Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-09
WEBSTERiS =OLD HOME
WILL BE DESTROYED WHEN 20.
LICE COURT rs EXTENDED.
Sentiments clinging to the House "0n
Louisiana Avenue, Next the
Unitarian Church,

Written for The Evening Star.
With the erection of a new Police Court
building another Of the old landmarks Of
Washington around which cluster stirring
associations OF glorious past win dis
appear before the relentless march OF
progress.
In one Of his polished historical orations
Chauncey Depew said that among all the
great men the republic had produced, four
were conspicuous above all others in shap-
ing its destiny-George Washington, Thorn
as Jefferson, Daniel Webster and Abraham
Lincoln But for Webster's floods Of elo-
Quence in defense OF the Constitution and
the Union, familiar to and recited by al
most every school boy, there would not.
he maintained, have been any such passion
ate waves of patriotism as swept over the
north after the bombardment of Sumter.
More than fifty years ago William M.
Evarts wrote:
For twenty years the school boys OF
our land have rehearsed the eloquence of
Daniel Webster In the same breath with
that of Fisher Ames and Patrick Henry
and have grown to manhood to find this
classic. OF their school books, the living
orator patriot and statesman"
The last home in Washington Of the
great defender OF the Constitution" must
have a tender interest for the student Of
history and Its demolition be a source Of
profound regret.
Mr.. Webster had; a way OF dashing of
delightfully."- familiar notes to his intimate
friends at any odd moment when the
fancy seized him. either In the Senate
chamber. the Supreme Court or elsewhere
with a date. line to correspond.
In his published correspondence we find
a letter to Mr. Tlcknor headed:
Washington, Louisiana avenue. next the
Unitarian Church December q. 1s4S.
Thursday evening alone over a small wood
fire."
Again to Mr.. Blatchford:
Washington. January 1. 1919. A beauti-
full bright morning. The long twilight OF
such a morning is charming-the sun shin
ing along beneath the horizon, showing his
light a great while before he shows himself.
AS all Is open before my southern and east
ern windows, / gazed on his bright track
an hour this morning."
Taylor's Election.
In 1913 General Taylor was nominated
by the wings for President. solely on his
record as Mexican war hero. What his
sentiments were on the exciting political
questions of the day no one knew; he was
a political sphynx, supposed to be in SYM
pathy with the general policy of the wings.
The nominating convention put forth no
platform or declaration Of principles and
as for the nomination the "sagacious. wise.
far-seeing doctrine of availability lay at
ster expressed 1t. After his election and
up to his Inauguration, the uncertainty of
his policy caused many an anxious CONSUL
tation of the leading whig statesmen at the
house next to the Unitarian Church" and
from there Mr.. Webster wrote to his friend
Mr.. Blatchford in New York, February rs.
1849, II passed half an hour last evening
with General Taylor. He was pleasant and
cOnversable enough. and by no means OF
such harsh and stern countenance as his
pictures represent him. He means well. but
he knows little of public affairs and less Of
public men. The various cliques with their
committees are about him in force"
The year 1919 closed with dark forebod-
ings for the republic In the language OF
Mr.. Clay there were ''in the legislative
bodies Of the capital and the states twenty
passion and iateHapeancess and diffusing
them through the whole extent of this
broad land All. Though the spring and
summer OF 1850 the 1eat lightning OF ap-
preaching civil war pasyed along the politi-
cal horizon. y Nightly were Tgathered~ for
consultation, in the Louisiana avenue home.
the great leaders OF the nation, deyislng
ways and means to save the good old snip
of state. The compromise biA of 1850 was
being hotly debated m the Senate. Up IN
that front room, with windows. opening
south, next to the Unitarian Church, WEEP
ster prepared his notes for his famous 1th
OF March speech. which he designates, as
probably the most important effort OF my
life"
subsistence OF the Storm. .;e
i. The untimeiy death Of Gen. Taylor stilled
the wild waves of passion but for the mo-
ment, but with the passage Of the different
measures embraced in the omnibus bill
singly the storm subsided; In the midst OF
the fray Mr.. Webster became for second
slime Secretary OF State. He was at the
was. With his new dignity came added
expense; he entertained largely; great men
from home and abroad were found at his
table. Generous friends uded him over MS
difficulties; no man ever had truer or more
generous friends. August Is. 1850. we find
him writing to his friend. Mr.. Ticknor:
'Mrs. Webster has gone to her sisters.
near New York. Mr.. Curtis and are chums
Webster nor myself inclines to take ne
trouble Of a large establishment. Our land
lord says he will put up little adjunct
one-story building, after the Washington
fashion for dining room, and with that
super-added elegance we shall have, as far
as house ia concerned. all that nttis
which man wants here below. NOR snau
we want that little long"
The Old Dining Room.
Until recently that dining room stood
very much as 1t did In the days of its IL
lustrious owner. Semi-octagonal in shape,
it's stained glass windows opened out on a
fair sized yard, where goodly linden tree
spread its branches over a fountain long
dry and half buried under the rubbish OF
years An old servitor about the premises.
who professed to know. was wont to say
that Webster often had a table placed IN
the shade by the fountain side ana there,
with his books and papers, did some OF ms
most important work.
In this vine cottage Kossuth was DIS
tinguished guest and here, too, were given
the finishing touches to the famous Huise-
man letter." of which Mr.. George Ticknor
Curtis aayS.