Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1885 — REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN. [ARTICLE]

REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN.

BY BEN: PERLEY POORE.

Postmaster General Brown died suddenly at Washington on tho Btn of March, 1859. ,Qne day, some lour weeks previous,*he was at the department, signing up his official journal, his clerk standing on his left, turning iover the pages as each signature was affixed. Mr. Marion, then the efficient and vigorous Third Assistant Postmaster, Gen-, eral, having charge at that critical period the important responsibilities of the finance division, entered the Irooin to obtain Mr. Brown’s to a draft. Turning to the right he aheerfully signed the paper, and Mr. Mprron was retiring, when the head of tho department remarked, “Marron, 1 1 wish you would come in and see me when 1 get through with this.” Being then long after the usnal office hours, Mr. Marron turned and said, “Do you wish me to see you again today, sir?" “Yes,” replied Mr. Brown; “I want to know if you have set your house in order; for, in a month or less, we shall have neither a habitation nor a name here.” Mr. Marron, with a conviction that his official house was always in order, paused a moment, and with surprise and a smile, remarked, “My house in order?” “Yes, sir—your house in order; for in a month or less we shall neither have habitation nor a name here,” “Well, j Governor," replied Mr. Marron, “if the storm comes I can stand it as well as others,” and then, pleasantly, left the room. Three week afterwards Mr. Marron died, and a few days later the Postmaster General was taken ilh As j his devoted wife stood weeping at his bedside, he opened his eyes, extended his arms, clasped her to his heart, im- | printed a farewell kiss upon her lips, ; and died.

Mr. Augustus Peabody, who was connected with Mr. Webster in the business of his law office in Boston, used to relate that on one occasion Mr. Webster had made all his preparations for a summer tour in his own carriage with his wife, and had drawn the money for his travelling expenses out of the bank the day before his intended departure. The next morning the New York mail * brought a letter to Mr. Webster enclosing a check for $1,500 as a retainer in a great land case to which Mr. Astor was one of the parties. This letter, with its enclosure, Mr. Peabody took down to Mr. Webster’s. Louse, and found him already seated in his carriage about to take the road to Saratoga. He gave him the letter, and asked him to endorse the check. But Webster put the check in his pocket with the remark that he might need it before he returned, and so it turned out. When he came back to Boston the whole of the $1,500 had been spent, in addition to the money he had previously drawn.

On another occasion Mr. Webster had invited some friends to dinner. Ashe left home in the morning he requested his wife to send John down to the office about 10 o’clock to go tp market with him John came down accordingly. Mr. Webster was busy writing. He asked John if he had any money. John replied in the negative. “Then,” said Mr. Webster, “go down to Mr. Burritt and ask him to give ine $5.” (Burritt wa3 a stationer iu the lower story), John came back and stated that Mr! Burritt had not $5, but sent him $lO, which Webster took and put iu his waistcoat pocket. Pretty soon a poor woman came in on an alms-asking errand. Said Wobster, still writing, “I know all about it; you’ve lost your husbandand have five small children and nothing to eat. Take this!” and he gave her the ten-dollar note which John had borrowed from Mr. Burritt By and by be finished his work and reservant: “Now, John, we’ll Down they went througifcioart and Washington streets and Do6l|Square to the Quinsy Market, below Faneoil HalL Mr. Webster bought of the butcher at the south end of the market what suited him, but made no payments, asjhe .had accounts with them. A last they reached a vegetable dealer, of whom Webster aisc made a purchase, and was about tc pass on as before when the faithful John arrested him with the remark: “Mr. Webster, this man is a stranger tc us; we never had dealings with him.” “True,” said the great lawyer, “very true;” and pat his hand in his pocket for the money to pay the amount. Finding none, he said to his servant: “John, I thought yon gave me some money just now ?” “So I did, sir,” said John, “hot you gave it to that poor woman who came Into the office” “Ah!” said Webster,” so I jdid, but I had forgotten all about it. Well, John, you must borrow some more money and come down and pay these people; and now we will go home.” Gen. Grant was the first President who had a summer residence away from the District of Columbia. H:s departure for his villa at Long Branch wa3 the signal for a general official exodus from Washington, beginning withmembers of the Cabinet, and including comptrollers, auditors, registers, chief clerks, and others charged with carrying on and supervising the great business of the country. In point of fact, while these officers were paid large annual salaries, they only gave about eignt months out of the twelve to their duties Except for mere routine the Departments might as well have been closed from June to December.