The times., 1901-03-10

modest quarters by a mere handful OF
clerks. The growth of the country car
be seen 10y comparing the present maSnih
cent quarters Of the PostofIice Depart
ment and its thousands of employees, witt
the humble Offices of the Postofice De
partment of yore.
The winter of 1925 was one OF the most
brilliant ever known in Washington. II
was the period Of the exciting election in
the House of Representatives, when Mr.
Adams, Mr. Clay and General Jackson
were candidates for the Presidency. The
Marquis De Lafayette was in Washington
as the guest of Congress. In the last
week of December. 1924 Congress had
voted him the munifCent sum Of S200og
for his Revolutionary services. a grand
entertainment was given on the evening
of January Z. 1925, by Congress, to the
Marquis de Lafayette. at Wizards Ho-
tel. The management Of the affair was
entrusted to Joel r. Poinsett member OF
Congress from South Carolina. and Sec
cretaTy Of War in Van Burens Cabinet
The company assembled at p. m Two
hundred persons were present. Mr. Gail
lard. of South Carolina President Of the
Senate, presided at one table; Mr.. Clay of
Kentucky, Speaker of the House. at the
bllltt. D ne EItSlhtil o. the l lllNrh DthlfS
James Monroe. sat on one side of Mr
GaiIard, and Lafayette on the other.
The latter was supported by Gen. Samuel
Smith Of Maryland, a hero of the Revo-
luton. and i'm the immediate vicinity with
Rufus King, General Jackson. John Quiu-
cy Adams. Samuel J.. Southland. MI Cal
houn, Senators Chandler of Maine and
D'Wolf Of Rhode Island, Generals Dear
born, Scott, Macomb. Bernard. and Jes-
sup; Commodores cambridge, Tingley,
Stewart, Morris, and other officers Of dis
tiuction
The dinner was prepared by Joseph
Prospcrc, a celebrated French cook, who
had come on from New York for the pur-
pose, and who charged for his services
the modest sum Of S1oo II was the most
elegant and elaborate entertainment that
had ever been given in Washington,
many of the dishes being unique, and ar
tistically Ornamented in a style never pre-
viously Witnessed in this country.
In the midst Of the dinner an old sol
dier OF the Revolution arrived at the ho-
tel from the Shenandoah Valley. He was
eighty years of age and had served under
Lafayette Mr.. Poinsett being Informed
of his arrival, descended TO the reception
room and then escorted him To the dining
hall on the floor above and presented him
to the Marquis.
AE+'lltlsilr Stil lllF Ettt'tdtlr OU ub
not remember me. / took you off the
field when wounded in the fight at Bran
DIVINE.
is your name John Near" enQuired
The marquis.
1T is. general replied the veteran.
whereupou the marquis embraced him
and congratulated him on his healthy
condition and long life John Near also
became the guest OF Congress and re-
rained at Wizards a fortnight feasting
TO his hearts content upon the good cheer
provided for him and retiring to bed eV-
cry night in . comfortable state of me
briation When he returned to Virginia,
Lafayette presented him the munincent
sum of s2.pH0 with which he bought
farm which is DOW ia the possession OF
his descendants
The marquis at this dinner gave the
following toast: Perpetual union among
the States-lt has saved Us i'm times OF
danger; il viii save Ehe world. Mr..
Claws toast was. General Bolivar, the
of South America, ana the
Republic of Colombia.
Wizards. during those DAYS. was the
rendezvous OF statesmen, s"iulrIsr Jour
nalists, and the beAuN tt the capital, ana
James X Polk. on March 4. 1S45- was in
Quoted into the Presidential office from
h. hotel which he had selected as ms
temporary home. His successor. General
Zachary Taylor. was inauguTat"d Mon
iav March . 1919 Prior to his lnStalia-
tion he also. had chosen Wizards $ as his
temporary home. From here ne was eS-
corted to the Senate by an imposing pro
ceSsiou. headed by twelve volunteer COM
uauies The new President rode IN an
apen. carriage drawn by four grey horses,
and was Joined at the Irving House Dy
President Polk.
President MiIlard Fillmore, before his
July 9, 1880. also selected
this hotel as his temporary abode. FRANK
lin Pierce on March 4. 1883, was escorted
fror Wizards Hotel to the Capllol py
Mr. Fillmore Jesse y. Bright and Hanni-
r,4ff Q faf "a
and followed by company OF Lhteu
States Flying ARTILLERY. company Oh
{ nited States Marines, and seventeen
Volunteer Military companies.
When Jenny Lind arrived IN " aShlhg-
ION in November 1850. she made Wizard
her headduarters. She gave her concert
and sang in the newly-erected, but thsh
hall Of the hotel; theh the
largest auditorium Of the kind in the city.
President Fillmore, on hearing OF Jenny
Iind's presence ia the CITY, called, Dut
finding Jenny out. left his card Inc
President and his family. and the mem
hers Of his Cabinet. as well as the most
famous personages Of the day, were pres
pn6 at the concert.
II is related that Daniel Webster was
so much carried away by the rendition
M a viId mountain song by Jenny that
he arose and Omplimentingly bowed ms
4 4cknoWl Wledg gementS to the beauJIu song
stress ON the morning after the concert
Jenny Lind was called upon al the hotel
lv Daniel Webster. Henry Clay, General
rass. and Colonel Benton who cohgfalu-
ated her on her success.
THE FIRST JAPANESE MINISTER.
In 1873 the first Japanese Minister TO
his country arrived in Washington. lie
1ad a retiuue Of a0J attaches. secretaries,
and servants. and selected willard Ho-
el as his temporary abode. During Pres
dent Buchanan's Administration, Mr..
seward had eudeavOred 20 Introduce Lord
[apicr into Republican society. instead
b. that which Southerners had made so
gresable. and he was mainly instrumen-
.al i'm getting up a subscription BAH III
[apiers honor There we're 800 covers. II
aas given At Wizards Hotel ln the long
iiniug-room. which was built in 1873. 1t
lad been decorated FOR the occasion with
7aes Of all nations, mirrors and chaude-
iers. At one end OF the room, beneath
=ulI-Ieueth portraits Of General Washing
ton and queen Victoria. was a dais. on
which Lord and Lady Napier received
Inc company. Supper was served at II
3'clo.k IL was a bountifuI repast. Dane
me- was kept up until n late hour a few
lays afterward, Lord Napier embarked
,u au English warship for his home his
Government having received Information
hat his recall would not be objected to
By President buchanan.
Airs Robert Anderson passed through
Washington. January 4, 1861, 90 join her
husband, General Anderson, at Fort sum
er. She returned on January 8 however,
md stopped at Willard Hotel.
ON January s. 1861, caucus was held
It the hotel by fourteen Senators, who
ormed themselves into d directory TO
axe care Of the affairs Of the South JEFF
erson Davis was one of the participants
d this conference.
On February T. 1861, the Peace Couven-
l. IL IL II IL