Officers of the government.—Remarks on the permanency of the seat of government.—No authority in the constitution to remove it.—Monomaniacs, one who fancies himself in paradise! and the other expects to be elected the next president!—Other monomaniacs equally crazy.—Local Information.

The chief clerks, such as M’Clintock Young of the treasury department, Mr. Moore of the general land office, Wm. B. Randolph of the treasurer’s office, Mr. Pleasants, Thos. L. Smith the Register, and M. Nourse, his chief clerk, are always at their posts, attending to their duties. Without just such men, the public business could not be done. In the state department, Messrs. Winder and Carroll and Pleasonton are always engaged in their proper business. Perhaps there is not an idler in that department. Major Lewis and all his clerks, James Eakin, his chief clerk, Josiah Polk and all, are very industrious and attentive to their duties. So in the general post office, M. St. Clair Clarke and all his clerks, the several assistant postmasters general, and Judges Smith and Hotchkiss, S.B. Beach, Stone, Gen. Allen and all the clerks labor hard all day long. In the offices of the war department and in the naval office, I am not sufficiently informed to tell the reader anything about them. Generals Towson, Abert, Bomford, Gibson and all the officers of their grade are always industrious, always attentive to their business. In all these stations no changes could be made for the better I am sure. Judge Blake of the general land office deserves an honorable mention, for having appointed Wm. Darby and several others like him, clerks; and for his kind treatment of all his subordinates. The changes of heads of department, which are more and more frequent of late years than formerly produce changes among the clerks. No sooner is any new head of department inducted into his office, than he seeks forthwith a place for some relative or dependant. If there be any vacancy, this creature fills it; if there be no vacancy, the new head of department creates a vacancy and puts his creature in it. When any secretary leaves his office, he endeavors to keep his dependant still on the list of office holders. James Madison Porter left three relatives in offices, two Porters and a Wolf. These secretaries being changed very often of late years, renders the tenure of office very uncertain, very precarious. In looking back on the last few years, we see changes of heads of department so frequent as to render it almost ludicrous for a secretary to undertake to get personally acquainted with his clerks, before he goes back into private life again. Why is it the ambition of any man in this country to be a secretary or a head of department? And yet, it is evident enough that those who fill these stations, think highly of them—their gait, their air and address prove this. Looked these gentlemen on their stations, as the whole nation does, these offices would not be coveted at all. Such men as Calhoun are exceptions, because they act as if they knew what they were doing and felt all their responsibility and all the cares of office. In his manners and industry Mr. Calhoun naturally reminds one of old times, when men in high stations were beloved by all who had any business to transact with them. From all I see and hear, I doubt whether the frequent changes in our highest officers operate beneficially on the public interest. However, if the chief clerks are not changed, perhaps, the head of the department being often changed does no great harm, because the chief clerk is in reality the head of department. M’Clintock Young has been in reality the secretary of the treasury for four years past. Without him every thing would have gone to ruin, long ago, in the department over which he presides.

Former presidents, from Jefferson downward, used to visit the rooms of clerks and inspect the offices very often, but his Excellency John Tyler is not so hard on clerks and heads of bureaus. He never visits them—at least I have not seen him on any such tours of duty. General Jackson has often gone with me to the rooms of secretaries and clerks, to inspect their books and to ascertain how they kept their accounts. Having doubled and trebled the force in the offices, renders such tours of inspection unnecessary, in order to do all the business of the several departments faithfully, correctly and well. Two families hold four clerkships each; so I hear from an authentic source.

Should any citizen of the United States wish to know exactly what is done with every cent of Uncle Sam’s money, let him call on Thomas L. Smith, the register of the treasury, and he can there see it at a glance. Maj. Smith holds the purse strings. If any one wishes to see models of all the light-houses in the world, let him call on Mr. Pleasanton in the state department and there he will find them, and a perfect gentleman to explain every thing that relates to these light-houses. If any one wishes to see all the books, for which American authors claim a copy-right, let him call on the Messrs. Winder and Carroll in the state department, and he will find the books, and the gentlemen in whom Judge Upshur most confided, as his confidential clerks. Mr. Calhoun will extend to them the same confidence as Judge Upshur did. The former is the son of General Winder and the latter is the descendant of Daniel Carrol of Duddington, a signer of the declaration of independence.

