This battle took place in the 39th year of Independence.  General Ross was killed in 1816, at North Point battle, after bombarding Fort M’Henry.  The army in the United States is only 6000, commanded by Major-Gen. Scott.  The President is the nominal Commander-in-chief.  We visited the Race-course, and saw a couple of bad races:  it is a burlesque after England.  After dinner we proceeded per rail to Washington City, through Delaware, another slave state; but am happy to say both this and Maryland are wearing out—­that is, they will soon be free.  The market-price in these two states is, for men, from 5 to 10 dollars; and women about half the price.  The contrast is great between the States and England in regard to windows.  Here they cram as many windows into a house as it will hold, as there is no duty or tax upon anything but business or real property—­very wise and just tax.  Retired, at Brown’s Hotel, Washington, at ten, used up, as usual, with the heat.

THE CAPITOL.

Thursday.—­Rose early, much refreshed—­as I forgot to mention that, although our beds at Baltimore were entirely covered with net, I was afraid I should have been eaten alive with mosquitoes.  Washington is called a capital, having a portion taken from Virginia and Maryland for the senators’ use.  It is a long straggling town, with very wide streets; called by some the city of magnificent distances, but, more properly speaking, it might be called the city of magnificent intentions.  It is located in the district of Colombia—­a territory of ten miles square, formed into a separate and detached jurisdiction by the constitution of the United States.  The city was laid out by General Washington, and Congress took up its abode there in 1800.  The Capitol is situated in an area of twenty-two and a half acres; is a splendid building, on an eminence close to the Potomac river.  The Hall of Representatives is in the second story of the south wing, and is of the form of the ancient Grecian theatre.  There are twenty-four columns of variegated native marble from the banks of the Potomac.  There is a splendid portrait of Lafayette, and another of Washington, by Vanderlyn.  Their present speaker is Mr. White—­elected the same as ours.  The rotunda is very imposing.  In its centre stands the great statue, by Greenough, of Washington; and around the walls are the various pictures ordered by Congress—­“The Declaration of Independence,” “The Surrender at Saratoga,” “The Surrender and Capitulation at York Town,” and “Washington resigning his Sword at Annapolis,” all by Trumbull.  I was much struck with Chapman’s great picture of “The Baptism of the Indian Princess Pocahontas, before her Marriage with Rolph, the Englishman.”  The Vice-President of the United States presides in the Senate-house:  his salary is only 5000 dollars, and the President’s 25,000 dollars.  In the library are portraits of Tyler, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Madison, Munro, and Peyton; also Randolph,