Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-03-19
A JOURNEYMAN PRINTER.

Rochester. short time since, Mr.. WILLIAM
A. WELLEs, printer, gave the following
sketch of his life:
Mr. PRESIDENT: 1t has often been re-
marked that the fortunes of the members of
the Typographical profession have been
more diversified and precarious than that of
any other class of men. The changes con-
stantly taking place in their circumstances,
render them an easy prey to all the vicissi-
tudes of life.
The printer is an intellectual being. No
class of men, in any age of the world, have
given evidence of SO great versatility of tai
ent-universal knowledge and variety Of
reading, as the body Typographical. The
biography of many printers would be both
amusing and instructive. By way of illus
trating the above declaration, offer the fol-
lowing crude, rambling recollections of a
somewhat adventurous journey thus far
through life; not that | would in so doing
claim any notoriety for my many chair
breadth 'scapes," but from an inclination to
let my fellow-craftsmen read page of my
story and if any good should result from
my experience, to bequeath the record of
the incidents of my times for the amuse-
ment of others.
served nearly seven years. apprentice
ship in the office of the late Alderman Sey-
mour, 40 John street, N. Y. In this office,
associated as fellow-workmen, were the late
Commissary General of this State, A. Chan
dler, Mayor Harper of New York, Gen.
George p. Morris, now editor and publisher
of the ''National Press" John Windt Elliot,
the Foreman, one of the notorious "Miran-
da Expedtion,'') and your humble servant.
of the ".New York .4merican," then edited
by Charles King, James H. Hamilton and
Julian C. Verplank The first edition of
"Salmagundi," was also printed in this
office, about this time, from the MS. OF
Washington Irving; in the composition of
which | assisted. In Van Wrinkles office,
afterwards, set up the three first numbers
of the "Sketch Book" by the same gifted
author.
In Boston, | worked upon the "Cozum-
6ian Centinez," for 'Old Ben RUSSELL" who
discharged me from his office for drumming
yankee DOODLE" as beat the last sheet
of the inside of his paper, one morning, after
having aOorked of eleven tokens, imperial,
within the preceding ten hours. From Bos-
ton, went to Flagg s. Gould's office, An
dover, Mass, and was employed in setting
up, from his MS, Gibbs "HebreU Lericon,"
which contained nineteen different Ian
guages, including those usually styled
'sdead." At this period of my history,
procured Midshipman's warrant, and went
to sea in the frigate Brandywine, Commo-
dore Morris.
The ship sailed from Hampton Roads, in
September 1926, having on board, as pas
senger, that illustrious statesman and patriot,
Gilbert Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. Dur
ing voyage of % days, saw much of
this great, good man. The General confer
red a particular favor upon me, by entrust-
ing to my care, a rattle snake, an opossum,
a gray squirrel, cock robin and a poodze-dog
the last present from lady in Phila-
delphia. ! was on board the Brandywine
on the night of the memorable 25th of Sep
TENDER, 1925, upon which occasion. was
thrown overheard more than $4,000 worth
of property, to Tighten the vessel, while in
the bay of Bscay.
When in Portsmouth England had the
honor of being guest on board the Bran
DIVINE, at a dinner g :ven to his Royal
Highness, the Duke of Clarence, then Lord
High Admiral of the British Navy, Lady
Noel, wife of Lord Byron, her little daugh-
ter Ada, Admiral Bolingbroke, and several
other digntaries of the British realm.
From England we proceeded to Gibraltar,
and joined the squadron under Commodore
Rodgers. From Gibraltar, we sailed up the
Mediterranean, on the European shore,
touching at such ports as Cadiz, Port Ma
hon, Naples, Pisa, Palermo, Malta, the coast
of Calabria, &C., Sc; then crossing to theI
Asiatic and African side of the Mediterranean
an; then running down to Gibraltar From
the Rock, we took the trade winds, andI
made the Cape de Verde Islands, and the
Cape of Good Hope. From thence to As
censon and Elba Islands After cruising
upon the coast for six weeks, the ship ranI
over to Staten Land, off the pitch Of CapeI
Horn.
have visited the cities st. Paules, the
Island of St. Catharine, Santos, Rio de ia
metro, Buenos Ayres, Montevideo, and NAL
dinado, on the river La Plata ST. Salvador.
at the head of the Bay of All Saints, Olinda
and Pernambuco Maranham and Para. onI
the Amazon. have also been in all theI
ports in the United States, excepting New
Orleans and Charleston.
In my land cruises, have wrought as al
printer in Portland, Me-; Concord, N. H:
Boston, Mass; Hartford, Ct; more than