The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-09-05
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
uUNOR AND HLUNTNESS OF THE LATE
GOVERNOR MARCY.

for a certain bluntness and directness 0i
manner and speech, which were very annoy.
ing to formal and ostentatious people. His
stern loric and intense hatred Of ali hum.
bug, parade and circumlocution, and no,
righteousness, i'll nature or sourness prompt
ed this peculiar mode of bringing 'hlf',lutin'
people down to the standard Of common
sense and matter Of fact style of speech
and conduct. Indeed, he was an exceed
inglv amiable good-natured man, with Q
great penchant for good joke, and sly
humor underlying all his social and even
much of his political conversation.
The old story, which has been so much
harped on by the newspapers and by politi.
cal declaimers, in regard to the charge Mr.
Marcy made against the State of New York,
of fifty cents, for patching his pants, was
not, as some have pretended, SO much ar
illustration Of the Governors strict and
literal observance of law and stern honesty
as it was Of his humorous turn of mind,
which could not forego SO happy an oppor-
tunity Of carricaturing a foolish law. We
have heard of other incidents, illustrative Of
the same trait, which are quite amusing,
though much of the humor Of the Gov
ernor's remarks is lost in the relation, as
his quaint, solemn expression, the invariable
pinch Of snuff with which he preceded all
his observations, and the sly expression OF
his sleepy looking eyes, gave great effect to
his humorous hits. Thus the story told of
his interview with the pompous and excita-
BILE Count Sartiges, the French Minister, can
never be fully appreciated except by those
who were familiar with the Governors
manner. 1t was when Mr.. Crampton's ex-
pected dismissal, on account of his conni-
vance in the violation of our Neutrality
Laws began to be discussed. The represen-
tatives of the great European Powers at
Washington were astounded at the cool au-
aacity of such proposition, and meeting
of the principal of them was Immediately
held, the result of which was the designa-
tion of Count Sartiges to proceed to Gov
ernor Marcy and demonstrate against so rash
and violent procedure, as calculated to en-
danger the peace of the world and give Sc
rious offense to the great commercial power
and her allies.
Accordingly, the magnificent Frenchman
proceeded in state to His Excellency the
Secretary of State, who received him in his
usual plain and good-natured way, asking
him to take chair and pinch of snuff in
the same sentences. The Frenchman took a
seat, and proceeded in a magnificent exor-
dium, prepared for the occasion, TO unfold
the object of his visit. He began by show
ing the Importance of preserving the peace
Of the world in the present condition of at
fairs; the great commercial interest the
United States had in the maintenance Of the
most friendly relations with the great powers
of Europe, and then proceeded to show that
the principal of those Powers were all now
united in close alliance; that any nation
which wronged or offended one of them in
Cured the hostility of all; that if Great
Britain conceived herself unjustly dealt by,
France, Austria, Sardinia and Spain would
be bound to give their aid in resentlng or
Furnishing such injustice to their great ally.
Having thus, as he imagined, excited the
apprehensions of our Secretary of State,
the eloquent Frenchman next touched upon
the reported intention of our Government
to dismiss the British Minister. He could
not credit SO alarming proposition. He did
not believe that so experienced and conserv-
atiye a statesman as Mr.. Marcy could be
brought to acquiesee in so rash triaing
with the peace cf the world, and it was to
be assured of the justice of these convictions
that he now called on the Honorable Secre-
tary, in this frank and sincere way, to COM
municate the views which were entertained
by his Imperial master on this topic, and
which had the approval of the representa-
tives Of other European Powers. During
this magnificent Grafton, Governor Marcy
sat in his usual position, with his head
down, his face maintaining its heavy un-
changing expression, and his sleepy, gray
eyes now and then stealing stealthy view
Of the eloquent and excited Frenchman, as
if measuring his full roportions-intellec-
tual and physical-and then relapsing into
their favorite range of obseryation-the
dingy old carpet of this most ancient Of our
public officers. of course, the most elo-
quent and telling Of the Minister'S sentences
were honored and recognized BY the ineyi-
table pinch of snuff. ss
At last Count Sartiges concluded his ter
rible harrangue, and with Redeemed face,
perspiring brow, frightened eyes and quiy-
ering frame, paused for reply. What was
the astonishment, stupefaction and disgust
OF this representative Of Imperial greatness,
20 observe the American Secretary of State
handing him that funny old Dutch horn
snuff boxswith an invitation to try the mer-
its,of the contents, followed by the inquiry:
Weli, Mr.. Sartygis-this was the nearest
tne Governor could ever approach to the
rather dfscult French pronunciation OF this
name-how is Mistress Sartygis. and all the
httfe Sartygis?" If the bare idea. of dis
missing British Minister could so astound
the Frenchman, we may form some concep-
ton OF his unbounded amazenent at the
very irrelevant and extraordinary response
to so serious communication. He was,
however relieved on the next day by the
very prompt decisive and pointed answer to