 days. The Congressional Burying Ground is beauti- 
 fully situated on the banks of the East Branch, about 
 a mile above the Navy Yard, with the noble range of 
 forest-clad hills on the opposite side of the broad ex- 
 panse of water, forever looking down upon the peace- 
 ful repose of the dead 
 
 WASHINGTON MONUMENT. 
 
 The design of the Washington Monument contem- 
 plates a shaft 600 feet in height. The marble obelisk, 
 resting on a foundation of gneiss 17| feet high, is 55 
 feet square at the base. This foundation is 81 feet 
 square, and extends eight feet below the surface. The 
 wall of the obelisk is 15 feet thick at the base, and 
 gradually tapers on the outside. The inside of the 
 wall is perpendicular, and the enclosed space is 25 feet 
 square. The 15 foot wall will ascend until the gentle 
 taper reduces it to two feet in thickness. The interior 
 walls will be ornamented by the insertion of the nu- 
 merous specimen pieces sent from all parts of the 
 world as tributes to the memory of Washington. They 
 are so arranged as not to be covered by the stairway, 
 which will ascend to the top of the Monument. 
 
 The pantheon base, as represented in engravings, 
 was a part of the plan originally selected, but it is now 
 highly probable that it will be dispensed with, and 
 that the plain square base, which is characteristic of 
 the obelisk, will be substituted. This change in the 
 plan, while it will reduce the cost of the Monument to 
 one-half the sum contemplated in connection with the 
 pantheon, will, at the same time, conform it to the re- 
 cognized rules of art. It will be the highest struc- 
 
m 
 
 ■41 
 
 
 W 
 
 iJlX^rfi^' 
 
 ■WASHI:N"GT01N TSTATIOKAL MONuMJi.lNT 
 
37 
 
 ture in the world, and yet it will form only a well- 
 deserved tribute to the man whom Lord Brougham has 
 pronouned "the greatest ruler of any age." 
 
 The Monument is now 170 feet high, and has cost 
 thus far $230,000. The total cost of the obelisk has 
 been estimated at $553,000. The pantheon was esti- 
 mated to cost $570,000 alone ; but a plain and appro- 
 priate base may be built for less than a tenth of that 
 sum. The yisitor to Washington should not fail to 
 examine the interesting contributions of ornamented 
 blocks of marble and stone from all parts of the world. 
 Such of them as have not been inserted in the wall, too 
 high for inspection at present, can be seen in a shed 
 near the Monument. 
 
 Some of the most celebrated obelisks in the world, 
 if compared with this, dwindle into insignificance. 
 As, for instance : 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Antonine's Column, at Kome, is 135 
 
 Trajan's Column " '• 145 
 
 Principal Tower of Smithsonian 145 
 
 Napoleon's Tower, Paris 150 
 
 Washington Column. Baltimore 181 
 
 Sesostris' Obelisk, Thebes , 200 
 
 Bunker Hill Monument, Boston 220 
 
 Column of Delhi 263 
 
 St. Paul's, London 320 
 
 Cathedral Tower, Strasburg 460 
 
 St. Peter's, Rome 465 
 
 Great Pyramid of Cheops, Egypt 480 
 
 Tower of Malines, Belgium 550 
 
 W^ashington Monument, Washington 600 
 
38 
 
 JACKSON'S MONUMENT. 
 
 The Jackson Monument stands in the centre of 
 Lafayette square, opposite to the President's House. 
 It is a bronze equestrian statue, by Clark Mills. The 
 noble steed stands poised upon the hind feet, the first 
 and perhaps the only instance of the kind in the world. 
 Mr. Mills, by consulting nature, ascertained the true 
 position of the several parts of the body of the horse 
 in the act of rearing, and thus overcame the appa- 
 rently insurmountable obstacles in the way. The 
 animal naturally throws himself back on his haunches 
 until the feet reach the centre of gravity. The artist 
 has simply copied nature ; and it is a great mistake to 
 suppose that the statue is held in place by the rivets 
 which attach the feet to the pedestal ; they would be 
 entirely inadequate to such a strain. These rivets are 
 doubtless a useful provision against accidents, but 
 they are not essential in keeping the horse poised, 
 even during a violent wind. Mr. Mills exhibits a 
 small model, which satisfactorily illustrates this prin- 
 ciple. The statue is composed of cannon taken by 
 General Jackson in his battles with the English. The 
 likeness is deemed good. The General is represented 
 in the act of waving his hand in acknowledgement of 
 honors paid him while reviewing his troops. This 
 monument to the hero of New Orleans was erected on 
 the 8th of January, 1853, the anniversary of the battle, 
 on which occasion Mr. Douglas delivered an appro- 
 priate oration. 
 
oTATUE OF JACKSON 
 ( V Mills) 
 

 -? 
 
If ' 
 
 I 
 
■a 
 
 i; 
 
 .1 
 
 ^ V 
 
 ' , V M 
 
 ^ -/ 
 
 
 ( M 
 
39 
 
 GEORGETOWN. 
 
 This old place is separated from Washington by 
 Rock creek, which is a mile northwest of the Presi- 
 dent's House. The scenery in this vicinity is well 
 worth the attention of strangers. The town has near 
 ten thousand inhabitants, and is coterminous with 
 Washington on the west. 
 
 BLADENSBURG. 
 
 Bladensburg is noted for the duelling-ground in its 
 vicinity, which is a ravine three-quarters of a mile 
 from the town, in the direction of Washington. 
 Bladensburg was also the scene of a not very credit- 
 able battle with the British forces in 1814, if, indeed 
 the complete route and dispersion of the American 
 militia can be called a battle. The town is five miles 
 northeast of the Capitol. 
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 This town is situated about sis miles below Wash- 
 ington, and in full view. It belonged to the District 
 of Columbia from 1790 to 1846, when it, as a part of 
 the county of the same name, in which it is situated, 
 was retroceded to Virginia. It now has some fifteen 
 thousand inhabitants, and before the war its trade 
 with the interior was considerable. But this is tem- 
 porarily suspended. It has a high, healthy, and 
 beautiful situatioUj with a fine harbor. 
 
40 
 
 THE POTOMAC AT THE LITTLE FALLS. 
 
 The Potomac, below tbe Little Falls, rushes through 
 the narrow space between two piers of the bridge, 
 with the high range of hills in the back ground, rising 
 abruptly and almost perpendicularly from the water. 
 The scene is wild and interesting. It is only four 
 miles above Washington. Immediately below this 
 bridge, the narrow mountain stream meets the tides 
 from the ocean, and four miles below it presents an 
 expanse of water a mile in width. The scene is wild 
 and romantic. 
 
 HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. 
 
 The Hospital for the Insane of the Army and Navy 
 and District of Columbia occupies a noble site on the 
 east bank of the Potomac, near its confluence with 
 the East Branch. The eminence on which it stands is 
 one of the highest in the vicinity of the Capitol, and 
 command the finest view of the city any where to be 
 had. The edifice is an immense structure, 711 feet in 
 length. It is in the collegiate style of Gothic architec- 
 ture, and is divided into sections, receding on either 
 hand from the centre building and from each other, 
 thus giving corridors in each section for the admis- 
 sion of the light. This idea, says the architect, Mr. 
 Walter, was suggested by Dr. Nichols, the superin- 
 tendent. The centre building is enriched by buttresses 
 on the corners, and a magnificent oriel window orna- 
 ments the main tower. The windows are finished v/ith 
 
1^ 
 
 S || 
 
yi; m 
 
41 
 
 liood mouldings formed of cast-iron. The wliole is 
 surmounted by embattled parapets, and presents a 
 facade of great richness, notwithstanding extreme 
 simplicity of detail. The material of the building is 
 brick on a foundation of gneiss. The interior is sub- 
 divided into various suites of apartments adapted to 
 the condition of the patients. The hospital is open 
 to visiters on Wednesday. The number of inrhates at 
 present is about 120. 
 
 THE MILITARY ASYLUM. 
 This building occupies a high plateau about three 
 miles north of the Capitol, which for beauty and 
 salubrity is unsurpassed ; but its greatest charm is the 
 noble view down the Potomac river, with the city in 
 the foreground. From no other point about Washing- 
 ton, pierhaps, does the river scenery appear to equal 
 advantage. The noble range of hills which enclose 
 the river are seen stretching awaj' down to the vicinity 
 of Mount Vernon, Avhere the sudden bend in the 
 stream cuts short the view, and gives the appearance 
 of a lake walled in by mountains. The Asjdum is in 
 the Norman style, of East Chester marble, roughly 
 dressed or "pointed." It will be, when completed, 
 593 feet in length, by 58 feet -1 inches in breadth, with 
 a rear building, called the mess-room, 60 feet in length. 
 But the wings are not yet added. Projecting from the 
 centre of the south or front, is a tower 83 feet high 
 above the surface of the ground. From the top of this 
 tower the eye can survey a distance of country twenty- 
 five or thirty miles in diameter. The edifice is divided 
 into 43 rooms, exclusive of the cellar. 
 5 
 
42 
 
 Near the main structure are two small buildings in 
 cottage style, designated as officers' quarters Nos. 1 
 and 2. The first is 52 feet by 40, and surrounded by a 
 piazza. No. 3 is 48 feet by 40, and in the same stjde. 
 The President has for several summers past occupied 
 these quarters -R-ith his family. 
 
 MILLS' STATUE OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 In 1853, Congress appropriated $50,000 for the erec- 
 tion by Clark Mills, Esq., of an equestrian statue of 
 Washington. In compliance with this order, Mr. 
 Mills has chosen for illustration the courage and 
 daring by which Washington, at the crisis of the battle 
 of Princeton, rallied his troops, and turned the scale 
 in favor of his country's cause, by what, at another 
 time, would have been a reckless exposure of his 
 person. The incident is familiar to the student of his- 
 tory. The horse is rejDresented as shrinking back 
 before the destructive fire of the enemy, while his 
 rider surveys the scene with the calmness and resolu- 
 tion which know no fear, when honor and duty are at 
 stake. The head and face of Washington are from a 
 bust by Houdon, taken in Washington's lifetime, and 
 which remained at Mount Vernon. The likeness is, 
 doubtless, one of the best in existence. The statue is 
 coUossal in size, being eleven feet, if standing erect, 
 and upon horseback, fifteen feet. 
 
Jfw.-"-? 
 
 STATUE O'F WASHIKCtTOIT 
 
! . 
 
 
 
 '^-"=i 
 
 tr-:l 
 
 Us4 
 
 I f 
 
 ^if 
 
 :i" 
 

 V 
 
43 
 
 THE NATIONAL ARMORY. 
 
 This biiildlu.t^ is situated on the public ground be 
 twcen tlie Smithsonian Institute and the Capitol. The 
 design has not yet been completed. Onlj' the centre 
 has been erected, which is 103 feet in length, by 57 in 
 width. It is three stories high. The floors of the 
 second and third stories are supported upon iron 
 columns. When completed, it will present a fine ap- 
 pearance. It is designed as a depositor)' of arms for 
 the volunteer militia of the District of Columbia, as 
 well as of national trophies, relics, flags, Ac. The 
 The latter circumstance will give to it a national im- 
 portance, and make it well worthy the attention of 
 strangers. 
 
 MOUNT VERNON. 
 
 Mount Vernon, (not the house, but the place,) is 
 worthy to have been the residence of Washington. A 
 more noble and commanding view of the river scenery 
 is scarcely anywhere to be seen. The house is of 
 wood, two stories high, and 96 feet long, and sur- 
 mounted by a cupola. In the time of Washington it 
 presented a fine appearance. It is now in a state of 
 dilapidation, and is only an object of interest from 
 association with a great name, and from the remark- 
 able beauty of its surroundings. Mount Vernon is 
 fifteen miles below Washington, on the Virginia side 
 of the Potomac. Before the war it was regularly 
 visited in steamboats, which ran twice a week from 
 Washington. The Mausoleum is of plain brick. The 
 
44 
 
 •white marble sarcophagi of General and Mrs. Wash- 
 ington can be seen through the iron bars which close 
 up the gate or doorway. The Mount Vernon house 
 and grounds, including the Tomb, have now passed 
 into the hands of the " Mount Vernon Association," 
 and it is hoped that a mausoleum worthy of the Father 
 of his Country will be erected over his remains. 
 
