National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-06
A BREAKFAST WITH DANIEL WEBSTER.
REsHIIGTGl SOCIETY TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. 400.
THE GUESTS OF A MEMORABLE MORNING.
A Brilliant and Unique Description.
Fletcher Webster-Lady BuIWer-Susau
Benton - Miss Wilcox - Charles
Marsh-GeO- Sumner Watts
Hymns-The 7th of March
-SPeeeh-The Change.

| eOCletg was LWenLy-uN
years ago. 1t may be said with truth that Wasl
ington society is always delightful, for there is
combination there, or there should be, of not onl
! our best thinkers and takers, but there Is also
| foreign element, in the diplomatic people, whic
| must be Of excellent assistance in forming a 81
| ciety-meeting, too, on common ground where NJ
body is particularly responsible for his own SUI
roundings in the way Of houses and lands, a stat
of things very favorable to the development
| the individual.
That sort of freedom does not exist in any OF on
other cities. In Boston, the proverb says, the
| ask, ''How much you know" in New York, "Hor
much you are WORTH in Baltimore, "If you ar
! good-loOking;7 and in Philadelphia. "Who you
grandfather Was;' but in dear, irresponsible
| Washington they ask, "ls he agreeable?'
This is question which every one can ansve
for himself at his first dinner-party. So it hal
| pened in the shabby and poor old tOWn-Innocen
| It was often answered in the affirmative, Ball
we're given in rickety halls, which were orna
mented by very imprOVised hangings, and lighte
| by candles stuck in the chandeliers or 10 pin
| boards. ~ did not know that spermaceti was s
expensive" said gentleman once, as he sur
yeyed his coat, "but paid ten dollars 1.-THE prize
| Of ball-ticket) for less than pound n' The in
haDitants lived in small, narrow, fncOnvenien
houses, which were very much out of keepIn.
| with the IL agniticient broad streets on which
| they stood. Tie hotels were barren, poorly fur
| nished, and cold; the boarding houses exceed
lnRly pam, ana. II one could secure q ueeeQ
| table, 1t was all that could be expected. There
were some good colored cooks, it is true, and TIT
dinners were not bad. One or two fine houses
like Mr.. Ogle TaylOr's and Mr.. CorcOran's the
"Octagon," and some on Presidents square
lighted up the shabby halfbuiIt town; but it was
only the exception which proved the rule.
But what interiors what warmth Of welcome
what genial hospitality, what elegance of manner
what charm OF conversation, greeted the visitor
in the houses Of Gales and Seaton, the Mays. the
Taylors, the Blairs, the Ritchtes, the Lees
the Piersons, the Ramseys and q thousand
others! That old Southern society was replete
with charm and grace-it was simple and neig
oorly In the spring, when perennial drapery
OF flowers and vines, beautiful blOssOming
trees, and all the lavish drapery spread by Pros.
erpine's gentle hand, had hidden the deformities
Of mans imperfect work, have seen the beau
tiful bellies Of the winter sitting on their door.
steps, or running from house to house with a
pitcher in hand containing some nice beverage, or
plato full OF some delicacy for q sick friend,
bonnetless and glOveless. There seemed no i'm
propriety in these out-oEdoor civillties in the
quiet, friendly, deserted, grand avenues, or the
still more quiet side streets. The Southern hos
pitallty and grace were very agreeable to the
Northern people, and were admirably responded
to BY MI; Winthrop when Speaker Of the House,
few years before. and by two agreeable New
Workers, James G. and John A. King, who had o
joint palatial establishment. and who gave very
elegant entertainments. In fact, Il began to be
feared that these opulent New Workers might
iDiure the tone Of the simple Washlngtonians,
that they might begin to sigh for real chandeliers
sure, OF sporadic splendOr; few ambassadors
had gold and silver service. Mr.. COrcoran even
then lived in something like his subsequent ele-
ganee; the Riggs family and few others had
the belongings Of opulence and taste. But the
order was shabbiness and poverty, and, think,
Il conduced to general sociability and enjoyment.
The ofhcers OF the army and navy, always our
aristocracyD and those who served the Govern
ment In other capacities, were professionally
poor, Of course. Therefore 1t became, in meas
ure, fashionable to be poor, and 1t was Willingly
said by Washington lady, when the wife Of an
officer in the navy happened to have a rich
father, who bought her a house, that she rather
lost caste in the best society Of Washington
thereby, and was looked upon as q noUUeGu richie.
1t is very good sign In our new and prosper
too much measured by his talent for money-get.
tiDg) when people are not ashamed to be poor
This was the distinction OF old Washington So
ciety and IL lifted oil much Of that burden of false
preiences which makes half the minor misery Of
society IN other places.
