The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-05-19
From The Portland Daily american.
A TRIP SOUTH.
ETCHNGs FROM MEMORY.
No. V

| While in Washington we called upon the Secreta
ry OF the Treasury, Mr.. SrEsoER. We felt grea
desire to see him for sundry reasons. His career
has been so MISUNDERSTANDING talents are so resplen
dent-that one cannot but regard him as among the
great men Of the nation. As jurist and scholar ht
has been the worthy son of a celebrated sire As
democratic writer-as District Atorney--as Coun
seor--as the revisor of the New York Statutes-as
splendid adyocate--he has ever been conspic uous
ly before the public eye. No less was he in Con
gress IN former years when as member Of the de-
mocratic party, he dssected with such consumma lie
| skill, and exposed with such sunike cearness, the
corruption and insolvency of the old United State.
Bank. And though his political career for the pas,
lsw years has been as erratic comet that had
lost s path, yet his present administration, il must
| be ackbow lodged ~ conducted on democratic prin
c,pes and he seems to have honest determination
To fall again into the ranks of his quandam political
friends Elsewhere he is certainly out Of his proper
| orbit.
Mr.. Spencer is the master-sprit of the admnstra-
ton No one can visit Washington and not mark
this. We mean not that he manages the President,
but that his sound head and farreaching views must
necessarily make him the confidential adyer of the
Executive
10 person M. Spencer is tall and straight. His
eye to passing observer would seem dull. But to
US 1t seemed to be rather the result of abstraction
though he were looking IN upon himself rather than
Out upon the world Yet, in conversation, his eyes
would occasionally flash and burn like two Goals Of
fire, and suddenly die away 10 deafness. Naturally,
he would burst out into merry laugh, but shade
would rapidly pass over his counenance and produce
the appearance Of deep melancholy. He seemed to
have at his heart sorrow, which, man and one
who was forced to grapple with the stern facts Of
HE, he felt anxious 10 conquer. As sat in front
OF him, and marked these terrible fluctuations, we
could but think Of that .
Mr.. Spencer has a remarkably direct and tenacious
mind He jumps with dizzying rapidity, and almost
ntutvely, from point to point until he arrives at the
OBJECT. Like lightning. he glances the whole
ground, anticipating you in your thoughts, but
taking his eye for moment from the result.
we were amused by seeing at the window OF
establishment in PENNSYLVANIA Avenue a likeness of
Arnold, The member OF Congress from Tennessee,
with the number SAC, painted in large figures upon
his breast he reader will remember that this was
the number Of his bill for the reduction of the pay
of the public officers, and about which there was
much sport He entered with great sood-nature in-
TO the spirit of the fun and this extraordinary add
ton to his portrait was taken at his request
lie was desc ibed 10 US by who knew him well
as strong minded, uneducae', jovial fellow-ready
to grapple with an opponent on the floor Of Congress-
or win bear IN prize fight.
At the time the 54S" Joke was running the rounds
gentleman in one of the bureaus wrote to a COL
league the following squb. How it came into our
possession Is mystery that not authorized TO
unravel. The reader will perceive that the measure
requires that the figures should be pronounced as
though written out thus Fire hundr.d fat. -el."
WAsHiNGToN, Feb. %, lSi3.
Haiioa my Friend
Did you ever hear Of
"54sf'
a number sounding high and long
he subject Of debate and song
In the councils of the great"
Did you ever see the father OF
"5iSy
a man in corpus full and round
In skill and wisdom all PROFOUND
A counsellor Of peigh
With nose of rouge, this champion Of
"54S'
Rose in his seat, months long gone by,
Aud pushed the demagoguing cry,
Retrenchmenl for the State ~
But, mark this learned author of
"5iS,n
His patriotism lulls TO rest,
Uniil he feathers well his nest
In the " counses OF the great"
And when at length obliged TO pass
"54S,n
Disin crested to the last
They keep their pay, ia times pasf-
These counsellors Of State"
Alas we patient wait the blow
"5iS,n
That fatal number, which subtracts
The clothes from hungry children,s backs
Still pointing to the gra'e.