The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-24

little more than mile from The PreSl-
dents House, directly north from 2lSt
street used to he one of the most beauti-
full of Washingtons suburban residences,
kalorama The house was built early in
the century QS05) by Joel Barlow, the we'll
known author of the "Celumbiad."
After you entered the gate and passed
the porter's lodge, every turn in the wind
ing roadway brought to your eyes visions
Of beauty, and when you reached the
plateau upon which the house stood, you
fully comprehend cd the name kalorama,
beautiful view" To your right was seen
silent reStful Arlington; To your left the
graceful lines Of the Capitol were clean cut
against the eastern sky. AT your feet the
Potomac stretched and wound its way
through the undulating hills until 1t seem
ed a silver thread woven IN the landscape
Mr. Barlow, who owned Kalorama, was
born in Connecticut in 1754. He was a
graduate of Yale College His biographer,
Todd, ranks him first as philanthropIst,
second as a statesman, third as a phIioSo-
pher, and fourth as poet. His phllan-
thropy cTeepS out in every line OF his
writings in every act of his life. His let
tiers 10 Washington, TO the citizens of the
United States, to Monroe while abroad on
the French mission, and his Fourth OF
July Grafton at Washington, give evidence
of broad and liberal craftsmanship. His
philosophical turn was most apparent IN
his private letters and intercourse with
familiar friends.
A charming mock pastoral, written IN
Savoy at time when he was called to go
there with the Commissioners OF the Ma
fional Association, gives his claim to true
poetic genius In little inn in Chaplberg
the poem, 'Hasty Pudding" had its birth
He was sent To France as the agent Tor
the Scioio Land Company, and his nome
was in Paris many years. III was during
this time that Robert Fulton, then young
man made Mr.. Barlow s acquaintance. A
and the Young inventor, and Tor seven
wears there was "A room IN the poet house
and seat al his Preside alawys reserved
for Fulton. Il is SAID the relation between
them was like father and son.
II seems, from private letters, that MI
Barlow furnished the funds for Fulton 5
experiments with his torpedoeS, steam and
navigation projects while abroad. Also
after lac came back 10 America. as the fol-
lowing letter will show. ('Ioot was the
pet name for Fultonl.
foot: Your reasoning is perfectly right
about inventions and the spirit OF The
patent laws, and have no doubt IL may
be secured in America My project would
be that you should pass directly over to
England; silent and steady, make Chap
man construct an engine Il inches, while
you are building a boat of prop0rtionate
size: make the experiments on that scale,
all quiet and quick. If il answers, put the
machinery on board vessel and 60 d.
CINE as large as you please, TO follow you.
Then secure your patent and begin your
operations first small and then large. 1
think will find you the funds without any
noise for the first operation IN England,
and il il promises well. you viii get as
many funds and friends In America as
yen want
MIR. Barlow lived in Paris IS years. In
all This time, with all his cares, his love
for his native land did not diminish. The
completion OF his "Columbiad, the prepa-
ration for its Illustration, in which Fulton
was OF great assistance, and partnership
in Fulton's inventive enterprises left him
few leisure moments.
But TO return TO his beloved America was
his dream. At length, in 1904, he wrote
home that he was in England on his way
to America, where he arrived in the follow
ing May. But he found great changes had
taken place Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont,
and Kentucky had been admitted into the
Union Politics had changed. The Con-
stitution had been adopted and had been
tried as by fire. Washington was dead.
Federalism had succeeded to the more
powerful Republicanism The Republicans
rej0iced al BarlOw's return. and the Fed
eralistS mourned. They could see nothing
good in his Republcanism, or in the man
who in his Algerian mission alone had
won laurels for himself in doing such serv-
ice for his suffering cOuntrymen.
Soon after his return he purchased the
old mansion on the hill, between George
town and the Capital, with 80 acres OF land.
lie soon transformed it into one of the
most beautiful country seats OF the time,
and called it ltalorama.
Mr. Barlow had cultivated taste, and
wealth to indulge il. Mr.. Latrobe, the archi-
tect OF the Capitol, gave him assistance,
and Robert Fulton lent his genius TO the
establishment Of the house and grounds.
The park, covered with forest trees, was
left in its natural state: walks, drives,
flowers, fountains, summer houses were
added To enhance The beauty OF the grounds.
The house was furnished, il is said, with
republican simplicity, yet an air OF ele-
gance penaded the rooms. In the years
spent abroad, they had made a rare col
lection OF paintings, curioS and bric-a-brac
which were distributed with taste through
out the house. His library, especially,
was rich in rare and valuable books.
This charming retreat became the H0i-
land House OF America. The President.
jefferson, and afterward Madison, were
often there in conversation with Mr.. Bar
low, and il is well understood that he
helped largely To mould the policy Of this
Government towards France through two
Administrations.
Congressman, foreigners, authors, poets,
inventors and men Of genius in every
calling have been entertained beneath this
roof Robert Fulton is said TO have con-
stTucicd his model ol the Clermont at Kalo-
rama, and il was on Rock Creek the first
experimental steamer was made TO ply the
waters. This was short time before the
public trial and successful sail up the
Hudson. II was here also that he tested
his tOrpcdoes, and tried TO persuade Con-
gress 10 consider his navigation projects
Thomas Paine was also a visitor at
Kaoranna. II was al kaorama that Mr.
Barlow finished his epic poem, the "Colum-
biad." IL was a National patriotic epic,
great in expectations. but not a great
poem.
II is well known that in the wear 1911
Americas relations with France and Eng
Hand were Of the gravcst character Madi-
son and his advisors, at last resolved to
make one more effort at negotiations and
IL was clearly Ia be seen that the failure
or success Of the plan would depend en-
tiTely upon the man chosen TO carry il
out.
As Napoleon was France, he alone was
The man To be influenced. In casting
about Madison and his Cabinet chose Mr.
Barlow "a the man eminentiy fitted for The
emhassadorship. MIR. Barlow well under
stood the difficulties in The way Of sue
cessfully carrying out such "A mission.
and II took great deal Of persuasion TO
Induce him TO accept. He had reached
an age when home and home comforts were
more 10 him than all the allurcments OF
high position; he was also deeply engrossed
IN literary pursuits: but, at last, for his
country's good, he accepted.
kalorama was leased, and he hoped to
come back to II and enjoy The fruits of its
well earned comforts. His wife and
nephew, Thomas Barlow, and Miss Clara
B; iGwin, Mrs. Barlow's half sister. accom-
panied them. They arrived in France i'm