History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 18

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, 1700-1800.

when the latter was taken prisoner by the Austrians, came to Philadelphia with his tutor, M. Frestell. Washington was deeply moved by the misfortunes of his friend and companion in arms, but he would not, in the then condition of political affairs, allow the son to be brought too prominently before the public. The youth continued quietly his studies, the Presi- dent seeing that he lacked nothing. But when Wash- ington ceased to be the President of the United States, he was no longer hindered by reasons of state from showing his affection for the son of Lafayette. He took the young man with him to Mount Vernon, and lavished upon him, until his departure for France, all the attentions and- care of a loving father.

" Misfortune makes strange bed-fellows," says the proverb. Philadelphia, in those days, gave shelter to Frenchmen of various conditions of life, and whose future was to show still greater disparity. In the same year, 1796, there arrived a scion of royal blood, the young Duke of Orleans, who, thirty-four years later, was to .be known as " Lonis Philippe ler Roi des Français." His father, " Philippe Égalité," had dishonored himself, adopting the part of a fierce Ja- cobin, and casting the vilest insinuations on the fair name of his own mother. Then destroyed by the very wretches whose favor he had courted, he had perished by the guillotine. The eldest of three sons, young Louis Philippe, had joined the French army, and sought to retrieve the paternal disgrace by deeds of valor; but his services did not shield him from persecution. Exile was his reward. He went to Switzerland, where he taught school. Gouverneur Morris induced him to go to the United States, and even gave him letters of credit on New York bankers ; but the young prince possessed the true dignity of misfortune, and would not avail himself of Mr. Mor- ris' generosity. In Philadelphia he was known to be in very straitened circumstances, but he moved in the best society and was universally respected. He became intimate with Mr. William Bingham's family, and, smitten with the charms of one of the daughters, made her an offer of marriage. The prudent father declined the royal alliance: "Should you ever be re- stored to your hereditary position," he said, "you will be too great a match for her; if not, she is too great a match for you." Thus, a Philadelphia belle narrowly escaped ascending the throne of France, or, perhaps, giving the world another edition of the Pat- terson-Bonaparte case.

In 1797 the duke's brothers, Duke de Montpensier and Count de Beaujolais, joined him in Philadelphia. It seems that they engaged in business, for the City Directory for 1798 has on its register, "D'Orleans, Messrs., merchants, near No. 100 South Front." A short time after this they left Philadelphia. The year before they had done what was considered a hazardous undertaking, viz., making a tour through the West and South on horseback, and attended by a single servant. Louis Philippe, after he became king,

adverted freely to his days of exile. He startled a foreign ambassador very much one day by beginning a remark with the words, "When I was a school- master." He used to say that he was the first king who had "cleaned his own shoes."

Constantin François Chasseboeuf, Count De Vol- ney, French author and free-thinker, exiled from France after confinement by Robespierre, came to the United States in 1795, and remained in the country three years. Before his arrival he had pub- lished at Geneva his celebrated work, " Les Ruines, | on Medidations sur les Revolutions des Empires." Stuart painted his portrait while he was in Philadel- phia. Samuel Breck said,-

" Volney I knew well. (Note that I was upward of twenty-five years old in those days.) He was a man, as I have said elsewhere, of prond spirit and sour temper, jealene of the least appearance of slight, pre- suming much en his celebrity as a writer, and who judged ne in terms of bitterness and fully. He had the arrogance to assert that the talents of Washington would not have raised him above the rank of a colonel in the French service. He pronennced as flippantly upon the spirit of our people, which he did not at all understand, as he did upon the qual- ifications of Washington. Happening to be in conversation one evening with him, in a richly-furnished room, when the news arrived of the Algerines having declared war, he pointed to the silk curtains, and remarked to me that since we had taken to decorate our houses with the rich trappings of European Inxnry, we must submit to any foe who chose to attack ns, and that the Moers had nothing to do but to sail into our harbers and put ns nnder contribution, adding that the revolu- tionary courage of the people had become enervated by fine-papered parlers and satin chairs. This is the way we were judged by nearly every superficial, prejudiced foreigner."

In the year 1796 there came to Philadelphia Dr. Eric Bollman, who had acquired some celebrity by his bold but unsuccessful attempt to liberate Gen. La- fayette from an Austrian prison in 1795. The name of Lafayette, ever dear to the Americans, insured the doctor a hearty welcome, but he does not seem to have created a very favorable impression here. John Adams, in a letter to his danghter, expressed the fol- lowing severe opinion of the stranger : "With an ex- travagant character for knowledge and capacity, he appears to be an adventurer with little judgment or solicitude."

