Middletown transcript., 1868-12-19
g geaf from the fast,
The narn,ng OF washington.

-
The Madisons succeeded the Jeffersons.
OF all the individuals that have filed the
place Of z presiding lady of the White
House." Mrs. Madison stands cut prom
inent as the possessor of graceful dignity
and courtliness of manner suitable for that
envied but trying position. Mrs. Madi-
son was the widow of lawyer of Philadel-
phia by the name Of Payne. 1t was du-
ring the time that that city was the seat of
Government, and Mr. Madison was men,
Der of Congress, that he addressed and
eventually obtained her hand in marriage.
An old lady, herself remarkable speci-
men of elegant manners aud old style gen.
tility, related to me, short time since, |
the incidents of her own introduction to |
Mrs. Madison, at a levee in Washington |
almost half century ago, and how she
received and entertained her guests. She
said:
g Mrs. Madison was dressed in rich
silk of many hues; her mein was stately
and majestic, without any appearance Of
hauteur. She wore crimson turban, in
the centre of which we're sparkling gems,
from which white ostrich feathers, called
Prince of Wales plumes," spread grace
fully upward, and then fell over. She
looked like a queen Among all the la
dies of the foreign ministers and distin-
guished strangers, besides those who were
wives of our own Senators and great men,
she appeared the grandest lady of them ALL
She had a kind word, q pleasant look, or a
sweet smile, for each one All were made
to feel at home. She entertained at the
White House as any highly-bred woman
would entertain her own invited guests at
her parlor fireside. Mrs. Madison had one
peculiar faculty, which, irrespective Of her
fine personal appearance and pleasant man.
ner, was of great service to her. and, doubt
less added much in establishing her pop
ularity. She aeUer forgot the nanse Of a
person introduced to her I have stood
beside her, and perhaps hundreds of stran-
gers would be introduced of an evening
afterward she would when near any of
them, unfalteringly address them, and
always made use of their names without
even making mistake"
1t was during the Presidency of James
Madison that the Battle of Bladensburg
occurred, and that for period of night
and day the British held possession of and
devastated the American Capitol. Richard
ls Rush, Esq. of Philadelphia, at the time
nlember of President Madison's Cabinet,
and afterwards for many years the Amer
ican Minister at the Court of St. James,
relates in a letter to friend some of the
incidents Of the capture and burning of
Washington. He says:
Our infant metropolis at that time had
the aspect Of merely struggling village,
but for the size and beauty of its public
buildings. Its scattered population scarce
ly numbered eight thousand; it had no
fortresses or signs of any; not cannon
was mounted. The military force assem-
bled for its defense against the sudden in
cursion of bodies of trained veterans, was
composed almost entirely of militia, hast
lily got together, some coming in for the
first time on the morning of the attack,
the greatest portion reaching the ground
only when the foe was in sight, and the
whole relatively strangers to each other
when the fight commenced. 1
have, indeed, to this hour, the vivid inn
preston upon my eyes of columns of
\ smoke aud fame ascending throughout the
night of the oath of August, 1914, from
the Capitol, Presidents House, and other
some burning slowly, others with bursts
of fame and sparks mounting high up in
the dark horizon. This can never be for
gotten by me. as | accompanied out of the
city on that memorable night in 1914,
President Madison, Mr.. Jones, Secretary
of the Navy, General Maison, Mr.. Charles
Carroll, and Mr.. Ringgold. If at inter-
walls the dismal sight was lost to our view,
we got 1t again from some hilltop or en-
inence where we paused to look at it.
We we're ON horseback, attended by SER
wants, proceeding ON the Virginia side Of
the Potomac, which we crossed at the Lit
tie Falls. Mr.. Monroe, Sec
retary of State, was active in. his steps
= that night and next day in rousing, BY
suitable appeals, the surrounding country
The Presidential mansion was entirely
consumed, except the walls. One of the
midshipmen attached to this marauding
expedition, in which British valor was in
effaceably disgraced, published in an Eng
lish paper statement that ".when the
General entered Mr. Madisons house in
the Capitol he found the table spread for
dinner, and all the fruits and wine in cool.
The officers RECALLED themselves with what
ever they wanted, and then set fire to the
house" point of fact, there was no ban
agat prepared at the Presidents house in
anticipation of an expected victory. save
such refreshments as were kept in readi-
mes for messengers and officers returning
from errands, or calling on duty, during
those days and nights of alarm and dismay
1t is said that Cock burn made himself con-
spicuous in the streets of the CITY during
the time of its capture, exhibiting gross
leyity of manner, and displaying articles
of triHing value which he had taken from
= the Presidents house. and repeating many
coarse jests and reproaches respecting the
Chief Magistrate"
A good editor has been described as one
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