Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-09-12
H2CE7 OF NHEG. OGAE.
OF PENNSYLVANIA.
On The Girl and Diplomatic Appropriation Bin
HOUSE OF REPREsENTAT1vEs.
GCopfinued |

am willing TO conCede that the expenditure
Of 500 is in itself, very small matter. The
question, however, is not HOW MUCH CASH was
paid by Mr. Van Buren, for the bunch of arlf-
cal flowers which decorates his table, but wheth-
err the Peoples money shall be expended for such
aristocrac French fnery? And whether Mr..
Van Buren,, who has been raised to the most cx.
allied station on the earth, and whose example
upon society must necessarily have most pow
erlul and extensive influence, shall, by the in.
PRODUCTION of foreign gew. gaws into the house of
the American People, contribute to corrupt the
plain, unostentatous; and republican manners
Of our people, by creating vain desires for exter.
nal show and for foolish displays Of splendor,
which are not congenial with our frugal habits!
The influence of this example has already had a
most injurious tendency within the District 0
Columbia, where many men are now found wing
with each other to make splendid appearance,
even above their rank and means Of support.
will give you an instance or two. MI, T. P.
| Blair, the humbleieditor of Martin Van Buren's
"official organ" came to this city ten years
ago a plain, simple republican in his manners
and style OF living, having been brought up and
educated with all the domestic and economical
maxims Of the hardy and frugal Western coun.
try. For some years after his arrival, he was
content to dwell in comfortable house Of GE.
teen feet front, furnished in plain, substantial
way; but, behold the charm Of Executive man.
ners! How altered the man! lie now aims
at rivalling all the foreign Ministers and heads Of
the great Departments Of the Government in the
splcndor ofhis spacious mansion, in the proiu-
sion of his table, and every indulgence which ar
empty vanity can covet. lie, too, gives brilliant
entertainments to the members Of Congress and
great officers of state. in imitation Of the sump.
tuous Court banqucts at the palace. On these
occasions, as have been crediby informed, for
the purpose Of producing more dazzling effect
on the vision OF his loco loco brethren, he actual.
ly hires rich chandeliers and other snowy dem
ocratic ornaments at a charge Of ten per cent, on
the prime cost, at a SPLENDID china, plate and
glass fancy store on Pennsylvania Avenue. But
| do not feel disposed to interfere with OF modest
the editor OF the Globe in his enjoyment OF no.
bic mansions, luxurious banQucts, borrowed lights
and every other external advantage which causes
the ''litle man to swell into lancied importance,
inasmuch as he enjoys all those advantages, 50 far
as know, At HIS OWN EXPENSE. Were it not
for the public function Of Government Printer
that this man has been clothed with, he would
be almost too scant pattern to noucc-l1r
Martin Van Buren, manages him as Il Snowman
does his puppet, and he runs or walks leaps Or
Jumps, as he is directed. And | must here be
permitted to say, that we ought not to touch any f
the small fry the shoals, until we have done
with the sharks and the crocodiles. Curiosity
may perhaps invite the philosopher to examine
the gnats and the mus1uitos, but not until after
the tigers and the hyenas have undergone an
analysis. will therefore not say any thing
more Of Francis P. Blair, but lay him on the
shelf for the present; and when Tommy Thumb
l1,,ill 30 rl ,r-iI
will Just remark however that whenever my CON
stituents ask me what sort Of man Blair is ack-
il, tell them Of the story Of the lrishman who
went to see his neighbor, and being asked by his
neighbours wife, how are they coming on at home?
replied, "tho gray mare had a colt yesterday"
What kind! was the inquiry Oh by the pow
ers, It's a born Jeaa!y. And tell my conslu
enls. if they cannot imagine how beautiful Blair
is he is Just that kind of man that, if YOU tie his
hands behind his back he will take deeper bite
into water melon than any other man that
ever saw. And if they are not satisfied then,
tell them that there is an old woman in Boston
who would make him an excellent wife; for she is
so ugly that every morning she has 10 drink
Quart al saffron tea to prevent its striking inward
and killing her. That is all | have to say on the
present occasion about this great exomplar Of
loco loco beauty
Another instance Of the deeerous influence OF
palace manners upon plain republican habits, is
presented in the person OF MIR. Kendall at the
head Of the Post office Department. He, too,
after tagging nearly half a century in walks OF
humble and unostentatious poverty, and after
looking up with awe to persona5es greatly his
superior in rank and riches, though not,u talents
now begins to love equipage and fine garments,
10 study graceful attitudes, and to vic with Blaii
in the magnihcence Of his sorees. And he too,
like Blair, have been told, hires at another rich
establishment on the avenue most costly demo.
cratic furniture, with which to deck his shining
saloons on those great occasions. lie has, as is
believed, by this foolish vanity. although in the
annual receipt Of six thousand dollars in gold and
silver, sqUandered and gossiped away the whole
OF it, and now almost Obliged to subsist upon the
contributions OF his democratic friends. feel
agrieved that the parade and show of palace man
, ners have had so much influence over the mind o
Mr. Kendall, because his soul is certainly cram
med with more ardent, more searching, blazing
burning fiery LOVE FOR THE DEAR PEOPLE, thar
the souls Of all the other patriots, by profession
in America. Indeed, his attachment to the dea
People, or to their CASH, is OF so vigorous a char
acter, that it will, sooner or later burn into Gin
der the little remaining flesh on his skeleton
And he must, eventually, fall victim to his nob
passion for the dear peoples cash, unless he
can find relief in the excitement Of comPo
g sition."
i But let us return, Mr. Chairman, to the tabl
e furniture Of the President. The remaining bill
e which makes up the sum of $lI,l9l 80, belor
n mentioned, consists Of various articles of cutler
= bought from Messers. Lewis Veron & Co., 70
= 1868; amongst which are table knives plated OF