Don Carolos Murga, and a number of servants. The visitors were met at the station by Minister Montifar, and his acting secretary of Legation Mr. Alexander Porter Morse, and escorted to the Arlington Hotel where a suite of rooms had been assigned them. The party are fine specimens of Spanish-Americans. President Barrios is a general officer of cavalry, and is now serving his third term as president.....at 10 o'clock, A. M. President Barrios will be formally received by President Arthur....The New Orleans papers reported that as Barrios passed through that city last week, he seemed to be extremely afraid of assassination, and kept in his bed room, four trusty servants, being also guarded by a special detail of police...." There is no doubt that that Barrios was a Dictator of the swash-buckling type. His critics call him a tyrant, and it is true that in his enthusiasm "to Americanize" Central America, that he had no qualms in placing his opponents before the firing squad, or indeed to be burnt alive, or to have his railroads constructed at the point of a bayonet. Unsuccessful in obtaining the cooperation of the United States in his scheme, he nevertheless attempted to consolidate by force the old Spanish Guatemala which had embraced the greater part of Central America, and in the attempt was himself killed on the battlefield of Chalchuata.

Porter's familiarity with Spanish as well as with French, made for him many friends in the South American countries, but perhaps his most intimate friend of that section was Senor Carolos Martinez Silva, one-time Minister to the United States from Columbia, and himself an author on international affairs. "Senor Silva", notes Porter, "was suddenly recalled in 1903 by his government for political reasons, for which Recall he expressed himself highly gratified, because it would not fall to him to sign the Treaty with the United States for trans-Isthmian canal rights. Such, he said, would be political ruin. Senor Silva died in Columbia in March, 1903, near Bogota, having been ordered out of the capital by the Secretary of War to put him out of the way of possible political agitation."

In 1880, as a result of claims of citizens of France (residents of Louisiana during the Civil War), against the United States government, the two nations decided to present their controversy before four Commissioners selected for the purpose. the work of the Commission, was also added certain claims of United States citizens against France, for damages sustained by them in the course of the recent Franco-German war. Altogether, over 700 people were involved in a matter of over 17 million dollars. Porter was appointed by France as "Conseil Adjoint pres la

Commission des reclamations franco-americaines," to assist Charles Adolphe de Chambrum, in the interests of the Republic of France. This work, with Headquarters in Washington continued for several years.

911 Franklin Square was a small house. The entrance and stair hall was reached by eight brownstone steps; and to the left of the high-ceilinged hall was a living room with two marble mantelpieces, and with rear windows looking out upon a small and modest garden. On the floor below, in the basement, was the dining room. But despite its lack of space, the Morses held many receptions and teas at this dwelling. Members of the Louisiana families of McIlhenney, Avery, and Grima, as well as many distinguished persons from New York and Maryland, frequently were guests. On these occasions a colored butler, Smith Thompson, who often served without remuneration be it ever remembered - was always on hand to assist in "opening the door", and in serving.

Washington, by 1883, was rapidly becoming a center of much importance in the diplomatic circles of the world. In April of that year, according to a local newspaper: "No private citizen was perhaps better known to the diplomatic corps than Alexander Porter Morse." The occasion was his wedding to the daughter of Dr. Daniel B. Clarke, a descendant of several old Maryland families,* and at the time, the President of the Bank of the Republic.

"The ceremony took place at 10 o'clock, at
St. Matthew's Church, at Fifteenth and H Streets,
and was performed by the bride's uncle, Reverend
Father William F. Clarke, S. J., of Loyola College,
Baltimore. He was assisted by five priests;
Reverend Father Chappelle, Boland, Waters, Ryan,
and McDevitt. The ushers were Messrs. Selden,
Hanna, Pedrick, Quicksall, Bouefe, and Conway
Robinson, Jr. The bride was attired in white satin
and embossed velvet, with Point Lace trimmings and
diamond ornaments. After the wedding a reception
was given at the home of the bride. The presents
were numerous and costly. Among those present
were W. W. Cochran, Mrs. General Sherman, Mr. Roustan,
the French Minister, and others of the French lega-
tion, Miss West, the daughter of the British Minister,
Marquis and Mme. de Chambrun and representatives of

See Appendix 145

nearly every foreign lagation; Miss Dahlgren,
Miss Biddle, General Halstead of Newark, New
Jersey, Dr. Carroll Morgan, Dr. James E. Morgan,
Dr. and Mrs. Busey, Baron d'Arinos, Mrs. Commodore
Franklin, Mr. de Geoffrey, and others."

This was the wedding description of the Press of the day; and, as good Southerners, their honeymoon took them to New York where they stayed at the "New York Hotel", Broadway between Washington Street and Waverly Square; then the New York mecca for Southern visitors.

-

It was the following month that the great "Brooklyn Bridge" was opened for travel and traffic.

In 1888 Porter was selected by Protocol between the United States and the Republic of Haiti -- Arbitrator in a controversy between these two countries in the matter of a treaty right. When this -- the Van Bokelan case* -- was satisfactorily settled, many foreign and American Journals spoke highly of this real and definite advance in the cause of Peace, between nations, and the Secretary of State wrote: "I desire to express to you the highest appreciation of the State Department, of the learning, ability, and impartiality with which you discharged the duties of your responsible office." At the United States Supreme Court, Porter was counsel for his native state, Louisiana, in several leading cases on constitutional law; and as late as 1888, in a letter to a friend, he wrote, "I take a deep interest in the welfare of my state and people, and I often feel (in Washington) as an exile in a foreign land," and some eight years later, the official report of the Attorney General of Louisiana, carried the following paragraph: "I deem it proper to express my appreciation of the consideration and assistance of Alexander Porter Morse, Esquire, of the Washington, D. C. Bar. Although I had no appropriation to pay him, nor authority to employ him, through professional courtesy he has rendered me valuable assistance."

The Mafia or "Black Hand" as that secret society was called, was rampant in New Orleans in 1891. Many of the victims were of the same nationality as the criminals, and feeling ran high in the Crescent City. Eleven persons, -- all subjects of the King of Italy -- were indicted and awaiting trial when a mob of several thousands stormed the jail and lynched three of the prisoners.

* See Appendix 146