« 
 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ^^LOSELY connected v/ith the history of nations 
 ^^ and families is the subject of difference of social 
 ^ rank. The condition of society has at all times, 
 and in all countries, been one of inequality. In 
 the heroic days of Greece we have a glimpse of fam- 
 ilies or races of larger, stronger, more vigorous men 
 ruling over the rest of the coiAmnnity. In ancient 
 Rome there were two great classes, corresponding in 
 their origin with the new settlers and the old inhab- 
 itants of the country. The broadly marked differ- 
 ence between the nobleman or gentleman and the 
 rest of the community is one of the most prominent 
 features of mediaeval life, and the source from which 
 the less abrupt variations of rank in modern society 
 have sprung. This distinction, which seems in its 
 vigor to have been in part at least one of race, was 
 developed by feudalism, which made land its neces- 
 
46 
 
 sary support and adjunct. In our own times these 
 characteristic peculiarities in the various gradations 
 of social life are, if possible, still more marked and 
 distinct, and nowhere so obtru-sively as in this boasted 
 land of freedom and equality. Although even 
 amongst us republicans, the exigencies of polite soci- 
 ety require something more commanding to entitle a 
 man to admission to the enchanted circles of what 
 is called fashionable life than the mere attributes of 
 wealth. 
 
 In AVashington especially, where persons of re- 
 finement and elegance, from every part of the country 
 and of the world are assembled, education, outward 
 polish, dignity and suavity of deportment, are deemed 
 indispensable requisites in the character of those who 
 claim the privilege of entree into the best society. 
 
 SOCIETY IN WASHINGTON. 
 
 The society of Washington, unlike tha to fany 
 ^ other city of this Union, is composed of such incon- 
 3^ gruous and discordant materials, so utterly at vari- 
 ance with what one usually meets in the same 
 sphere of life elsewhere, whether on this continent or in 
 Europe, that the opposite extremes of social life are 
 frequently brought in contact, to the amazement of 
 strangers accustomed to the blandishments and 
 attractions of exclusive coteries. It is no uncommon 
 occurrence in Washington to encounter in, the draw- 
 
47 
 
 ingTooms of a Cabinet minister, diplomatic func- 
 tionaries of the highest rank, with their superbly 
 refined and gorgeously attired wives, redolent of 
 the odor of aristocratic pretentions, and a score of 
 army contractors, with a liberal sprinkling of retired 
 suttlers, who have grown fat and bulky upon the 
 enormous profits of their speculations d-uring the 
 late calamitous war, some of whom had never, 
 perhaps, before trodden a carpeted floor, with the 
 exception of the reeky precincts of some back par- 
 lor in a country tavern. And yet such is the effect 
 of example upon the human mind among Americans, 
 to such an extent are the powers of imitation de- 
 veloped among certain classes of people, that, not- 
 withstanding the utter want of harmony perceptible 
 in the elements collected together at these reunions, 
 the conventionalities ef life are seldom set at defi- 
 ance, and the strictest decorum is invariably in the 
 ascendant. The same instinct which, with most men, 
 prompts the love to trace the links that connect us 
 with the past, and to make acquaintance with the 
 fame and history of those without whom we should 
 not have had our being, induces the desire to culti- 
 vate the arts of politeness and gentility, on the part 
 of those who have had the good fortune to emanci- 
 pate themselves from the trammels and privations of 
 humble life. 
 
48 
 
 POLITE MANNERS THE KEY TO SELECT 
 SOCIETY. 
 
 fT is not our intention ta enter into a dissertation 
 upon the laws which govern polite society in "Wash- 
 ^ ington, further than to remark that nowhere are the 
 advantages of education and polished manners con • 
 ducive to happier results than they are among the 
 heau monde of the Federal Metropolis ; while coarse- 
 ness and vulgarity never fail to operate as an in- 
 superable barrier agaist the possibility of access to 
 polite circles. The la\vs of good breeding are based 
 upon the same foundation everywhere, and spring 
 from the same instincts — the in-born nobility of man ; 
 whether he be a prince or a peasant, whether he 
 dwell in a palace or a hovel. The observance or 
 violation of these laws are attended by the same con- 
 sequences everywhere; therefore it 'were an act of 
 superrerogation, if not a positive absurdity, to pre- 
 scribe rules for the conduct of strangers visiting 
 Washington in connection with the etiquette to be 
 observed in social intercourse, still let us say that 
 good breeding and refinement, or rather the externals 
 of these qualities, are generally considered as wholly 
 precluding those vulgar manifestations of ill-temper, 
 rudeness, impertinence, and similar feelings which 
 the unsophisticated display with such perfect frank- 
 n'ess. But it does not thence follow that the well- 
 bred and the refined have not their little spites, little 
 
49 
 
 envions feelings, little assumptions of consequence 
 to gratify ; indeed they do gratify them very freely; 
 all the difference lies in the manner ; for there is a 
 finish, a delicacy of touch in the polite impertinence 
 of the well-Lred which the under-bred may envy, 
 but must never hope to attain. The slight that can 
 be convej^ed in a glance, in gracious smiles, in a 
 wave of the hand, is often the ne iiliis ultra of art. 
 What insult is so keen, or so keenly felt, as the po- 
 lite insult wliich it is impossible to resent? 
 
 cy- 
 
 RULES FOR VISITING. 
 
 HE gay season in Washington — the season for the 
 interchange of social courtesies, and the dispensing 
 of hospitalities, is generally inaugurated irnmedi- 
 diately after the assembling of Congress and the 
 Supreme Court of the United States, when the city be- 
 gins to swarm with strangers froni every section of the 
 country, who are drawrt to this great centre of attrac- 
 tion, either in pursuit of pleasure or by the necessities of 
 business. The first ceremonial to be observed on the 
 part of Members of Congress and strangers generally, 
 who have just reasons to consider themselves enti- 
 tled by their social position at home, or personal 
 acquaintance with any of the high Government- 
 functionaries stationed at Washington, to participate 
 in the festivities of the fashionable world, is to leave 
 their cards in person upon Members of the Cabinet, 
 
50 
 
 Judges of the Supreme Court, Heads of Foreign 
 Legations, the Commander-in-Chief of the United 
 States armies. Senators and other Members of Con- 
 gress having private establishments in Washington 
 during the winter, and such prominent citizens, who, 
 from their official *or social position, may properly 
 be considered entitled to this preliminary demonstra- 
 tion in the exchange of courtesies. If the recipient 
 of this complimentary visit be a man of family, eti- 
 quette requires that two cards be left— one for him- 
 self and the other for his wife, each card being 
 turned up at one of the corners to indicate the fact 
 that the visit was made in person. It is also custo- 
 mary when the lady of the house has a daughter old 
 enough to be presented in society, or a friend stay- 
 ing on a visit, to extend the courtesy of an addi- 
 tional card for each and every one of those ladies. 
 In all Cases when the wives of Members of Congress 
 make Washington their residence during the winter, 
 the ceremonial visit may be made by the ladies of 
 said Congressman's family, who are privileged, by 
 established custom, to leave the gentleman's card, to- 
 gether with their own, according to the rules pre- 
 scribed above; the compliment of the ladies' visit 
 being confined, of course, to those of their own sex. 
 This privilege, however, does not extend to the fami- 
 lies of private citizens. After the expiration of a 
 certain period of time, which should not exceed ten 
 days, the visit a la carte, with more or less observ- 
 ance of the above mentioned formalities, is generally 
 
51 
 
 returned, and then the carnival of soirees dansantes, 
 hops, receptions, and dines en grande toilette fairly 
 commences. Those whose social position and per- 
 sonal character are beyond doubt or suspicion, sel- 
 dom fail to receive their share of invitations to these 
 hospitable and most attractive entertainments. In- 
 vitations to balls, evening parties, or receptions, do 
 not necessarily require written answers of accept- 
 ance or declension ; but etiquette demands that an 
 invitation to dinner should be promptly acknowl- 
 edged so as to enable the dispenser of hospitality to 
 fill up the vacancy, in case the parties invited should 
 not be able to accept. 
 
