Dorothy Payne, Quakeress Part 9

[Footnote 51: From the Ferdinand J. Dreer collection at Pennsylvania Historical Society.]

[Footnote 52: Original owned by Mrs. Eugenia W. M. Brown, Was.h.i.+ngton, D.

C., great-granddaughter of George Steptoe and Lucy Was.h.i.+ngton.]

[Footnote 53: William Cobbett (Peter Porcupine), 1762-1835, was an English political writer. In 1792 he came to America and supported himself for a time teaching English to French emigrants. Talleyrand was one of his pupils. He settled in Philadelphia and began his political writing. Was at first a keen Tory. Stung by the disparaging criticisms of his mother country, he lashed American democracy and French republicanism with coa.r.s.e and bitter personal scorn. Was twice prosecuted for libel. He left America in June, 1800. In England he started, in January, 1802, his famous "Weekly Political Register," which was continued until his death. At first Tory, it became the determined opponent of the government. He had no refinement of thought, but in matters of common sense exhibited a vigor surpa.s.sing any other writer of his day.--From "International Encyclopedia."

A caricature of him as Peter Porcupine is published in Scharf's "History of Philadelphia," page 498. Dr. Benjamin Rush had a "pet" treatment for the yellow fever in 1793. Cobbett declared that it was the giving of copious mercurial purges and bleeding five or six times a day. He made it the talk of Philadelphia. In 1797 the "Peter Porcupine Gazette" was published, and he opposed it (the Rush treatment) by squibs, puns, epigrams, and quotations from "Gil Blas." Driven to desperation, Dr.

Rush brought suit for libel. It was decided against Cobbett by Chief Justice McKean, whose election as governor he had bitterly opposed. His goods were seized, but did not suffice to pay his debts. He went to New York and published the "Rushlight," abusing Rush, McKean, s.h.i.+ppen and Hopkinson, and others, and ended by consigning all Philadelphians to perdition. He then sailed for England.--Scharf's "History of Philadelphia."]

[Footnote 54: April 20th, 1798, B. H. Latrobe says in his journal: "As far as I did observe, I could see no difference between Philadelphian and English manners. The same style of living, the same opinions as to fas.h.i.+ons, tastes, comforts and accomplishments. Political fanaticism was, during my residence in Philadelphia, at its acme.... To be civilly received by the fas.h.i.+onable people, and to be invited to the President's, it is necessary to visit the British Amba.s.sador. To be on terms with Chevalier D'Yrujo, or General Kosciusko even, is to be a marked democrat, unfit for the company of the lovers of order and good government. This I saw. Many of my Virginia friends say I must be mistaken.

"I boarded at Francis's Hotel. It is a much cheaper house than any I have been at in the Virginia towns. For breakfast, dinner, tea and supper, exclusive of liquors and fire, you pay $8 a week. At the Virginian House, 7/6 per day, or $8.75, exclusive of liquors, tea, supper and fire."--B. H. Latrobe's journal.

Eleven years later, B. H. Latrobe gives the expense of going to Philadelphia from Richmond, as follows:

Stage to Fredericsburg $3.50 Stage to Georgetown 3.50 Stage to Baltimore 4.75 Mail to Philadelphia 8.00 Heavy stage to Philadelphia $5.00 ----- ------ $16.75 $19.75

Breakfast, 2/6, --3/- $0.50 Dinner, 6/- 1.00 Bed and supper, 4/6- .75 ------ $2.25 ------ Five days $11.25 Stage $19.75 Expenses 11.25 ------ Total $31.00]

[Footnote 55: The original of this letter is owned by Lucy Tyson Fitzhugh.]

[Footnote 56: Robert Fulton was married in the spring of 1808 to Harriet, daughter of Walter and Cornelia Schuyler Livingstone, of Clermont-on-the-Hudson. His first steamboat was named for the Livingstone place.]

[Footnote 57: Such notes as the following were frequently sent: "Thomas Jefferson begs that either Mrs. Madison or Miss Payne will dine with him to-day," etc.]

[Footnote 58: Montpellier (Madison always spelled it with ll) is now owned by William du Pont, of Wilmington, Del. The interior has been remodeled. The two wings, formerly one story, have had two stories added. The family graveyard is fenced and in fair condition. The estate formerly consisted of 2,500 acres.]

[Footnote 59: Mt. Vernon was willed by George Was.h.i.+ngton to his nephew, Judge Bushrod Was.h.i.+ngton (Judge of the Supreme Court, then meeting in Philadelphia). Judge Was.h.i.+ngton had no children, and he in turn willed it to his only brother's eldest son, John A. Was.h.i.+ngton. Lucy Was.h.i.+ngton Todd was visiting these cousins at the time the letter was written.]

[Footnote 60: Jacob Barker was one of the remarkable men of that period.

