Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-30

! OF the corporation and the freedom OF the city,
together with ten acres Of land Belonging 10
the city near Provost lane" which latter he
Politely declined. He is described - q man
marked BY a stern independence Of character
in all circumstances and conditions; independ-
1 ent to obstinacy; one whom no motive OF in
: from his purpose or induce to alter his plan to
suit either the taste or the purposes of his en-
ployers.
PROUD AND INDEPENDENT MAN.
This was well illustrated in the case Of his
employment by Robert Morris, the revolution
airy financier, to design and superintend the
erection OF q "palace" as q proposed residence
for Mr.. Morris was called. L'Enfant prepared
design of a very elaborate character and
costly in construction. Before the building
! appeared above ground it is said that great
deal OF money had been spent upon it ahi Mr..
Morris met with some difficulty in providing
funds for It's further progress. He requested
NAL l. Enfant to make some changes with .
| view to reducing the cost and was met with
point-blank refusal. As result the erection Of
the building was brought to q stop and the
major left the city
subsequently Mr.. Morris. being relieved from
embarrassment and in funds wrote to L'Enfant
advising MIN OF the fact with a view to renew
| ing operations on the house. There IL q touch
Of humor in the letter when, after stating that
now that the money had been found he asks the
question. Where shall we find L'Enfant?''
Mr.. W. w. Corcoran. who lately departed
this life in the city of Washington full of wears
and OF honor, and who cherished to the last an
affectionate interest in this town. which was
the place of his birth and the home Of his child
hood, had very distinct recollection of the
| personal appearance of L Enfant, the latter
| having been a frequent visitor at his fathers
house. He described him to me as a tall, erect
man. fully six feet in height. finely proper
toned, nose prominent, of military bearing
courtly air and polite manners. his figure
usually enveloped in long overcoat and
. rmounted by bell-crowned hst-a man who
would attract attention in any assembly. The
late John H. B. Latrobe Of Baltimore, who was
the son of Benjamin H. Larrobe, at one time
architect of the Capitol and at another sur
veyor OF Washington, also had clear recollec-
ton of Maj. L'Enfant and his description of
HIM agreed with Mr.. Corcoran's. All accounts
concur in depicting the major as a man OF
honorable and high spirit and of great abilities
in his profession. but impulsive, and, as Gen.
Washington said of him. "of untoward dis
position"
CLEAR FORECAST OF THE cITY's FUTURE.
Under date of September II, 1889, Maj. LEN
FAINT wrote to the President in New York as fol-
lows: The late determination Of Congress to
lay the foundation of a city, which is to become
the capital Of this vast empire, offers 30 great
| an occasion Of acquiring reputation 10 whoever
may be appointed to conduct the execution Of
surprised that my ambition and the desire
have Of becoming a useful citizen should lead
me to wish share in the undertaking.
mo nation. perhaps, had ever before the OPP
portunity offered them OF deliberately deciding
on the spot where their capital city should be
! fixed or of combining every necessary consider
alton in the choice OF situation. and although
the means now within the power of the country
| are not such as to pursue the design to any
great extent it will be obvious that the plan
should be drawn on such a scale as to leave
room for that ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and embellish-
ment which the increase of the wealth Of the
nation will permit it to pursue at any period.
however remote. Viewing the matter in this
light am fully sensible of the extent of the
undertaking. and under the hope Of a continu-
ance OF the indulgence you have hitherto hon.
ored me with now presume to solicit the favor
OF being employed in this business.
"And now that l am ad dressing your excel
lency will avail myself Of the occasion to call
to your attention an object Of at least equal i'm
portance to the dignity of the nation and in
connected-I mean the protection Of the
seacoast OF the United States-this has
hitherto been left to the individual states
and has been SO totally neglected as
to endanger the peace Of the Union, for it is
certain that any insult offered on that side
(and there is nothing to prevent, however i'm
material it might be in its local effect. would
degrade the nation and do more injury to its
political interests than q much greater degra-
dalton on her inland frontiers from these con-
siderations should argue the necessity Of the
different bays and seaports being fortified at
the expense of the Union in order that one gen.
eral and uniform system may prevail through
out, that being necessary as an uniformity in
the discipline Of the troops to whom they may
be intrusted.
WANTS TO BE AN ARMY ENGINEER
81 fatter myself your excellency will excuse
the freedom with which impart to you my
ideas on this subject. Indeed my confidence in
this business arises in great measure from
persuasion that the subject has already engaged
your attention. Having had the honor to be-
long to the corps OF engineers, acting under
your orders during the late war and being the
only officer OF that corps remaining on the con-
tinent. must confess / have long fattered
myself with the hope of a reappointment,
hope which was encouraged by several of the
individuals Of the former Congressman now
when the establishment of a truly federal gov
eminent renders every post under it more de-
slrable view the appointment OF engineer to
the United States as the one which could pos
slbly be most gratifying to nv wishes, and
though the necessity Of such an officer to super
intend and direct the Notifications necessary to
the United States is sufficiently apparent, the
advantages to be derived from the appointment
will appear more striking when it is considered
that the sciences Of military and civil archi-
lecture are SO connected as to render
engagement equally serviceable in time Of peace
as in war, by the employment Of his abilities in
the internal improvements Of the country.
Not to intrude any longer on your patience,
and without entering on any particulars re-
lating to my private circumstances, of which
believe you sufficiently informed, shall
conclude by assuring you that. ever animated
as have been with desire to merit your good
opinion. nothing will be wanting to complete
my happiness if the remembrance Of my former
services, connected with a variety Of peculiar
circumstances during fourteen years. residence
in this country, can plead with your excellency
in support of tho favor solicit"
NOT TO BE TAX ON THE CITIZENS.
The fact that the establishment aud MAIN
tenance of the national capital was regarded as
in every sense q national undertaking and not
one Of which the people Of the city were 10 be
compelled to largely bear the burdens is shown
by the above letter and by one which will now
read, written by Daniel Carroll Of Duddington,
one Of the original proprietors Of the land in
the city Of Washington, and which was written
in reply to a communication Of Henry J. Brent,
dated July "a. 1887. propounding an inquiry As
to the manner Of the REIMBURSEMENT Of right
in the streets Of the city to the general govern
ment. Mr.. CAROLS reply was as follows:
"In answer to yours, fear that the deeds
will fully express the relinquishment Of right
in the streets to the government. neverthe-
Il