Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-04-29
[Correspo ndence of the North Americana
MR.. KING IN CUBA.
HAVANA, March 26th, 1853.

HAVANA, March 18th, 1853.
Having just returned from seeing the in
auguration of the Vice President, l thought
perhaps your readers might be gratifed by a
brief description of the ceremony
Mr.. King has been spending some time at
the hospital mansion of COL Chartrand, on his
sugar estate, Ariadne, near the village of Lem
omar, on the Collesee Railroad, about fifteen
miles from Matanzas, and has derived some
benefit from inhaling the fumes of sugar house
he is very much attenuated, and so feeble
that doubt his ever reaching home again.
DUNG his stay he has received the utmost
attention from Col. Chartrand and his family
and speaks of it in the warmest terms The
Col. is the beau ideal of West India planter,a
fine looking man, generous kind-hearted, affa-
BILE, and the very soul of hospitality. His es-
tate is in admirable order, and though not so
great in extent as some, is remarkable for its
high cultivation and the superior quality of its
sugars. Our party, consisting of Judge Shark
ey, I. NJ. Rodney. Consul at Matanzas, G. W.
Jones, NJ. C. and Special Messenger, and sever
al Others arrived at the plantation to breakfast,
and after being presented to Mr.. King were
conducted over the sugar works by Col. Chart
rand and his sons, who explained everything,
from the cutting fthe cane to the final process
of purifying. At II NJ. on the 4th of March
we were summoned to witness the Inauguration.
The Vice President, being too feeble to stand
without assistance, was supported on the right
by G. w. Jones, NJ c., and on the left by I. NJ.
Rodney, Esq. Consul. The oath was admins
tered by Mr.. Sharkey, Consul at Havana, and
was afterwards signed by the Vice President,
certified by Mr.. Sharkey, and witnessed BIZ tie
following ladies and gentlemen:
Margaret King, of Ala; Catharine Ellis do;
Mary A Stphbipc Iobn T. Coul6ald IN
S. W. Woolcot, VT, A Mackwilliam, S. c.; Jno.
Chartrand, S. c.; G. W. Jones, Tenn; T. NJ.
Rodney, U. S. Consul; Chas. Stebbins, La AL
exander H. Day, Mich; Edmund Marcy, N. Y;
and Samuel II. Jones, Pa.
The ceremony, although simple, was very sad
and impressive, and viii never be forgotten by
any who were present. To see an old man; on
the very verge of the grave, clothed with hon.
ors which he cared not for, and invested with au-
thority which he could never exercise, was truly
touching. 1t was only by persuasion that Mr..
King would go through the ceremony, as he
looked on it as an idle form, for he said he was
conscious he could not live many weeks
After the ceremony was over, Mr.. King con-
everSed with the gentlemen present for a short
time, and then retired to his couch We anu
sed ourselves in walking through the orange
and coffee groves until dinner time. when we
sat down to Sumptuous repast, in the eve
ming took the cars and returned to Matanzas
Mr.. Rodney was very kind and attentive, and
showed us everything worth seeing in Matan-
zas which is not much. Mr.. Rodney is very
highly esteemed BIZ the citizens of Matanzas, and
by all who visit the place, owing to his affable
manner, promptness. and, wheE occasion de-
mands it, unainching courage in defending the
rights of his countrymen; and many are in
hopes that he may be continued at his post du-
ring the next four years, and his long expert
ence on the Island of Cuba peculiarly fits him
for the Office.
The slave trade is IN very Aourishing condi-
ton just now. Two cargoes, amounting to about
two thousand blacks, have just been landed, and
another Of fifteen hundred is daily expected
The British cruizers are doing their best to
break up this traffic, but so long as there is so
much connivance it cannot be done.
Mr.. Rodney is a son of Caesar A. Rodney,
Mr.. Jetfarson's Attorney General, and grandson
of Caesar Rodney, the signer of the Declare
ton of Independence.