The times., 1899-03-19
Old Mansions Famous in the
Capitals Record.
Ghosts of Great Events Filter Amid
Their Ancient Precincts.
Nearly All Landmarks of National
GIorics-One Alone the Pinna-
Gle of n Tragedy.


around it on the north, east, and west
sides are thirty stately, so!idly-built, un-
notwithstanding mansions of rather
antique appearance. Perhaps one or two
are of modern conception, others are exc
cuted in colonial design, and the vast ma
jority of them have withstood the test Of
almost century. This square is nearly
as old as the nation in whose history it
has played SO important part
Greater New York. puritanical Boston,
bustling Chicago, and other American cit
les have historic blocks. Washington has
them also. but none so famous as the one
which bears the name Of the distinguished
French marquis. The score and a half of
plain brick structures facing it from three
sides have sheltered more notables, and
formed the setting of more historic scenes
than any other three blocks of brick and
mortar in the country. The great ante
bellum triumvirate-Webster, Clay, and
Calhoun-lived there while preparing their
giant oratorical struggles in Congress.
1t was there that Gen. Daniel Sickles
sent bullet into the body Of Barton Key,
both being members of the aristocratic
Washington Club that once stood on the
site OF the present Lafayette Square Opera
House. Presidents. Vice Presidents, Cab
met officers, diplomats. ambassadors, ad-
mirais, major generals. historians, poets,
statesmen. authors, leaders in every branch
of thought have been neighbors there. They
have strolled with each other around the
prancing statue of Jackson in the centre
and mingled at magnificent social func-
tions in the grim old mansions on either
side at night The magnet of the Federal
Government drew to a common rendezvous
around Lafayette Square the great men of
the nation and placed them within easy
reach OF many Presidents.
Earliest Buildings on the Square.
The White House was the first structure
erected facing the square, its cornerstone
having been laid in 1882 It was almost
a solitary building until 1872, when st.
Johns Church went up at the northeast
corner of Sixteenth and II Streets. This
edifice was for more than a generation
known as the Court Church" and was at
tended by every President from Madison
to Lincoln. Presidents Arthur. and Har-
risen also attended this church. In 1919
another house assumed form on the south
east corner of Seventeenth and H Streets,
opposite the west end OF the square. 1t
was built by Commodore Decatur hero
of many American exploits on the high
seas. He resided there until his death in
1890. The house was the scene of many
balls and magnificent social gatherings in
the carly days and was visited by the elite
of the capital after the War of 1872.
In the spring of 1920 this first season of
entertainment was brought to an abrupt
end by the duelliDg encounter which the
old naval officer had with Commodore Bar
ron at the duelling grounds at Bladens-
burg After the death of Commodore De-
catur the house was successfully occupied
by Henry Clay. Martin Van Buren, Vice
President; Edward Livingston, Secretary of
State under Jackson; George NJ. Dallas
Vice President; Senator judah p. Benja-
min, since Secretary of War and Secretary
Of State for the Southern Confederacy, and
General Beale. General Grant was fire.
quently guest of the latter in this house
Story has it that the large window in the
south wall was cut there by Martin Van
Buren in order that he might observe the
signals OF President Jackson at the White
House.
Homes of Noted Americana.
Across from the Decatur Mansion and
situated on the northwest corner of Jack
son Place and H Streets is the old resi-
dence OF Admiral Shubrick Adjoining IL
on the west are the former homes of Judge
Bancroft Davis, the diplomat, and George
Bancroft, the late historian. The latter
house, known as the Blair mansion, was
erected in 1920 by Joseph Lowell, then Sur
geon General of the Army. The house was
afterward purchased by F. p. Blair the
editor of the old Globe and in 1858 II
passed into the hands of Montgomery Blair,
brother of Major General F. p. Blair, jr.
On the northeast corner of the inter-
section Of Connecticut Avenue and II
Street, aiagonally across from the Decatur
Mansion is the house once owned and
occupied by Daniel Webster, and other
wise known as the Corcoran House, by
reason of its having been the property
also of the late W. w. Corcoran, the
founder OF the Ccrcoran Art Gallery in
this city. During the war of the rebellion
it was occupied by NJ de Montholon. Min
lister from France TO America in 1866, in
which year sumptuous ball was given in
the old house By order of Louis Ma
poleon. The late Senator Brice was the
last TO occupy the house.
The famous Slidell house stands next TO
the Corcoran Mansion on the east. II
was occupied by John Slidell while he was
Senator and just prior 10 his selection by
the Southern Confederacy as Ambassador
20 France. Thomas Ritchie and Gideon
Welles also made their homes in the Sill
dell house. and it subsequently passed
into the hands of Walter A. Wood, the in
ventor. Side by side on the northwest
corner of Sixteenth and H Streets. facing
Jackson statue. in the centre of Lafayette
Square, are the homes OF two authors The
FIRST is the large. roomy, modern brick
home OF Secretary Hay located on the
corner. and next to il on the west side is
the home OF Henry Adams. grandson of
John Quincy Adams. and author Adams
and Hay were neighbors when the latter
was Secretary of War to Lincoln.
Just east OF the Court Church" and ad-
joining the Arlington annex on III Street
IS the large. three-story brick structure
formerly used as the British legation. II
was built by Matthew St Clair Clark when
he was clerk of the old House of Represen-
tatives- In 1852 Lord Ashburton. who was
sent 10 America by Great Britain in con-
nection with the Canadian boundary dis
pute took up his residence in this house
and 1t was within one of its rooms that
the AShburton Treaty was signed in the
presence of Daniel Webster and other on
cials. Subsequently Sir Edward Bulwer-
Lyttol, and his nephew. Lord Lytton, who
acted as his secretary. resided there IL
was there that the latter, better nown To
the literary world as Owen Meredith"
wrote his poem Lucille just prior to the
civil war. What is now the Arlington An
mex was formerly the double residence of
Senators Pcmeroy and Sumner. and Sem
ator Sumner died there. On the other side
of Vermont Avenue on the northeast cor
ner is the Commodore Morris House. for
merly occupied by Robert Morris WASH
ingfon's financial adviser, and now used
for commercial purposes being honeycomb-
cd with Offices.
Where Dolly Madison Held Court.
One OF the most interesting houses facing
the square Is the gray "rough-cast" {" be-