A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James MadisonJennings, Paul
History
A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison
Jennings, Paul
Madison, James, 1751-1836
Mrs. Madison slept that night at Mrs. Love's, two or three miles over
the river. After leaving that place she called in at a house, and went
up stairs. The lady of the house learning who she was, became furious,
and went to the stairs and screamed out, "Miss Madison! if that's you,
come down and go out! Your husband has got mine out fighting, and d--
you, you shan't stay in my house; so get out!" Mrs. Madison complied,
and went to Mrs. Minor's, a few miles further, where she stayed a day or
two, and then returned to Washington, where she found Mr. Madison at her
brother-in-law's, Richard Cutts, on F street. All the facts about Mrs.
M. I learned from her servant Sukey. We moved into the house of Colonel
John B. Taylor, corner of 18th street and New York Avenue, where we
lived till the news of peace arrived.
In two or three weeks after we returned, Congress met in extra session,
at Blodgett's old shell of a house on 7th street (where the General
Post-office now stands). It was three stories high, and had been used
for a theatre, a tavern, an Irish boarding house, &c.; but both Houses
of Congress managed to get along in it very well, notwithstanding it had
to accommodate the Patent-office, City and General Post-office,
committee-rooms, and what was left of the Congressional Library, at the
same time. Things are very different now.
The next summer, Mr. John Law, a large property-holder about the
Capitol, fearing it would not be rebuilt, got up a subscription and
built a large brick building (now called the Old Capitol, where the
secesh prisoners are confined), and offered it to Congress for their
use, till the Capitol could be rebuilt. This coaxed them back, though
strong efforts were made to remove the seat of government north; but the
southern members kept it here.
It has often been stated in print, that when Mrs. Madison escaped from
the White House, she cut out from the frame the large portrait of
Washington (now in one of the parlors there), and carried it off. This
is totally false. She had no time for doing it. It would have required a
ladder to get it down. All she carried off was the silver in her
reticule, as the British were thought to be but a few squares off, and
were expected every moment. John Susé (a Frenchman, then door-keeper,
and still living) and Magraw, the President's gardener, took it down and
sent it off on a wagon, with some large silver urns and such other
valuables as could be hastily got hold of. When the British did arrive,
they ate up the very dinner, and drank the wines, &c., that I had
prepared for the President's party.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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