171 
At first we went to the office of Mr. Clay, the secretary of state, 
one of the most celebrated American orators. He is a tall, thin 
man; I found him in mourning for one of his daughters, of whom 
he has had the misfortune to lose three in a short time. After¬ 
wards we went to see the president, who received us very kind¬ 
ly, and treated me as an old acquaintance. The house of the pre¬ 
sident, as already mentioned, is built of white marble. In the in¬ 
terior there is a large hall with columns. We were received in 
a handsomely furnished apartment. Beautiful bronzes ornament¬ 
ed the mantels, and a full length portrait of President Washing¬ 
ton hung upon the wall. 
From the president’s house we went to the office of the war 
department, to visit Mr. Barbour, the secretary, whom, however, 
we did not find, and thence to the navy department, to see the 
secretary, Mr. Southard. This officer is reputed to be one of the 
most learned men in the United States. The four offices are all 
built alike, very plain, with wooden staircases; their interior re¬ 
sembles a school-house. There are no sentinels nor porters; in 
the building for the war department a woman kept a fruit shop. 
Even the president himself has usually no sentries, and only dur¬ 
ing the night the marines from the navy-yard keep guard before 
his house. 
We next visited Baron Mareuil, and I was very glad to renew 
my acquaintance with his amiable lady. His house stands quite 
insulated, like a country dwelling. The houses stand generally 
so widely distant in Washington, that the plan of the city exhibits 
more streets than houses. We made our last visit to the Russian 
minister, Baron Tuill, and the English minister, Mr. Vaughan, 
but found neither at home. At five o’clock I dined at Baron 
Mareuil’s, who gave a diplomatic dinner in honour of the King 
of France’s name-day. I found the greatest part of the diplomatic 
body assembled, and observed the French legation, particularly, 
was very numerous. It was composed of the consul-general Du¬ 
rand de St. Andre, brother of the Baron Mareuil, the vice-consul 
Thierry, the secretary of the legation De Bresson, the Count Ga~ 
nay, and Mr. De Sonntag, a step-son of the Baron Mareuil, who 
was attached to the legation, and of Mr. Laborie, who, how¬ 
ever, did not appear. Of the Russian legation, I found Mr. De 
Wallenstein, whom I had known in Boston, and who is very 
much esteemed and beloved here on account of his sensible con¬ 
duct and good character, but particularly on account of his solid 
acquirements and correct views. The president, it is said, enter¬ 
tains a high opinion of him. I saw likewise Baron Maltitz, of 
the same legation, who married an American wife some months 
ago, also the Charge d’Affaires of Brazils, Chevalier Rebello. I 
also became acquainted with the secretary of the treasury, Mr. 