To those who visit the city from a distance, local information may be useful, and we give such as we suppose may be of service to them. If the stranger wish to tarry only a few days, having no business but to see the city, perhaps Brown’s or Gadsby’s will best suit him; but if his business be with Congress, capitol hill will best suit him, and he can put up with Mrs. Ballard, Mrs. Owner, Mrs. Hill or some other keeper of a boarding house—Mrs. Whitney for instance. I prefer Mrs. Ballard’s, although the others are all good houses, with good accomodations. If the stranger’s business is with the departments, he can stop at Fuller’s, or Mrs. Galabrun’s on the avenue, or Butler’s on F street, or Mrs. Tilley’s on Tenth, near the avenue. But there are a hundred other boarding houses, as good as need be, such as Mrs. Hamilton’s, Miss Polk’s, Mrs. Arguelles’ and a long list of good houses. Five thousand persons can be well accommodated in Washington city. For the size of it, this has more and better accomodations for travellers, than any other city with which I am personally acquainted. I prefer it to any other east of the Alleghanies, but until the late riots, Philadelphia stood highest with me. It may be owing to my long acquaintance with this to me delightful city, that I prefer it.

However much we may loathe occasional loafers, who come here, and quite too many of them do come here, yet the people themselves are as good, as the people of any other section of the Union. As a whole, they are more polished in their manners than any other people in the confederacy. Trusting to the constitution itself, in accordance with which, and the laws made under its express provisions, this district was selected for the PERMANENT seat of government, many persons settled here, and fixed on the District of Columbia as their permanent residence. Their all is here, their families and their whole fortunes. Until the seat of government was fixed here, it never had been fixed permanently any where. Those who had the power delegated to them, having expended all the power over the subject, that ever was delegated to any persons to fix on the site of the general government, no power to change it, remains in the constitution. That vast regions have been acquired and added to the Union, without a particle of constitutional authority for the acquisition or addition to the original States, is true; but that fact cannot change the constitution itself, so far as a permanent seat of government is concerned in the question.

However, let us change this serious subject for one serio-comic. We have heard of two maniacs to-day—monomaniacs. One of them seriously believes himself in paradise! and the other believes that he will be the next president! Paradise was a place of innocense, the abode of happiness, a bed of roses, but the presidency is a bed of thorns. Reposing on such a bed, who could sing, with Thomas Moore,

We hear to-day also, that a monomaniac, another one altogether, thinks that if he can get a certain man elected president in 1844, he, the maniac, will be elected president in 1848! Still other maniacs expect to be foreign ministers! What strange delusions in this deluded and deluding world are all these vagaries of the brain? Shall we call in Dr. Mayo, or shall we import forthwith all the helebore which both the Anticyras produce and administer it all to these afflicted patients? or what shall we do to restore these men to a sound state of mind? Who can calculate the chances of the next election? We cannot tell by 400,000 individual votes, and we suppose we know just as much about it as the voters themselves do at this moment.

Sanguine politicians think they know, but they do not know more than we do, whose minds are not made up yet what we shall do, or how we shall vote—perhaps, not at all this autumn. Instead of “a light house of the skies” and buildings for “storm kings,” telegraphs, &c. &c. why not appropriate money for a lunatic asylum of such large dimensions that it could accommodate thousands who come here with their humbugs of all sorts, asking for national aid and support?

Perhaps we ought to have added a chapter on Humbugs, in addition to our Mysteries, of this city. Kind reader, it is too late now for such a chapter, our whole little volume being all filled up and nearly all its contents are already printed.

LOCAL INFORMATION.

Meeting of Courts.

Supreme Court of the United States, second Monday in January.

Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for Washington county, fourth Monday of March, and fourth Monday of November.

Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for Alexandria county, first Monday in May and first Monday in October.

