Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-10-12
A Man of Luck.

cent illness of Gen. Cass, the Washington cor
respondent of the New York Times gives the
following pretty faithful picture of the veteran
Secretary of State:
General Cass is O wonderful old man. de
has not survived his Immortality. de was born
a soldier, became pedagogue, and graduated as
backwoodsman. Taking to politics as his nat
ural element, and to Office as his Inheritance, ne
emerged from frontier life as Cabinet Minister,
and in due course of progression became cour-
tier. Through his varied experiences, caution,
timidity, the middle safe course, have been
guiding stars to General Cass and his chosen
pathway. Adulation has always been stepping
stone to his ambition. While quietly yoyaging
about Northern lakes, making treaties with In
dians, Gen. Oass was writing, private letters to
Mr.. Clay, congratulating him on his vindicatlon
from Mr.. Bnchanan's charges of corruption.
have been told by his companion in these ex-
cursions among the dreary wilds Of the North
west that never did word escape him in those
exciting times indicating q preference for man
or party. In private he congratulated Mr. CLAY,
because Mr.. Clay had the actual power; but ne
knew that Jackson was the man for the coming
| time, and reserved himself iel i1A
True TO TIE IN medic tattissimas, when jackson
removed the deposits, Secretary Cass paced the
floor of his private Office in an agony of doubt
The thunders Of the opposition and the terrors
of impeachment were above aud before him.
He dared say neither yea nor nay. jackson
kuew his man, aud sent Gen. Cass to Paris'- =
Here was another instance Of bis unfailing luck
and his tact. jackson would have crushed to
powder another man who had hesitated in that
emergency, but he only introduced Gen. Cass to
Louis PHILIPPE.
His whole life has been luck. When he left
Detroit to take the War Department., he gave
orders to his agent to sell large tract OF land
adjoining the town. He was to sell it for $30,
000.p After some time the agent wrote that ne
had been offered $50, 900. Gen. Cass instantly
replied, Don't sell till further orders" de
would have quickly taken his own fixed price,
but being offered more, he must look further,-
The property is now covered by the best part OF
fourishng city and is worth S3,OOO,OO0. Ten.
Cass is millionaire. While Governor and In
dian Agent, enjoying an excellent salary, ne so
managed his accounts as to strike balance
ganst the Government of S67 600. He patiently
waited nearly two years, and one fine morning
during the halcyon days of John Tyler, walked
up to the Treasuary, presented his claim, ana
brought away the $67, 900 in gold.
Studious and scholarly, he writes well, and
has taste for classical and elegant things In
Paris, he turned diplomacy over to his secreta'
ries and wrote book of elaborate eulogy on
Louis Philippe, which is really very fine bio
graphical memoir. To further employ his ieis'
ure, he took possession Of the flag ship OF the
American squadron in the Mediterranean, and
with his family explored the blue Egean, and
meditated amidst the ruins OF Greece, Italy and
Ionia. He exploded, by protest, the Quintu-
pie Treaty and returned home to quarrel with
Mr.. Webster, invent non.interyention, and run
for the Presidency,
In this last enterprise Gen. Cass' luck failed
him for the first time in his life. His star paed
before the meteor of Beuna Vista. Yet it was
characteristic of the canny thrift of this veteran
politician, that pending the contest with Geuer-
al Taylor, he had appointed locum tensns to
to keep his seat in the Senate warm, and when
he wished to return to it he had this old conve-
niency appointed to the care of Light House
on Lake Michigan. Obedent to his will, the
Michigan Legislature promptly returned him to
his old position.
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 infdel. He
| believes nothing; that is, he has no convictions
In his lukewarn, languid way, he doubtless re-
CARDS the Democratic party as the best able to
govern the country, but he adheres to it only
because he feels it to be safe and profitable to
belong to the strong side.