north america-2- 第5部分

ut　here　it　is　surrounded　by　timber；　and　as　the　columns　are　seen　through　the　trees；　they　gratify　the　eye　rather　than　offend　it。　　The　place　did　belong；　and　as　I　think　does　still　belong；　to　the　family　of　the　Leesif　not　already　confiscated。　　General　Lee；　who　is　or　would　be　the　present　owner；　bears　high　command　in　the　army　of　the　Confederates；　and　knows　well　by　what　tenure　he　holds　or　is　likely　to　hold　his　family　property。　The　family　were　friends　of　General　Washington；　whose　seat；　Mount　Vernon；　stands　about　twelve　miles　lower　down　the　river　and　here；　no　doubt；　Washington　often　stood；　looking　on　the　site　he　had　chosen。　If　his　spirit　could　stand　there　now　and　look　around　upon　the　masses　of　soldiers　by　which　his　capital　is　surrounded；　how　would　it　address　the　city　of　his　hopes？　　When　he　saw　that　every　foot　of　the　neighboring　soil　was　desecrated　by　a　camp；　or　torn　into　loathsome　furrows　of　mud　by　cannon　and　army　wagonsthat　agriculture　was　gone；　and　that　every　effort　both　of　North　and　South　was　concentrated　on　the　art　of　killing；　when　he　saw　that　this　was　done　on　the　very　spot　chosen　by　himself　for　the　center　temple　of　an　everlasting　union；　what　would　he　then　say　as　to　that　boast　made　on　his　behalf　by　his　countrymen；　that　he　was　first　in　war　and　first　in　peace？　　Washington　was　a　great　man；　and　I　believe　a　good　man。　　I；　at　any　rate；　will　not　belittle　him。　　I　think　that　he　had　the　firmness　and　audacity　necessary　for　a　revolutionary　leader；　that　he　had　honesty　to　preserve　him　from　the　temptations　of　ambition　and　ostentation；　and　that　he　had　the　good　sense　to　be　guided　in　civil　matters　by　men　who　had　studied　the　laws　of　social　life　and　the　theories　of　free　government。　　He　was　justus　et　tenax　propositi；　and　in　periods　that　might　well　have　dismayed　a　smaller　man；　he　feared　neither　the　throne　to　which　he　opposed　himself　nor　the　changing　voices　of　the　fellow…　citizens　for　whose　welfare　he　had　fought。　　But　sixty　or　seventy　years　will　not　suffice　to　give　to　a　man　the　fame　of　having　been　first　among　all　men。　　Washington　did　much；　and　I　for　one　do　not　believe　that　his　work　will　perish。　　But　I　have　always　found　it　difficultI　may　say　impossibleto　sound　his　praises　in　his　own　land。　　Let　us　suppose　that　a　courteous　Frenchman　ventures　an　opinion　among　Englishmen　that　Wellington　was　a　great　general；　would　he　feel　disposed　to　go　on　with　his　eulogium　when　encountered　on　two　or　three　sides　at　once　with　such　observations　as　the　following：　　〃I　should　rather　calculate　he　was；　about　the　first　that　ever　did　live　or　ever　will　live。　　Why；　he　whipped　your　Napoleon　everlasting　whenever　he　met　him。　　He　whipped　everybody　out　of　the　field。　　There　warn't　anybody　ever　lived　was　able　to　stand　nigh　him；　and　there　won't　come　any　like　him　again。　　Sir；　I　guess　our　Wellington　never　had　his　likes　on　your　side　of　the　water。　　Such　men　can't　grow　in　a　down…trodden　country　of　slaves　and　paupers。〃　　Under　such　circumstances　the　Frenchman　would　probably　be　shut　up。　　And　when　I　strove　to　speak　of　Washington　I　generally　found　myself　shut　up　also。　Arlington　Heights；　when　I　was　at　Washington；　was　the　headquarters　of　General　McDowell；　the　general　to　whom　is　attributedI　believe　most　wrongfullythe　loss　of　the　battle　of　Bull's　Run。　　The　whole　place　was　then　one　camp。　　The　fences　had　disappeared。　　The　gardens　were　trodden　into　mud。　　The　roads　had　been　cut　to　pieces；　and　new　tracks　made　everywhere　through　the　grounds。　　But　the　timber　still　remained。　