MIR. Webster moved a king in Washington so.
ciety for many years. His commanding presence
his admirable and dignifed style Of dress, his su,
periatiye powers as conveTsationalist, ALL added
TO his leadership in the old Wing party, (then
counting in its ranks the best takers ana most
Mr.. Webster the central figure Of Washington
winter. One wondered that he desired the Presl-
dency, for he was always much more tnan Presi-
dent. Never being in any sense q rich man, Mr..
Webster lived in republican simplicity in q little
house in Louisiana avenue, next door to the Uni-
tartan church. There he gave famous dinners,
who was SO eminent an artist in fried oysters, ter
rapin and canyas-back duck that she was often
called in and compllmented. In those days
Fletcher Webster was often at Washington, and
added much to the talk on these occasions. He
was very witty, and could make his illustrious
de socieie. and once embaIued the name Of the
old cook In a laughing remonstrance. lady
had accused him Of sending a bouquet to very
pretty girl, which ne denied in the following Ian
guage;
"My dear Auntie Bsss,
hear that you guess
That sent bouquet 10 Miss Sullivan,
(But the credit belongs TO another mani.
To the greenhouse went
BY another man sent,
Admired each rose and japonica;
But when buy green,
am sure twill be seen
On the table, we'll cooked by old Monica"
This gay, witty and accomplished man fell, as
almost within sight Of the city where he had en-
JOyed many conviVial hours. He fell In the midst
OF that fraternal strife which Mr.. Webster fore
80 iervently to Be d.livered. Fletcher Webster
was an unselhsh and loyable person. Peace to
his ashes!
to a dinner or q breakfast, was almost a COM
mand. As in London the invitations Of the Duke
Of Wellington were considered to obliterate al
other engagemeu's, except a command from the
palace, so Mr.. Webster's Invitations were impera-
tive unless one was engaged at the White House.
No one disliked to obey these mandates, written
u
them lies before me:
"MY DEAR MISS -: VIII you breakfast
with your humble servant tomorrow at 10
O'Clock, to meet Lady Bulwer2 expect q
poet from Boston, beauty from the West,
and Q wit from -Four. and-a-haf street. These,
with yourself, will enable US to get rid OF two two
"Yours' faithfully, DAN'L WEBSTER"
Ea large Dee GSs Tns
was Ill; but Sir Henry BulWer came, and was
most agreeable. :,
and she is longer on this earth TO be reached
by the voice Of praise, II may not be improper to
say that then she Was in the very flower Of her
beauty-a superb brunette, tall, slender and
graceful, with the finest shape, features and COM
plexion. She was the daughter Of another cele-
brated beauty, Mrs. Ashley, who became Mrs.
ington society. Miss Wilcox subsequently, mar
red Mr.. Cabell, Florida, and has recently died.
The wit from F9ur:9pd:a.nsh street" was
well deserved the title. He was great pet OF
Mr.. Websters, and subsequently wrote book
about him. But Charles March's wit was OF the
eyanescent kind-it did not bear the cold steel Of
the printing office. II few about the table, al
most as impossible to catch as the perfume OF the
fully Quick A fash Of lightning alone could
symbolic IL. It was like Saladins cimeter, and
cut through the heaviest substance. No one who
ever heard Charles March talk at dinner has
ever forgotten him, but very few could quote or
remember one Of his good things.
Miss Susan Benton, the daughter oil the Sena'
tor from Missouri, was one of the guests. She
was a witty and accomplished talker, and favor
lite of Mr. Webster's. She married Mr.. Boilleau,
afterward the French consul. She closed her
mortal career, few years ago, amid the darkest
clouds Of misfortune, mourned, honored and loved
by all who knew her.
Among the guests was George Sumner, Of Bos
ton full Of WISE witty and unusual talk. It was
sometimes urged against this gentlemen that she
drew on his Imagination for his facts, but IL was
universally conceded before his lamented death
that he was generally right-Only that he knew
so much more than his hearers that he seemed 70
be playing the Muuchausen. Count Gorowski
whose name sounds like growl, aud who was mol
the most amiable Of men, had an especial spite
against Sumner, and once spoiled an anecdote o.
his at q dlnner-party thus:
when l was in Odessa, received from the
Governor an invitation to the grand opera" said
Mr.. Sumner.
al have been in that town; there is no opera
house init +" said the count.
believe Mr.. Sumner was right and the count
wrong; but the count had his opportunity, aud
used Il.
But the hero Of this breakfast (from which
constantly wander) was Mr.. Webster himself
He talked so delightfully."- that We could not dc
much justice TO MOnica's good oysters and other
delicaeies. Sir Henry BulWer reminded him oil
the fact that, at q dinner-party in England, be
had talked with g friend Of his about Watts
hymns, and that she was amazed at his memory
OF them.
1--WE always knew that he knew Hhat'S ichG,, ,
whispered Charles March.
Mr aku han md