HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH

OF THE

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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA* was ceded to the United States in 1790, by the states of Virginia and Maryland, and in 1800 the seat of government was removed here from Philadelphia. Its site was selected by GEORGE WASHINGTON, by authority from Congress, after great research and observation, to become the metropolis of this republic. It forms an exact square of 10 miles on a side, lying upon both banks of the Potomac. The location being determined upon, the first stone to mark its boundary was set in Jones's Point, the uppermost cape of Hunting creek, April 15, 1791, in the presence of a large concourse of spectators.

The District is divided into two counties. Washington county is on the N. side of the Potomac, and includes Washington city and Georgetown. Alexandria county is on the s. side of the Potomac, and has the city of Alexandria. In the former, the laws of Maryland continue in force; in the latter, those of Virginia. District has never been represented in the Congress of the United States. Congress, however, makes what laws it pleases for both, which meets annually on the first Monday of December, unless otherwise provided by law.

The surface of the District is gently undulating, furnishing fine sites for cities. The soil is naturally sterile, but it possesses a fine, healthy climate. This District has become the centre of a considerable and active commerce, though it cannot at all compete with Baltimore, in its vicinity. Vessels of the largest class come up to Alexandria, 6 miles below Washington, where the Potomac is a mile wide, and from 30 to 50 feet deep; and vessels of a large size come up to the U. S. Navy Yard, at the junction of the East Branch with the Potomac, at Washington. A very considerable quantity of flour, and other produce, comes down the Potomac, and centres chiefly at Alexandria, and some at Georgetown. The chief business of Washington city has relation to the accommodation of the national legislature, and of the officers of the general government. In 1800, the population was 14,093; in 1810, 24,023; in 1820, 33,039; in 1830, 39,858; in 1840, 43,712, of which 30,657 were whites, 8,361 were free colored persons, and 4,694 were slaves.

The valley at the foot of Capitol Hill, washed by the Tiber creek, it is stated on the authority of some of the early settlers, was periodically visited by the Indians, who named it their fishing-ground,

We are indebted to Sherman and Smith's valuable Gazetteer of the United States for much information respecting the District.

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in contradistinction to their hunting-ground; and that they assembled there in great numbers in the spring months to procure fish. Greenlief's Point was the principal camp, and the residence of their chiefs, where councils were held among the various tribes thus gathered there. The coincidence of the location of the national legislatures so near the council-house of an Indian nation, cannot fail to excite interesting reflections in intelligent minds. It is highly probable that Washington was acquainted with this tradition.

Washington City, the capital of the United States, is situated on the E. side of the Potomac, 295 miles from the ocean, by the course of the river and bay. It is 38 miles sw. from Baltimore; 136 from Philadelphia; 225 from New York; 432 from Boston; 856 from St. Louis; 544 from Charleston, S. C.; 662 from Savannah, Ga. ; 1,203 from New Orleans. The population in 1800, was 3,210; in 1810, 8,208; in 1820, 13,247; in 1830, 18,827; in 1840, 23,364; in 1844, 30,429. Employed in commerce, 103; in manufactures and trades, 886; navigating the ocean, 45; do. rivers and canals, 25; learned professions, 83.

The city stands on a point of land between the Potomac and the Anacostia or Eastern branch. It contains a little over 8 square miles, and upwards of 5,000 acres. The ground is, in general, about 40 feet above the level of the river, and there are some moderate elevations, on two of which stand the Capitol and the President's house. The city is regularly laid out in streets running north and south, and crossed by others at right angles, running east and west. But the different parts of the city are connected by broad avenues, which traverse the rectangular divisions diagonally. Where the intersection of these avenues with each other and with the streets would form many acute angles, considerable rectangular or circular open grounds are left, which, when the city shall be built up, will give it an open appearance. The avenues and streets leading to public places are from 120 to 160 feet wide, and the other streets are from 70 to 110 feet wide. The avenues are named after the states of the Union, and the other streets, beginning at the capitol, are denoted by the letters of the alphabet, as A. north and A. south, B. north and B. south, &c.; and east and west, they are designated by numbers, as 1st east, 1st west, &c. Pennsylvania avenue, between the capitol and the president's house, contains the most dense population, and is much the finest street in the city. Five of the avenues radiate from the capitol, and five others from the president's house, giving these prominent places the most ready communication with all parts of the city. The buildings of Washington consist of scattered clusters; nor is it probable that the magnificent plan of the city will soon be built up, although it has greatly increased within the last few years. Three things are requisite to sustain a large city, one of which, it is to be hoped, will never be found in the United States. There must be extensive commerce, or manufactures, or an expen

