Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-07-01
AN ISDpPESDEST FAMILY JOURNAL
Issued on FRIDAY mornings at Le~'Sturg
Iep,j S,j f.1pgH
Gen. 0gle, again.

The General was by no means Il poVh-
learned man. On the contrary, quite the
reverse. And upon this circumstance, Is
founded the capital story we are about to
copy. Here it is:
Probably (says the writcr) not one
mau in hundred can learn to write his
own name, spell February, or to hit the
cases of the personal pronouns, after forty
years of age. The General suffered some
thing by his lack Of formal training in his
youth, which ear-marked his style of speech
and composition while he lived. An anu
SIM instance viii illustrate a slight defect
of this sort, and his masterly skill in ex-
Treating himself, which never deserted him
in any such cxigency. Immediately after
Madison's second election, the General
called upon Governor Findlay, then hold
ing the Office of State Treasurer, with the
manuscript Of long letter which he had
written to the President, covering the
whole ground of our foreign and domestic
policy, and especially the principles and
measures of the Democratic party. Mr..
Findlay heard it with not little admira-
ton of its merits, matter and form but,
glancing at the paper, he observed that tue
General had, in some 'undred instances,
written the pronoun l in little with a pop
over it; and sincerely desiring to reform
it for the writer's sake, aud for the effect
that it ought to have, but impressed, also,
with his sensitiveness TO criticism which,
in any way, impeached his capabilities. he
coax;nglv suggested the much desired cor
rection after this fashion: An excellent
letter, General. A sound letter, sir; full
of most capital advice, which Mr., Madison
will be glad and proud to receive, and
thoroughly democratic in every sentiment,
\ Letter, General, that any man might he
proud to write. Views, sir, that viii make
the administration equal to Jefferson 5, II
they are fully adopted. But, General,
they have court custom at Washington,
a small matter, such as you and are not
apt to treat with much considcratlon-an
Indifferent little piece of ct.quettc-a-
Here Mr.. Finllay began to stammcr, The
Generals keen eye Wis On him, and he
felt it,
"'Percizcly. what is it? p
"sOh, nothing looking over the paper
rs if it were hard to find. 'Nothins at
all, and yet, it would be easily altered a
stroke of the pen here and there, merely.
"spiue-blank,' said the General, what
is it, Mr.. FindlayE
"'Why, General, it has become the
custom lately, at Washington, to write the
pronoun l with capital letter
"The General was caught, and lie knew
how he was caught, and he must recover
himself
"sPerc;zely, Mr., Findlay; all right.
Most assuredly-I kuew-pinc-blank-
YOU re right by this time he was ready.
Look here, my dear sir laying his hand
on Mr. Findlay's shoulder, as if to re-as-
sure him, for the embarrassment was all on
the one side now. sYou sec, my dear TEL
low, | had a design in it. When | write
to a small pattern of man, | make my
capital Is two inches long when L write
to nay equal fellow-citizens, such as your
self | make them the usual length; but,
sir. when address myself to as great
man as Mr.. Madison or Mr.. Jefferson,
always make them as small as possible with
pop over them, percizcly,
a need hardly say that the General
walked straight to his room, and raised
every letter Of them to the dignity required
by the rules of grammar, and the etiquette
of Washington city, before he despatched
the cpiStle.'
Maine, in Michigan.