Hamilton thought more favorably of Dr. Bollman. He wrote of him to Washington, " He appears to have been induced to think that he attempted a service which would strongly recommend him to the favor of the people of this country; and, as a con- sequence, he hopes for some civil employment under our government. He seems to be a man of educa- tion, speaks several languages, converses sensibly, is of polite manners, and, 1 dare say, has the material of future advancement."

Bollman remained in the United States for many years.

Thaddeus Kosciusko, another of those gallant for- eigners who had fought for American independence, returned to this country in 1797. The life of this celebrated Polish patriot since the Revolutionary war had been most eventful. Taking an active part in the last struggle of Poland for liberty, between

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1789 and 1794, he was Dictator of that unfortunate country when he fell, covered with wounds, at the battle of Maciejowice. He was taken prisoner, and remained two years a captive. Congress had given him a pension and added a grant of land. Kosci- usko's character was without blemish ; his bravery in the field and skill as an engineer had won him dis- tinetion in the American army. De Liancourt speaks highly of him in his book on the United States.

With Kosciusko came another Polish patriot, who had been his companion in arms and in captivity, the poet Julian Ursin Nicmeiewicz. He had been a deputy of the Diet of Lithuania, where the fervor of his eloquence fired all hearts. Niemciewicz was a very amiable man as well as a gifted poet. He won the heart of an American lady, married her, and lived several years in the United States.

André Michaux and his son, François André, both eminent French botanists, visited Philadelphia in 1796. François André Michaux came again, alone, in 1802, commissioned by the French government to examine the natural productions of the Western States. Hle made a third visit in 1806. Michanx, the younger, acquired great tame as a botanist. Be- sides his works upon forest trees, in which he speaks of America, he published " A Journey to the West of the Allegheny Mountains," in which appear several notices of Philadelphia. The book was originally published at London, in 1805.

France, naturally, since she was the ally of the re- volted colonies, was the first power which sent a rep- resentative to the United States. Her first ambassador, Monsieur Gerard, was a polished gentleman, of excel- lent manners and much ability. He made many friends in Philadelphia, although he did not remain very long here. Washington held him in great esteem. Watson relates, npon the authority of Col. McLane, who was among the guests, that Monsieur Gerard gave once an elegant dinner to about one hundred French and American officers, and while they were dining there arose a violent thunder-storm. The lightning struck the house and melted all the silver spoons and other plate upon the table, One of the French officers was killed and all the company stunned by the fearful shock,

The Chevalier de la Luzerne succeeded Monsieur Gerard. He occupied Carpenter's mansion, and it was there he gave the entertainment in honor of the birth of the Dauphin of France, already mentioned. It was for the time a scene of magnificence unprece- dented. " The whole gardens were gorgeously illu- minated, and the guests were seen by the crowd from the street under an illuminated arcade of fanciful construction and scenery" The file ended with a splendid display of fire-works. De la Luzerne hnd the honor of presenting to Congress the pictures of Louis XVI. and his unfortunate consort, Maric An- tomette, sent by the king in testimonial of friendship. These portraits were placed in the large committee-

room of the Senate. They were subsequently taken to Washington City when the seat of government was removed there, and were burned by the English in the war of 1812.

When France ceased to support a full minister to the United States, M. Barbe de Marbois, who had come with De la Luzerne as his secretary of legation, took charge of the office. When Congress removed to New York M. de Marbois went to that city, and a short time after married a daughter of William Moore, at one time president of Pennsylvania. She was a sister of Col. Thomas Lloyd Moore. Appointed intendant of Hispaniola in 1785, M. de Marbois left New York and was succeeded as charge d'affaires by Louis William Otto. The latter was superseded by the Marquis de Moustier in 1787, but resumed the office after the recall of the marquis, and was holding it when Congress returned to Philadelphia in 1790. M. de la Forrest was vice-consul-general. Upon the advent of the Robespierre faction to power, the troublesome citizen Genet arrived as ambassador. Ile behaved with so little prudence, or indeed pro- priety, that Washington demanded his recall, and citizen Fauchet was sent in his place. He lived at the corner of Twelfth and High Streets. M. de la Forrest again filled the office of vice-consul, which had been given to citizen Dupont during Genet's short term. Citizen Adet in 1795, and citizen Le- tombe in 1797, were the next consul-generals. The difficulties between the United States and France caused the withdrawal of the latter's representative until friendly relations were resnmed.

