The National tribune., 1897-12-30

a carriage, on horseback, or walking Pic
ture a man slender in figure, of medium
hight, with a venerable covering Of silvered
hair and whiskers surrounding the thin,
classic face, soft blue eyes that had done
service through the years, and yet un-
dimmed, and you see the patriarchal his
tOrlan as he was in the later years of his
life.
His home was a spacious mansion not
far from that of the Presidents, and here
in his pleasant workshop, i'll the second
story OF this house, he live, among his
books, his pictures and the memories OF a
century nearly gone.
He lived i'm the very atmosphere OF this
history making Republic. Within sight OF
his windows are the homes Of Commodores
Decatur and Rodgers. the latter where the
attempt was made to aSsaSSinate Secre-
tary Seward. On the opposite side of the
Square Is the house in which Dan Sckles
lived, and on the north side the house out
of which Slidell stepped into the Southern
Confederacy.
And when Mason and SlideIl had been,
at the demand Of the English Government,
| released from Fort Warren and sailed for
Europe, and recognition Of the Confederate
States by England and France was immi-
nent, it was from the old Seward house
that the Secretary telegraphed To his Fidus
Achates, Thurlow Weed, to come to Wash
, lngton; and irs this house the personnel of
the commission that was TO represent the
side of the Union was discussed.
Archbishop Hughes, Roman Catholic
Of New York, Bishop McIlvaine. an Episco-
pallan OF Ohio, and ThuTlow Weed, went
abroad and quietly and effectively pre-
sented their side Of the question. BY their
lnftuence, earneStness and powerful aTp,I-
ment they made such an impression that
Mason and Slidell soon discovered their
mission was do0med-that the Confed-
crate States would not be recognized.
short distance To- the east is the house
in which Charles Sumner lived, and ON the
corner, diagOnally across, is the house in
which Dolly Madison, in regal turbans.
Kept pace with the new regime in receiv
ing her friends.
Mr.. Bancroft lived TO see one of the politi-
cal giants succeeded by another-ol men
pass away and new men take their places
lie saw slavcry's dark pail hang over
Washington, and in the dissolving view.
when slavery disappeared, he saw the
beautiful city OF to-day emerge from the
mist cloud.
He saw Stephen Douglas, Charles
Sumner, benjamin L. Wade, William H.
Seward, John C. Breck nridee. Robert
Toombs, John Slidell, and Andrew john
son, each the leader OF men and OF con
tending theories, floating on the sea of
public opinion that stranded slavery. And
ttils venerable spectator alone, survived
them all, and with the iron pen of history
Is recorded the parts they played in inn
lie saw free labor organized and rewarded
ana with 1T the popular cry for Improvement
ne saw inc years pass by that broupl Z
Grant forward to succeed johnson. and he
saw men come TO the front who were will
ing 10 iake responsibility, that Wash
lngton CITY might be placed on the hipb
plane OF her municipal sisters
With Alexander Shepherd mt tho hood
thIs chronlcler OF events noted that within
lew months magical transition was
wrought, that the miserable mockerv of %
metropolis was "bossed" into one Of the
magnificent cities Of the world The Argrs
eye oi inns historian had from his windows
watched this progress, and he gave honor ~
whom honor is due. "
The little plots of green i'm front of h;s
time honored mansion, filled with tulins
and hyacinths, brought many visitors ~
iSdst iIeH eyes on the harmony of color.
the product OF MIR. Bancroft's love of flow,
ers. az"
1hls garden plot was as much i'm t,een-
ing WIN MS nature as the books which
were ms COMPANIONS, and the friends
winch surrounded him with a conpeniai
social atmosphere
When you took the hand OF this ran of
years and experience. you were TRANSPORTED
without effort over the way he lad travelled
lie took you THROUGH the quaint old streets
OF Weiinar and when you touched the hand
that touched Goethe's, Faust and Mar
euersta are realities before you He was
intimate with Humboldt, and Sevionv fha
great iurist was his friend Nanlon; u-as
ms acquaintance al Milan and ChevaIier
BunSen al Rome: and i'm Italy. Byron sang
nm the songs he wove. In Paris. G,,izot
Lamarune and De Tocouevile were his
COMPANIONS. He survived them ALL and
no greater honor could be paid to George