Trip to the Capitol of the Nation (1876)
Knowing that some of the readers of the Herald would like to hear from the National Capitol, I will proceed to give you a short account of our trip.
In company with Messrs. S.; P. GAUT, J. M. CROW, J. M. HARWICK and J. P. COOPER, of Cleveland, and H. A. LOWERY, of Dalton, we left Cleveland on the 8th. We were joined at Athens by that prince of clever chaps, Henry BRADFORD, and at Sweetwater by ditto, King BENSON. Arriving at New Port, who should bounce the train but that jolly gentleman, Judge SWAUN, accompanied by his beautiful daughter – all bound for the Centennial – thus making nine in our crowd. We were also joined by three more young gentlemen from Greeneville – making twelve in all. We arrived at Bristol at 9 p. m., where your most humble and three others were lucky enough to get a “bunk” in the sleeper for the pitiful sum of 75 Cents. We enjoyed a long night’s sleep – at least two hours! And then the conductor growled because we slept late. About sun-up that king of big eaters, J. M. H., spied a musk melon in a corn field about a quarter of a mile off; John made tracks for that melon, cut it off with his knife and returned to the car, thinking about saving 75 cts; he took a second look at his melon, when Lo and behold! It was a pumpkin, to the great enjoyment of at least two hundred passengers. The next place was Liberty, Va., where we got a first class breakfast for a “leetle monish,” and at 8:45 a.m., we arrived at Lynchburg, a lively little city of about thirty thousand inhabitants. Its trade is mostly confined to tobacco. We left Lynchburg at 11:40 a.m.; passing through the famous battle fields of Culpepper, Manassas and Fairfax, arriving at the Capitol of this “glorious Union” at 9 p.m., on Aug. 9th. At Washington we were met at the depot by our gentlemanly Representative in Congress, Gen. DIBRELL who took us to his house at 903 E Street, where the party were furnished with nice rooms and comfortable beds. After taking a night’s rest we “arose from our slumbers” and took a square meal at the Imperial Hotel, and from there in company with Senator KEY, we went to the Treasury Department and had a good look at the process of money making; the Senator introduced us to Hon. Lot M. MORRILL, Secretary of the Treasury, and also Hon. Mr. WYMAN, U. S. Treasurer, who treated the party very kindly indeed – allowing us all privileges that could possibly be given us. After leaving the Treasury Department we went to the
WHITE HOUSE and were introduced to his Excellency, Ulysses S. GRANT, President of these United States. The President is a heavy set man, with a solid look on his face. There is no “put on” about him. He is a plain kind of a man, who will win the admiration of all who are so lucky as to talk with him. I imagine some of our Southern editors would be ashamed of themselves if they only knew just the man the President is, and how kindly he receives strangers. All of our company were Democrats except myself, but they all admire Gen. GRANT. After leaving the White House we went to the
CAPITOL. We first visited the Senate Chamber, where we found the best looking man in the Chamber, Senator CONKLING, making a speech. The prominent members were pointed out to us, CAMERON, KERNAN, BOUTWELL, BURNSIDE, SPENCER, President FERRY and others. We then took a look through the Capitol and went to the
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, where we found Mr. SAYLER of Ohio in the Chair. It would make a dog laugh to see this House. It puts us in mind of our County Court – only more so – a perfect uproar all the time. They looked to us more like a lot of boys than they did like Congressman. Col THORNBURG remarked to us that “it was a fair specimen of Democracy,” and it undoubtedly is. The prominent members were pointed to us. FRYE, HALE, GARFIELD, CANNON, CLYMER, BANKS, RANDALL, KELLY, SPINGER, CAUFIELD, and others. After spending some four hours in the Capitol, we went to the
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, where everything in this world, or any other world can be seen. It is worth any one’s fare from Cleveland to Washington to see the Smithsonian Institute. We advise all visiting the national capitol to see it. After leaving the Institute we visit the
AGRICULTURAL GARDEN, where Frederick WATTS, commissioner of agriculture, holds forth. Here we saw everything in the agricultural line that could be seen. After returning from the Garden we again met Senator KEY, who had with him Senator Hannibal HAMLIN, of Maine, who was LINCOLN’s first Vice President. Mr. HAMLIN is quite a jolly old fellow; and we have no doubt that if all the Editors in the country could make his acquaintance, they would not be so hard on him about the newspaper law. After taking our supper, the party visited the
GERMAN SCHEUTZEN-FEST, where there was a crowd of at least five thousand, drinking Lager and dancing.
This morning (Friday) we visited the Post-office Department, and met that clever gentleman, Capt. J. C. MORGAN, late of Cleveland. Mr. MORGAN spent the day with our party; taking us to the Corcoran art gallery, War Department museum and the navy yard, in fact every part of the city that is interesting – and it is all that way. We had a glance at the famous
“BOSS SHEPARD,” whom the Southern newspapers abuse so. He is quite a popular man in Washington – in fact he has made Washington what it is. I was telling a gentleman today what a name Mr. SHEPARD had in the South. It amused him very much. His remark was, “I am a Democrat, but am free to acknowledge that all these tales on SHEPARD are lies; He is one of the best business men in the Union” Such is SHEPARD’s character at his home.
You scarcely ever find a Democrat, a resident of this city – out of a population of one hundred and thirty thousand, there is not enough of the “Simon pure” to support a daily paper – while the Republicans have five large dailies. On almost every corner you see a large banner floating with “Hayes and Wheeler” on it.
I will write you again from Philadelphia, and probably from Niagara Falls. We leave tomorrow for Philadelphia where we will stay four days and then go to New York city, before starting to Niagara.
–Yours &c, W. S. TIPTON
Source: Weekly Herald (Cleveland, TN); 18 August 1876. Available online at Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.