The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-12
A MementO Of the Fourth Congress of the
United States.
WHITMAN Nov O 1914

To the Editor Of the Press.
have been favored with the perusal of an
original letter from member of Congress TO
his daughter. describing dinner party at
President Washington's table in 1895, and al
so the halls of Congress. As it was written
when the seat of government was at;S.pI9ht p9hti IL
delphia, think it is of sufficient 'es ae,'.s
be given to the puplie throus'.s. A..
The writer, Theopilp; = 9taaouly, ! s,s was lne
first lawyer who es.so'isneu hinseN III ooni-
berlapu conntv ne was born in Newbury
in 1739. sraduated at Harvard college in 1857.
He CAME to old Falmouth to teach school,
a.,arried laughter of Moses Pearson, aud
built q house on the east corner of Middle and
Willow streets which survived the burning of
1775 but was consumed in the great fire of
1866. Mr.. Bradbury commenced the prac-
tice of law in Falmouth, in 1892 After the
destruction of the town in IT'S he moved to
Standish and from there he returned to New
bury in 1777. In 1894 he was chosen Repre-
sentative to Congress from the Essex district.
He was appointed Judge of the Supreme
court of Massachusetts, in 1897 and died New
buryport in 1903 aged GA. a1 -i
The letter was written while attending the
session of Congress at Philadelphia and is
the property of Miss Hooper, II Park street,
daughter of the lady TO whom it was ad-
dressed. The 'spictures of the King Of
France and his Queen described were pol-
traits of Louis XVI, the mild and good, and
Marie Antoinette, who were firm friends to
the colonies, and assisted with land and ma
val forces to establish our independence. The
''dreadful catastrophe spoken of was their
execution by the guil.otine in 1893, during
the French revolution. The King was exc
cuted in January at the age Of thirty-eight.
When the knife was about to fall his con
fessor, Able Edgworth, STOPPING over the
PROSTATE monarch, exclaimed: 'Son of St.
Louis, ascend to Heaven" The Queen was
beheaded in October Of the same year, ex-
hibiting great firmness. These portraits
were probably removed from Philadelphia to
| Washington, when the capitol was first oc-
cupied in 1901 and were undoubtedly de-
stroyed when that building was burned by
the British Gen. Ross in 1914, as have
| never seen notice OF them. w ".
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 26, 1795.
DEAR HARRIET:-In compliance with my
promise now sit down to write, and though
| have nothing material to communicate
am influenced by the pleasure it gives me, at
| this distance of conversing with my children
in the only way which l can. Last Thurs
day had the honor OF dining with the Pres
ident, in company with the vice President,
the Senators and Delegates OF Massachusetts,
| and some other members OF congress, about
20 in all. In the middle of the table was
placed piece of table furniture about SIX
| feet long and two feet wide, rounded at the
ends. It was either of wood gilded, or pol
ished metal, raised only about aPPo Pound linda tea e
silver II RIM G1r reeegnter was pedestal of plas
| end figures male and female, of the same
| 1t was very elegant and used for ornament
only. The dishes were placed all around
| and there was an elegant variety of rOasI
beef, veal, turkeys, ducks, fowls. hams, &c.
puddings, jellies, oranges, apples, nuts, al
monds, figs, raisins, and variety of wines
and punch. We took our leave at six, more
than an hour after the candles were intro
duced. No lady but Mrs. Washington dined
with us. We were waited on by four or five
men servants dressed in livery.
| IcIudpS yOu now " w hOo.eJ " -'S ~
scription of Congress Hall; it is a large. elc
CANT brick building, the north end ON Chest
nut street. The representatives room Is OIL
the lower floor. The Speaker sits in large
arm chair with table before him like 9
toilette, covered with green cloth, fringed
The speakers seat is elevated about fee
and is on the west side of the hall. Th
members seats are rows of desks, risins
one above another in the form of semi
circle, opposite the speaker; these are writ
ing desks with large armed chairs will
leather bottoms. There is a lock an1 key t.
each desk and places on the desks for ink
pens, sand and plentiful supply of paper
There are two fireplaces, on each side OF th'
hall with stoves.
There is a good deal of room outside TN
semicircle, or as we speak, "without tn
bar" to which we introduce strangers tt
hear the debates, and where. conslderabi
numbers are always in attendance, as wei
as in the gallery which is at the north end
At the south end, without the bar, there i
an area or half circle with three large win
dows looking into a large square or walk
the only mali in the city, and two doors iron
the hall open into it. There are holes TO
the Southern and Eastern mails into whic
we deposit our letters to be carried to tn
Post Office by the door keeper.
The senate chamber is over the south en-
of the hall, the Vice Presidents chair is in a
area like the altar in church, at the sout
end. The senator's seats, two rows of dest