Criminal Court of the District of Columbia for Washington county, second Monday of March, first Monday of June, fourth Monday of October, and last Monday of December.

Criminal Court of the District of Columbia for Alexandria county, first Monday of April, and first Monday of November.

Banks.

Bank of Washington—corner of Louisiana avenue and D street—discount day, Tuesday, Wm. Gunton, President; James Adams, Cashier.

Bank of the Metropolis—Pennsylvania avenue, between F and G streets, opposite the Treasury Department—discount day, Friday, John P. Van Ness, President, Richard Smith, Cashier.

Patriotic Bank—7th street, between C and D streets—discount day, Thursday, G. C. Grammer, President; Chauncy Bestor, Cashier.

Insurance Offices.

Firemen’s Insurance Company of Georgetown and Washington—office in the Hall of the Perseverance Fire Company’s building, Centre Market Square. Jas. Adams, President; Alex. McIntyre, Secretary.

Franklin Insurance Company—office corner of 7th and D streets, next door to the Patriotic Bank. G.C. Grammer, President; Alex. McIntyre, Secretary. Potomac Fire Insurance Company—office on Bridge street, Georgetown. John Kurtz, President; Henry King, Secretary.

Churches.

Baptist, Rev. O.B. Brown, 10th street, between E and F.

Baptist, Rev. Mr. Samson, Aldermen’s room, city hall.

Baptist, Rev. Mr. Tindell, corner of 4th street and Virginia avenue.

Baptist, Shiloh, Elder Robert C. Leachman, on Virginia avenue, near 4½ street.

Catholic, St. Patrick’s, Rev. Mr. Mathews, F street, between 9th and 10th.

Catholic, St. Matthews, Rev. J.P. Donelan, corner of H and 15th streets.

Catholic, St. Peter’s, Rev. Mr. Van Horseigh, 2d street, between C and D, Capitol Hill.

Friends, l street, between 18th and 19th.

Lutheran, English, Rev. Dr. Muller, City hall.

Lutheran, German, Rev. Ad. Biewend, corner of G and 20th streets. Methodist Ebenezer, Rev. Messrs. Phelps and Hanson, 4th street, between F and G, navy yard.

Methodist Foundry, Rev. Mr. Tarring, corner of 4th and G streets.

Methodist Wesley, Rev. Mr. Wilson, corner of F and 5th streets.

Methodist Protestant, Rev. Mr. Southerland, 9th street, between E and F.

Methodist Protestant, Rev. Thomas M. Flint, pastor, 6th street east, between G and I streets south, near navy yard.

New Jerusalem, Council chamber, City hall.

Presbyterian, Rev. Dr. Laurie, F street, between 14th and 15th.

1st Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Sprole, 4½ st. between C and D.

2d Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Knox, corner of H street and New-York avenue.

3d Presbyterian church, on F, between 14th and 15th streets, near the Treasury Department. Pastor, Rev. Dr. Laurie; Assistant Pastor, Rev. Septimus Tuston. 4th Presbyterian, Rev. J.C. Smith, 9th street, between G and H.

Christ, Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Bean, G st. between 6th and 7th, navy yard.

St. John’s, Episcopal, Rev. Dr. Hawley, corner of 16th and H streets.

Trinity, Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Stringfellow, 5th street, between Louisiana avenue and E street.

Protestant Episcopal Mission, Rev. Mr. French, Apollo hall.

Unitarian, Rev. Mr. Bulfinch, corner of D and 6th streets.

Circulating Libraries.

Washington Library—room on 11th st. between Pennsylvania avenue and D street; open daily from 3 to 5 o’clock, P.M.

Jefferson Apprentices’ Library Association—room west wing City hall; open every Wednesday and Saturday evenings, from 6 to 9 P.M.

Fire Companies.

Union—located at the corner of H and 20th streets; W.B. Magruder, President; Charles Calvert, Secretary. Franklin—located on 14th street, near Pennsylvania Avenue; regular night of meeting the first Tuesday in every month. Robert Coltman, President; William Durr, Secretary.

