Columbus Democrat., 1849-11-24

eT seen AAe first was Gen. Washington, ami |
shook hands with him by the side OF that noun.
tain over there, where you see The road turn.
He was then going up after the 'Whiskey Boys
as we called them, and We all thought we were
going TO have war among ourselves. One ofmy
aeighbors, who has long since been dead, asked
Gen. Washington il we were going to have wari
and the general said, Not unless God wills it,
God makes war aud God makes peace, and let
them do what is right, and trust in God. and peace
will come. So, Mr.. Polk you are the second
President ever saw in my life, and it is only a
about five miles from the spot where saw Gen.
Washington, and then he was going to put down
the whiskey insurreciion and now, when |
meet you, we have this war with Mexico, Peace
had Just been cOncuded-the troops had not yet
returned. A great many young men from this
country have gone to the war, and we have heard
! that some OF them have been killed, and some
wounded, shd many aied from sickness. Now,
some of my neghbors, and the newspapers and
politicians call this Polk's war, aud they say
Polk made the war, and that these people would
not have been killed, only for Polk.
These last illusions affected the President
! deeply eloquent orator Of Congress, the
best stump speaker OF the land, was mute at
these illusions to those fallen in battle--he bow.
ed his head low, and the tears ran freely over
hisffheoks' "a, ~,
to his full attitude, more than SIX feet his white
locks streaming in the wind, his long thin arm
raised high in The air, and his finger pointed to,
wards heaven, 'the war comes from there the
war comes from there and the peace comes
from there also. Mr.. Polk my boys read
the newspapers to me at night. know all
about Texas and the boundary, and we had to 90
10 war. God made the Mexicans 90 to war to
punish them; and he has helped us. Only see
how General Taylor and General Scott whipped
theW; and thank God that you are our Presi'
dent, and You must pray 10 him to help us in
peace" II do so every day OF my life, and
| was thankful that we had such men as Gen.
Taylor an Gen. Scott 10 command our armies, y
was the reply. Tie President was too much
overcome TO say much, and to conceal his feel.
ings he hurried in the stage after hasty fare
well. We had already separated short dis,
lance, when the old mans voice was heard.
"Jake, Jake, stop at the house. and let the old
woman shake hands with the President" Halt
an hours ride brought US before large Penn,
sylvana farm house. Every thing was on a
large scale-on all sides was evidence, not OF
abundance, but afiluence. A large house, a
large barn, large horses, large cows, large hogs,
large dog, large turkeys, large geese, large chic.
kens large garden stocked with large cabbage
and large woman ihrusting mountains Of leav,
ened dough into mammolh oven, gave evidence
! that the good housewife had an instructive con-
tempt for any thing diminutive. The driver now
informed the President that Mrs. S. was now be.
fore US. The President alighted, and informed
the old lady who he was.
! He was received with an air and ease seldom
equalled, never surpassed "Well, this never
expected, that the President would come and
talk to me. But did you see the old man
Well, am so glad. Oho he never will forget
this +; and will say it, though | am his wife,
that be is one of the best men in all these parts;
and he is very smart man, too-only he won't
take any office, and never would, but sometimes
they make him grandjuryman, and then he's
the foreman; but don't think he makes much
at that. And now, Mr.. President you must
come in and take some refreshment." In mo-
ment the long oaken tables inside were covered
with the biggest bottles, and we drank the old
ady's cherry bounce, and shrub and spruce beer
and sweet milk, out of the largest glasses ey.
er made. The President drank to the health Of
all the farmers and their wives, the old lady
gave us her benedction, and we proceeded en-
route for the springs.
James X. Polk is now sleeping with the dead.
The venerable patriarch will also soon be in his
tomb. They are both above the world, its NAL.
ice and its slander--above our fatery and be-.
yond our generation.
The tableau which presented itself on the
ofiy summit of the Allegheny, with the bright
morning sun, a group of twenty farmers from
he harvest field an old man of eighty four,
holding the President of our mighty republic by
the hand, while tears were rolling over his cheek
for those slain in battle in Mexico; and the old
man repeating to him the words Of Washington
which he himself had heard uttered near the
same spot more than halt century ago; with
his finger pointing to heaven, God makes war
God makes peace !" was such scene as the
genius Of Huntington or Coe, convert into a
portion Of the history of our times.
| WuIT | HAVE NoTTcrn Il hava nntcar