288 



DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



would feast a regiment, and camp-fires at which all flesh and fowl is roasting, includmg a 

 'whole hog,' that constitutes the barbacue which gives name to this feast. When the banquet 

 is ready, you devote yourself to the constellations, as the first course is for the ladies, upon 

 whom the gentlemen attend, as the genius waited upon Aladdin. The second course is for the 

 lords, upon whom the managers and slaves attend. After all, the managers dine also, and thev 

 have servants no less exalted than the ladies. A barbacue has from 300 to 800 people, and it 

 is only where a very social life is led, that this feast could be so well filled. But sometimes a 

 candidate or an oflicer invites the whole county, and the number is then greater. The master 

 of the feast, on this occasion, ascends the rostrum, made by the woodman, and which is that 

 part of a tree that is immediately above the roots. From this elevation, he harangues the peo- 

 ple in good Virginian, which is generally choice English, always excepting toting, which i find 

 in no classic author." 



In the elections there are some peculiarities. The candidates frequently nominate themselves, 

 or offer their service through the newspapers ; a favor to the e'lectors, that would not in New 

 England be acknowledged by a single vote. As it is established by custom, however, it does not 

 indicate any undue share of ambition. The candidates at the South come into more immediate 

 contact with the electors than at the North, where the canvass is chiefly confined to the newspa- 

 pers. They sometimes (though this is rare) go the rounds of the district, and visit the families 

 before an election. The barbacue offers the best means of communicating with the electors them- 

 selves ; sometimes the constituents invite their representative to this sylvan feast, and at other 

 times, the friends of a candidate make the festival. On these occasions, a display is made of 

 that natural gift of eloquence, which is called stump oratory, from the rostrum, which is some- 

 times a stump. Here, when the heart is opened by conviviality, the speaker can the more 

 effectually adapt himself to the character and prejudices of his auditors. It is related of an emi- 

 nent statesman, that on one occasion he met his constituents at a barbacue, where there was 

 much dissatisfaction expressed at one of his votes in the national council. He addressed the 

 people, and closed his speech by thus adverting to the vote : — "I have been told, that you are 

 not pleased that I should have given such a vote, though it was given in accordance with my 

 judgment and conscience ; it may have been wrong, but I think it right. My friends, I have 

 been your servant for 15 years, and in all that time I have not failed to satisfy you until now. 

 It is not easy to Fay which side is wrong ; but I am content to grant, for the present, that I was 

 mistaken. Now suppose one of you had an old rifle, which for 15 years had never missed 

 fire, or failed to hit the mark ; but at length, for once, it fails and disappoints you ! what then 

 would you do with it ? would you throw the old rifle away, or would you ' peck the flint, and 

 try it again " " Huzza for C.," was the shout, " peck the flint, and try it again." 



20. Education. In the southern section of the Union, there are generally provisions for 

 schools, but the population is so thin, that many have few advantages for education. Among 

 the slaves, few can read, and among the whites there are a few who cannot. The number who 

 cannot read, however, is larger than in New England. Some of the colleges are well endow- 

 ed, and have many scholars, though numbers of the youth are still sent for their education to 

 New England. 



21. Religion. The sects are numerous ; they contain every denomination of Christians, 

 and many Jews. The Sabbath is less strictly observed than in New England, and in a great 

 part of the section, the pulpits are supplied by traveling preachers, principally Methodists and 

 Baptists. 



CHAPTER XVITI. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



1. Extent. Population. This is a territory of 10 miles square, under the immediate gov- 

 erninent of Congress. It is divided into two counties, and three cities ; the counties and cities 

 being separate. The cities are Washington, Alexandria, and Georgetown ; the counties, 

 Washington and Alexandria. This District lies on both sides of the Potomac, 120 miles from 

 its mouth, between Maryland and Virginia, and was ceded to the general government by those 

 States in 1790. The seat of government of the United States, was established within its lim- 

 its in 1800. It has never been represented in Congress. The capitol at Washington, from 

 which American geographers often compute their meridian, is in 38° 53' N. latitude, and 77° 2' 

 W. longitude from Greenwich, 79° 22' W. longitude from Paris, and 58° 45' W. longitude 

 from Ferro. The population of the District is 50,000. 



2. Cities. Washington, the seat of government of the United States, stands in the centre 



