Evening star., 1951-06-10

to enforce it from the time it
passed upon the subject. How
ever, there must have been some
who did not take kindly to this
for we are told that
when Capt. Marryat, the English
novelist, visited the Capitol res
taurant in 1888 he noted in his
diary that when one "asks for
pale sherry they hand you gin;
brown sherry, and it is brandy;
Madeira whisky"
TotoI Abstinence Society
Judging by the lack Of results
achieved by the American Con-
gressional Temperance Society.
which sought rather to limit or
curb the liquor traffic than to pre-
vent its use entirely, step fur
ther was taken in 1912. resulting
in the forming of the Congress
sional Total Abstinence Society,
and the sale of all kinds Of in
toxicating liquor was little later
prohibited in the Capitol, while
the Treasury clerks even included
in their pledge the total abstinence
clause, as did other partly dry"
temperance bodies.
Indeed, it is not difficult to re-
call when it was not an infrequent
occurrence for members of the
Senate when fatigued from hold
ing the floor for long hours to
have brought to their desks cup
of tea" which they would sip
from time to time until it was
gone, when the page would bring
in another one. This "tea," ac-
cording to the knowing ones-so it
was averred at the time-was
nothing other than just plain
whisky. But, after all, we must
admit that they did make
some mighty good speeches in
Congress during that period.
Upon the question of partial or
total abstinence there was early
manifested a decided difference
of opinion, so much so, indeed,
that in 1841 a split occurred in
the Catholic Total Abstinence So
ciety, causing George Savage and
his followers to withdraw from
that organization and to form
soon afterward the Freemen's
Vigilant Total Abstinence Society.
Demonstrating that it sometimes
pays to separate when you cannot
agree, we find that both organiza-
tions afterward did so we'll that
the older one soon had mem
bership of something like 2,000
names on its rolls, while the new
society more than held it's own by
securing signers to the pledge to
the extent of 1900.
Needed q HolI
For the better conduct of its
affairs and for the purpose Of
holding its meeting the Freemen's
Society was badly in need of a
hall Of its own and the cry for
help was not listened to in vain,
for it was heard by Gen. John
P. Van Ness, who had married
many years before Marcia, the
heiress and the beautiful daugh-
ter of David Burnes, who had
died in 1882, leaving him a
widower.
Van Ness had served the city
as its Mayor from 1880 to 1888,
and while his life was nearing its
end, yet he still had a keen in
terest for the welfare of his
adopted city.
The general advised the commit
tee that he would present them for
the purpose indicated lot On
the south side of E street between
Ninth and Tenth streets NV,
with the proviso that the title
would not pass until $500 had
been expended on the proposed
improvements.
That same year-1843-the cor
Inerstone of the building was laid,
and four years later it was ready
flor use, and for many years there
after it was used for the purpose
,Ifor which it was erected. Its
main hall was also available for
Entertainments of various kinds,
i. and here even the celebrated
!; Charles Dickens gave one or more
: |of his interesting readings while
visiting this country.
| This building, known as Tenn
lperance Hall, stood for many
,Iyears at 914 E street, and from up
!, at the top could be seen the words
!; "Marini's Hall" and the date
, 1876" which evidently is the
year that Prof. Louis G. Marini,
!, a celebrated dancing instructor Of
his day, moved into the building.
where he lived and conducted his
!, dancing school, and many an old
timer will recall the Soirees he
attended there around so or 20
tyears and more ago.