Some　no　doubt　had　fallen；　but　enough　stood　for　the　ample　ornamentation　of　the　place。　　I　saw　placards　up；　prohibiting　the　destruction　of　the　trees；　and　it　is　to　be　hoped　that　they　have　been　spared。　　Very　little　in　this　way　has　been　spared　in　the　country　all　around。　Mount　Vernon；　Washington's　own　residence；　stands　close　over　the　Potomac；　about　six　miles　below　Alexandria。　　It　will　be　understood　that　the　capital　is　on　the　eastern；　or　Maryland　side　of　the　river；　and　that　Arlington　Heights；　Alexandria；　and　Mount　Vernon　are　in　Virginia。　　The　River　Potomac　divided　the　two　old　colonies；　or　States　as　they　afterward　became；　but　when　Washington　was　to　be　built；　a　territory；　said　to　be　ten　miles　square；　was　cut　out　of　the　two　States　and　was　called　the　District　of　Columbia。　　The　greater　portion　of　this　district　was　taken　from　Maryland；　and　on　that　the　city　was　built。　　It　comprised　the　pleasant　town　of　Georgetown；　which　is　now　a　suburband　the　only　suburbof　Washington。　　The　portion　of　the　district　on　the　Virginian　side　included　Arlington　heights；　and　went　so　far　down　the　river　as　to　take　in　the　Virginian　City　of　Alexandria。　　This　was　the　extreme　western　point　of　the　district；　but　since　that　arrangement　was　made；　the　State　of　Virginia　petitioned　to　have　their　portion　of　Columbia　back　again；　and　this　petition　was　granted。　　Now　it　is　felt　that　the　land　on　both　sides　of　the　river　should　belong　to　the　city；　and　the　government　is　anxious　to　get　back　the　Virginian　section。　　The　city　and　the　immediate　vicinity　are　freed　from　all　State　allegiance；　and　are　under　the　immediate　rule　of　the　United　States　governmenthaving　of　course　its　own　municipality；　but　the　inhabitants　have　no　political　power；　as　power　is　counted　in　the　States。　　They　vote　for　no　political　officer；　not　even　for　the　President；　and　return　no　member　to　Congress；　either　as　a　senator　or　as　a　Representative。　　Mount　Vernon　was　never　within　the　District　of　Columbia。　When　I　first　made　inquiry　on　the　subject；　I　was　told　that　Mount　Vernon　at　that　time　was　not　to　be　reached；　that　though　it　was　not　in　the　hands　of　the　rebels；　neither　was　it　in　the　hands　of　Northerners；　and　that　therefore　strangers　could　not　go　there；　but　this；　though　it　was　told　to　me　and　others　by　those　who　should　have　known　the　facts；　was　not　the　case。　　I　had　gone　down　the　river　with　a　party　of　ladies；　and　we　were　opposite　to　Mount　Vernon；　but　on　that　occasion　we　were　assured　we　could　not　land。　　The　rebels；　we　were　told；　would　certainly　seize　the　ladies；　and　carry　them　off　into　Secessia。　　On　hearing　which；　the　ladies　were　of　course　doubly　anxious　to　be　landed。　　But　our　stern　commander；　for　we　were　on　a　government　boat；　would　not　listen　to　their　prayers；　but　carried　us　instead　on　board　the　〃Pensacola；〃　a　sloop…of…war　which　was　now　lying　in　the　river；　ready　to　go　to　sea；　and　ready　also　to　run　the　gantlet　of　the　rebel　batteries　which　lined　the　Virginian　shore　of　the　river　for　many　miles　down　below　Alexandria　and　Mount　Vernon。　　A　sloop…of…war　in　these　days　means　a　large　man…of…war；　the　guns　of　which　are　so　big　that　they　only　stand　on　one　deck；　whereas　a　frigate　would　have　them　on　two　decks；　and　a　line…of…battle　ship　on　three。　　Of　line…of…battle　ships　there　will；　I　suppose；　soon　be　none；　as　the　〃Warrior〃　is　only　a　frigate。　　We　went　over　the　〃Pensacola；〃　and　I　must　say　she　was　very　nice；　pretty；　and　clean。　　