 PRIVILEGED CLASSES.. 
 
 ^^^LTHOUGH the forms of etiquette are the same in 
 S^' every community, where polite society holds its 
 ^> sway as an element of refinement and civilization, 
 yet there are many peculiarities in the etiquette of 
 Washington which are not applicable to other locali- 
 ties. Among these we may mention the variations 
 in the etiquette of visiting — not as regards the 
 proper hours for making such visits, or the period of 
 their duration, for such things are regulated every- 
 where by the same rules of common sense, but in so 
 far as relates to certain functionaries, who are pre- 
 cluded by the onerous duties of their respective posi- 
 tions from indulging in the passtimes of fashion and 
 
52 
 
 mixing freely with the outside world. These are 
 the Cabinet Ministers, Judg-es of the U. S. Supreme 
 Court and Court of Claims, and heads of Bureaux. 
 These several high dignitaries and officials are, hy 
 common consent, absolved from all observance of the 
 rules of social etiquette, in so far as regards visiting, 
 and may return the compliment of a visit, come 
 from whom it may, by sending their cards, enclosed 
 in envelopes, either by a servant or by mail. 
 What is perfectly justifiable in gentlemen of this 
 class, however, would be considered quite a sol- 
 ecism if attempted by persons occupying a differ- 
 ent position. Representatives of foreign govern- 
 ments have not unfrequently attempted to act in 
 deiiance of this established rule, but have invariably 
 failed to secure a recognition of their pretensions. 
 We well remember the rebuke given to Sir John 
 Crampton, several years ago, by a high-toned Ameri- 
 can lady, then residing in this city, whose mansion 
 near Lafayette square was the resort of all that 
 was most refined and elegant in the Metropolis. 
 The British Plenipotentiary, on hearing of a magnifi- 
 cent fde about to be given by the lady in 
 question, had, in the plenitude of his arrogance, sent 
 his card by a valet, in the complacent expectation of 
 being numbered among the invited guests ; but our 
 spirited American lady, who was as fully conversant 
 with the hienseances of society as the most pretentious 
 demirep -of fashion that ever figured at Monarchical 
 Courts, not only ignored Sir John Crampton's ex- 
 
53 
 
 btence, but failed to recognize his cringing bow 
 when he ventured to salute her in the streets. 
 
 ETIQUETTE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. 
 
 i^^f HE President of the United States, in consequence 
 vJ> ofhis peculiar position, which does not permt of his 
 ^ participating in the hospitalities of private life, 
 enjoys an almost absolute immunity from the en- 
 tanglements of etiquette, and yet there a.re occasions 
 when the Chief Magistrate has more difficulties to 
 contend with, growing oat of this delicate question, 
 than he has to encounter in the whole management 
 of our national affairs. We allude to his intercourse 
 with the Corps Diplomatique. 
 
 The system of public receptions at the AVhite House 
 is so simple and unaffected that all that the President 
 has to do is to take his stand at a certain hour, in the 
 ■centre of the Blue Room, and with the assistance of 
 the Marshal of the District, who is ex officio a sort of 
 master of ceremonies, to be ready to shake hands 
 with the multitudinous crowds v^^hich from eight to 
 ten o'clock are ushered into his presence. 
 
 Although etiquette or common usage requires the 
 President of the United States to be arrayed on all 
 occasions in a neat suit of black cloth, no rule has 
 ever yet been established to regulate the style of 
 dress of visitors ; and these presidential receptions, so 
 * 
 
54 
 
 far as outward apparel is concerned, still continue 
 to represent every variety of taste and style — from 
 the home-spun gray to the exquisitely fitting cos- 
 tume of the dainty man of fashion, with the usual 
 assortment of conflicting toilets, hoops, and water- 
 falls on the part of the ladies. 
 
 Nor is etiquette more exacting within the precincts 
 of the White House, on more private occasions, when 
 those who have business with the President are 
 admitted to an audience during certain specified hours 
 in the day. The visitors, without distinction, are 
 ushered into an anti-room adjoining the President's 
 private reception room, and it is the duty of the 
 usher to see that each visitor obtains an interview 
 according to priority of arrival. Members of Con- 
 gress and Heads of Departments are at all times 
 entitled to precedence, no matter how long a private 
 citizen may have been waiting for an audience. The 
 same rule applies to the various Departments of the 
 Government. 
 
 In order to facilitate as much as possible the ad- 
 vancement of the public interest, and to avoid unnec- 
 essary delays in the transaction of private business, 
 it has been found expedient of late years to ^et apart 
 a private day for the reception of foreign ministers, 
 so that both at the Executive Mansion and at the 
 Department of State visitors are no longer subjected, 
 as in days of yore, to the inconvenience of frittering 
 away the best portion of the day in waiting for the 
 departure of some insouciant excellency, who may 
 
55 
 
 have been closeted for hours with the President or 
 the Secretary of State discussing Puffendorff on the 
 duty of neutrals. 
 
 With regard to the private receptions given by the 
 ladies of the White House, which of late years have 
 become so great a source of attraction, it is unneces-- 
 sary to prescribe any rules of conduct or deportment 
 further than to enforce the observance of that decorum 
 v/hich governs gentlemen in their intercourse with 
 ladies in private life. Although no invitations are 
 issued to these receptions, more than the notices pub- 
 lished in the daily newspapers, it would be a gross 
 violation of etiquette for any one to present himself 
 without having obtained a previous introduction to 
 the ladies, or being, at least, accompanied by some one 
 who has already enjoyed the privileges of a personal 
 acquaintance. It is also proper to remark that, 
 although a motley or uncouth garb rnay be tolerated 
 at the presidential levees, no person having any pre- 
 tention to the character of a gentleman would pre- 
 sume to appear at these receptions dressed otherwise 
 than in compliance with the strictest requirements of 
 polite society. 
 
