The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-21

the country, but the day being Sunday,
he IS dressed UP, and wears his coat,
though It is midday and the mercury
registers near the 100 point.
What a Negro Said.
do you know the historic significance
of this place." he was asked
The man looked dazed and silly
Then he was asked: DO YOU know
what happened here long aso2" And he
answered:
NO. sab. not 'zactly. but has heard
dat de President Of England shot hissef
heah."
1t is a country Of wonderful interest
through which the British marched. II
is still fertile. and must have been ex-
tremely so a hundred years ago.
Il is the black belt Of Maryland, the
negroes largely oUtnumbering the
whites Most Of them are illiterate. but
kindly, polite, and Of a falr degree Of
intelligence. The whites are Of two
classes. The first class are the real
people. They are lavishly hospitable,
courteous in address and intensely
proud Of their ancestry and State. Near
" all OF the men and women have been
70 college or academy.
The other class Of whites are denseIy
vicious habits. whisky drinking and the
playing OF seven-up being apparently
what they live for. Nearly every man
in that country chews tobacco publicly
and privately. and I'm Charles county
barroorns are conveniently located at the
crossroads.
The capture Of Washington by the
British IS long story, but # may be
briefly told. The British threatened
Washington for year and a half be
fore making a direct effort TO capture
the city.
No Preparations for Defense.
Despite this long warning the Ameri-
can authorities made no preparation
for defense. The British maintained "A
feet OF warships I'm the Chesapeake Bay
and had made forays on Havre de
Grace. FredericItown. Frenchtown, and
other places I'm Maryland and on the
Hampton. Va. They pillaGed these
places, burned dwellings and stores. and
II is charged killed or made prisoners
many non-cOmbatants.
In the annals OF the Thirteenth Con-
gress may be seen preamble and reso-
luton introduced in the House Of Rep
resentatives July Is, 1913 by Philip
Stuart. Of Maryland, setting forth the
Inconsistencies of Washington, the dan
ger of attack, the presence of a hostile
fleet and troops within few hours sail
Of the Capital. and urging the distri6u-
ton Of arms to all able-bodied men in
the District of Columbia.
The record shows that the House vOt-
ed to consider the preamble and resOlu-
ton in secret. that a motion 10 lay on
the table was defeated by a vote of "A
20 g., that the preamble was stricken
out and the resolution to distribute arms
was referred to the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs and adversely reported.
cruising in the Chesapeake, ascending
the Patuxent and the Potomac and
making descents on villages few miles
from Washington.
President Madison and his Cabinet
thought the British would not attack the
Capital. In Washington there was net
a piece Of artillery, a regular soldier or
n properly armed company Of militia.
There was not redoubt onany approach
10 the city. Fifteen miles down the
Potomac was Fort Washington, then
called Forth Warburton, a fraIl strue-
ture mounting a few small guns, with
one company Of artillery TO serve them.
This indifference Of the Madison Ad-
mlnistrauon continued well into the
year 1914
Brig Ida at Boston.
The brig Ida from Rochelle. landed M
Boston May II, 1914, and brought news