Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-15
From the Boston Courier, .sIuy 10
CHARLES CARROLL

eration,--now IN the ninety-thlrd year of HI. =.
and which he has almost completed, 80,
full enjoyment of most Of the faculties vS;. .Ia
pertain to the medium Of life. Durio, ,s..
Journey to the south, the editor was sa,n''
enough to fall into the company Of rs,ua .a's
merchant of Baltimore, particular trieng of%
Carroll, by whom hewas introduced to the .., ~
honored' patriot. As We entered his parIOr W. W
Carroll rose to salute us with the cnstam,rr. VI
pliments, and offered chairs with almo,, .: wv
ease and firmness as man of fifty. III. .n ~ac
ance indicated high degree of health ,sIfSSTt
affirmed he enjoyed without interrup,ion "''I 10 d
under dress was of brown broadclotb-b;, Hk
coat of the fashion Of the last century. w.. "4@
10 coat, but gown of the same material !. IVY 'yN
waistcoat and small clothes. His hair v' ~ "a sr
silvery whiteness-his teeth apparentlypefs,t,.'
his eye animated and sparkling thoo95S '', 'a
stated, it had become too dim 10 enabis H.
read. His sense of hearing did nor ,s." 1 u,
in the lest degree impaired. He SPOKE with we
articulated with uncommon distnctne,, G ''eHF'
possessed all the clearness of ,igorou, n,.S SODs
He seemed to be pleased with his friend f,r '@
inc introduced stranger, and to be deE%,i
in answering all our interrogatcries rcsrc.,;o
the incidents and individuals to which h I-i
sustained an Interesting relation in the earle, Vs..
of his life. He spoke often of Jefferson, H,rcr[
the Adamses, and other members Of the c.r
gress of sveenty.six; but he seemed totake e,s
cial delight in talking of DIR. Franklin, vbp,
he described as one of the most pleasant ,rI
fascinating men he had ever known. ue.
marked that he and Franklin were Comm,
sioners to visit Canada. and eudea,or 10 iDdn.
the inhabitants of that province TO Join the OIL,
colonies In declaring themselves independent
the mother country-and that the journey. ID
beset with difficulties and over bad roads an
sometimes through forests where there wsn
road, was rendered comparatively pleasant a.
agreeable by the wit and good humOr Of D,
Franklin. He related many anecdotes Of h, |
Doctor, illustrating these distinguished trait, !,
his character, and which made him welcome and
even fayOrite companion in the poli,est clrcs
of Paris. There was nothing in Mr.. Carroll,
manners or conversation that indicated the eHb.
ence of that species of egotism, which is usually
the besetting infrmlty of old are; and though !.
related in half an hour more anecdotes than We
could write down in half day, he was in no il.
stance, that we recollect, the hero Of his Ogr
story. His "reminiscences were Of the mi.IIt1
dead, and his commentators were bestowed VIII
unlimited generosity on his contemporaries wh
had gone before him to receive the "recompeny
of reward" and left him, as it were, to spA
their epitaph.
MIR. Carroll appeared to feel lively n,era
in the ordinary topics of cOnversation-made e
veral inquiries of his friend respecting PoIIric.
affairs, the prospect of business, and the progress
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; and aska
of the editor many questions respecting Bosto4
its population, improvements, SC. He SPOKE
more than once of the great inventions IN mach
merry for saving labor, Of the improvements ths
mode of travelling, and expressed regret that
the family of Robert Fulton had not been iOrtE
nate enough to obtain greater share Of the BE-
nefits resulting from his improvements in the ~
plication ofsteam to navigation. He alluded seve'
raj times to his owIf great age-attributed that's
well as his health to the regularity anu teHvef
ance he had always observed in his mode Of h.
ing--said that some people thought he wOuljm
to be an hundred years old--but added, Vrhi
smile, that it was not his desire to live lon:
unless his mental and physical faculties cOuIIs
retained, which he could not expect TO rrI
much longer When we rose to leave him, NJ
Carroll walked down the stairs with neary-a
much elasticity of limb and tirmness Of steps
either of his visters.
The time we spent with this delightful old gentle
man was short of an hour, but it was worth more
than the fortnight we had then just wasted IN TIE
metropolis of the United States, where the Ine'd
modern great men exhibit few traits of character
that enttle them to admiration, and their actions
present but feeble claims to the gratitude Of thsR
countrymen. In the halls of Congress or IN the
mansions of those who are elevated By the iH',,
TALLY of the people to places Of power ano
dignity, one sees but little that can De r.
membered with real satisfaction. and IS D"
unfrequently disguised with much that "
would take pleasure in forgetting Iae P'i%
tism of the present day-at least hat sort 81 Is.i
riotism which is of the most approved stamp ~
which passes current at the capitol-sceH'
consist altogether in personal attachment 10 n.'
in office, and to have no higher aim thsh us =,
tainment of a place; its "dirty assdu'ile' 1s -
levelled at the - treasury. But he VINO VS.
Charles Carroll, will perceive in The soc '.a%
vor of those who signed our declaration o. muI
pendence, patriot Of an opposite chara,s a..J
may look back ON such an interview, as 10 w" ~.
the brightest spots on the tablet OF memory '~
character of this revered patriot we shat! n"t =
tempt to portray; its sublime simplicity We ,Ss
our incompetency to describe. Nor Is u u S
comnsss ne our ability IN eyn ress the emotions"