California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, Volume 9, Number 23, 25 June 1858 — Letter from a Lady Correspondent at Washington. D C. [ARTICLE]

Letter from a Lady Correspondent at Washington. D C.

We are most happy in presenting to the readers of the Pa RMS I the annexed letter from the great metropolis of our nation—Washington, D. C. We acknowledge a deep obligation to our fair correspondent for the courtesy manifested to our journal, and for the happy manner in which the letters and translations hare come to us, and »o feel, also, that our readers will he happy in the perusal of all that shall come from one who possesses the pen of a ready writer in so high a degree. The annexed sketch of " Life in Washington City." is highly amusing as well as instructive. Most happy shall we he lo receive the pronu-e i 'Translations from our correspondent. The very spirited and happy touches upon horticulture and floriculture, hy the lady, induces one to the belief that " California" is the tield for her descriptive pen: — Wiwiiiiit..n Citt. I) C, M*y ;-. MM "Empty jests" are commonly enough exf>erienced ; but that by which I presume myself I ) have been introduced to the California Fahmeh, and its results, in my acquisition of a visitant so engaging, have thus proved a jest full of good fruits to me. I allude to the kindly efforts of Major I'erlcy I'oore to elevate me to the glories of a Reporter's seat in the House of Representatives. 1 believe he, as well as myself, ia Of Massachusetts, so I translate it aa au intent to increase the already full honors of our Stale. Hut lam hy nature quite as inapt to " have greatness thrust upon me" as to ' achieve greatness " and would advise the Major rather to continue his practice in rolling apples, which oppose only the resistance of inertia to bis efforts, than to attempt raising to such bights of glory those who have no inclination to "know how hard it is to climb" there, and are capable of [nisiinc resistance. Indirect \ 1 am his debtor for the pleasure I reap in ihe perusal of the Farmrh: it is a positive benefaction to me ;my tastes being so greatly in the way of agriculture, lhat if 1 were but strong enough to dig, I should never be foolish enough to tish in an inkstand. I fear, however, that I can in no way return to the Kditor of the Farmer tbe kindness he shows me—my agricultural experiences being limited to picking peas and clicr: . - and my horticultural ones, though more ea tensive, offering nothing new. "To sit in the rosea aud hear tbe birds sing" as Moore sings | to ensconce one's self, book iv band, amid green

