A pictorial description of the United States; embracing the history, geographical position, agricultural and mineral resources (1860) (14591205470)

Identifier: pictorialdescrip00sear (find matches)
Title: A pictorial description of the United States; embracing the history, geographical position, agricultural and mineral resources ..
Year: 1860 (1860s)
Authors: (Sears, Robert), 1810-1892. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, R. Sears
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



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till uncoveied in the cold air,took his seat beneath the portico. Thenew president then read his address tothe people. When the address was closed, thechief-justice advanced and administeredthe oath. As the book touched the lipsof the new president, there arose a gen-eral shout, an expression of feeling com-mon enough in other countries, but drawnwith difficulty from an American assem-blage. The friends of the presidentthen closed around him, the ex-presi-dent and others gave him the hand ofcongratulation, and the ceremony wasover. The Presidents House.—The resi-dence of the chief-magistrate of theUnited States resembles the country-seatof an English nobleman, in its architec-ture and size ; but it is to be regrettedthat the parallel ceases when we cometo the grounds. By itself it is a com-modious and creditable building, servingits purpose without too much state fora republican country, yet likely, as longas the country exists without primo-geniture and rank, to be sufficiently su-
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286 DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. perior to all other dwelling-houses tomark it as the residence of the nationsruler. The presidents house stands near thecentre of an area of some twenty acres,occupying a very advantageous eleva-tion, open to the view of the Potomac,and about forty-four feet above highwater, and possessing from its balconyone of the loveliest prospects in our coun-try—the junction of the two branches ofthe Potomac which border the district,and the swelling and varied shores be-yond of the states of Maryland and Vir-ginia. The building is one hundredand seventy feet front and eighty-sixdeep, and is built of white freestone,with Ionic pilasters, comprehending twolofty stories, with a stone balustrade.The north front is ornamented with aportico, sustained by four Ionic col-umns, with three columns of projec-tion—the outer intercolumniation af-fording a shelter for caiTiages to driveund-er. The garden-front on the riveris varied by what is called a rusticat