sive and luxurious court, with the multitudes which a luxurious court draws around it, to expend their money. This last constitutes a great item in the support of some European cities. Washington cannot be expected to become a very great commercial or manufacturing place; and though the chief men of the government, and the national legislature, and the multitudes whom they draw around them, do much towards the prosperity of Washington, the money thus expended is too small in amount to constitute a main reliance of a large city. Baltimore, in the vicinity, will be likely to surpass Washington in commerce and manufactures, for a long time to come. The growth of Washington, however, has been considerably extensive, and it is continually increasing; and probably the bustle of a large city would not much improve it as a seat for the national congress. It enjoys the two important requisites for health, pure air and good water; and there is much elegant and refined society, rendering it a pleasant place of residence.

The public buildings of Washington have a splendor becoming a great nation. The Capitol is probably the finest senate-house in the world, and it is fit that the most august legislative assembly on earth should be thus accommodated. The ground on which the capitol stands is elevated 73 feet above the level of the tide, and affords a commanding view of the different parts of the city, and of the surrounding country. The building, which is of freestone, covers an area of more than an acre and a half; the length of the front is 352 feet, including the wings; the depth of the wings is 121 feet. The centre building is surmounted by a lofty dome; and there are 2 less elevated domes, one towards each end. A projection on the east or main front, including the steps, is 65 feet wide; and another on the west front, with the steps, is 83 feet wide. In the projection on the east front, there is a noble portico of 22 lofty Corinthian columns; and in the west front there is a portico of 10 Corinthian columns. The height of the building to the top of the dome is 120 feet. Under the dome in the middle of

the building is the rotunda, a circular room 95 feet in diameter and of the same height, adorned with sculptures, representing in relief Smith delivered by Pocahontas, the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth, Penn treating with the natives, and a fight of Boone with the Indians; and 4 magnificent paintings by Trumbull, with figures as large as life, representing the presentation to Congress of the Declaration of Independence, the capture of Burgoyne, the surrender of Cornwallis, and Washington resigning his commission to Congress. Another painting, the baptism of Pocahontas, by Chapman, has recently been added. The rotunda has recently received a splendid additional ornament in Greenough's statue of Washington, a colossal figure in a sitting posture, twice as large as life. On the west of the rotunda is the library-room of Congress, 92 feet by 34, and is 36 feet in height, containing, in arched alcoves, 20,000 volumes. In the second story of the south wing of the capitol, is the hall of the House of Representatives, of a semicircular form, 96 feet long and 60 high, with a dome supported by 24 beautiful columns of variegated marble from the Potomac, with capitals of Italian marble, of the Corinthian order. The circular wall is surrounded by a gallery for men, and the chord of the arc, back of the speaker's chair, has a gallery for the ladies. The room is ornamented with some fine statuary and paintings, and the whole furniture of it is elegant. The Senate chamber is in the second story of the north wing of the capitol, and is semicircular like that of the Representatives, but smaller, being 75 feet long and 45 feet high. The vice-president's chair is canopied by a rich crimson drapery, held by the talons of a hovering eagle. A gallery of light bronze running round the arc in front of the vice-president's chair, is mainly appropriated to ladies. There is another gallery above and behind the chair, supported by fine Ionic columns of variegated marble. A magnificent chandelier hangs in the centre of the room, and the whole appearance and furniture of the room are splendid. Below the Senate chamber, and of nearly the same form and dimensions, but much less elegant, is the room of the Supreme Court of the United States; and there are in the building 70 rooms for the accommodation of committees and officers of Congress. The grounds around the capitol are spacious, containing 22 acres, highly ornamented with gravelled walks, shrubbery, and trees, a naval monument ornamented with statuary, and fountains, and the whole is enclosed by a handsome iron railing. The whole cost of the building has exceeded $2,000,000.

The President's house, a mile and a half NW. from the Capitol, is an elegant edifice of freestone, 2 stories high, with a lofty basement, and is 170 feet long, and 86 wide, the N. front of which is ornamented with a fine portico of 4 lofty lonic columns, projecting with 3 columns. The outer intercolumniation is for carriages to drive under, to place company under shelter. It stands in the centre of a plat of ground of 20 acres, beautifully laid out and highly