boughs, Mi listen dreamily to lh* hum of bees snd the rustling of the south wind through tho corn, is very enchanting ; bat a !ay In praise of such dulce Jar nienle would btrdly prove instructive and profitable to your readers in search of improvements and experiments. Politics, parlies anil puffery are the staples ol Washington correspondence—all out of my line, and. I suppose, out of yours. For the present, also, Congress is obliged to postpone politics for appropriations; the regular routine of parties has been darned and eaten through, and With politics and parties, puffery, which finds its aliment in them must pause a little for want of sustenance. What scribbler caii go into ecstacies of admiration over a live minutes' explanation on a bill to provide for ihe Legislative., Kxecutive and Judicial expenses, Ac. or write a eulogy on a lady going shopping ? The admission of Oregon was. however, discussed today in the Senate; the Mil for granting a gold medal to Commodore Pudding, which was the Older of the day. being laid aside for this purpose, and an ineffectual attempt made to bring up the Homestead bill. It appeared, from the remark aof Mr Douglas, "that since Kansas had been admitted si,me of its most earnest advocates had been se'Zcd with scruples as to accepting other territories, with insufficient population according to tbe lawt of representation; Mr. D. had desired to restrict the admission of territories by those laws but Kansas snd Minnesota, having been receited, he must insist that this was no time to exclude Oregon, whatever limitations might be hereafter imposed." Hy the tiring of cannon, this evening I presume Oregon to have been admitted by the Senate ; Kansas and Minnesota having been welcomed in the sainu way. (Jen. Shields of Minnesota, occupies a seat between Mr. Sumner, and Mr Cameron of Pa. As Commissioner of tbe Land Office, and as Senator from Illinois, he has hied main years in Washington, is considered active and fuel in business, and ia personally very popular, being reputed a gentleman of much kindness of heart, always disposed to serve those who may need his aid. He was formerly chairman of the Committee on Military affairs, and has now been placed on that on Revolutionary affairs, in which the death of Mr. Evans, of S. C, had created a vacancy. There have been several seats vacant in the senate nearly all the session, from the illness of their proprietors Mr. l'.eid of North Carolina and Mr. Bates of Del., have been altogether absent; Gen. Davis, of Miss., who. as Chairman of the Military Com Iti .tee could ill be spared, has but just re appeared, alter a long and critical illness : Mr. Henderson, of Texas, and Mr. Sumner have been rarely visible, but were present to day. A torch-light procession, wilh drnm and fife, is on the grand (our of our city, in honor of one of the candidates for the Mayoralty, Whoever may wield that authority. I trust he may prove vigorous enough lo reduce the slat sties of bloodshed and murder that have so troubled Washington for the last year, during wr. ti lime the sound ul pistols has been an intolerable nuisance, even apart from the anxieties produced by hearing them at all hours of the night, that we should hear of some con-cqocnt outrage in the morning. " StK-aking of cabbage, boa's your wife ?'' ask. i! a mar. of expansive ideas: so. speaking of apuffing, recalls to me an extract from a Southern paper, but written. 1 believe, hete. which will give you an idea of the manner and slips by which persona, resolved on literary notoriety, rise and shine ' iK'fore the public.'' One Southern Senator il italicised as • the Polar Star o) the Cotton r? roiauent ;" I forget the precise phraseology used of tlie next, but it quite leaves the Aurora Borealis'' in the shade in its profusion of " corruscations." ' meteors," et id genus omne; two or three memoers of the House are named, one of whom is to "reduce to subserviency" nigh all. the North and West. These persons thus beprai*ed are gentlemen of intellectual merit and well-earned distinction, therefore 1 do not take the liberty of using their names in connection with such absurdities. Vet there are people m this city, of h gh position, w ho foster around tbem the gnd thes that produce such buzzing*, desiring no other evidences of merit than the production of their own grandeur in similar hymns of praise. " Ho* charming is divine philo-ophy I" wrote Milton. M >re charming is divine flattery Iwe might parody it. judging from the success of the " Mac Stc iphant" family. The Marine Band have commenced their summer regale of music. Saturday, in the Capitol ground-, and Wednesday in those of the President's house; a most agreeable thing in a city which can support nothing of public amusement afrer the session of Congress. On these occasions the ear and eye arc equally catered for. A rich, undulating cartwl uf lawn is all around you | fine trees nod you invitingly to their shade; handsome women and delicate girls. I>eantifully IrtaMd, saunter around like animated tulip beds and rose bowers, their brilliancy neutralized by the black coats of their escorts, and all now moving in various curves in following the walks, now breaking into groups as they meet friends with whom they wish to chat; ever circling ami changing, you have a picture nowhere else lo be found on our northern continent, and rivaling that of II)dc Park and the gardens of the Tuillenes. Little Fioras, just learning to rail, roll ia ecstacies of fun on the soft grass, and larger ones dance to til* music in utter ■■ISiaatliiimntll of anything but a sense of happiness which they thus communicate to the lookers on. Al the President's grounds the charm ol all ii greatly hightened by the view of the Potomac and the hills of Virginia beyond, where Arlington (so long the abode of Mrs Washington'- grandson, the late G. W. P. Cuatis. K-q I its outlines softened by distance, and standing alone on its green and wooded hight, suggests ideas of a Phidian temple overhanging some classic wave of Greece. I intimated at the beginning lhat I had nothing to say, aud I think I have by this lime fully convinced you of il; you see, also, that I have said :t in great baste, and thus, re ago ■ desfiedir me Ue run. Harhiliil Fanm.no Klad.