Number of post-offices 209 21,551 76,945 Number of miles of post-route 5,642 196,290 511,808 Amount of revenue from post-offices $104,747 $6,727,867 $111,631,193 Amount of expenditures of Post-office Department $72,040 $6,024,567 $115,554,920 Number of miles of mail transportation ... 52,465,724 ... Number of colleges 19 121 484 Public libraries 35 694 5,383[56] Volumes in ditto 75,000 2,201,632 44,591,851 School libraries ... 10,000 ... Volumes in ditto ... 2,000,000 ... Emigrants from Europe to the United States 10,000 299,610 448,572[57] Coinage at the Mint $9,664 $52,019,465 $141,351,960 [Sidenote: The City of Washington.] Who does not feel that, when President Washington laid his hand on the foundation of the first Capitol, he performed a great work of perpetuation of the Union and the Constitution? Who does not feel that this seat of the general government, healthful in its situation, central in its position, near the mountains whence gush springs of wonderful virtue, teeming with Nature's richest products, and yet not far from the bays and the great estuaries of the sea, easily accessible and generally agreeable in climate and association, does give strength to the union of these States? that this city, bearing an immortal name, with its broad streets and avenues, its public squares and magnificent edifices of the general government, erected for the purpose of carrying on within them the important business of the several departments, for the reception of wonderful and curious inventions, for the preservation of the records of American learning and genius, of extensive collections of the products of nature and art, brought hither for study and comparison from all parts of the world; adorned with numerous churches, and sprinkled over, I am happy to say, with many public schools, where all the children of the city, without distinction, have the means of obtaining a good education, and with academies and colleges, professional schools and public libraries,--should continue to receive, as it has heretofore received, the fostering care of Congress, and should be regarded as the permanent seat of the national government? With each succeeding year new interest is added to the spot; it becomes connected with all the historical associations of our country, with her statesmen and her orators; and, alas! its cemetery is annually enriched by the ashes of her chosen sons. [Sidenote: Its associations.]