Library of Congress Recollection of men and things at Washington, during the third of a century. RECOLLECTION OF MEN AND THINGS AT WASHINGTON, DURING THE THIRD OF A CENTURY. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 1873 CITY OF WASHINGTON BY L. A. GOBRIGHT. LC PHILADELPHIA: CLAXTON, REMSEN & HAFFELFINGER, WASHINGTON: W. H & O. H. MORRISON. 1869. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by L. A. GOBRIGHT, In the Clerk's Office of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. J. FAGAN & SON, STEREOTYPE FOUNDERS, PHILADELPHIA. Printed By Moore Brothers. LC iii INTRODUCTION. THE undersigned has resided in the city of Washington for more than the third of a century. Owing to his continuous connection with the press, either as editor, or Recollection of men and things at Washington, during the third of a century. http://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbcb.28014 Library of Congress correspondent and Congressional reporter, he was a witness of many of the things related in this book. He is aware there are omissions of not a few interesting facts; but to carefully prepare them would require more time than he could spare from his regular business pursuits, and to print them would extend this work beyond the limits of a single volume. When the author first came to this city, the travel between Baltimore and Washington was by stage, the journey occupying all the hours from the rising to the setting of the sun of the longest summer-day. But toward the close of that year—1834—the railroad connecting the two cities was completed. iv The population of Washington was then about thirty thousand; now, it is at least one hundred and ten thousand souls. With the increase of inhabitants, there have been not only such improvements as their necessities required, but those which the increasing business of the General Government demanded; therefore, we can all point with pride to our grand public buildings, while the permanent dwellers in Washington can congratulate themselves that the designation of “the city of magnificent distances” will soon be no longer applicable to this locality. L. A. GOBRIGHT. Washington, Dec., 1868. v CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. Jackson's Administration—The Panic Session—The Political Furnace— Fondness for Talking—Exhibitions of Violence—Reuben M. Whitney—How he was Treated by Bailie Peyton and Henry A. Wise—Harmless Duels—“Honorables”—Fisticuffs in the “Bear Garden”—The Attempt to shoot Jackson—A Printers' College—Printers' Riot Recollection of men and things at Washington, during the third of a century. http://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbcb.28014 Library of Congress —Rat-Killing!—Pulling Jackson's Nose—Earthquake—A few Words about the “Old Hero,” 13 CHAPTER II. Inauguration of Martin Van Buren—The Cabinet—Extra Session of Congress—Elections in the House—Viva Voce, Why Established—Secretary Woodbury and the Agent of the State Deposit Banks—The Big Cheese—Political Bitterness— An Instance—Insult to Speaker Polk—The Cilley Duel—An “Honorable” Proposition to Shorten the Distance between the Combatants—A Fair Fight—Condemnation of Duelling—Anti-Duelling Law—Excitement of the Political Campaign—Modes of Warfare— Whig Triumph—Manners of Mr. Van Buren—How he received the News of his Defeat— Anecdote of Mr. Clay, 26 vi CHAPTER III. General Harrison's Administration—Particulars attending his Arrival at Washington—His Appearance—The Inauguration—Incidents in that Connection—The “Truthful Remark of a Roman Consul”—Pressure for Office—Exciting Occurrence in the United States Senate—A Challenge—Clay and King—Their Quarrel—The Reconciliation —Magnanimity Applauded—The Death of Harrison—Anecdote of Webster and Colonel Chambers—Martin Renehan and President Harrison—Wit and Friendship, etc. 39 CHAPTER IV. Succession of John Tyler—The Cabinet—The Political Defection—Clay's War-Blast—Tyler's Complaints—John M. Botts's Impeachment Articles—“Head him, or Die”—“The Daily Madisonian”—John B. Jones, not of “The War Office”—Insults to the President—The Auxiliary Guard—Dangers Ahead—Annexation of Texas proposed by Treaty, and rejected—Another Appeal to the Duello—The “Flash in the Pan!”—The Explosion on Board the Princeton—Tyler's Political Prospects—Douglas and Wentworth's Promises—An Infernal Machine—The Invalid Telescope—An Anecdote—Mr. Webster and Martin Renehan, etc. 54 Recollection of men and things at Washington, during the third of a century. http://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbcb.28014 Library of Congress CHAPTER V. President Polk's Inauguration—Some Things about it—The Cabinet— Repudiation of Blair & Rives as the Official Organ—The Succession of Thomas Ritchie to that Instrument—The Oregon Question—The Back-Down—Senatorial Indignation— The Great Sausage Excitement—“Richelieu” and the Hon. William Sawyer—The “Last Link Broken”—Suicide of Commodore Crane—A Curious vii Trial—The Mexican Question —Annexation of Texas—Scott's Troubles and Triumphs—An Extraordinary Expedient— Santa Aria—The War with Mexico—Peace—A Newspaper Correspondent in “Contempt”— Private Character of Polk—Mrs. Polk—The Mysterious Box—Mr. Clay and the Cry of “Buffalo”—Showing the Horns—A Slavery Excitement—Attempt to Mob the Office of the National Era, an Anti-Slavery Journal—The Subject in and out of Congress—How it ended —Death of John Quincy Adams, 69 CHAPTER VI. The Inauguration of General Taylor—The Cabinet—Receptions—A Blunder—Anecdote of Mrs. Madison and Mr. Clay—Death of Mrs. Madison—Political and Sectional Troubles—Election of Speaker—Toombs on the Rampage—A Dissolution of the Union!