under the control of a board of nine visitors, all of whom must be citizens of the said District. They are appointed by the President, and annually report to the Secretary of the Interior the condition of the asylum and its inmates. They serve without compensation.

10. But the superintendent, who must be a physician, receives $2,000 per annum for his services. There is a farm attached to the asylum, which is under the direction of the superintendent, who receives patients upon the order of the Secretary of War, or the Navy, and upon the order of the Secretary of the Interior. He may receive indigent insane persons residing in the District of Columbia. If other than indigent persons are admitted, they must pay for the privilege a sum not less than the cost of their support.

11. The foregoing might suffice for what we have to say upon these government establishments, because it includes all which are permanent institutions, designed to be in perpetual operation, and very different from the military hospitals in time of war. These are for temporary purposes, and are established wherever the army happens to be, and especially near where the great battles have been fought, that immediate relief may be given to the sick and wounded. These are established by the commanders of the army, and are under their control. And here let it be recorded to their praise, that since military hospitals were known, never have any been seen which for order, cleanliness and efficiency in administering to the comfort and care of the sick and wounded soldiers, surpassed those of the United States during the late civil war.

CHAPTER LXXI.

Commissioner of Public Buildings,

1. THE buildings at Washington belonging to the United States, are the grandest, the largest and the most expensive in the country. The capitol in which Congress meets, is the largest and most expensive building ever erected on the continent, and is surpassed by few in the world. The Treasury building, the General Post Office, and the Patent office, are all splendid structures, as are also many others devoted to the transaction of public business.

2. These all require repairs, alterations, care and oversight, that they may be preserved and kept in order. The duty of superintendence of these public buildings was formerly placed in the hands of three commissioners and a superintendent of public buildings.

But in 1816, an act was passed by which the offices of superintendent and three commissioners were abolished, and their duties all put into the hands of one man, who is denominated "the commissioner of public buildings." He is appointed by the President and Senate, and can hold no other office under the United States. He must give bonds for the faithful performance of his duties, and must reside near the capitol. In the discharge of his duties he acts under the direction of the President and the presiding offi cers of the two Houses of Congress.

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

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3. It is made his duty to report to Congress at the commencement of each session, the manner in which all appropriations for the public buildings have been applied, the condition they are in, together with that of the public grounds, and also to report the means necessary for their perservation. It is his duty to take charge of and superintend all the buildings belonging to the United States in Washington, and to perform all such duties as the laws from time to time require of him.

[The office of Commissioner of Public Buildings has been abolished since the above was written. The duties are now performed by an officer from each department.]

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