Evening star., 1946-01-27
Capital Sidelights
BIZ Will p. Kennedy.

By Will P. Kennedy.
Representative Charles Clifford of
Massachusetts recalls that he heard
many years ago that during the Revo-
luton, Mrs. Washington lived with the
Commander in Chief in camp, and that
replica Of the Washington quarters
was later constructed in Paris. Research
shows that this anecdote is correct. 1t
was at Newburgh. N. Y, when WASH
ngton had his headquarters in a
famous stone house built by Col. Has
brouck in 1850, during one of the most
interesting periods of, the war and at
its close. Mrs. Washington was there
a great part Of the time, as were wives
OF other officers, and she cultivated a
garden In front of the mansion The
owners parlor was used by Washington
as a dining room in which he enter
tanned officers of the Continental Army
and many eminent civilians. Half
century later, counterfeit of that room
was produced in Paris when the aged
Count de Marbois, who had been Sec
retary to the first French Legation in
this country, invited Lafayette, shortly
before his death, and the American
Minister to banquet. Ushered into a
room resembling a Dutch or Belgian
kitchen, with huge fireplace and rough
beamed ceiling, they found frugal meal
spread on rough table, but with silver
goblets. The count asked. do you know
where we are now?" Lafayette ex-
claimed: "Ah! The seven doors and the
single window, the silver camp goblets
such as the marshals of France used in
my youth. We are at Washingtons
headquarters on the Hudson, so years
ago!" 1t was at a desk in a small
adjoining room that Washington in
May, 1882, wrote the letter declining
the crown some of his field officers had
planned to confer upon him.
Maj Elizur Yale Smith, executive
secretary of the Bill of Rights Com
memorative Society, scion of a noble
race Of educators at Yale, Princeton,
ETC., traces our fundamental law back
to the Compact signed in the cabin
O.J
1920. In 1886 the Plymouth Colony
adopted body of laws called the Gen.
eral Fundamentals, which was a FORE
runner of our present Bill of Rights
The United Colonies of New England
was the harbinger of Benjamin Frank
Colonies, which he proposed at Con-
gress held in Albany in 1854, and was
prelude to the plan of union adopted
at the Stamp Act Congress held in the
City Hall of New York in l765, insti-
gated by James Otis, native of West
Barnstable. That Congress, in turn,
was precursor of the United Colonies
of North America, which, in 1776, be-
came the United States of America.
The present discussion over plans for
White House extensions reminds old
timers of an amusing episode in the
House As years ago, when President
Theodore Roosevelt, soon after he took
Office, had extensive Improvements
made in the Executive Mansion. The
n,
when Uncle Joe" Cannon, then chair
man of the Appropriations Committee,
had explained that it would cost about
$4,000. But Teddy" Roosevelt took
the bit in his teeth and went ahead with
a much more ambitious scheme to cost
s650,000. When Mr.. Cannon reported a
deficiency appropriation bill to cover the
expenditure sensational debate start
ed. At its height, Representative John
Wesley Gaines of Tennessee mentioned
that sideboard presented to Mrs
Rutherford B. Hayes by the WCTU, as
a testimonial for her prohibition OF
liquors at the White House table, had
been sold at public auction and was then
in an Avenue saloon dispensing whisky
The House was in uproar and there was
prospect that the bill would be de-
feated by anti-Roosevelt Republicans
and those fearful of offending the tenn
perance forces Uncle Joe'' then arose
and soiemnly stated: 1--WE are told that
good Abigail Adams was won't to hang
the White House wash in the east room,'
then demanded: What has become of
the clothes line?" AS the roar of
laughter subsidized he quickly demanded
a vote and the item was passed without
. division.