Perseverance—located on Pennsylvania avenue, Centre market square; regular night of meeting, the first Thursday in every month. Samuel Bacon, President; Geo. S. Gideon, Secretary.

Northern Liberties—located on the corner of Massachusetts avenue and 8th street; regular night of meeting, the first Wednesday in every month. John Y. Bryant, President; Augustus Brown, Secretary.

Island—located on Maryland avenue, between 10th and 11th streets; regular night of meeting, the first Thursday in every month. William Lloyd, President; William T. Doniphan, Secretary.

Columbia—located on South Capitol st., near the Capitol; regular night of meeting, the first Thursday in every month. James Adams, President; R. Bright, Secretary. Anacostia—located on Virginia avenue and L street south; regular night of meeting, the first Friday in every month. Thos. Thornley, President; Wm. Gordon, Sec’y.

Armories.

Washington Light Infantry—west wing City hall; regular night of meeting, the first Monday in every month.

National Blues—east wing City hall; regular night of meeting, the first Monday in every month.

Columbian Artillery—west wing City hall; regular night of meeting, the first Tuesday in every month.

Union Guards—hall of the Union engine house; regular night of meeting, the first Wednesday in every month.

Masonic.

Federal Lodge No. 1.—room corner of 12th street and Pennsylvania avenue; regular night of meeting, first Monday in every month.

Potomac Lodge, No. 5, Georgetown—room in Bridge street, opposite Union hotel; regular night of meeting, fourth Friday in every month.

Lebanon Lodge, No. 7—room corner of 12th street and Pennsylvania avenue; regular night of meeting, first Friday in every month.

New Jerusalem Lodge, No. 9—room corner of 4½ street and Pennsylvania avenue; meets on third Tuesday in every month.

Hiram Lodge, No. 10—room over West market, first ward; regular meeting, first Wednesday in every month.

Grand Lodge of District of Columbia—annual communication first Tuesday in November, semi-annual, first Tuesday in May. Installation meeting, St. John’s day.

I.O.O.F.

Central Lodge, No. 1—room City hall; night of regular meeting, Friday.

Washington Lodge, No. 6—room City hall; night of regular meeting, Tuesday.

Eastern Lodge, No. 7—at present occupying a room in Masonic hall, navy yard; night of regular meeting, Friday. Potomac Lodge, No. 8—Odd Fellows’ hall, Alexandria; regular night of meeting, Friday.

Harmony Lodge, No. 10—room City hall; regular night of meeting, Thursday.

Union Lodge No. 11—Odd Fellows hall, navy yard; regular night of meeting, Wednesday.

Friendship Lodge, No. 12—room over West market, first ward; night of regular meeting, Thursday.

Covenant Lodge, No. 13—Odd Fellows hall, Jefferson street, Georgetown; regular night of meeting, Monday.

Columbian Encampment, No. 1—room City hall; regular night of meeting, last Wednesday in every month.

Marley Encampment, No. 2—Odd Fellows’ hall, Alexandria; regular nights of meeting, second and fourth Mondays in every month.

Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia meets annually on the second Monday in November, and quarterly on the second Mondays of January, April, July and Oct.

Sons of Temperance.

Timothy Division, No. 1—room Buckingham’s hall, on C street, between 10th and 11th; night of meeting, Wednesday.

Harmony Division, No. 2—room St. Asaph street, Alexandria; night of regular meeting, Monday.

Freemen’s Vigilant—room Carusi’s saloon; regular night of meeting, Friday.

Beneficial Society.

Island Beneficial Society of the city of Washington—night of regular meeting, the first Thursday in every month. John W. Martin, President; W.T. Doniphan, Sec’y.

Typographical Society.

Columbia Typographical Society—Buckingham’s room, on C street, opposite Carusi’s Saloon. Regular night of meeting, first Saturday in every month; President, Ferdinand Jefferson; Recording Secretary, James Wimer; Corresponding Secretary, James N. Davis.

The studio of C.B. King is on 12th street between E and F streets.

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