 A dinner party at the Presidential Mansion, when 
 confined to American guests, of whatever character 
 or degree, is not attended with any confusion on the 
 score of etiquette, for the relative rank of American 
 dignitaries is easily determined. Cabinet ministers 
 and their wives always take the precedence ; the 
 President escorting th« wife of the premier to the 
 
56 
 
 banquet table, and tbe latter performing the same 
 devoirs by the President's wife, or any other lady 
 who may happen to be doing the honors of the 
 White House. Next to the Cabinet ministers prece- 
 dence properly belongs to the judges of the United 
 States Supreme Court, the Lieutenants General, United 
 States Senators and members, of the House of Eep- 
 resentatives, judges of the Court of Appeals and 
 District Courts, Army and Navy officers, according 
 to their different ranks and seniorities, distinguished 
 strangers from abroad, and private citizens generally 
 according to their various degrees of social import- 
 ance. 
 
 This is the etiquette of Washington with regard 
 to the rales of precedence in polite society, and its 
 provisions can be easily carried out without causing 
 the slightest ripple on the surface of human vanity. 
 What tries the patience of the American Chief Ma- 
 gistrate is how to avoid wounding the fretful sensi- 
 bilities of the Coiys Diplomatique, wdien the sensi- 
 tive members of that irritable fraternity are brought 
 together on solemn 
 
 STATE OCCASIONS. 
 
 HE question as to the right of precedence, le pas, 
 among the representatives of foreign (iovernments 
 ha^s been the cause of serious complications and im- 
 broglios at all times and in all countries. At Euro- 
 pean courts especially, where this punctilio is ad- 
 
57 
 
 hered to with infinitely more tenacity than at 
 Washington, the bickerings and exasperations caused 
 by an accidental mistake in settling the relative 
 importance in the rank of certain embassadors, has 
 been known to cause a disruption of friendly rela- 
 tions between powerful nations, and nearly to involve 
 the whole of Europe in sanguinary wars. Even in our 
 own country, although the pretensions of diplomatic 
 agents have not been so offensively developed,' 
 there are many instances on record where social 
 gatherings have been dispersed, and the harmony of 
 convivial meetings disturbed, by the acrimonious feel- 
 ings engendered by unintentional omissions to recog- 
 nize the. right of precedence in persons of this class, 
 in promiscuous assemblages. We have not forgotten 
 the indignity offered by Count Sartiges to an emi- 
 nent citizen of Washington, who had failed to cater 
 to the vanit}^ of the ostentatious Frenchman at a 
 partie dii famille, where etiquette had been, for the 
 time being, entirely set aside. President Taylor was 
 frequently heard to say that he had rather fight the 
 battle of Buena Vista over again than to go through 
 the ordeal of entertaining the Cor2ys DijAomatique 
 at a ceremonial dinner. Other Presidents have ex- 
 perienced the same nervousness of feeling on similar 
 occasions; and e^en Martin Van Buren, who had 
 acquired a perfect understanding of all the idosyn^ 
 crasies of diplomatic life during his residence in St. 
 Petersburg, as minister plenipotentiary of the United 
 States, acknowledged to the writer of this, that a 
 
58 
 
 diplomatic state dinner was the greatest affliction 
 that an avenging Providence could try him by. 
 
 It would appear that foreigners, on entering the 
 diplomatic career, cease to be rational beings; for 
 with them, even the considerations of friendship, 
 and the endearments of familiar . associations are 
 ruthlessly sacrificed to the exactions of an inexora- 
 ble etiquette. Having had considerable experience 
 in matters of this kind, we will lay down the rules 
 which AVashington etiquette requires to be observed 
 in our intercourse with foreigners of this class. 
 Whatever we may say with regard to the pas de pre- 
 cedence on the occasion of diplomatic dinners at the 
 White House, is fully applicable to polite society in 
 private life. 
 
 The various nationalities of Europe are divided into 
 what is called — first, second, and third rate powers, 
 most of which are represented in Washington by En- 
 voys Extraordinaries and Ministers Plenipotentiaries 
 of an assimilated rank and degree. There are also 
 accredited to this Government the Representatives 
 of Brazil, Mexico, and an inconceivable number of 
 South and Central American Republics. To harmo- 
 nize the pretensions of the Representatives of these 
 numerous nationalities, has been the study of philo- 
 sophers, from the days of Themistocles to those of 
 Andrew Jackson, with but little, or no success ; until 
 in a happy hour, during the council of Vienna, it was 
 proposed and resolved, that the Senior Ernbassador 
 or Plenipotentiary, from the date of appointment to 
 
59 
 
 any court, irrespective of the rank of his country in 
 the scale of nations, should be entitled to precedence, 
 and be known by the title of Doyen or Dean. Even 
 this decision failed to settle conflicting claims for 
 diplomatic precedence; for while the right of the 
 Doyen was universally acknowledged as established 
 by indisputable authority, the question still occurred, 
 who was entitled to precedence after the recognition 
 of the Pater Familice. 
 
 In Washington the matter has been simplified by 
 awarding precedence to diplomatic representatives, 
 according to their several ranks and dates of appoint- 
 ment. The next in seniority to the Doyen takes the 
 pas, and so to the end of the chapter. It is worthy 
 of observation, however, as an illustration of the 
 curious results of this system, that the honor of rep- 
 resenting the Corps Diplomatique at Washington, in 
 virtue of doyenship, has but too frequently fallen 
 upon individuals whose Governments had but a semi- 
 recognized existence among nations — such as Costa 
 Rica, Nicaragua, and Salvador. The rule, however, 
 is universally enforced, and the right of precedence 
 is thus conclusively settled. The Doyen takes pos- 
 session of the lady of the Presidential Mansion, and 
 the rest of the Envoys Extraordinary follow ; not 
 according to the magnitude and importance of their 
 respective Governments, but the date of their arrival 
 in this country. Then follow in succession Minis- 
 ters Residents, Charges d' Affaires, first secretaries of 
 legation, second ditto, paid attaches, and non-paid 
 
60 
 
 ditto, all according to the rules of precedence pre- 
 scribed in regard to the Envoys and l\Iinisters 
 Plenipotentiaries. • 
 
 ETIQUETTE IN PRIVATE LIFE. 
 
