Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-14
INNER LIFn' ar WASHINGTON
The Late senator Douglas
Residence.
FACTS ABOUT sRNA.
TOR BENJAMIN.
JOHN sLIDELL, JEFF. DAVIS, 90.
How Lord Lyons Lives.

l visited the residence of Senator Douglas |
the day previous to the auction, in order to |
see what was to be seen, and can assure you |
that to me it was altogether a sad entertain |
ment. AS ] wandered through the lofty |
and gorgeous halls and rooms and saw the |
rich and elegant furniture tumbled about |
promiscuously, feeling of desolation took |
possession of me, and was informed, by
persons present at the auction, that the ar.
ticles sold at high prices. Many of the
choicest articles were not put at sale. Mrs.
Douglas, / am informed, contemplates ta-
king the place which Judge Douglas owned,
and in which he resided at the time Mime.
sofa Row was erected. II is very beauti-
full situation, near the Row. Judge Doug
las purchased it as fancy place, paid fab
ulous sum for il, and expended more money
in sdorning it than the whole establishment
would, even in favorable times, bring in the
market. None of his books-of which, es-
pecially Congressional books there are i'm
mense quantities-have been yet offered for
sale
But the auction sale pertaining to the
effects of great men, which was on the whole
invested with as much curiosity as any of
the season, was that of the rebel Jew, Sena
tor Benjamin. 1t is we'll known that Bena-
min married a music teacher in Charleston,
where he resided in early life, before taking
up his residence in New Orleans, and that
after living with her short time, she eloped
with an Italian by the name of Celini, and
for some twenty years lived with him in
Paris Benjamin, in the mean while, making
periodical visits to his early love in her new
abode, until she was induced, some three
years since, to re-emigrate, "bag and bag
gage" and resume domestic relations in this
city with her "6rst love-"
To carry this arrangement into effect, the
distinguished Senator took the elegant resi-
dence which was erected by Commodore
| Decatur q short time before his death. 1t is
one of the first private residences in the city,
erected under the direction of Latrobe, the
architect of the Capitol, at a cost of some
$4,000 or $4,000 He paid So, 900 annual
rent for the premises, and the establishment
was furnished at an expense fully equal to
the original cost of the building. The whole
furniture of every kind was brought from
Paris. tits under such auspices that Senator
Benjamin and his truantspouse set up house,
keeping on their reunion" in this city,
The course of true love, however, never did
run smooth, and the Senator had only got
well settled in domestic felicity again when
his musical mate, fckle as the wind, took il
into her head or heart, as you may please,
to transfer her domestic arrangements back
again to her long tried companion in Paris.
This last movement occurred some two years
ago, and shortly afterward much of the most
valuable household furniture was sold al
auction. The remainder Of the effects have
now been sold to pay the house rent.
Among the articles sold was marble bust
of Benz Djamin himself, a full length portrait O
his musical spouse, and also one of like de
scription of his wife's father. There wa
also sold an excellent full.length portrait o.
his wife's daughter, beautiful girl, some Is
years Of age, who was born soon after the
mother took up her residence with Celiui
/ nf ha NJ
Empress, are in the highest style of the art
oil paintings, all of them. They sold frou
$40 to $50 apiece, and were bid in, it is said
by the auctioneer, who has made fortune il
his business within few years, and who ha
one Of the best galleries Of paintings in tn
city. A French divan, purchased in Pari
at a cost of $500, was struck off to Secretary
: Welles for $50. Old family silver plate, o
French patterns and of the richest quality
, was sold in immense quantities, and for
song.
f Senator Benjamin is a noted gambler, AM
. wasted in this way the vast income which a
! one period he derived from his professions
practice. On one occasion, after obtaining
$4,000 in great case against the celebrates
John Randolph Grimes, he sat down TO
three days to gambling table, and Slidel
t in that time won every dollar of that sun
, from him. Slidell is celebrated for his skill
of his fortune, it is said, in this way. If tn
J. | history of these men who are leading thi
= assault upon the liberties Of this country
could be spread out to the world, it woul
= make it evident that they have been pei
|. sons who "neither feared God nor regarde
man"
JEFF. Davis is well-known to be no patter
. of morality, as those still in the city, VIII
|. have been with him in gambling debauct
| arip vi W q
throw from Browns Hotel, can well testifl
If 1t was only an ordinary matter to see Floyt
e while Secretary, go into his Office of a morr
0 ing, trembling in every muscle with ii
n premonitions of delirium from the la
! nights revel; and so open and intolerab
=, were the visits of Secretary Thompson to
y hotel haunt on Pennsylvauia-avenue, th
+ his wife was repeatedly notified, through II
y. mail, of her husbands disgraceful com pa
ID ionship. These are facts, not to be for
N moment called in question by those who a
j. at all acquainted with life in Washington,
le the men to whom they appertain. 1t is n
ut pleasant TO contemplate them; and yet
seems to me that when these men have TAXI
the position they have before the world, it
an imperative duty of the press to hold the
up in their true character. Are such q
proper men to found Ststes2
10 When commenced this communicate
ed intended to devote paragraph to the ma
or ners and customs of Foreign Ministers rel
= dent near this Government. l suppose t
- British Minister is properly considered as
se the head Of this peculiar element of Was
~ ipgton life. Lord Lyons is not married, al
~ is about forty Eve years ofage. His residen
30, is on J.street, in the vicinity Of the Pre-
Is. dents mansion, in the section of the ci
m- where most Of the Foreign Embassies resid
of His suite occupies the residence lately occ
NO pied and still owned by Ex-senator Hsmilt
ne Fish. 1t is a brick mansion, plain and uni
10 tractive in its extesior, and not very extray
e CANT in its dimensions. His manner of co
oi Quoting his establishment however, is Rfl
10 the style of the lordly Englishman. His re
h- nue. of servants is complete, and after
ey most approved ancient customs Of the real
mp His steward is a sort Of petty lord, havi
10 his office, servants to his bidding, and
horse and carriage, like any other lord. Th'
are some fifteen servants in all connect
of with the establishment. His horses, five
number, are all choice blooded animi
,a9 There 10 one pair of matched bay animals
Sn- his ceach The others are saddle hors
as which, in the style of the true Englishm
oes the distinguished Lord and attaches are
lily the habit Of using His cellars are stOl
oes with the choicest wines and brandies, 8
- nothing Is wanting TO the mansion of y
due to the time .honored customs Of the b
lith Lord. The really dazzling splendors
=, the establishment, however, are the m
tne tue strikiugly seen on the occasion of so
the splendid dinner. The plate of the en-
Ca establishment Ia exclusively of gold