The country next earliest represented was Spain. Her first ambassador, Don Juan de Mirailles, died during the Revolution. Don Joseph de Viar came as chargé d'affaires in 1790. In 1793 this gentleman and Don José de Jaudennes were commissioners from Spain. Jaudennes was subsequently superseded by Don Carlos Martinez, Marques de Yrujo. Washing- ton wrote to Pickering in relation to the young mar- quis in 1796: " He is a young man, very free and easy in his manners, professes to be well disposed toward the United States, and, as far as judgment can be formed on slight acquaintance, appears to be well informed."

De Yrujo, it has been mentioned elsewhere, mar- ried Miss Sally MeKcan. A son, afterward Marquis of Soto Mayer, was born in Philadelphia. De Yrujo in 1797-98 resided at No. 315 High Street. This was on the north side of the street, between Eighth and Ninth. The house was occupied in 1795 by Pierce Butler, senator from South Carolina. Don Joseph Ignatius de Viar continued to discharge the duties of commissioner or consul-general, and lived during the greater part of this time at the northwestern corner of Fourth and Prune Streets.

The Chevalier de Freire came to Philadelphia as resident minister from Portugal in 1790. He was very wealthy, and his wife, who dressed with much

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elegance, used to appear blazing with diamonds on all great occasions. She was an amiable woman, and became quite intimate with Mrs. Washington. After Franklin's death De Freire rented his house in Franklin Court. He was a resident of Philadel- phia for more than ten years. Ignatins Palyart, No. 208 South Second Street, was consul-general of Por- tugal.

The United Netherlands were represented in 1790- 91 by Francis P. Van Berckel, who was accredited to the American government while it was yet in New York. He resided in 1791 at No. 276 High Street, which was on the south side, between Eighth and Ninth. In 1796 his residence is put in the Di- rectory at No. 258 High Street. He was succeeded in 1796-97 by R. G. Van Polanen, who was minister resident. The latter remained until after 1800. Dur- ing the greater portion of this time the consul-gen- eral from the United Provinces was John H. Christo- pher Heineken, at No. 64 North Third Street.

Charles Helsted was accredited consul-general from Sweden in 1791. He was succeeded by Richard Sod- erstrom, who died in Philadelphia, after many years' residence. In 1800 he was living in Walnut Street, between Seventh and Eighth Streets.

The earliest representative of Prussia at Philadel- phia was John Godfrey Paleske. In 1794 he lived ou Chestnut Street, between Tenth and Eleventh.

In 1790-91 Great Britain accredited Sir John Tem- ple as her consul-general. Dr. Phineas Bond was her consul for Philadelphia. Dr. Bond was a native Philadelphian, a brother of Dr. Thomas Bond. He had always been a Tory, was arrested in 1777, and signed the parole. The government of Great Britain rewarded his loyalty in 1786 by appointing him Brit- ish consul for the Middle States. This appointment led to much heated debate in Congress. It made Dr. Bond consul and "commissioner for commercial affairs," and the latter title was held to confer some of the powers of a minister. He was confirmed as con- sul only. He was living in Philadelphia at the time of the affair between the "Chesapeake" and the " Little Belt." On that occasion a crowd of people marched past Dr. Bond's house and played "The Rogue's March." He remained in the city until hos- tilities commenced between Great Britain and the United States, in 1812, when he was compelled, after a life of many years in his native city, to retire in his old age to England, where he died.

The first minister from Great Britain to the United States was George Hammond, who came here in 1793. He lived three years in Philadelphia, during which time he courted and married one of the daughters of Andrew Allen. He was succeeded, in 1796, by Rob- ert Liston, who remained in Philadelphia until the removal of the seat of government. Mr. Liston was accompanied to Washington by his secretary of lega- tion, Edward Thornton, father of Sir Edward Thorn- ton, British minister to the United States in 1880, and

for some years before. Liston was succeeded as min- ister plenipotentiary in 1803 at Washington by An- thony Merry, who gave way, in 1806, to David M. Erskine. After the close of the war Charles Bagot was British minister from 1815 for five or six years. He gave way to Stratford Canning.

Russia was represented in 1809 by Andrew Dasch- koff, consul-general and chargé d'affaires. He became minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary in 1813, and continued so until 1819. During the war of 1812 he offered the mediation of the emperor of Russia between the governments of the United States and Great Britain. Mr. Daschkoff was exceedingly popular in society. When he left the city in May, 1819, to return to his native country, Poulson's Ad- vertiser, in noticing his departure, said that Mr. Dasch- koff and his lady would "long be remembered for the elegant hospitality which has distinguished their res- idence in this city. Rarely, if ever, has a new for- eigner attracted so large a share of admiration and affection as Madame de Daschkoff." She was repre- sented to be a lady possessing talents of superior order, which were cultivated to perfection, and she was equally distinguished for her personal accomplish- ments and the qualities of her heart. In regard to Mr. Daschkoff, it was said "his own house has been on the most friendly and liberal establishment, and Americans were always received there with peculiar kindness and attention, as many can testify who have passed cheerful and happy hours under his roof."

