The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-03-29
Dangerous Conspiracy to Assassinate Him
While Passing Through the
City Of Baltimore.
The President Elect was Informed
1t and Safely Reached the
National Capital.

At the celebration Of Founders day
at Union college, Schenectady, the
Hon. Frederick w. Seward, of the
class of 1s40, spoke on "Washington's
Home and Birthday in War Time"
In his address Mr.. Seward, who was
assistant secretary of state while his
father held that portfolio during Lin
coins administration, said:
'While the Civil War was raging
the banks of the Potomac We're the
scenes of many bloody conflicts.
Armed vessels patrolled the river.
Fortifications were erected on its
heights. Armies encamped along its
shores. The sound Of cannon and
musketry daily echoed over it's waters.
Homes and fields were abandoned by
the owners, for none felt safe against
the raids of scouting or foraging par
ties of the Union or Confederate
troops.
"But there was one exception. Both
sides respected Mount Vernon. Neither
army sought to occupy or fortify it.
No foraging or plundering took place
within its borders. The old furniture
stood peacefully in the old rooms. The
old trees stood unharmed in the old
groves. 1t was the one bit of neutral
ground in that long and bloody war.
Reverence for Washington's home and
memory hardly needed to be incul-
Gated by the commanders, for it was
implanted in the heart of every SOL
dier, whether he was Northern man
or Southern one.
''There was story current in those
days that the old mansion was left in
charge Of two persons, a man and his
sister. He was Union man. She
was Confederate sympathizer. When
visitors approached from the river side
they were presumably from the Union
gunboats, and he went out to meet
them. When they approached from
the landward side they were presum-
ably from the Confederate camps, and
she went out to greet them. But it
made very little difference. Which,
ever they were, they all came as
friends, and were received as such.
"When Prince Jerome Napoleon, with
his suite, visited Washington during
the war, he inquired about Mount
Vernon.
"'1s it in your hands or held by the
enemy?'
Neither, Prince was the reply.
1T is sacred and treated as neutral
ground
Zone of the French visitors re-
marked: Yes, you have war all
around, but for him peace forever
"And now will go back to some
what earlier period, the troublesome
times just before the war broke out,
and tell you how we spent Washing
toms birthday in February, 1861.
"The country, North and South, was
then in a fever of unrest, anxiety, and
alarm. Several states had formally
seeded, but no active hostilities had
yet occurred. The new president,
Abraham Lincoln, had been elected,
Dut not yet inaugurated. He, VIII
his family and friends, was on his
way from Illinois to Washington. His
Journey was not rapid one, as he
had to pause for the receptions and
ovations that the peope of the various
cities were eager to tender him. He
had made stops at Indianapolis, Co.
lumbus, Pttsburg, and New York, and
was also to be welcomed at Philadel-
phia, Harrisburg, and Baltimore.
ION Thursday, the 21st of February,
was in the gallery of the senate
chamber at Washington when a page
came to me with message that Sen
ator Seward wanted to see me. I
went down and found him in the lob
By. He showed me a note he had
just received from General Scott. The
general was then at the head of the
afmy. Under his command Colonel
Charles P. Stone was organizing such
troops as there were then in Washing:
ton, to prevent any outbreak or riot
y T. =