Welcome

I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to my newly created blog. My interest in Antebellum politics has caused me to create this blog specifically for that purpose. As you will notice, many of the authors, or "men of good standing" as I have labeled them, come to us from our popular blog on the Confederate Army of Tennessee. I believe these two blogs will be able to open up our eyes to the many connections between not only political rivalries prior to the Civil War but how those rivalries between men were transposed into this era of combat.

I include in this post a portion of Isaac Bassett's memories of Washington, D.C. On December 5, 1831, 12-year-old Isaac Bassett was appointed a page in the U.S. Senate. Thus began a career that spanned more than six notable decades in the history of the institution and the nation.

As far back as I can remember all around the Capitol was a perfect wilderness. Where the Botanical Garden now stands, I have often caught fish—it was called Tiber Crick—and all around it was marshy, low ground. Where the Baltimore Depot is, I have killed many a reedbird, blackbird, and robin. Where I now reside was a cornfield—with in one square of the Capitol (just think of that). Between the Capitol and the president’s house there was very few houses. Then there was not a single pavement in the city, gravel walks were the best we could get, and not a lamp to guide the traveler.

Now besides a continuous pavement from Georgetown to the Navy Yard, it is also lighted by gas. The water from the Great Falls of the Potomac has been brought down and diffused throughout the city though there was a population of only 3,000, the boardinghouse keepers had to send to Georgetown and Alexandria for their marketing.

The city of Washington has been rebuilt, its own father would not know it now, transformed into a village to a city of palaces. Washington is in a fair way to become a city of statues. A great many senators and members of the House now build their own houses. The national capital is now an attractive city. [3A1-3A3]