The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-07-12
The 1syAs,A Of ysA. 9. Srs..at.

The 1syhssa Of JsAa G. HrsnsAt.
Ne Editor Of The Boston Journal:
u2IAen the name Of a candidate for the
'rssidenpyyof the Ualsed States is presented
o tAe ARsFican people for suifrages, his
ahafacter ~ abilities are ~ once subjected
o the sevesest test. All that 10 known OIL
i'm. whetksr favorable or uufavorahle, is
to the public BY the contending par.
lee. 1t is right that the people should be
veil acquainted with the characters of the
nen for whoM they are to vote Tor all OF.
ices; but more especially it is right and i'm.
that they should know we'll the char.
lcters of the men nominated for the highest
in the Government.
In the preface of a t~rAnslation ofthe First
md Second Books Of X~enophon,s Analysis,
~ DR.. John Robertson, Classical Teacher,
published in 1880 By Lippincott g. Gramto,
81 Philade 'phia, there is contained a very
highly gratifying account Of the distin.
candidate Of the Republican party,
when a yoa,h residing in Charleston, South
Thinking, sir, that this should
have q circulation far beyond that which
the book referred to gives, have tran
scr.bed il for the columns of the Journal,
and doubt not that you will be pleased TO
give it an insertion therein.
The author, in addressing HE pupils
says -.
"For your further encouragement will
here relate aremIrkabIe instance OF pa
tent diligence and iudomitable perseyer-
ance.
la the year 1897, after l had returned to
Charleston from Scotland, and my classes
wers going on, a very respectable lawyer
10 my school, l think some time in
the month Of October, with q youth, appar-
entity about sixteen, or perhaps not so much,
OF middle size, graceful in manners, rather
but well formed, and, upon the
whole, what I could call handsome; OF a
keen piercing eye, and a noble forehead,
seemingly the very seat Of genius, The
gentleman stated that be had found him
given TO study, that he had been abou, three
weeks learning the Latin rsdiments, and
lhoping. suppose, to turn the youths at
tention rom the law to the Ministry had
resolved to place him under my care. for
the purpose Of learning Greek, Latin and
Mathematics sufficient to enter Charleston
College.
very gladly received him. for | imme-
perceived he was no common youth,
rs intelligence beamed in his dark eye and
shone brightly on his counter ance, indica-
ing great ability, and Al assurance Of his
future progress. at once put him in the
highest class, just beginning to read Cesar's
Commentaries, and although at first inferior,
- ~-ol,rc,. annr and apfhusias.ir an.
plication soon enabled him to surpsss the
best. He began Greek al the same time,
and read with some who had been long at
Il, in which he also soon excelled. In
short, in the space OF one year he had, with
the class and at odd hours with myself,
read four books o Casar, Cornelius Nepos,
Saliust, six books of Virgil, nearly all
Horace, and two books Of Livy; and in
Greek, all Greaca Minors, about the half OF
the fret volume of Greacs Msjora, and four
books of Homer's Iiliad. And whatever he
read he retained. 1t seemed to me, in fact,
as if he learned BY mere intuition. was
myself utterly astonished, and at the same
time delighted with the progress.
have limited above that he was designed
for the Church, but when / contemplated
his bold fearless disposition, his powerful
inventive genius, his admiration of warlike
exploits. and his love of heroic and adyen-
deeds, | did not think it likely that
he would be a Minister of the Gospel. He
had NOT, however, the least appearance of
any vice whatever. On the contrary, he
was always the very pattern Of virtue and
modesty. could not help loving him, SO
-..k IA ~. cunsvasa rIo h0 HE nentia-
manly conduct and extraordinary progress.
1t was easy to see that be would one day
raise himself to eminence. While under
my instruction, / discovered his early gent
us for poetic composition in the following
manner: When the Greek class read the
account that Herodotus gives of the battle
Of Marathon, the bravery of Miltiades and
his ten thousand Greeks, raised his patriotic
feelings 10 enthusiasm, and drew from him
expressions which ! thought were embodied
in q few days afterwards in some well writ
ten verses in o Charleston paper, IN that
far-fsmed, unequal, but successful conflict
against tyranny and oppression, and sus.
pecting my talented scholar TO be the author,
| went to his desk and asked him if be did
not write them; and hesitating at first
rather blushingly, he confessed he did. ]
then said, 81 knew you could do such things
and | suppose you have some such things
py You which | should like to see. d.
bring them to me-" He consented, and in
a day or two brought me a number, which
/ read with pleasure and admiration, at the
strong marks OF genius stamped on all, but
here and there requiring, as | thought, q
very slight amendment.
In mathematic he also made such ron.
derful progress, that st the end of one wear
he entered the Junior class in Charleston
College, triumphantly, while others who
had been studying four years and more wert
obliged to take the Sophomore class. Aboul
the end of the year 1923, / left Charleston
but | heard that be distinguished himself
and graduated in 1880. After that, he taught
mathematics for some time, and then went
TO study of law under a certain celebrated
Senator. His career afterwards has beer
one of heroic adventure, of hair breadth es.
capes by food and field, and of scientific
explorations, which have made him world.
wide renowned. In u letter l received
from him very lately, he expresses his pra.
itude TO me in the following words: 81 su
| very far from either forgetting you, Of
neg!ectng you, or in any wsy losing thu
| old regard | had for you. There is no TIM
to which ] 90 back with more pleasure thar
that | spent with you, for there was n,
time SO thoroughly well spent, and of any
thing ! may have learned, | remember moth
| ing so we'll and SO distinctly, as what | &C
| CURED with you" Here | cannot help say
ing that the merit wa. almost all his own
II is true that | encouraged and cheerer
him on, but If the soil into which | put tn,
seeds of learning had not been OF the rich
est quality, they never would have sprun,
up to a hundred fold in the full ear. Such
my young friends, is but an imperfec
sketch Of my beloved and faverite pupil, nos
q Senator, and who may yet rise 10 be a
the head Of this great and growing Repub
lie. My prayer is that he may ever be OF
posed TO war, injustice and oppression 9
every kind, a blessing TO the country 40
an example of every noble virtue to tn
whole world"
may add that this notice OF John Charlie
Fremont from the most respec'
able source. DIR. John Robertson, now {
Philadelphia, is q most estimable gentleman
and a deyout Christian. He was my prs
ceptor also, with whom I studied he Gree
and Latin languages. | am most happy j
such q connection, 10 pay this humble lrit
ute to his worth and talents. His stat,
ments may be relied on.
Yours respectfully,
| CHARLEs HI. pLuMmER, Minister al Large
Lawrence, Mass, June 23, 1856.
|