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The post brims with errors. But I'll address one because L'Enfant is continually trashed. In 1791-92 he was well liked in Washington. His workers adored him. All of the proprietors of the land the city was being built on, save members of the Carroll family, respected, defended, and counted on him. The three commissioners were roundly disliked. Bob Arnebeck http://bobarnebeck.com/swamp1800.html Though a Fiery Trial: Building Washington 1790-1800 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0819178322/ref=lib_dp_TFCV/102-1542679-7605734?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader#reader-link [Please note, the text of the post came from DCist and Christie's description of the letter.--Ed.] On 12/5/12, Matthew Gilmore, editor H-DC <dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu> wrote: > From: "John H. Muller" <jmuller.washingtonsyndicate@gmail.com> > > http://dcist.com/2012/12/if_youve_got_400000_set_aside_this.php > > Though Pierre L'Enfant is most commonly > associated with the creation of Washington, D.C., it's a historical fact > that he wasn't very well liked and was booted off of the project before it > was even completed. > > Now Christie's is auctioning off a > letter<http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/books-manuscripts/washington-george-autograph-letter-5636317-details.aspx?intobjectid=5636317>written > by George Washington in 1792 to one of the three D.C. commissioners > in which the city's forefather outlines his struggles to find a replacement > for the temperamental Frenchman and peppers the commissioner with questions > on other candidates. Reads the announcement: > > Washington search for a chief architect of the new federal city as he > considers re-hiring the temperamental Pierre L'Enfant and discusses a > candidate backed by Jefferson, in this lengthy, animated letter to one of > the three D.C. Commissioners (David Carroll and Thomas Johnson were the > others). Washington wants "a man of fertile genius, & comprehensive > ideas...one who shall always reside there...a man of skill & judgment, of > industry & integrity" who would have "the business constantly before his > eyes," unlike the part-time Commissioners. "But where, you may ask, is the > character to be found who possesses these qualifications? I frankly answer > I know not! Major L'Enfant...if he could have been restrained within proper > bounds and his temper was less untoward, is the only person with whose turn > to matters of this sort I am acquainted, that I think fit for it. There > may, notwithstanding, be many others although they are unknown to me, > equally so." > > Washington had already fired the high-handed L'Enfant at the end of > February when he refused to follow the directions of the Commissioners, and > even treated Washington as a subordinate, issuing him peremptory > instructions to obtain--and to personally guarantee!--a $1 million loan > from the Dutch to fund his grandiose design. Not surprisingly, Washington > is eager to consider alternative candidates, including one recommended by > Thomas Jefferson. "Mr. [Samuel] Blodget seems to be the person on whom many > eyes are turned, & among others who look that way, are some of the > Proprietors. He has travelled, I am told, a good deal in Europe...Mr > > Hallet--"but whether Mr Hallet has qualities, & is sufficiently known to > fit him for a general Superintendency I cannot pretend even to give an > opinion upon." Washington hopes the appointment will act as "an > antidote...to the poison which Mr. F____s C___t [Francis Cabot] is > spreading, by insinuations, that the accomplishment of the Plan is no more > to be expected than the fabric of a vision, & will vanish in like manner." > > The letter will be auctioned off on December 7 in New York, and is expected > to fetch between $250,000 and $400,000. Kickstarter, anyone? > > -- > John Muller > 202.236.3413 /jmuller@ggwash.org > Washington Syndicate / Capital Community News / Greater Greater Washington > *Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C: The Lion of > Anacostia<http://www.amazon.com/Frederick-Douglass-Washington-D-c-Anacostia/dp/1609495772/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=H42HP4SBZ8OA&coliid=I34OMAR1SV8L9G> > * [The History Press, October 2012] > Forthcoming: "Mark Twain in Washington, D.C.: The Adventures of a Capital > Correspondent" [The History Press, Fall 2013] > > > -- > -- > Matthew Gilmore > H-DC > list co-editor, web editor > dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu > http://www.h-net.org/~dclist/ [list > website] > http://www.h-net.org/lists/subscribe.cgi?list=H-DC [subscribe to > H-DC] > > Remember to check > http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=lm&list=H-DC > for past list messages. > > October 18-21, 2012 - 39th Annual Conference on DC Historical Studies > click: > http://annualconferencedchistoricalstudies.wordpress.com for papers > presented > > Thank you to all who made the > 39th Annual Conference on D.C. Historical Studies > a success! > -- -- Matthew Gilmore H-DC list co-editor, web editor dc-edit@mail.h-net.msu.edu http://www.h-net.org/~dclist/ [list website] http://www.h-net.org/lists/subscribe.cgi?list=H-DC [subscribe to H-DC] Remember to check http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=lm&list=H-DC for past list messages. October 18-21, 2012 - 39th Annual Conference on DC Historical Studies click: http://annualconferencedchistoricalstudies.wordpress.com for papers presented Thank you to all who made the 39th Annual Conference on D.C. Historical Studies a success!
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