 i^f HE only rules of etiquette required to be observed 
 ^^ at evening parties of any sort, is the avoidance of 
 f^ vulgarity in dress and ready adaptation to all the 
 conventionalities of select society. A frock coat is 
 an abomination to be shunned, and a gawky toilet 
 on the part of a lady to be considered as an infalli- 
 ble indication of mental derangement. It is, how- 
 ever, of the highest importance to good breeding, 
 that no gentleman or lady should stop to chat or ex- 
 change salutations with any acquaintances wdio may 
 already be assembled on the floor, before having 
 paid their respects to the lady of the house. At 
 dinner parties, the entertainer must observe the same 
 rules of etiquette, even in a stricter sense, than the 
 dispenser of hospitality at the White House. An 
 Envoy Extraordinary is allowed by courtesy to take 
 precedence of a Cabinet Minister, excepting the Sec- 
 retary of State; a Minister Resident ranks next to a 
 Judge of the Supreme Court, the Lieutenant General 
 or an Admiral; Major Generals Q,nd Commodores 
 take precedence of Cha,rges d' Affaires, wdiile Judges 
 of the Common Courts, and Secretaries of Legation 
 rank next to Brigadier Generals, Captains of the 
 
61 
 
 Navy,. and foreigner?- of distinction, such as noble- 
 'nien of any grade, who have no official character. 
 In private society, Congressmen have not the same 
 rights of precedence which they exercise in their in- 
 tercourse with the President and the Heads of De- 
 partments. It is customary, however, to place Sena- 
 tors of the United States on the same footing with 
 Major Generals and Commodores ; and AI embers of 
 tlie Lower House on an equality with officers next 
 in rank to the above. Attaches of Legations are not 
 entitled to any otlier distinction as regards the right 
 of precedence, than is awarded by common usage to 
 subaltern officers of the army and navy, and private 
 citizens of prominent station in society. 
 
 ?i$ 
 
 THE UNINITIATED. 
 
 N connection with the etiquette of \Va?hington, a 
 few hints to the uninitiated in the mysteries of a 
 mixed society, may be of some service in preventing 
 those fatal mistakes which frequently occur, especi- 
 ally among foreign ministers, in issuing cards of 
 invitation to their respective soirees. 
 
 Some years ago a duly accredited minister, repre- 
 senting a great power on this continent, arrived in 
 Washington with his family, hired an elegant man- 
 sion, which he furnished in a most costly style, and 
 after a residence of tw^o months in the city, he issued 
 cards of invitation for a grande soriee dansantc, in- 
 
62 
 
 dueling tlie names of all those wlio had thought 
 proper to leave their cards upon the family. Among 
 the latter there were many whose persons had never 
 darkened the thresholds of polite society, and who' 
 were as much out of place inside the brilliantly illu- 
 minated salons of his excellency as a professional 
 gambler or a rum- seller in a clergyman's pulpit. The 
 result of this indiscriminate invitation was a fan- 
 tastic melange of humanity, such as had never 
 before been witnessd on a similar occasion, embracing 
 not only families of no social standing, but many 
 characters of doubtful reputation. 
 
 To avoid blunders of this kind in a community like 
 Washington, where there are so many persons float- 
 ing on the outskirts of polite society, ready to avail 
 themselves of any chance, however bold or hazard- 
 ous, to obtrude themselves upon the consideration 
 of the unwary, a stranger, whatever may be his 
 rank or condition, purporting to dispense hospitality 
 to the eligible members of a society which is com- 
 posed of so many incongruous materials, should 
 consult the initiated in such matters, and submit 
 every card bearing a name not familiar to the habi- 
 tues of polite society to a rigid examination. This pre- 
 cautionary measure is due to the elite among his 
 guests who, notwithstanding our loud talk about 
 republican simplicity of manners, would find it ex- 
 ceedingly inconvenient to be jostled against bill col- 
 lectors and tavern-keepers, in a place which they 
 have every right to suppose to be inaccessible to such 
 classes of persons. 
 
63 
 
 DEPORTMENT AT MUSICAL SOIREES. 
 
 2£|T has been customary of late years among tliebeau 
 ^ monde of Washington to relieve the monotony of 
 % balls and evening dancing parties by the inter- 
 mixture of musical soirees and select readings. At 
 these parties persons are frequently invited on ac- 
 count of their peculiar usefulness, as singers, players, 
 or elocutionists, who may not otherwise possess the 
 entree to these select circles of society. It is consid- 
 ered the highest and most unpardonable infringe- 
 ment of etiquette to exhibit any superciliousness in 
 the presence of any gentlemen or lady appertaining 
 to this talented class. It is not only an infringe- 
 ment of etiquette, but positive rudeness for any one 
 to converse or otherwise distract the attention of the 
 company, while the invited artists exercise their 
 talents for the benefit and gratification of those 
 present. Any one capable of committing such a sole- 
 cism in good breeding is evidently unfit to associate 
 with refined people, and should never again be al- 
 lowed to darken the door of the house where these 
 vulgarities have been betrayed. We have witnessed 
 so many breaches of decorum on occasions of this 
 kind, that we would have thought our remarks on 
 the etiquette of Washington incomplete without some 
 a-Uusion to the subject. 
 
64 
 
 MEMBERS OF CO^'GEESS. 
 
 HERE is so much of the rough-and-tumble of de- 
 mocracy among the majority of the members of 
 Congress, and so little of that dignity of manners 
 which should characterize men in high stations, 
 that we cannot forbear directing attention to the sub- 
 ject of political good manners. Members of Congress, 
 more than any other class of public men, for they 
 are all the time rehearsing in the presence of vast 
 multitudes, who will be influenced for good or for 
 evil in proportion as they are favorably or unfavor- 
 ably impressed, should take particular care to fence 
 themselves with decorum against the encroachments 
 of. that rudeness which some seem to consider the 
 greatest privilege, as it certainly is the most insidi- 
 ous enemy of democracy. A member of Congress 
 should make every effort to give back to public 
 station that dignity which the elective S3^stem insen- 
 sibly abates, while rendering it only the more need- 
 ful. It is the most vulgar of fallacies to say that 
 the people make their magistrates because they 
 choose them, and that they will not respect the work 
 of their own hands. The man who is made by votes 
 is sure to be unmade by office. But where, as 
 should be the case, the fitness is in the man, and 
 the popular suffrage but invests with the title, there 
 is a chance that both office and its incumbent shall 
 find the respect which is their due. 
 
