The herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1835-1837, 1837-01-02
Correspondence of the Herald
WAsHISGToN, DEE. 30

Correspondence oil the HERALD
WAsHISGroN DEE. 29th, 1886.
Myatteniion has been called to letter from Thos.
Mexican, pabshed in Niless Registe", of July 18th,
1917, and written in 1874 in which, among other SUBJ
ects, he touches on that of the Declaration of INDIE
pendence. He accounts for his names not appear
ing among the signers in the following manner which
it is due 10 that patriots memory to transcribe.-
" When the declaration voted, it was ordered 10
be engrossed on parchment, and then signed and
that few days afterwards resolution was entered
on the secret journal that no person should have a
seat in Congress during that year, until he should
have signed the declaration of independence After
the 4h Of July icas not IN Congress for several
months, having marched with a regiment of associa-
tors, as Col, to support General Washington, until
the flying camp Of ten thousand men was compile
ted. When the assocators were discharged, l re-
turned to Philadelphia took my seat in Congress;
and signed my name to the declaration on parch-
ment. In the Nj. S. journal, MI. Pickering and my
self saw printed half sheet of paper, with the
names of the members afterwards in the printed
journals stitched in. We examined the parchment
where my Name is signed inmy own hand writing"
1t was not the design of my friend Wallace to say
that Mr. Mexican did not intend to sign the declara-
ton, but. merely to.show that il wasno signed at the
time it was signed by Others The fact will be de-
| veoped by the work of Force and Clarke now in
press, together with many other important incidents
in our history At present obscure, or but little known.
The following facts appear fpm the journals in the
hands of Clarke a. Fcrco. In l776t resolved that
the Declaration should be ensrossed and signed by
every member then in Congress, and that no person
should have seat in that body who did not sign it.
II was reported engrossed on the 9Th of August,
and ordered to be entered the journals Still the
name of Mr.. Mckean'does not appear. In l777a
meeting OF the legislature Of the State of Delaware
was held, and Mr. Mexican presided The Declare
ton of Independence was presented to thatassembly
and ordered TO be entered on It's Journals and Mr.
McKean's name still waning. When it was added
| to the instrument does not appear.
| Ny friend is full OF replnscences. He was well
acquainted with the excenrc orator of Roanoke, the
I,,, ~ l~la x ba-
sing anecdoe '"An irishrnan had just arrived in the
this country and was anxious TO become acquainted
with Randolph. Being stranger, he undertook -
introduce hsnself and ACCORDINGLY approached him
while seated one day in the library of Congress. .
Have l the honor of addressing the distinguished
American orator, Mr.. Randolph p said the Hiber:-
man.
am acquainted" replied Randolph in his sarcastic
alt affords me very sincere qualification to have
| this opportunity 10 witness specimen Mr.. Ran
dolph' sarcasrisC of which have heard great dale
said the IrsLmais-" You are celebrated ali over the
world, name the. civilized world, Mr. Randolph for
4 that same talent"
aThere is $ one in your country, su, am told
called the Blarney stone" observed 4, Have you
ever kissed itl,'
ais il the Barney stone you spake of Mr.. .Raa
dolph upon my honor and verncity, have seen
4 the same not only in Ireland, but in every coun-
NY which have visited. 1t is not by any names
peculiar to Ireland, Mr.. Randolph, and doubt not
you haV, many here that have not only seen but
kissed it,
"And pray sir how long have you been in this
country admire your countrymen and county,
women TOO, sir; Miss Edgeworth is the greatest fe.
male writer of the present age sir"
81 have been but short time IN thS country, Mr.
RandQjph-have had the honor 10 belntroduced fo
General W., Colonel b., Major c., and numerous
other officers of the Revolution. Your revolutionary
war Mr. Randolph, permit Re to remark, must have
been very unfortunate, indceW may say disastrous
nT 1T
nothing but officers behind
Randolph was so much pleased with his remarks
that he invited HINT call and see him at his lodg
'T8e gcnflemas now addressing the House, cont
nued Wallace, is an miiator of the orator Of Roam.
oke but he falls short of his model. Mr.. Wise is
4 COMPARATIVELY youngs though his haS is spnnklet
with the fross Of winter His face looks sickly, bu
is marked by the pale cast of thought" He j:
bold, fearless and ndependent-one whom, like Fa
brcius bribepy could not approach, corruption soil
He is a high nhnasdy patriotic man. scorning the
trammels of pasy, and abhoring the poor sycophan
and slave who cringe atthe footstool ofspswsr. Hin
mind has not been so highly cultivated as that Of hi,
model, nor has Nc the same ferociy o! disposition
but it has more energy, and is better regulated. Mr.
Wise's reasoning IS therefore stronger but his IN
viction is less terrible than that Of John Randolph
He IS not so much of a msanthrope, and - not
therefore, bitter His style is vitupcrativ,
than satir,cn.-his illustrations are vulgar thar
classical, but they are sometimes feiciteus. III,
writer's and his scnpmral quotations. though appro
pirate are offensive 10 the Christian mind as mani
+ Testing too much rreverence. His eplthets are ex
presslve, but sometimes too low, though they neve
fail TO tell.
J Yesterday Bentoif made motion in the.Senate.tc
print an extra number Of copies of paper communi
catedb the Treasury Department which he wished
to have distributed among the Governors of States
&c. Thispap he declared, would prove that nsteas
Of surplus in the treasu there would deficiency
This was attempted 10 be established in the usua
braggadoca Ct pretoria Mill style of Sir Thomas
Humbug, who, as Peyton very happily remarked il
his speech the other day, would, if he had been bu
alone, shave dashed his brains out against the Fort
fcofiou Bin, long ago. Calhoun Davis, King Of
Alabama and even down TO poor PoSmastcr Mics
fell upon the motion with great vehemcnce and com.
PEELED the mover TO withdraw IT, Niles opposition
was the ''unkindcst ofa and amazed the great
Mssounan Eolus that he could not recover his usua
effrontery for some time. It's wonderful 10 see how
large this man looms at a distance He is q man Of
ordinary talents but reat labor and perseverance,
His moral character is almost infamous, and he has
been repeatedly and publicly charged with offences
against the code of morality that would have sunk
any other man to the lowest depths ofdegredation.
Nothing can exceed his impudencc. pamphlet
charging him with theft, spindiing, and other crimes
laid upon the desk of every Senator last session
and he looked unconcerned and as b azen as tho
pamphlet had contained nothing but panegync.
know he is very metallic in his propensities but now
he has contrved 30 to encase his vIsage in brase