Mr. Daschkoff's successor was Pierre de Poletica, who had probably been his assistant, for, upon Mr. de Poletica's departure for Europe, in 1822, a public dinner was given to him in Philadelphia, one of the reasons for which was stated to be because he had " lived so long and had been so highly esteemed among us."

Besides those already mentioned, several members of the diplomatic corps married in Philadelphia, testifying thus to the superior charms of our girls and their own good taste. Richard Soderstrom, con- sul-general of Sweden, who lived thirty-two years in America, spent nearly the whole of that period in Philadelphia, where he married and left children. He died in 1815, and was buried in the old Swedish churchyard, in Southwark. Baron de Kantzow was appointed minister resident of Sweden in 1814. Ber- nard Dahlgren was Swedish vice-consul. In 1808 he was married to Miss Martha Rowan, of Philadelphia. He never returned to Europe. He was the ancestor of Admiral John A. Dahlgren, of the United States navy, and of Col. Ulrich Dahlgren, who was killed during an attempted raid on Richmond in 1864.

P. Pederson, chargé d'affaires for Denmark in 1805, was minister resident in 1816, and lived in Philadelphia until 1825. He married a lady of Philadelphia, who died in Europe while on a visit there in 1815. In May, 1820, Mr. Pederson was again married, by Bishop White, to Miss Annie

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Caroline, eldest daughter of William Langdon Smith, of South Carolina.

The new South American republic of Columbia was represented by Don Manuel Torres, minister plenipotentiary, who made West Philadelphia his residence. He died at Hamiltonville in July, 1822, and was honored with a military funeral, on which occasion the Washington Grays and some of the companies of the Washington Guards turned out.

In addition to the persons in the diplomatic ser- vice, there were, at the close of the last century and the beginning of the present, other foreign residents of some distinction. Philadelphia was also visited during those years by many travelers who were dis- tinguished either for eminence attained in their pro- fessions or by reason of their birth. The names of some are of historic interest.

Baron de Brahm (John William Gerard), a German officer of some merit, came to the United States at the end of the century. Ile had quiet tastes, and, charmed with the peaceful aspect of Germantown, he settled there. He married a member of the Society of Friends. The year of his death is not known, but his widow, Mary de Brahm, died in February, 1806. There was another person of almost similar name,- Andreas Everandus von Braam llonchgust,-who had been the Governor of a Dutch East India island. He bought a place on the Delaware, three miles below Bristol, and erected there a costly mansion, to which he gave the name of China Retreat. In later times it has been known as Bristol College.

Another old soldier, Baron Col. Frederick H. de Weissenfels, a native of Prussia, who had served in his own country, then in the British army, and finally in the Continental army, had settled in Philadelphia. He died there in February, 1806.

In the early part of the century there came to Philadelphia a man who soon attained social dis- tinction, while, strange to say, there hung over his origin and antecedents a veil of mystery, never pene- trated even by his most intimate acquaintances. This was Talbot Hamilton, believed by some to be a Scotch- man, by others an Englishman, who first came into notice as a teacher in a country school, the academy at Lower Dublin, from which he resigned in 1802, to take charge of a school in Hamilton village. In 1807 he established a private academy for young ladies back of No. 34 Church Alley, which he directed for about ten years. A man of fine education and ac- knowledged merit, he formed acquaintance with the most cultivated people and moved in the best society. Ilis tastes were artistic, and, having acquired wealth, he accumulated a valuable collection of paintings and a good library. He was a member of the Philo- sophical Society, of the Atheneum, and of the Acad- emy of Fine Arts. He went abroad in 1820, and died at Naples in April of that year. Upon the opening of his will it was found that he had bequeathed his fine collection of paintings to the Academy of Fine

Arts and part of his library to the Athenæum. In noticing his death, Poulson's paper said, "Of his early history nothing is known. In his freest conver- sation an impenetrable veil was thrown over his early career."