65 
 
 COIXCLUSION. 
 
 fN the foregoing remarks we have purposely ab - 
 ^^ stained elucidating any point of etiquette whore the 
 '|f rule is universal, and applicable alike to the polite 
 society of other cities, whether in New York, Paris,. 
 London, or Timbuctoo. To tell a man that the 
 etiquette of Washington requires him to be scrupu- 
 lously neat and clean before he ventures into the pres- 
 ence of ladies, is to suppose that the refined society 
 of other cities is less exacting in regard to those 
 attributes. To prescribe an}^ rule as to the style of 
 dress to be v/orn in "Washington is to convey the 
 impression that what is fashionable in Fifth Avenue 
 and Madison Square is vulgar and objectionable in 
 the salons of Washington. It is to be expected that 
 gentlemen will studiously avoid doing her-e what 
 they would be ostracised for if they attempted 
 to do elsewhere. That they will neither chew 
 tobacco in a lady's drawing-room nor cat fish with 
 their knives, nor swallow the warm water contained 
 in the finger-glasses, nor commit any abomination 
 in short for which they would be scouted at and re- • 
 buked in other communities, and about which eti- 
 quette contains no rules which are not applicable 
 alike throughout the civilized world. 
 
 In conclusion we desire to remind those visitors at 
 the Federal Metropolis, who have been so fortunate 
 
66 
 
 as to participate in the hospitalities of private life, 
 that the rules of etiquette require a card to be left 
 at every house where they have been entertained, 
 and a visit of ceremony to be paid before leaving 
 the city in token of the favors received. 
 
j^x^ip:Ej:j^^iBrrxcj^iL, list 
 
 OF ALL THE ROOMS, ETC., IN THE CAPITOL. 
 A. 
 
 Agricultural Committee 
 
 Room, House 
 
 Accounts 
 
 B. 
 
 Bath Room, House 
 
 " '' Senate 
 
 Bronze Staircase, House.. . 
 (( (( (. 
 
 " '* Senate... 
 
 Bronze Doors. 
 
 Wing. 
 
 Floor. 
 
 No. 
 
 House. 
 
 1st. 
 
 32 
 
 <( 
 
 1st. 
 
 36 
 
 House. 
 
 1st. 
 
 19 
 
 Senate. 
 
 1st. 
 
 4 
 
 House. 
 
 1st. 
 
 40 
 
 (( 
 
 2nd. 
 
 32 
 
 Senate. 
 
 1st. 
 
 G3 
 
 (. 
 
 2ncl. 
 
 34 
 
 House. 
 
 2ud. 
 
 10 
 
 c. 
 
 Crypt.. 
 
 
 .Old Building, 1st. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 a 
 
 Store Rooms — 
 
 11 
 
 a 
 
 Clerk's Offices.. 
 
 (( a 
 
 9 
 
 a 
 
 Library. 
 
 iC i( 
 
 12 
 
 a 
 
 Judges' Room . 
 
 (e a 
 
 13 
 
 a 
 
 Solicitors' " . .. 
 
 a (< 
 
 14 
 
 Committee Room, House. 
 
 House. " 
 
 26 
 
64 
 
 Wing. Floor. No. 
 Committee Room, Senate,.. 
 
 Private Senate. 3rd. 28, 29 
 
 Claims Committee, House. House. 1st. 31 
 
 '' " Senate. Senate. 1st. 60 
 
 Capt. Capitol Police OfficcOld Building. 2ncl. 14 
 
 Clerk House Rep'tives " House. " 26 
 
 Clerks' Offices " " 27 
 
 Commissioner of Public 
 
 Buildings Old Building. " 2, 3 
 
 Commissioner of Public 
 
 Buildings Clerk " " 4 
 
 Commerce Commissioner 
 
 of House House. " 11 
 
 Commerce Commissioner 
 
 of Senate Senate. " 25 
 
 D. 
 
 Doorkeeper House of Rep- 
 
 sentatives House. 1st. 
 
 Document Room of Clerk of 
 
 House of Repre'tives.. *' " 
 
 Document Room of House 
 
 of Representatives Old Building. 2nd. 
 
 Document Room of Senate. Senate. Srd. 
 District of Columbia Com. 
 
 mittee of Senate " 1st. 
 
 District of Columbia Com- 
 
 mitte of House House. 3rd. 
 
 Dome Old Building. 3rd. 
 
 Dome Stairs " 2nd. 
 
 " " « 3rd. 
 
 29 
 
 12 
 31 
 
 61 
 
65 
 
 E. 
 
 Wing. Floor. No. 
 
 Election Committee of 
 
 House House. 1st. 22 
 
 Entrance to Heating and 
 
 Ventilating Apparatus. " " S-i 
 
 Entrance to Heating and 
 
 Ventilating Apparatus. Seiiate. " 59 
 
 Enrolled Bills Committee, 
 
 Senate " " 51 
 
 F. 
 
 Folding Room, House of 
 
 Rep'tves, Store Rooms. Old Building. 1st. 15 
 
 Folding Room, House of 
 
 Representatives " " lO 
 
 Folding Room, House of 
 
 Rep'tives, Super' dent. " " 17 
 
 Folding Room, Senate Senate. " 47 
 
 Foreign Atfairs Committee 
 
 of Senate " '' 49 
 
 Foreign Affairs Committee 
 
 of House House. 3rd. 8 
 
 Finance Committee of 
 
 Senate Senate. 2nd. 36 
 
 H. 
 
 House Stationery Room. . .Old Building. 2ud. 10 
 
 Hall of Representatives. .. . House. " 30 
 
 Heating and Ventilating 
 
 Apparatus of House. . . " 1st. 34 
 
 Heating and Ventilating 
 
 Apparatus of Senate. . Senate. Ist. 50 
 
 7 
 
66 
 
 
 ■Wing. 
 
 Floor. 
 
 No, 
 
 Investigation Room 
 
 House. 
 
 1st. 
 
 21 
 
 Indian Affairs of House. . . 
 
 (( 
 
 (( 
 
 37 
 
 " " Senate... 
 
 Senate. 
 
 (( 
 
 58 
 
 Invalid Pensions of House. 
 
 House. 
 
 3rd. 
 
 16 
 
 J. * 
 
 Judiciary Committee of 
 
 Senate Senate. 
 
 Judiciary Committee of 
 
 House House. 
 
 Judges of Supreme Court. .Old Building. 
 " Court of Claims. " 
 
 L. 
 
 Law Library Old Building. 
 
 Librar}', Court of Claims. . " 
 *' of Congress, op- 
 posite Rotunda " 
 
 Lighting Apparatus House. 
 
 Ladies' Retiring Room of 
 
 House *' 
 
 Ladies' Retiring Room of 
 
 Senate Senate. 
 
