Evening star., 1934-02-18

Of the District was laid. April Is, 1871. He
was the son of Gen. John Mason, son Of George
n.son. @ sna ana rspressnied m sent hs the
State Of Virginia In the Unlted States Con-
gress Afsk Ia the House Of Representatives
(l837-is3sl and later IN the Senate, vhicn he
entered IN 1e47 and from which he Withdrew
In 1851, when he became delegate from Virs
ginia TO the Provisional Congress Of the Com
federacy- short while afterward he was
to Great Britain and France, along with John
Hndcl, former Senator from Louisiana, This
proved to be one of the most notable and
delicate cases Of the Civil war and came very
near causing war between tho United States
and Great Britain. Strange to say. two of the
principal three actors in this great inteTna-
tiOnal drama ut one time were residents Of
Lafayette Square. Admiral wilkes resided In
Dolly Madisons old home at Madison place
and Il street: sliden lived ct 1907 n street
and J. NJ Mason lived farther east on n street,
betweer Eleventh. and Twelfth.
At the time Of the capture Of the C0nfeder.
ate commissioners the British mail steamer
Trent was In the Bahama Channel, as reported
by Capt. Taylor Of the San Jaeinto. who said:
THE San Jacintos stopped ct Cienfuegos. tho
escape Of Slideu and Mason was ascertained.
Proceeding thence to Havana. Il vas UNDER
stood they had taken passage on the Tth in
slant the British man steanship Trent,
plying between Vera Cruz. By way Of Havana
".
San Jacinto was In the narrowest part Of the
Bahama Channel. about ~ miles to the west
ward she met the packet, and, As usual In such
cases. fred . shot across her bow and brought
her to. Two boats were sent 70 her under the
command Of Lieut.. Fairfax. who. boarding the
packet arrested Messrs. Mason and 6lideI.
who were personally known to him They at
Arst objected to being removed without the
employment Of force for that purpose. How
ever. they were soon after removed without
further trouble and conveyed to the San Ja-
cinto. Their respective secretaries, Eustis and
Mcfarland. were also brought on board and
are now on their way to New York"
The prisoners were taken to Boston and con.
fined In Fort Warren with other prisoners Of
. war.
THE Federal Government was very much In
accord with Commodore wilkes action. but.
unfortunately. the United States was not IN .
position at that time to back him up, and
rather chose the more expedient course Of re-
leading the prisoners and Offering diplomatic
apology, which was accepted, and the commis-
sioners, including their secretaries Mcfarland
ard Eustis. were accordingly. On the 1st of
January. 1862, put on board the English sloop
Of war Rinaldo. which had touched at Prov
incet0wn, Mass. for that purpose. and reached
london on January 20. After the war Mason
went to Canada to live and remained there
until 1868, when he returned to Virginia and
Is buried IN st. Psul's Cemetery In that city.
John SlideIl died in Cowes, Isle Of wight,
England. July 20, 1871.
George Eustis. jr. the secretary to John sli-
dell. had previously served as Representative
In Congress from Louisiana, and was the som
tn-law Of the late W. w. Corcoran, having
married his daughter Louise. the Christian
name also borne BY the wife of Mr.. Corcoran,
and thus he memorialiaed both when he found
I'd the Louise Home, on MassAchusetts avenue.
Alter the war Mr.. and Mrs. Eustis remained
IN France, and Mrs. Kustis died there, in
NJ, Dlstis Joined his beloved wife In the here
after, and both bodies Ne buried In Oak Hm
Cemetery. In Washington. Their descendants
are. Of our foremost citizens.
Just how much interest these native citizens
of the District took In their home town, after
having been elected to Congress. the writer Is
unable to say except IN the case Of Repre-
sentative Henry L. Rathbo0e Of Illinois, who
died July Is, 1925. He vas intensely inter-
ested in everything pertaining to the City OF
Warrington and the welfare Of its people. He
fought their battles stood with them for na-
tionaI representation and was always willing,
and even eager, to plead for ne high and the
low in the cause Of justice.
It was Mr.. Rathbone's father, Maj. Henry
e. Rathbone who vas In the box With Mr..
Lincoln ct Ford's Theater on that fatal April
IL. 1865, when John wilkes Booth, the insane
actor. mortally wounded the martyr President.
Hs had accompanied there IN the presidential
party his fiancee, Miss Clara II. Hank, daugh.
tsr a IN Harris, United States Senator from
New York from 1861 to 1851, and IN attempt
ing to hold the assassin was severely cut on
ths ann With . long knife. After their mar
ffage the Rathbones resided 1t . lafayette
square, and II is probable thae Representative
Rathhons was born there, within sight of the
White House. HI grandfather. Senator Har.
Es. resided as the corner q fifteenth and II
afxoe&s where II now the Woodward Buflding