New-York tribune., 1891-03-08
4 WOMAN'S MEMORIES.
WASHINGTON IN WAR TIlIE.

WASHINGTON IN WAX llAIE.
Washington with far-seeing wisdom, the Clear
vision that is born of great love ana uhseliiSh-
ness in considering the future OF oeioVed
object, saw looming ahead with wohuerluI pro-
pbctic pcrspicacity the greatest danger IhaI
couId threaten the Republic; and as thls peril
;s over with us even in these latter days seeking
to dispnitc and cnrender discord. his memorable
words cannot be quoted too often or impressed
,oo strongly on each succeeding generation. In
1is Farewell Address he thus specifies ana warns
futurity: In contemplating the causes tlat may
disturb our Union. il occurs as matter oil serious
concern that any ground shall have pech lur-
r;shod for cbaroc,erizinc parties by geographical
discrimination. Northern ana 0ou'h'ih' E'''''h
and Western. whence designing men may endeavor
to excite n belief that there Is re0l "iicio"oc VI
local interests and views"
The first terrible Issue has, thank God. been
mot and overcome, and "0ur Union stands To-
dav rbc greatest nation on earth But me danger
which Washington foresaw so clearly Is s'ill WIN
us the ncvcr-to-bc- forgotten risk OF sectional
differences that may. as ne warns ; "e uSPu
acain by designing men to ian pubic behtl-
mont and oxcite discord Divide North or South,
East or West at any time into poll'lcal Scc'lohS'
and there are "rocks ahead The earliest
nolIf
bor are the "Solid South. Compromise" and
.sCotton is King; that they were all III some
MYSTERIOUS way MS dangerous rs gunpowder |
felt sure although the why and wherefore was
quite beyond my comprehension
have been asked 10 write down simply ana
faithfully Just what can remember about people
and occurrences from my earliest recoiIccIIoh'
If political events to the close of the Civil War;
,l,, et,oI
interest on account of their truth. ] must he
nordoucd if these earlier accounts are crude and
childish Hearing the vital and absorbing topics
of thc dav constantly talked about and debated
by the elder members of the family ana the
nromincnt men Of Ohio, and such discussions
being. as il were. each part Of onr daIy me
Willie we were busy with our play | hnd. III
trying TO arrange facts and events the oldest
iumbLr of associations Thus the memory OF
thc news of Lncoln'S nomination at chicago
brings nj once before my mind n gorgeous 'uIP
party which my little cousin and had bech
having that hot spring afternoon, where the
quests were all mauy-colorcd tulips Who'r
gorgeous gowns and puIcd-out skirts suggested
IN mo The much bccrinoucd ladies OF th2i day
| never see even now the early beds of hvaci'h'
and tulips that they do not recall 10 me ti''
far-on Springtidc. when We played ladies oaN
after day among our flowers, and heard scraps
of eager and earnest talk aboni great polltlcu
matters far beyond our ken. AS >ald pciolc'
the two libraries Of Mr.. Chase were c"hne'"'
with the rest Of the house by conservatory
through which a little door and balcony gave
access 10 the garden. In the carly days oi sum
mcr the sashcs were removed from the greenhouse
and the door left opcn: 50 that then. as III
winter this spot was beyond all others Qnr iavor'e
playqround Thus we were never very far away
from the centres Of interest. and tho four IreS-
Dental candidates became mingled with our pays
in the oldest ways. But. although the strlic "'S
bitter all through the long political campaign ana
Marty spirit rose u boiling heat. no one dreamed
or seemed 10 dream at that time OF Glsunloh' all
parties were equally earnest outwarlly ~ least III
their protcs,ation Of love Of country, ana IN our
little town, at the respective headquarters "l '"'
different candidates each banner Heating on Inc
air was covered with patriotic notices. Thus
the long summer wore on. and IN November Nir'
Lincoln was declared 10 he elected President OF
the United States think we knew about that
time tha, we were 10 90 to Washington. for
remember everything as being very unsettled ana
uncertain that winter. Mr. Chase was IN at
tendance at the Peace Convention at Washington
,s one Of the delegates from Ohio; Mr. william
Grocsbccli. of Cincinnati. Democrat. but also an
earnest Union man, being the other. OF one Of the
others Some time in February We left our home
in Ohio-as il happened never To- rctuIt-'IthouIh,
of COURSE We did HOt know at the time that II
was orr last Of the dear OLD BHckcye State. nv
first impressions of Tie Capital OF the imt'd
States were very disappointing the combination "i
arandoscncos and actual Slualor OF the Washing
ton Of that time impressed even chlldS NINA
with sense Of incongruity and unitness. The
enormously wide avenues literally flowing with
yellow mud: tie contcmplativc cows and pigs
mcandcrng through the streets the miserable
little houses and shops. with here and there
good buildlng standing up in stately contrast !;
the swarm Of blacks the bright sunshine and
keen Yet warm spring air-all made n vivid al
though confused impression on my mind. ON our
arrival we were driven al once 10 the house oi
Admiral Goldsborough. whose wife was the
daughter of the famous William Wlrt-a states
man whose private secretary my father had been
in his younger days, and with whose family ne
had always kept up tnc most aiicct.Onotc inter
| course To- the Army and Navy these were Try
ing days. this tearing asundcr of lifelong friend
ships, this breaking oil of associations that were
| as strong and even stronger than family ties. No
one realized in the hurry of stronger interests how
| these friends of many years and hrothcrS-lI-armS
suffered through and for their convictions on both
sides South as well as North and in no branch Of
| the Government was the struggle more kccny felt
or the sacrifices made 50 great. OF course we
heard great deal of all This at the Admiral 5.
| MON to the hearts core himself although both
| lac and his wife were southern born and bred. he
| could not understand the point OF view taken by
| his old comrades, who. like himself. had sworn
| their solemn oaths 10 defend the cN-
sting Government with their swords and
| their honor To desert. il at The call Of
politicians was what the gallant old naya
officer could not comprehend. by the time hC
| arrived in Washington the "Southcrn C0nfcd
cracy" had established lis temporary seat Of Coz
ernmcnt and elected its President, and many o
those who up to this time had been loyal wcr,