Evening star., 1924-02-24


naming of a son for him.
The season that followed was one
of unparalleled gayety in the history
Of the first half century Of Washing
ton life. Balls. parties, receptions
and dinners succeeded one another
in bewildering rapidity. The two
great negotiators entered into So
cial competition in fashionable dis
play and brilliant entertainments.
Both were accomplished diplomats
and much Of the preliminary nego-
tiations were carried on at the din
ner tables of the contending parties.
Lord Ashburton came equipped with
an expert French chef, and offered
! his guests the most perfect concoc-
tions of culinary art. He had the
rarest wines and most seductive of
French desserts. while our Yankee
Secretary of State levied tribute upon
the delicacies of every state to show
the superiority of American products,
served in true American style.
Salmon from Maine, Flo-ida shad,
Massachusetts mackerel, southern
oysters, Virginia terrapin. Maryland
crabs rChesapeak ducks and birds, to
, say nothing of wild game, were
gathered up in Webster's early morn
ing personally conducted marketing
trips.
Monica, the black cook of the Web
ster menage, was a skilled southern
cook and a perfect wizard in gas
tronomic accomplishment, and long
! before the conclusion of the treaty
negotiations the English banker
diplomat was forced to concede the
superlative merits of American cook
cry. Lord Ashhurton preferred to
limit his dinners to a select few, sell
dom above twenty in number.
TN an extract from an old journal,
William c. Preston mentions en-
joying whist party at this house,
when he had the honor of playing
with Mrs. Madison. John Quincy
Adams and Lord Ashburton, all three
of whom were then over seventy
years old. This event was about two
years before the death of Mrs: Madi-
son. whose home, now the Cosmos
Club, was diagonally across the
street
While both Lord Ashburton and
Webster had full authority to dispose
of the boundary dispute, the latter
had four commissioners from Maine
and three from Massachusetts,. as we'll
as Nathan Hale, the father Of Ed
ward Everett Hale, because of his
knowledge Of the disputed boundary,
but Of the group thus gathered Lord
Ashburton was the only one who had
ever been in the territory surren-
dered.
During the many debates and long
sessions of argument. part of which
were held in Websters home, the IA
nous Webster punch played an i'm
portant part. The punch was made
of Medford rum. brandy, champagne.
arrock, maraschino, strong green tea,
lemon juice and sugar, the proper
tions known only to the artist who
brewed it.
Mr.. Webster had to contend with
an unfriendly Senate, a predjudiced
House of Representatives.. President
whose views were not in accord with
his own, and an accomplished, skillful
diplomat. He delayed handing in his
resignation to President Tyler until
the treaty should be settled, and this
was accomplished by compromise in
1912, placing the northeastern boun-
dary where it is now, but Ashburton
was accused of betraying Canadian
interests, and Webster was fayed for
allowing a British victory
While this was being amicably set
tied and ratified. the agitation over
the Oregon boundary also assumed
acute features, until the political slo-
gan heard on every hand was 1910
or fight" This also was settled by a
temporary compromise. which made
the 4sth parallel of north longitude
as far as the middle of the channel
which separates the continent from
Vancouver Island the accepted line.
This did not fully satisfy both ma
tions and further negotiations were
continued from time to time.
Following the departure of Lord
Morris Meredith, Secretary of the
Treasury to President Tyler. kept up
the social traditions. and then came
the regime of Sir Henry Bulwer, with
young Owen Meredith serving an ap-
premiership at diplomacy and litera-
ture, and watching his uncle wade
through the mazes of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, which was also set
! tied temporarily in 1850. when it was
agreed that the United States and
England should jointly guarantee the
neutrality Of the isthmian canal.
y \ X \
THE next tenant Of the Legation"
l. was the family of George Riggs,
the banker, who lived there while
waiting for their own new home,
around tho corner, to be finished.
In the spring of 1883 the property
was sold to Miss Sarah H. Coleman
for $4,000, and a few months later
her sister and brother-in-law, Col
and Mrs. William Grigsby Freeman,
purchased half of it, and they and
their descendants have owned and oc-
cupied it continuously ever since.
Col. Freeman was a soldier Of dis
tineuished service, native of Virginia
and graduate Of West Point in 1894,
when he. was assigned to the 9th
Artillery. He served in the Florida
war, was promoted. for gallantry
and then became instructor of in
fantry and artillery tactics at West
, Point in 1910. After, period OF act
i've Held service he was assigned to
duty as assistant in the adjutant gen.