Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-01

The recent securing of the title OF the
Cameron House, at 81 Madison place,
by the Cosmos Club, which is to be
l'made an addition to the club building.
recalls one Of the most notable of old
Washington mansions.
As the Tayloe house. from 1880 to
1858, 1t was a center OF brilliant social
life. Afterward, the residence OF
Senator Don" Cameron of Pennsyl-
vania and of Vice President Garrett A.
Hobart, and of Senator Mark Hanna OF
Ohio, it gathered political associations.
The Tayloe house, later known as the
Cameron house. and sometimes called
| the little White House." was built by
Benjamin Ogls Tayloe, who in his
youth served as private secretary to
Benjamin Rush, minister to England.
It was completed in 1928, but was not
occupied until 1880. as the election OF
Andrew jackson to the presidency tn
1928 did not promise to provide The
aristocratic atmosphere in which Mr..
TayIoe wished to initiate the hospitali-
ties OF his new mansion. The house
was one Of the nrst half dozen erected
on the square. 1t was built to please
Mrs. Tayloe, who was not content with
the life offered by her husbands VIZ
M. Tayioe. a grandson of Gov. Benja-
min Ogle Of Maryland, and related TO
most OF the leading families OF Viz
ginia, enjoyed the life of country
gentleman, but Mrs. Tayloe desired TO
In wsys ioI and her soeis
gifts fitted her for the part she wished
to play.
For forty years every American and
| foreigner Of note who came to Wash
ineton was her guest. In the language
of the time, Mr.. and Mrs. Tayloe dis
pensed a liberal and elegant hospi-
tality.'
The house underwent much altera-
ton at the hands Of Senator Cameron.
ter 1t led into marble-tinted man,
from which a mahogany-railed stair
case ascended. This staircase is saio
to have been beautiful in detail, put
which in a house designed for extern
sive entertaining. should have oeen
spacious, was cramped by the encroach-
ment of a cloakroom The removal OF
the staircase added TO the convenience
of the house, but robbed it of a unique
feature.
The house is now differently parti-
toned from what 1t was originally
The breakfast room on the hrst moor
remains the same. The library was on
room and drawing room were on the
second floor. The house is described
by one who knew 1t at the helght OK
its social glory as filled with fine pic
radiatinK sense Of old-world culture.
| rare, indeed. in America Of these days
The pictures are now in the Corcoran
Art Gallery.
by Gilbert Stuart of Mr.. Tayloe's par
ents, Col. and Mrs. John Tayloe. One
of the card tables had belonged to
Washington. Other tables had been
purchased by Mr.. Tayloe from his
friend, Henry Clay. who had occupied
the Commodore Decatur house across
the square. There were also chair
and escritoire that had been Alexander
| Hamiltons. formerly owned by Ma
poleon: several plates which were
articles valuable for associations as
well as intrinsically. Books were not
| especially numerous and were scattered
about the house so that the library
! had less of the distinctive character of
| a library than the name would fndi-
cate.
Mr.. Tayloe had made the acauaint-
ance of many people who were socially
or otherwise important during his resi-
dence and travels in Europe. and in
consequence was naturally the host of
diplomats and other distinguished
foreigners who came to Washington.
| among the AMERICAN men VI Hotc
who assembled the old marble stairs
were John Quincy Adams, who often
came informally: Presidents Harrison,
| Taylor and Fillmore: the statesmen
Webster. Clay. Cass and Calhoun, the
historians Prescott and Bancroft and
| Washington irving. The Tayloe House
| was the last house in Washington visit
| ed by President Taylor.
Mrs. Tayloe died in 1886. In 1s4e
| Mr.. Tayloe married again. Although
| the second Mrs. Tayloe was not the
| social force that her predecessor had
| been. the old house welcomed during
L Ta OF iIal frfafi Ion