Philadelphia had seen French noblemen, the very flower of that aristocracy which, notwithstanding its many faults, was admired for its chivalrous courage and elegance of manner; she had seen the sincere patriot and the demagogue; she had opened her hos- pitable doors to a future king of France; she was now to see some members of that Corsican family whose eldest son, himself sitting on the throne of the Bour- bons, placed brother after brother on the thrones of the countries conquered by his military genius, frail monuments of an insane ambition, which were des- tined to crumble into the dust of oblivion long before the young American republic would attain its full growth or the last of Washington's companions pass away from the face of the earth. Jerome, the young- est of the Bonapartes, whom his brother Napoleon had placed in command of a French frigate, came to Philadelphia in 1803, and lodged at the old Indian Queen Hotel, in Fourth Street. He did not remain very long, and, to all appearance, did not make much impression on the Philadelphia belles, although he was a handsome young fellow, with a soft heart and a softer head. He went to Baltimore, where he was more successful, for he there won the heart and hand of Miss Elizabeth Patterson, the fascinating daughter of William Patterson, merchant. The young couple passed through Philadelphia in 1804, on their way to New York, where they were to embark upon Jerome's frigate, " Le Président." The presence of some English cruisers off Sandy Hook making the voyage unsafe, they returned and took passage on the "Philadelphia," bound to Cadiz, Spain; but this vessel meeting with a heavy gale in Delaware Bay, Jerome and his wife were landed at Pilot Town and came back to Philadelphia. They finally returned to Baltimore, and succeeded in sailing from that port in the spring of 1805. It seems as though Miss Patterson's good genius had tried so long to put ob- stacles to their departure as a warning of the bitter fate which awaited her in Europe. It were idle to recount here the story of the young wife's wrongs, to tell how the weak husband succumbed to Napoleon's stern will, and renounced the wife he had sworn to love and protect. This American girl did not pine and die of a broken heart, neither did she gratify the desire of the omnipotent emperor, and consider her- self simple Miss Patterson. She never abdicated her rights, but retained proudly the name of Mrs. Bona- parte. She bore it, unsullied by any act of hers, until her death, at an advanced age, and during her long, lonely life she saw the mighty Napoleon hurled from his imperial throne, his brothers wanderers upon the earth, and himself a prisoner, released only by death. She lived to see the ephemeral restoration of

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the Bonaparte dynasty, and her own grandson greeted as a cousin by the third Napoleon. She saw the fall of the second empire and France a republic.

Jerome Bonaparte was a weak, pleasure-loving, dissipated young man, who held his eldest brother in great awe. Napoleon kept him in leading-strings; having made him behave so infamously to his Amer- ican wife, he rewarded him with the crown of West- phalia,-that is, he made him, as he did others, a nominal king, who was to do the bidding of the em- peror of the French. An anecdote of the time will show what sort of a character was young Jerome. He had some boon companions, with whom he often sought relief from the forced dignity of his brother's court. One of these was Pigault-Lebrun, the writer of erotic novels; the other, whose name has escaped our memory, a young poet of the same cloth. The em- peror had just told Jerome that he had made him king of Westphalia; the young man, on leaving the imperial presence, like one dazed by a sudden vision of grandeur, met his two friends, and hastened to tell them the great news. "You will cast us aside," said Lebrun. "Never !" cried the new king. "Never! my dear friends ! You must come with me; you will be the highest dignitaries of my court. Come, let us go and dine together ; we will talk the matter over." The trio stepped into the nearest restaurant, asked for a private room, and ordered a sumptuous feast. By the time the dessert was brought in it had been ar- ranged that Pigault-Lebrun would be lord chancellor, and X, minister of finances of the new kingdom. Then began an animated discussion of the laws and measures to be introduced, and many a bottle of wine was drunk to stimulate the eloquence of the three friends. At last the dinner was over, and the host, made somewhat uneasy by the great consumption of liquids to be charged to these young strangers, came in with his bill. Jerome took out his purse. Alas ! it did not contain half the sum required. As to his friends, they respected the tradition, and were, like true authors, absolutely penniless. X, who already felt all the importance of his office, waved his hand grandly to the proprietor of the restaurant, saying, "Have no fear, my good man; I will see that your bill is paid to-morrow." "Hum, I don't know who you are, sir!" "I am the High Treasurer of the Kingdom of Westphalia." "And I, the High Chan- cellor of Westphalia," chimed in Lebrun, in a husky voice, "indorse the promise of Monsieur the Treas- urer." "Indeed," sneered the exasperated creditor, " those are your titles, messieurs ! And I suppose that tipsy rogue yonder is the King of Westphalia ?" " I am the man," hiccoughed Jerome, who was vainly trying to keep his eyes open. Mine host, no longer doubtful that he had to deal with three swindlers, sent for the police, who marched the three friends to the office of the " commissaire." There, luckily, some one was found who knew Jerome, and the matter was adjusted, but by the next day the emperor knew all

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 18

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992