 Library of House of Repre- 
 sentatives House. 
 
 Ladies' Reception Room of 
 
 Senate Senate. 
 
 Ladies' Reception Room of 
 
 House House. 
 
 1st. 
 
 55 
 
 3rd. 
 
 9 
 
 2nd. 
 
 5 
 
 1st. 
 
 13 
 
 1st. 
 
 8 
 
 (( 
 
 13 
 
 2nd. 
 
 9 
 
 3rd. 
 
 10 
 
 (( 
 
 13 
 
 <( 
 
 27 
 
 3rd. 
 
 21 
 
 2nd. 
 
 41 
 
 a 
 
 21 
 
67 
 
 M. 
 
 Wing. 
 
 Military Affairs of Senate. Senate. 
 
 " " House.. House. 
 
 Marslial of District of Co- 
 lumbia Old Building. 
 
 Members Reception Room 
 
 of House House. 
 
 Marble Room of Senate. . . Senate. 
 
 Mileage Committee of 
 
 House House. 
 
 N. 
 
 Naval Affairs of Senate. . . . Senate. 
 " " House House. 
 
 O. 
 
 Old Senate Chamber Old Building, 
 
 " Hall of Representatives " 
 
 '* Speaker's Room " 
 
 P. 
 
 Police Guard Room Old Buildin 
 
 Post Offices and Post Roads 
 
 of Senate Senate. 
 
 Post Offices and Post Roads 
 
 of House House. 
 
 Public B'di.ngs and Grounds 
 
 of Senate Senate. 
 
 Public B'dings and Grounds 
 
 of House House. 
 
 Floor. 
 
 yo. 
 
 1st. 
 
 57 
 
 2nd. 
 
 17 
 
 3rd. 
 
 1st. 
 2nd. 
 
 2nd. 
 
 .1st. 
 
 24 
 43 
 
 20 
 
 56 
 29 
 
 7 
 13 
 
 15 
 
 (( 
 
 48 
 
 (( 
 
 24 
 
 3rd. 
 
 23 
 
 1st. 
 
 25 
 
68 
 
 Wins. Floor. No- 
 
 Public Expenditures of 
 
 House House. 1st. 2S 
 
 Peusions Committee of 
 
 Senate ,^ Senate. " 44 
 
 Public Lands of Senate " " 45 
 
 *' " House .... House. 3rd. 13 
 
 Private Land Claims of 
 
 Senate Senate. 1st. 53 
 
 Patents Committee of 
 
 Senate " Srd. 24 
 
 Patents Committee of 
 
 House House. 1st. 30 
 
 Post Office of House of Rep- 
 resentatives " 2nd. 19 
 
 Post Office of Senate Senate. " 39 
 
 Private Room House. " 25 
 
 " Senate. " 45 
 
 Picture of Western Enaigra- 
 
 tion, by Leutze — West. 
 
 Gallery Staircase of 
 
 House House. " 28 
 
 Picture of Battle of Cbapul- 
 
 tepeCjby Walker — West 
 
 Gallery of Staircase of 
 
 Senate Senate. " 48 
 
 Private Passage of House.. House. " 31 
 
 " " Senate. Senate. " 35 
 
 Photograph Rooms Old Building. 3rd. 5, 6 
 
 Pacific Railroad Committee 
 
 Room Senate. " 28 
 
 Printing Committee of 
 
 Senate " " SO 
 
 President's Room " 2nd. 44 
 
69 
 
 R. 
 
 "Wins. rioor. No. 
 
 Restaurant of House House. 1st. is 
 
 *' Senate Senate. " 41 
 
 " " Old Building. 2n a. 
 
 Revolutionary Claims of 
 
 Senate Senate. 1st. 4»" 
 
 Revolutionary Claims of 
 
 House House. " 35 
 
 Rotunda— Centre of tlie 
 
 Capitol Old Building. 2nd. 1 
 
 Reporters' Gallery of Senate Senate. 3rd. 20 
 
 " " House. House. " U 
 Revolutionary Pensions of 
 
 House " " 17 
 
 Roads and Canals of House " " IS 
 
 Store Rooms of Law Li- 
 brary Old Building. 1st. 3 
 
 Store Rooms of Plouse of 
 
 Representatives House. " 20 
 
 Store Rooms of House of 
 
 Representatives " *' 3>> 
 
 Store Rooms of Senate Senate. " 62,42 , 43 
 
 " " ofSuprem.e 
 
 Court. .Old Building. " 5, 6, 7 
 
 " " House " 2nd. U 
 
 Superintendent of House 
 
 Folding Room " 1st. 17 
 
 Superintendent of Senate 
 
 Folding Room Senate. *' 50 
 
70 
 
 Wing. Floor. Xo. 
 
 Supreme Court Old Building. 2nd. 7 
 
 " " Ante Room.. " " G 
 
 " Chief Clerk.. " <' 4 
 
 '• " Clerks " " 3 
 
 Siationar}^ Room of House. " *' 10 
 
 " " Senate. Senate. " 33 
 
 Statue of Jelierson, by 
 
 Crawford, (at the foot 
 
 of East Gallery Stairs, 
 
 House.) House. 2nd. 18 
 
 Statue of Franklin, by 
 
 Powers, (at the foot of 
 
 East Gallery Stairs of 
 
 Senate.) Senate. " 37 
 
 Statue of Hancock, by 
 
 Stone, (at the foot of 
 
 West Gallery Stairs of 
 
 Senate.) Senate. ^' 49 
 
 Sergeant-at-Arms of House House. " 22 
 
 " " States. Senate. " 40 
 
 Speaker's Room House. " 23 
 
 Senate Chamber Senate. " 33 
 
 Secretary Q(f Senate Office. ^ " " 46 
 
 " " Clerks' " ^ " " 47 
 
 T. 
 Territorial Committee of 
 
 House House. 1st. 27 
 
 Territorial Committee of 
 
 Senate Senate. " 53 
 
 Telegraph Office, (House 
 
 Gallery.) House. 3rd. 15 
 
71 
 u. 
 
 "VVing. Floor. 
 
 Upholsterer's Eoom of 
 
 House House. 1st. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vice President's Room. .. . Senate. 2nd. 
 
 W. 
 
 Water Closets for Gentle- 
 men Senate. 1st. 
 
 Water Closets for Gentle- 
 men House. Isrt. 
 
 Ways and Means Commit- 
 tee " 2nd. 
 
 No. 
 
 23 
 42 
 
 54 
 30 
 20 
 
6f /.2 <L 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 010 953 963 6