Chapter Twelve: The Ingenious A and a Question of Delicacy
Table of contents page 180 index Chapter Twelve: The Ingenious A and a Question of Delicacy 115. An Edward Savage painting unveiled in 1796 captures the General's problems in 1798: once again in command of the army and once again pondering the city's plan. This time for a site for two houses On May 23, 1798, "General and Mrs. Washington" called on the Thorntons in the morning. On the 24th the Thorntons "dined at Mr. Law's" with the Washingtons. On June 24, the Thorntons "drank tea at Mr. Law's."(1) Was something of architectural importance afoot? Historians suggest that during the summer of of 1798, Thornton designed houses for both Thomas Law and General Washington. The latter project entailed twinned three story brick houses to board congressmen on Capitol Hill. The General's houses were notable only because the General built them. They had no architectural significance. Thomas Law's house was another matter. The building h