The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-09-17
GENERAL CASS.

! graduated as backwOOdsman. Taking tC
politics and his natural element, and TO office
as his inheritance, he emerged from frontier
llfe as Cabinet Minister, and in due course
OF progression became a courter. Through
MS varied experiences caution, timidity, the
MIDDLE safe course, have been guiding stars
TO Gen. Cass and his chosen pathway. Ad
ulatlon has always been stepping stone to
his ambition. While quietly voyaging upon
Northern lakes, making treaties with indians
he was writing private letters to Mr.. Clay
congratuIatng him on his vindcation from
Mr.. Buchanan's charges of corruption.
have been told by his companions in these
excursions among the dreary wilds of the
Northwest that never did word escape him
in these exciting times indicating n prefer
cnce for man or party. In private he con-
graduated Mr. Clay because he had the actu
al power; but he knew that Jackson was the
man of the coming time, and reserved him
self.
True TO the in medic tutisSimuS, when
Jackson removed the deposits, Secretary Cass
paced the floor of his private office in agony
Of doubt. The thnnders of the opposition
and the terrors of an impeachment were
around and before him. He dared say nei-
thrr yea nor nay. Jackson knew his man,
and sent Gen. Cass to Paris. Here was
another instance of his unfaiing luck and
tact. Jackson would have crushed to pow
der another man who had hestated in that
emergency, but he only introduced Gen. Cass
to Louis Philippe.
His whole life has been luck When he
left Detroit 10 take the War Department, he
gave orders TO his agent to sell large track
of land adjoining the town. He was to sell
for $4,000. After some time the agent
wrote that he had been offered $33,OOO-
Gen. Cass instantly replied, "Don't sell till
further orders" lie would have quickly ta-
ken his own fixed price. but being offered
more he must look further The property is
now covered by the best part of a flourish
ing city, and is worth S3,OOO,00O. Gen. Cass
is u millionaire While Governor and Indi-
an Agent, enjoying an excellent salary, he so
managed his accounts rs to strike balance
against tho Government of $4,000. He
waited patiently nearly twenty years, and
one fine morning during the halcyon days
of John Tyler, he walked up to the Treasu.
ry, presented his claim, and brought away
the $4,000 in gold.
Studious and scholarly, he writes well,
and has n taste for classical and elegant
things. In Paris, he turned diplomacy over
to his secretaries, and wrote book of elab-
crate eulogy on Louis Philippe, which is
really very fine biographical memoir. TO
further employ his leisure, he took posses
sion OF the flag ship of the American squad.
ron in the Mediterranean, and with his fami-
ly explored the blue Egean, and medtated
amidst the ruins of Greece, Italy and Ionia
He exploded, by protest, the Quintupe
Treaty, and returned home to quarrel with
Mr.. Webster, enter the Senate, invent non
intervention, and run for the Presidency
In this last enterprise, Gen. Cass' luck failed
for the first and only time in his life. His
star paled before the meteor of Buene Vista.
Yet il was characteristic of the canny thrift
of this veteran politician, that pending the
contest with Gen. Taylor he had appointed a
locum te,ens to keep his seat in the Senate
warm, and when he wished to return to it, he
had this old conveniency appointed to the
care of light house on Lake Michigan
Obedient 10 his will the Michigan Legis-
ature promptly returned him to his old posi-
tlon.zz=ssr.
Personally, Gen Cass is an exemplary man
of the world. He is very rich, and is careful
of his own. No man looks better after his
own household. Politically, he is an infidel
He believes nothing; that is, he has no con-
yic,ions. In his lukewarm, languid way he
doubtless regards the Democratic party as
the best able to govern the country, but he
adheres to it only because he feels il to be
safe to belong to the strong side.
Without intending it, have indited an
ante mortuary memorial upon the Secretary
of State. Il may stand; should it live until
he dies, | believe impartial men will pro-
nounce it candid and just. a.
Too Much OF A Coop THING.-That the
legal profession was not always regarded
with that degree of respect and homage
which il deserved we have long been aware.
The following enactment of the General
Session of the General Court OF Connecticut,
in May, I729, shows that in those days the
people of New England were disturbed with
apprehensions lest they might have too much
of good thing II is copied from the origl-
nal record;
"Whcrcas many persons Of late have ta-
kan upon them TO be attorneys at the bar,
SO Lhai oitnyrels and la,oSuitS are multiplied,
and The Kings good subjects disturbed. 10
the end, therefore, that said mischief may be
prevented, and only proper persons permitted
10 plead at the bar, as well in hehalf Of our
sovereign Lord, the King, ms his good sub
jects, &c.
"lt is enacted, That there shall be in the
colony eleven attorneys and no more, VIZ
three in the county Of Hartford, and the oth-
or four counties 10 have two each,
The law in question further provided that
each county court shall appoint the number
of attorneys to which the county is entitled
one of whom, in each county, shall be ap-
pointed "Kings attorney"
STORM AT CAMP MEETISe.-A cores
pondent Of the Fredericksburg Herald, writing
from camp meeting, at Farnham, Virginia.
says:
"On Thursday, after a solemn and affect
ing sermon by the Rev. p. p. Wilson, the
was driven to the tents by
storm which ragged in the widest fury Tor
an hour and half. The roar of the wind
ard the rain through the trees, the loud
crash of the lhunder, and bright lghtnins'ss
ansl,-startling creaks Of tent timbers, aud
the fall of limbs of trees broken, by The
storm, mingled with tho songs and prayers
swelling forth from almost every tent maze
one feel quite queer assure You"
A REPUBLICAN EDITOR HAS HIS FORTUNE
TOLD. One of the editors of the Buffalo Express
saws that he recently had his fortune told