LETTER V.

FROM INCHIQUIN TO PHARAMOND.

Dated at Washington.

THE whole world of Washington is concentrated in the capitol. In the absence of all other places of public resort and recreation, the galleries of Congress are attended by those who have no better pastime than political debates; and, in common with the rest, I pay my daily attendance on this school of national oratory.

The apartments, in which the representatives of the American people hold their assemblies, are all under the same roof, and generally free of admission; perfectly appropriate and magnificent; and though the temple of republicanism, not unworthy to be

Monumenta regis

Templaque Vestæ.

In no part of the world are there more noble edifices devoted to similar purposes; and, compared to that of the American commons, St. Stephen's chapel, in particular, is a most contemptible chamber. The hall of the representatives is of spacious di

mensions; an oval, surrounded by twenty-four Corinthian pillars, and surmounted by a lofty, painted dome, through which the light is admitted by a hundred apertures. The galleries and lobbies, situated behind the pillars, are large and convenient, festooned with scarlet drapery, that serves to prevent too great a resonance of the voice, and at the same time to give a compactness and finish to the apartment. Over the grand entrance, there are emblematic bas reliefs; and, on the opposite side, a statue of liberty. The furniture, decorations and arrangement, are becoming and elegant; and during a night session, when the hall is lighted by lamps, the whole effect is fine and imposing.

The senate chamber is in the other wing of the capitol, which is yet in quite an unfinished state, of a smaller size than the hall of the representatives, with a double arched dome, and Ionic pillars; the drapery, hangings and carpets, and indeed the whole chamber finished in a superior style of splendour and brilliancy.

Under the senate chamber is the hall of justice, the ceiling of which is not unfancifully formed by the arches that support the former. The judges, în their robes of solemn black, are raised on seats of grave mahogany; and below them is the bar, surrounded by a Doric colonnade, somewhat elevated above the bar, and behind that an arcade, still higher, so contrived as to afford auditors double rows of terrace seats, thrown in segments round the transverse arch, under which the judges sit.

The main body of the capitol has not been begun,

and all these halls are in the wings. The whole pile, when complete, will be enormous. The vestibules,

stairways, and galleries of communication, are designed and executed with great magnificence; though at present they are disfigured by scaffolding and patchwork; and the three original orders of Grecian-architecture are displayed in the three halls, with perfect chastness and uniformity.

As public speaking in all its branches, parliamentary, forensic, and of the pulpit, is exhibited in the capitol, and this is really the only public spectacle of Washington, I pass great part of my time there; and propose to give you some account of the state of oratory in this country, as contrasted with others, both ancient and modern, with a sketch of some of the orators, who are assembled, from various quarters, in this metropolis.

To begin with the pulpit: as there are very few, and those very small, places of public worship in the federal city, the representative hall, which, from its spaciousness and form, is well adapted to such a purpose, has been taken as the theatre for ecclesiastical discourses; and a scene, which wants no additional interest from its originality, since my residence here, has been rendered, by the presence of a celebrated preacher from New-York, peculiarly striking and memorable. Figure to yourself a magnificent apartment, with no one appearance of a church, crowded with an audience consisting of all descriptions of persons, of both sexes and colours, promiscuously seated and standing; the galleries, stairways and entrances thronged, and every avenue surfeited

with spectators. No choir, no preparatory service or solemnities, but a band of soldiers, with all "the pride, pomp, and circumstance of war," file in, marching to a martial air, sounded by drums and warlike instruments, and take their stations. Soon after the clergyman begins.†

When I went into the court of justice yesterday, one side of the fine forensic colonnade was occupied by a party of ladies, who, after loitering some time in the gallery of the representatives, had sauntered. into this hall, and were, with their attendants, sacrificing some impatient moments to the inscrutable mysteries of pleading. On the opposite side was a group of Indians, who are here on a visit to the president, (papa of the savages,) in their native costume, their straight black hair hanging in plaits down their tawny shoulders, with mockassins on their feet, rings in their ears and noses, and large plates of silver on their arms and breasts.

With silver flaming and barbaric gold.

In the center of the peristyle, stood a superannuated officer of the American revolution, who passes his few remaining winters in Washington, vainly petitioning congress for "that which should accompany old age ;" his habit of the "olden time," edged with tarnished lace; his hair as white as snow; his face furrowed, but full of dignity, resting with one hand

† Here we regret to say several lines are scored out.....E.

on a cane, and with the other supporting himself against a column.

Before this audience was the bench of reverend judges, listening with constrained patience to a rubyfaced spokesman; who, with his hair in full powder, but without any robe, which, like charity, might have covered a multitude of improprieties, was chopping law-logic, in a voice so loud as to be almost lost in its own reverberations. This was the third day of his speech; of which I heard nothing more than the peroration. But that was enough; for though, as well as I could catch the subject, there was a pervading strength of argument, and some coruscations of rhetoric, his gestures were so vehement, countenance so angry, and his continual digressions so entirely extra flammantia mania mundi, that it was impossible to keep in view both the speaker and his cause; and indeed before he concluded, I suffered all the torments of restlessness, and a jaded attention, bewildered with vain efforts to sit still and understand.

But it is in the two houses of congress that we should look for the orators of America, selected as the members of those houses are, from all parts of the country, for their talents and eloquence. To a certain degree, an ability for good public speaking is very common in the United States. Natural fluency, characteristic fire, and a habit of public debating, are almost universal. But there have been, and there are individuals elsewhere, who, as their talents have been corroborated by a more complete education, and