—The Compromise Measures—Washington's Coffin—Death of Mr. Calhoun —Laying of the Corner-Stone of the Washington National Monument—Death of Zachary Taylor—Cholera Medicine—Anecdote—Succession of Mr. Fillmore, 97 CHAPTER VII. Mr. Fillmore takes the Oath of Office—Continuation of the Political Troubles—The Nashville Convention—Establishment of a “Southern Press”—The Compromise—Peace—The Great Pistol Scene in the Senate—The Particulars of the Quarrel between Foote and Benton—The Laying of the Corner-Stone of the Addition to the Capitol—Mr. Webster's Great Oration—Mr. Fillmore's Organ—Reception of Kossuth— Grand Dinner—Death of Henry Clay—Death of Mr. Webster—Conviction and Suicide of Dr. Charles John Gardner—Cabinet Changes, etc., 110 viii CHAPTER VIII. Accession of Franklin Pierce—The Death of his only Child—Illness and Decease of Vice-President King—The Inauguration of the President—Kansas and Recollection of men and things at Washington, during the third of a century. http://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbcb.28014 Library of Congress Nebraska—Repeal of the Missouri Compromise—Fresh Political Troubles in Consequence —A Glance at the Legislative Proceedings—Exciting Times—Personalities—Breckinridge and Cutting—A Challenge—The Tobacco Sedative—Pierce's Proclamation—Passage of the Army Bill—An Interesting Scene in the House—Incendiaries—Churchwell and Cullum —A Pistol Exhibition—Proposition for an Armory in the Rotunda, etc., 132 CHAPTER IX. The Assault of Brooks on Sumner—The Particulars—What Senator Butler (Brooks's Uncle) said—Burlingame and Brooks—The Challenge—Brooks in Court, and what was done by Way of Punishment for the Offence—Proceedings in Congress on the Subject of the Assault—Return of Senator Sumner from Abroad—Mr. Herbert, Congressman, kills an Irish Waiter—Privileges of Foreign Ministers—A Wafer Scene between Mr. John Sherman and Mr. Wright, etc., 148 CHAPTER X. Mr. Buchanan's Arrival—The Inauguration—The Cabinet—A Glance at the Kansas Question—Engineering through the Lecompton Constitution—The Condition of Parties—An Offer Rejected—Buchanan's Denial of the Truth of a Telegram, which was afterward Verified—An Anecdote about Buchanan—“Petticoat Government”— The President's Kansas Message—Fight between Keitt and Grow—A Scene between Jefferson Davis and Fessenden—“Who's Afraid”—Removal to the New Senate Chamber —Speeches of Mr. Crittenden and Vice-President Breckinridge, 166 ix CHAPTER XI. Death of Colonel Benton—The Atlantic Telegraph—The Cabinet's Talk upon the Subject—The President's Answer to Queen Victoria's Message—The Killing of Philip Barton Key—The Pryor and Potter Difficulty—“Bowie-Knives, Barbarous Weapons”—Governor Walker and Judge Black—A Challenge—Visit of the Prince of Wales—Contrivances and Plans for Annexing Cuba, etc., 188 CHAPTER XII. John Brown's Raid—The Particulars—His Execution—Senatorial Investigation into the Facts—Presidential Election—Anxiety of the Cabinet to hear the Recollection of men and things at Washington, during the third of a century. http://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbcb.28014 Library of Congress Result—Jefferson Davis a False Prophet—A Scene at the White House—Samuel F. Glen there—His Telegram—Disgust of the President, etc., 202 CHAPTER XIII. The New Session of Congress—A Firebrand thrown among the Members —“The Helper Book,” the “Impending Crisis”—The Great Contest for the Speakership— John B. Haskin and Horace F. Clark—Another Pistol Scene—An Exciting Debate between Senators Douglas, Green, and Jefferson Davis. 218 CHAPTER XIV. The Events of December, 1860—Secession Inaugurated—New Cabinet Appointments in Place of the Retiring Members—Peace Convention—Compromise Measures—Mr. Lincoln formally accepts the Presidency—Stirring Debate on the Volunteer Bill—The “Irrepressible Conflict”—Close of the Memorable Congress, etc., 247 x CHAPTER XV. Arrival of Mr. Lincoln—His Call on President Buchanan—Exposition of his Views—The Inauguration—Lieutenant-General Scott—Precautionary Measures—Taking Possession of the White House—The Cabinet—The Inaugural—Extraordinary Session of the Senate—Interesting Discussion as to the Meaning of the Inaugural, etc., 285 CHAPTER XVI. First Public Reception at the White House—Military Guards—The New Institution, the Press Censorship—Humors of the Censor—How the “Great” Men acted— Death of Douglas—Major-General McClellan and the Newspaper Men, etc., 311 CHAPTER XVII. Flag-Raising—President Lincoln's Speech—Cheers to my Hat—An Organ-grinding Spy—How he Deceived the President— Mr.