Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-21

eft OF old st James +. Es Cnufchs
llder Of the hotel
Minister TO Washington made the
springs hls summer embassy, and his
Uniform, shot with goidS and those
OF his attaches lent q fine note Of
color and lustre TO the social functions.
signor Grassa is also reported 20
have spent a summer at the springs.
He was tho Joseph Hoffman OF the
piano in his day. and was attracted
thither by the presence OF southern /
~ entertained the guests with his I
brilliant piano performances and de-
parted much IN love with the place. !
e@ss
Henry Clay came there in the hey
day Of his power and leadership, and
addressed more than 5000 persons,
who were almost frenzed with en-
thuslasm at the spellbinding oratory
Of the great Whig leader, the fore
most man inspublic life and in the
/ affections of the people Of the United
\ States at that period. All Delaware
4 took a, holiday 70 hear Clay. They
walked, rode, and drove in every va
riety and kind OF vehicle. II was
l doubtless the most enthusiastic out
4 pouring Delaware had ever witnessed
I to hear a stump" speech in advocacy
of the election OF the Whiz candidates
for president and vice president. Peo-
; pie were most deTnonstratIve IN their
> greeting, but doubtless their emotion
: did not reach the silly height that IL
attained in Cape May, whittier Clay
subsequently went, and where, while
bathing in the surf, he was shorn OF
almost all OF his hair by adniring
women who insisted on having souve-
nirs OF the visit OF tho great states
man.
Daniel Webster also spoke at the
Springs away back in'the hfties. and It
Is not difficult to imagine the immense
interest awakened by his appearance
under the branches OF some OF the big
4 trees about the famous hotel, and how
J deeply he stirred the hearts Of his
adrnir.ng Delaware auditors.
Brandywine Springs seems TO have
been the stage for many gatherings,
: political and otherwise. There the
, Bayards-two or three generations OF
!. them-addressed their fellow citizens
i on public and political issues Of the
day.
: Bayard Taylor, too. came 10 The
> Springs when he returned from hi
D Travels Afoot" through Europe, at th'
u behest OF neighbors and friends WHIT
a united in welcoming him home. It wa
0 there he heard his boylood friend
x tell how proud they were OF him an,
z Of his achievements as a poet AM
A author and traveller, and there the,
n placed the first laurel wreath upol
6 his youthful brow.
n In the Civil War period two regi
ments OF Delaware troops were sen
10 Brandywine Springs 70 drill AM
n harden their muscles before they wer
es sent TO oppose their brothers Of tn
II south. Those living thereabouts a
! that time still recall how closely tn
he country was guarded, how quickl
IN this setting OF so many romances AM
so much gaiety had shifted into wal
,e The farmers were scarcely permitte
Ell 70 stir about OF nights: and 10 go an
D. come from their work in the field
il they were compelled 10 salute tn
i guard and give the password.
il War itself came very near 10 Bran
is dywine Springs when the souther
n army came to the Spsquehanna riy
IN er. But il got almost TO the Yer
to Springs itself so years or more befor
as when Washington and Lafayette an
tn q regiment of continentals encampe
ed in the grove at Falkland, and thei
ly under the great tree. now referrs
st 20 as Council Oak, the stan officel
n sought in vain 10 fathom the pla,
er Of the British troops, bent on dri'
he ing the Americans into the Delawa.
of River or externlinating them at
I'm blow. Here, too. Washington saw Il
ais first finished flag Of the colonies ju
completed by Betsy Ross. at Phil
delphia, and hurried to the Amer
ef- can commander and put under Il
est next day at Cooch's Bridge, a fs
Ter fields distant. General Howe, resplen
TO ent in his dashing, scarlet, unifor
ar. brilliant in gold braid and glitteril
as sword must have ridden close 70 Il
ere spring, not far from the Council oa
,si- on the tall charger he always bestro
ms when ahead of his red coats, and pe
tel haps proceeded with as much poI
md through these woods and groves as
on was wont TO display when riding do'
ted his own Rotten Row in London. Doul
,a- elss General Knyphausen crossed
md country a mile or so west of F'au
orv land, with his hired Hessians a
MI pushed on TO make his feipt at Chad
mn Ford, fooling the Continental Army
es- It is all historic ground thereabou
at Nearby is the "old Ford place" w
onh its undisputed legend that Washii
xas ton held council OF war under {
his of its great trees and ate dinner the
OF and. employing his most trus
-om scouts. puzzled his brain 70 unco
ere, Lord Howe's and Lord Cornwall
ney plan of campaign. In this he ain,
less entirely failed. as history assur
hat otherwise the end OF the war mi
,on- not have been so long delayed. Wa
was ington not infrequently drove thro,
With that section subsequently, and 1
later when he was President. IL !
ave not far from his route between
resb Vernon and New York or Phila,
don, phia. and there We're many living
LEM the vicinity, one is told, who
Is a heard their grandfathers tell of
,,isf, ma eSa a..,f of fhc first President in