The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-03-13
EMINENT AMERICANS.

EMINENT AMERICANS.
We woke up on Saturday morning last and
found ourselves famous The post ON that
eyentful day, brought us letter from Mr.. }.
Livingston, a. Broadway, N. Y, most courte.
ously and respectfully soliciting usto occupy
a place in his Portraits and Memoirs OF Emf
nent Americans now living. He informs us
that his portraits are engraved on steel by
the first artists, and desires us to send him
our likeness, so that il may be handed over
to his engravers. He is also so good as to
request us to transmit to him a memoir of
ourselves, tegad, we can hardly contain our
selves at that idea--the last button of our old
and faithful overcoat has gone already
or such facts as win enable him to prepare
one. Hoping to hear from you" this wor-
thy gentleman signs himself, "Yours, truly
&c. &c.
Well, now, is all this reality Have we at
last arrived at the summit of the hill OF I'M
mortality, when we imagined that we Were
digging in the plains for the bare means OF
subsistence Oh, glorious and intoxicating
thought. Our likeness to be solicited by
great man in New York, and to look majesti-
cally down on common people from lofty
gallery of EMINENT AMERICANS! We shall
Immediately borrow a suit of fashionable
clothes; no, the state of our exchequer forbids
that-but five can rake up the materials from
the wreck of the late fancy balls, we will ap-
pear in the attire of distinguished savage
Osceola, Black Hawk, the Prophet, or some
other eminent American,-and, having our
daguerreotype taken by some great Rich
mond artist, we will prepare to perpetuate
ourselves in the immortal pages of Lscang
Stone. We have but one suggestion to make.
Let us not be engraved on steel. 1t is too
costly. Besides, brass is the metal we prefer.
No man who occupies place in Lviingston's
Portraits of Eminent Americans, can be suita-
bly, commemorated ON any other metal.
About the memoir, however, there shall be
no difficulty. 1t shall be furnished at once,
that Mr. John Livingston and the readers of
the Dispatch May both have the benefit of it.
The illustrious subject of this sketch is de-
seconded from one of the most eminent and
honorable families of the old world, being a
family which was founded by no less per
sonage than ADAM and which numbers in
its various branches several other distinguish
ed individuals besides himself He is native
Of America, and was born somewhere about
the year 1850. but does not profess to be pre-
else about dates. He took an active part in
the debates of the House of Burgesses in the
stormy period just preceding the American
Revolution, and was thereal author ofthat ia
nous burst of eloquence, commonly attribu-
ted to Patrick Henry, ''Give me Liberty OR
give me DEATH In the revolutionary war
he raised andequipped company of horse at
his own expense and on more than one occa
sion forced the trumpets of the fiery Tarletor
to sound hasty retreat. In most of the great
battles which occurred in that memorable
struggle he figured most conspicuously, re
ceiving on several occasions desperate
wounds from balls and bayonets, the scars o
which still remain, and some of which will b,
obvious to Mr.. Livingston when he gets hi
daguerreotype.
Atthe battle Of Yorktown heled the attack
ing column of the Americans, and, after tn,
victory, received the sword of CORVALLIS
The same eminent American drew up thu
Constitution of the U. States, and contributed
some of the principal numbers to the Fede
ralist. In the late war, he was unanimously
appointed Commander in Chief of the ia
nous Navy of Virginia, renowned alike fo
the magnitude of its equipments and thu
splendor of its achievements. This celebrat
ed squadron he fitted out from his own pri
vate purse, and, it may be added, subse
quently pensioned the survivors, as well az
the families of those who fell in battle, from
the same unfailing fountain. During the in.
terval of cruising and fighting when this
celebrated feet, in consequence of bavino
chased the British squadron from the coast
was not actively engaged, he made flying
trip to the North, and achieved the victory OF
Lake Erie, and also of Lake Champlain
Among the most pleasant "reminiscences Of
his Northern trip, was his association with
the Petersburg volunteers, of which his
friend, Col. Bigger, was a member. Syme
OF Petersburg was then mere boy. or he
would no doubt have been the Xenophon O.
that expedition. He has since, however dis
tinguished himself by the capture of Rich
mond. Werecommend that Livingston sen,
for the likeness of Syme, and also for that y
Col. Bigger. The subject of this sketch /;
not selfish. He has renown enough to satisf
him, and dses not desire to monopolize a
the glory.
Nor has this eminent American permitte
his faculties to rust during the piping time
OF peace By way of oiling his intellectua
machinery, he suggested to Henry CLAW tn
leading features of the various COMPROMISE
which beaf the name of that distingu;sbo,
Statesman, and has been the means of sova
raj times saving the Republic from disun;o a,
and CIVIL war In the way of literary re.raa
sion, ne furnished Bancroft, Alison and M
cauley notes for their histories and :. ~.
fsrent times, has thrown off var;ons =.
0rary tribes such rs the Wayo~,. NJ -.