Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-13
The Patch on MIR. Marcy's
Breeches.

hreeCh6S.
Harper's Weekly relates the following an
ecdote of Mr. Marcy
While he was Governor of this State. he was
visiting al Newburg on some public occasion
and with party of gentlemen, Wings and
Democrats, was at the Orange Hotel Good
humor was prevailing, and one story suggested
another. The Governor always enjoyed a story
and could tell one With excellent effect A
Whig lawyer was present, and the Governor,
recognizing him said
"Ah, yes; III tell you good story of
Spooner The other day he came up to Albany,
on hisway TO the Wing Convention at Utica,
and so he took it in his way 10 call on me 10
get pardon for convict at Sing Sing l.
heard the case, examined the documents, and
being satisfied that all was right, agreed 10
grant the request. Spooner handed me the
paper to endorse, and wrote Let pardon be
granted-W L. Marcy :; when Spooner cried
out. Hold hold Governor that's the wrong
paper' And sure enough, it was a Wing
speech that he aVas going TO make al Utica,
abusing me the worst possible way But
had granted the pardon in advance, and sup
pose he committed the offense afterwards"
The story was received with great applause,
and Spooner, being looked 10 for response,
Instantly went on with the following which,
for an ex'empore story, certainly is capital:
Yes, gentlemen-yes, did. And when
the ConVention was over we went TO Niagara
Falls, and as we were dragging on by the stage
over miserable corduroy roads, banging our
heads against the top of the coach, and then
coming down as if we were to go through the
bottom. the stage came to- dead halt; the dri-
yer dismounled. opened the door, and requested
US all 10 descend. We did so, supposng that
some accident had occurred When we were
all out standing on the ends of the logs of
which the road WIS ace the driver took of
his hat and said Cent. m1n, We always stop
here out Of respeci fen The Goyernor: this is
the identical spot rlcfe .H0rcy tore his panta-
looms r"
The story was heard with great jolifcalion,
which no one ioined ur re heartily than the
Governor himself
That pan,aloop Incident serves to be recor-
ded III every history a this great man. He was
sent ou, to ho'd special sessions Of Court to
try the anti Nlsp; ic parties charged with muir
der Ire was 10 receive salary and his expen-
seS. lth that nice regard for details that
belonged to his sterling character, he kept
minute account Of all his expenditures, and
blinded in The lisi on his return, wili,put
making y was necessary or proper to revise
and strike eout those items Of private nalyFe,
which other men, less scrupulous in great mat.
tiers, might have carefully suppressed. There
! stood the tailors charge for mending. The po-
litlcal fues of the Judge, when he came 10 be
candidate for Governor, found it and paraded
, it before the world in The newspapers and
making an effgy of Mr.. Marcy, suspended it in
the streets of Albany, With great patch on the
pantaloons, and the lailors charge on the top of
that.
; But an observant peope saw through the
5 patch and the charge into the heart of an honest
man, and in that very deed of his they recog-
nzed frankncss and transparency Of character
Q that commended him to their warm appreciation
1t Is not probable that the pantaloon charge
9 lost for him a sing lie vote, while il is doubtless
true that it made him multitudes of friends Ht
was never ashamed Of it, and never had reason
: to be.