and 1775, and Hancock, the second. Congress meets on the 1st December,
and sits till June. Representatives are paid two dollars a-day. The
rotunda has been the inaugural scene of General Jackson, Van Buren, and
General Harrison. It was here Lawrence, the maniac, attempted the life
of General Jackson. The statuary in the rotunda is, "William Penn's
Treaty with the Indians:" he is in the act of delivering the treaty to a
couple of chiefs. There is "The Indian Princess Pocahontas rescuing
Capt. Smith from the Indians." There is "Boone's Combat with the
Indians;" and over the eastern door is represented "The Landing of the
Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth." They were persecuted in England, and fled
to New England, amongst wild savages, enemies to civilization and
Christianity. The Puritans landed at Plymouth (Massachusetts), and
commenced the first English settlement. The Capitol cost 3,000,000
dollars. There are fifty-two senators, and twenty-two representatives.

The President's house is in the western part of the city; and stands on
a plot of twenty acres, forty-four feet above the Potomac. It is 170
feet front, and eighty-six deep; built of freestone, with Ionic
pilasters. It was shown to us by one Martin Renehan, an Irishman; and as
the President was absent, we visited all the rooms, which were meanly
furnished--indeed, carpets and chair-bottoms worn out; a common pine
dining-table, which the Prince de Joinville, Lord Ashburton, Lord
Morpeth, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Pakenham, our present minister, with others,
to the number of forty-four (they never have more), dined off. My house
is much better furnished; and the President only keeps eighteen
servants, including master of the household, &c. The private
drawing-room is the best, but that is bad. We saw the bed General
Harrison died in. We visited the Treasury department: this is a noble
structure, 457 feet in length, and after the architecture of the temple
of Minerva, at Athens. There are 250 rooms. It is adjoining the