He was born in Maine in 1779 of Quaker parentage, and he himself remained a Quaker during his lifetime. He was largely interested in commerce, a s.h.i.+p-owner and a banker, and the government was greatly indebted to him for financial aid during the War of 1812. In the year 1861 he was still a banker, aged 89, but then living in New Orleans. The above story was certified as correct by him at this date.]

[Footnote 61: Elizabeth McKean.]

[Footnote 62: Much ridicule was heaped on the President, who, as Commander-in-chief, with his Cabinet, was watching the battle, and his orders given as--

"Fly, Monroe, fly! Run, Armstrong, run!

Were the last words of Madison!"

Nor was Dolly exempt. Her departure from Was.h.i.+ngton was described in the jingle beginning--

"Sister Cutts, and Cutts and I And Cutts's children three, Will fill the coach--and you must ride On horseback after we."]

[Footnote 63: Dr. William Thornton, the architect of the Octagon House, was born of Quaker parents in the West Indies, May 27th, 1761. He came to Was.h.i.+ngton in 1793, and was the right-hand man of the commissioners in the early history of Was.h.i.+ngton. He died there in 1828. He was also the architect of Tudor Place and of the United States Capitol. His works give him sufficient praise.

"The Capitol in the federal city, though faulty in detail, is one of the finest designs of modern times."--B. H. Latrobe's Journal.

After leaving the Octagon House, the Madisons moved to the corner of H Street, Pennsylvania Avenue and Nineteenth Street, N. W., where they lived during the remainder of Madison's term in office. The White House was not again ready for occupancy until Monroe became President.]

[Decoration]

CHAPTER IV.

LATER YEARS.

Harriet Martineau has given us a pleasant picture of Montpellier, and life there in 1835.

"It was a sweet day of early spring. The patches of snow that were left under the fences and on the rising grounds were melting fast.

The road was one continued slough up to the very portico of the house. The dwelling stands on a gentle eminence, and is neat and even handsome in exterior, with a flight of steps leading up to the portico.

"A lawn and wood which must be pleasant in the summer stretches behind, and from the front there is a n.o.ble object on the horizon,--the mountain chain which traverses the state, and makes it eminent for its scenery. The s.h.i.+fting lights upon these blue mountains were a delightful refreshment to the eye, after so many weeks of city life as we had pa.s.sed.

"We were warmly welcomed by Mrs. Madison, and a niece, a young lady who was on a visit to her."

Mr. Madison discussed many subjects of mutual interest with Harriet Martineau during her two days' visit, and she afterwards wrote: "He appeared perfectly well during my visit, and was a wonderful man of eighty-three."

Of the second day of her visit she writes:

"The whole of this day was spent like the last, except that we went over the house looking at the busts and prints, which gave an English air to the dwelling, which was otherwise wholly Virginian.

During all our conversations one or another slave was perpetually coming to Mrs. Madison for the great bunch of keys; two or three more lounged about in the house, leaning against the door-posts or the corner of the sofa; and the attendance of others was no less indefatigable in my own apartments."

Harriet Martineau was much interested in slavery, and in discussing the subject with Madison he told her that all the bad she had heard about it was true, and he was "in despair in regard to slavery." As long as he was able he always superintended his own slaves, and had no overseer, and they were always well cared for. Another visitor at Montpellier had been greatly surprised to see the women, neatly dressed in bright calicoes, going to church; and when a shower came, to see the dozen umbrellas that were raised.

Madison, in speaking of the appalling increase in their numbers, said that "one-third of his were under five years of age" (he had over one hundred), and that he had recently been obliged to sell part of his best land to support them, and also to sell some of his slaves. It does not seem to have occurred to him to free them, as both Was.h.i.+ngton and Jefferson had done by will.

Montpellier and most of the slaves were afterwards sold to pay the debts of Dolly's dissolute son.

Paul Jennings, Madison's faithful servant, bought his freedom from Dolly, and afterwards lived with Daniel Webster.

At the time of Dolly's death[64] her negro slaves were valued at two thousand dollars.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Dolly Madison in later years.

From Water-color by Mary Estelle Cutts.

Courtesy of Miss Lucia B. Cutts.]

Madison was much interested in the Colonization Society. Of the National Society, founded in 1817, Bushrod Was.h.i.+ngton was president. Afterward there was a State Colonization Society of Virginia organized, and of it John Marshall was president, and its vice-presidents were James Madison, James Monroe, James Pleasants, John Tyler, Hugh Nelson and others. These men all recognized the fact that "slavery proved the spring of woes innumerable," and hindered progress in the south.

Of Dolly, Harriet Martineau said:

"She is a strong-minded woman, fully capable of entering into her husband's occupations and cares, and there is little doubt that he owed much to her intellectual companions.h.i.+p, as well as to her ability in sustaining the outward dignity of his office. When I was her guest she was in excellent health and lively spirits, and I trust that, though she has lost the one great object of her life, she may yet find interests enough to occupy and cheer many years of honored age."

James Madison had died shortly after this visit on June 28, 1836.