Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-07-25
Sf(isttllaneous.
[From the New York Evening Pos.]
THE LATE SECRETARY OF STATE
ANECDOTES, &c.

Mr.. Marcy has been accused OF unSocia-
bleness and bearish manners, and it must be
admitted that when interrupted in the midst
of his public occupation, by visitor on what
appeared u trivial or suspicious errand, he
did not present his most amable aspect.
On such occasions he would generally give
his ear long enough TO ascertain the charac-
ter of the matter to which his attention was
called and, if convinced that nothing of
practical importance could result from con-
tinuing the conversation, would pursue his
own meditatioDs, without stopping to bid his
guest goodbye. But to those who came on
business to his Office, or who shared the
hospitality Of his own home, his appearance
was wholly different. He at once abandoned
every other subject to attend to the question
| presented for his consideration, and so long
as there was any practical point to be dis
cussed, would concentrate his whole mind on
its elucidation. Gen. Robles, the Mexican
minister, has remarked. that in ten minutes
he could transact more important business
with Mr.. Marcy than with any other man he
ever saw in a much longer time, but that he
never expected so become acquainted with
him, until one day when he visited him at his
house.
Although he was unwilling to cater for
the favor of the press to the extent which
| characterized the conduct of other public
men, he generally had good word for the
reporters and correspondents whom he met.
well, Mr.. -" he would say, as he
walked up the steps of his Office in the morn
ing, to some "member of the press" who
affected or had a great acquaintance with the
secrets of state, "Well, what is the news in
the State Department You know | have
always to go to the newspaper men to find
what is going on here" At another time,
he would suggest O paragraph which, he
would quzcaIly intimate, might produce an
alarm in political circles, improvising, for eX-
ample, at q party of Senator Stewards, some
story in the ordinary letter-writer style, about
Seward and Marcy being seen talking to-
gether, and ending with ominous speculations
as to an approaching coalition, &C., in doing
which he would so happily hit off the writers
for the press that they were compelled to
express surprise at his mastery of their da-
lect But, in fact, Mr.. Marcy, in his early
connection with the Troy Budget and the
| Albany -irguS, had become most excellent
judge of good editorial, and if his own
state papers surpassed the labored compost
tions Of his predecessors in one thing more
than another, it was in exhibiting the peculiar
merits of effective newspaper writing. They
had the point, the absence Of surplusage, the
ingenuity and discretion in taking positions
aud arranging arguments which are always
found in tirst.class "leader." And Mr.
Marcy was not reluctant in confessng his
obligations as q writer TO his newspaper
| training.
His relish for old English literature may
also have done something in preserving the
! simplicity of his taste lie was familiar with
the leading French writers, in the department
Of studies 10 which his duties required his
attention, and passably so with modern Eng
lish and American literature. But it was
from the pure well Of English undetiled that
he loved best to refresh himself. 1t was with
presents Of such books as Shakespeare,
! Miltons prose or poetry, Bacon's Essays, or
Sir Thomas Browns Urn Burial, that he used
to direct and inform the tastes of his friends.
So conversant was he with these noble
authors that it was difficult, even for those
who had made the perusal Of this literature
a specially, to find his knowledge at fault
One day gentleman in Mr. Marcy'S library,
intending to crafty him with the gift of a
very rare English work of considerable anti
quity, inquired, expecting of course mega
tive answer, if he had ever heard of the
book But what was his surprise to see Mr..
Marcy, without rising from the sofa on which
it was his wont when reading to recline,
cody produce the volume from under the
bolster, with the reply, 80, yes, am well
acquainted with it, aud here is q pretty fair
edition of it."
Mr.. Marcy. in Washington, commonly
composed his important dispatches not in his
office, but in his library at home. When
thus engaged, he would at once, after break
fast, begin his work, and write till nearly
noon, when he would go to the Department
receive calls and attend to the regular
routine duties of his position. During the
hours OF composition. he was so completely
engrossed with his subject that persons nigh,
enter and go out or talk in the same room
without in the least obtaining his notice
! lie wore pectacles-usually sat in his dress
ing gown, with an old red handkerchief OF
the table before him, and one could Judge o
the relative activity OF his mind by :he fire.
quency of his application to the snut1-box
In truth, he was an inveterate snuf-taker
and his consumption of that article appeared
to have injuriously affected his voice.