I　have　always　found　American　sailors　on　their　men…of…war　to　be　clean　and　nice　lookingas　much　so　I　should　say　as　our　own；　but　nothing　can　be　dirtier；　more　untidy；　or　apparently　more　ill　preserved　than　all　the　appurtenances　of　their　soldiers。　We　landed　also　on　this　occasion　at　Alexandria；　and　saw　as　melancholy　and　miserable　a　town　as　the　mind　of　man　can　conceive。　　Its　ordinary　male　population；　counting　by　the　voters；　is　1500；　and　of　these　700　were　in　the　Southern　army。　　The　place　had　been　made　a　hospital　for　Northern　soldiers；　and　no　doubt　the　site　for　that　purpose　had　been　well　chosen。　　But　let　any　woman　imagine　what　would　be　the　feelings　of　her　life　while　living　in　a　town　used　as　a　hospital　for　the　enemies　against　whom　her　absent　husband　was　then　fighting。　　Her　own　man　would　be　awayill；　wounded；　dying；　for　what　she　knew；　without　the　comfort　of　any　hospital　attendance；　without　physic；　with　no　one　to　comfort　him；　but　those　she　hated　with　a　hatred　much　keener　than　his　were　close　to　her　hand；　using　some　friend's　house　that　had　been　forcibly　taken；　crawling　out　into　the　sun　under　her　eyes；　taking　the　bread　from　her　mouth！　　Life　in　Alexandria　at　this　time　must　have　been　sad　enough。　　The　people　were　all　secessionists；　but　the　town　was　held　by　the　Northern　party。　　Through　the　lines；　into　Virginia；　they　could　not　go　at　all。　　Up　to　Washington　they　could　not　go　without　a　military　pass；　not　to　be　obtained　without　some　cause　given。　　All　trade　was　at　an　end。　　In　no　town　at　that　time　was　trade　very　flourishing；　but　here　it　was　killed　altogetherexcept　that　absolutely　necessary　trade　of　bread。　　Who　would　buy　boots　or　coats；　or　want　new　saddles；　or　waste　money　on　books；　in　such　days　as　these；　in　such　a　town　as　Alexandria？　　And　then　out　of　1500　men；　one…half　had　gone　to　fight　the　Southern　battles！　　Among　the　women　of　Alexandria　secession　would　have　found　but　few　opponents。　It　was　here　that　a　hot…brained　young　man；　named　Ellsworth；　was　killed　in　the　early　days　of　the　rebellion。　　He　was　a　colonel　in　the　Northern　volunteer　army；　and　on　entering　Alexandria　found　a　secession　flag　flying　at　the　chief　hotel。　　Instead　of　sending　up　a　corporal's　guard　to　remove　it；　he　rushed　up　and　pulled　it　down　with　his　own　hand。　　As　he　descended；　the　landlord　shot　him　dead；　and　one　of　his　soldier's　shot　the　landlord　dead。　　It　was　a　pity　that　so　brave　a　lad；　who　had　risen　so　high；　should　fall　so　vainly；　but　they　have　made　a　hero　of　him　in　America；　have　inscribed　his　name　on　marble　monuments；　and　counted　him　up　among　their　great　men。　　In　all　this　their　mistake　is　very　great。　　It　is　bad　for　a　country　to　have　no　names　worthy　of　monumental　brass；　but　it　is　worse　for　a　country　to　have　monumental　brasses　covered　with　names　which　have　never　been　made　worthy　of　such　honor。　　Ellsworth　had　shown　himself　to　be　brave　and　foolish。　　Let　his　folly　be　pardoned　on　the　score　of　his　courage；　and　there；　I　think；　should　have　been　an　end　of　it。　I　found　afterward　that　Mount　Vernon　was　accessible；　and　I　rode　thither　with　some　officers　of　the　staff　of　General　Heintzelman；　whose　outside　pickets　were　stationed　beyond　the　old　place。　　I　certainly　should　not　have　been　well　pleased　had　I　been　forced　to　leave　the　country　without　seeing　the　house　in　which　Washington　had　lived　and　died。　　Till　lately　this　place　was　owned　and　inhabited　by　one　of　the　family；　a　Washington；　descended　from　a　brother　of　the　general's；　but　it　has　now　become　the　property　of　the　country；　under　the　auspices　of　Mr。　Everett；　by　whose　exertions　was　raised　the　money　with　which　i