Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11
Capital Sidelights

|
read members contribute to the fund
Of interesting and valuable informa-
ton.
1t was Minority Leader Garrett who
treated the House to such an item
on Friday in connection with the
item for $463752 40 in the deficiency
appropriation bill to pay an old debt
Of honor ~ Certain Indians under
the treaty with the Shawnee Tribe
on October IA, 1868 Mr.. Garrett
brought out Of the memory mists a
somewhat analogous situation with
respect to the fourteenth amendment
| to the Constitution of the United
States.
While that constitutional amend
ment was pending there were two
States, namely, New Jersey and Ohio.
that ratified it. who before the proc
lamation usually issued by the Secre-
tary of State in such cases had been
| issued. withdrew their assent and un-
dertook to recall their ratificat tons.
| The Secretary of State. Mr.. Sew
ard. issued a proclamation simply
stating the facts and not proclaiming
the fourteenth amendment as a part
of the Constitution. Thereupon the
Congress took notice of the matter
and took another whirl at this amend
!
feet of which was to hold that
State could not reconsider a question
of ratification even before promulga-
! ton of the proclamation by the Sec
rotary of State. Mr.. Seward accepted
| this act of Congress and declared the
| fourteenth amendment ratified.
So there was a case in which the
Congress took an action possibly
somewhat on all tours with the one
which the House had before it.
| * y X X
Capt. Leighton Fl. Blood. free.lance
| soldier of-fortune journalist, who has
jauntily proclaimed his versatility in
Worldwide fields by the big head.
lines he has commanded in news
papers and the leading magazines by
his inside stories" of great events and
movements, and who is a National
Press Club favorite, is going to give
Washington and other great cities of
The United States a new thrill next
Spring.
He is bringing back with him the
band and symphony orchestra of the
French Foreign Legion for their first
concert tour outside of Africa. This
musical organization is as famous as
our Marine Band. 1t will be accom-
panied by Col. Rollet, commandant Of
fought alongside the American troops
in the World War. The American
tour is sponsored by the American
Legion.
The chief pianist was formerly as
sistant conductor of the Boston Sym
phony Orchestra and is now serving
as u private.
The famous stirring march of the
French Foreign Legion has been re-
leased to Capt. Blood for presentation
to the United States Army Band, and
this will be done with appropriate
ceremonies in Washington.
In reply to an inquiry whether and
where Robert Fulton built and f1oated
his first steamboat in Washington,
there is tradition. which seems to
be grounded on some facts. that Full
ton. while a guest at the famous Kalo-
rama beautiful View estate, once the
home Of the poet and diplomat, Joel
Barlow, had his boat built in a barn
back of the Kalorama house, in 1906.
Local joiners and blacksmiths worked
there under his direction. The boat
was launched in the mill pond of Rock
Creek. TO which the estate then eX-
tended, and the experiment was con-
sidered q success. This was a year
before the Clermont was launched on
the Hudson River.
AT that time Fulton and B. III. La.
trobe, who is most famous for being
one OF the architects in charge of the
building of the Capitol, advised with
Barlow on remodeling the mansion
and laying out the grounds. Sum-
mer house designed by Fulton stood
on the brow of the hin at the present
intersection of Twentyfourth and u
streets.
One of Barlow's best poems, regard
ed as a national epic. 'Columbiad,"
was dedicated to Fulton.
X X y
The visit of Senators Glass and
Swanson of Virginia to President Cool
idge urging the appointment of Prof.
John G. Pollard of Williamsburg, Va,
to the Federal Trade Commission
brings attention to man who has not
only previously performed valuable
public service in Washington during
the World War. but has spen, his en-
tire life in worthwhile work for his
native State.
DIR. Pollard is dean of the Marshall
Wythe School of Government and Citi-
z'nship at William and Mary College,
where Washington received his COM
mission as surveyor and was chancel-
Tor, and where John Marshall, Thomas
Jefferson, James Monroe and many
others of the founding fathers were
educated, including four signers of the
Declaration of Independence.
One of DR.. Pollards benefactions is
the preservation Of the Blair House in
Williamsburg, one of the oldest build
lngs in America. The Blair family is
one of the most remarkable in this
country. This was the home of John
Blair. ST. Q689177D, three times act
ing governor of the Colony of Vir-
ginia, and of his son, John Blair, jr.,
member of the convention which
drafted the Constitution of the United
States and a judge of the first United
States Supreme Court under appoint
ment of George Washington-from
1889 to 1896
Blair has been a notable name III
the field of American statesma nship.
A Blair founded Princeton University
and a Blair offered Gen. Lee the posi-
ton of commander-in-chief of the Fed
eral Armies. The Blair family has
been represented in the cabinet, on the
Supreme Court bench and in the Sem
ate of the Nation.
This old Blair homestead which DR..
Pollard has preserved, was also the
home of Prof. Ro Andrews, son-in-law
of Judge Blair, and the home of Chief
Justice Marshall when he was a stu
dent at William and Mary College in
1879. The stone steps were imported
from England and >ere originally
used on the first theater in America
erected in Williamsburg in 1716.