WASHINGTON society made itself most agreeable to both Irving and Miss
Terry, though “Portia, on a trip from the Venetian seas,” to quote the
New York reporter, made her visit to the capital an opportunity for
rest. Electing this city for a holiday, being relieved of a week’s
journey through New England, she remained at the capital on a visit
to her friend, Miss Olive Seward, the adopted daughter of the famous
minister of Lincoln’s administration.
Among the social entertainments given in Irving’s honor were two
notable little suppers,—one at the Metropolitan Club, by Mr. H. L.
Nelson, Secretary to the Speaker, and a journalist of well-won renown.
There were present, the Speaker (the Hon. John G. Carlisle), Senator
Bayard, Representatives Dorsheimer (ex.-Lieut. Governor of the State
of New York), T. B. Reed, Dr. George B. Loring (Commissioner of
Agriculture), and Messrs. John Davis (Assistant Secretary of State),
and F. E. Leupp. The other “evening after the play” was spent at Mr.
Dorsheimer’s house, in Connecticut avenue, where the guests included
several distinguished judges, senators, and government officials.
The conversation on both occasions was chiefly about plays. It was a
great relief from law and politics, one of the learned judges said,
to discuss Shakespeare and the stage. They all talked well upon the
drama; some of them had known Forrest; others, the elder Booth. Irving
was more than usually talkative in such congenial company. He related
many reminiscences of the English stage, none of which interested
his Washington friends more than his anecdotes of Macready. Several
instances of apt Shakespearian quotations were given; but they were
all capped by a story which Nelson told of Judge Jeremiah S. Black,
Mr. Buchanan’s Attorney-General and Secretary of State. Judge Black
was holding court at Chambersburgh, Pa., when he was on the circuit in
that State, forty years or more ago. His manners were rough, but more
from absent-mindedness than any other cause, for he was one of the
kindest of men. He would almost invariably find the strong point in a
cause that was on trial before him, and go on thinking about it without
reference to the point which counsel might be considering; so that
his questions often seemed impertinent to the bar. One of the lawyers
of Chambersburgh was a man of the name of Chambers, a soft-spoken,
mild-mannered kind of man. Chambers suffered especially from what he
supposed was Black’s intentional rudeness to him, and, one day, he
came to the conclusion that his burdens were intolerable; therefore he
stopped in the midst of his argument, and expostulated with the judge,
telling him that he always tried to treat the court deferentially, but
the judge did not reciprocate. The judge sat smiling through Chambers’s
long reproof, and briefly answered:—
“Haply, for I am _black,_
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That _chamberers_ have.”
During the week Irving visited the capitol, and was introduced to the
highest officers of state. He heard debates in both houses, visited the
law courts, and received many kindly attentions, public and private.
The theatre was crowded every night. On the first night the President
sat in the stalls, and the Russian ambassador contented himself with
quite a back seat. Mr. Bancroft, the white-haired historian, was a
constant attendant. Mr. Charles Nordhoff (whose graphic stories are not
sufficiently well known) was in the stalls; so, also, were the authors
of “Democracy.” (It is rumored that they are a society syndicate; but
there is more authority in the statement that they are two, and I could
give their names. I forbear, for the sake of the American lady who was
pointed out to me in London, last year, as the undoubted author of
the “scurrilous burlesque”). Mr. Blaine (one of the most famous and
learned of American statesmen) was also present, and he was one of the
prominent men who showed Irving much social attention.[55] A list of
the distinguished people present, would include a majority of the great
personages at Washington during the season of 1884. All the plays were
enthusiastically received.[56]
Called on, as usual, to speak when the curtain had gone down for the
last time (after three recalls), Irving thanked the audience for the
kind reception and liberal patronage which had been accorded himself
and his company. They had during the past few months appeared in all
the leading cities of the country, and he felt that this cordial
welcome in the beautiful capital of the Union might fairly be regarded
as the crowning engagement of a most happy and prosperous tour. He
returned heartfelt thanks, not alone for himself, but for his company;
and especially for his fair comrade and friend, Miss Ellen Terry, of
whom he felt he could heartily say: “She came, she saw, she conquered.”
He said farewell with the greater ease in the expectation of having the
privilege of again appearing in Washington early in the coming season.
Again returning thanks, and saying good-by, Mr. Irving bowed himself
off the stage amid very demonstrative applause.