Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-23
PERSONALITIES IN WASHINGTON.


The melancholy Key affair in the metropolis
almost involuntary brings to mind tho name of
Francis :. hey. Esq, the father Of the young
man who met bis death in such ignominiOus cir
eumstances. lie was little, actiye man, having
an earnest and even lxi u. expression of cOun-
tenance, u ii care sat heavily upon him. but at
the same time genius and beneyoleuce blended
their expression in his face. lie WAS eminent at
the bar Of Washington and Baltimore. held ar
guments with Writ, Swan, Pinkney, Walter
Jones, and others Of similar rank, all Of whom
have disappeared from the arena, and only one
OF whom Is alive. Gen. Jones, who, at a very
advanced age. IL often seen slowly walking
along Pennsylvania avenue, IA IL he Was linger-
Ing beyond his time about these mortal shores
Writ, man Ut large stature and commanding
presence, was accustomed to look on Jones
though IF small stature and poor presence as
the most dangerous antagonist he had 10 en-
counter before the Supreme Court of the United
States.
Mr.. Key was n man of great integrity, of
strong stfectiOn. and of poetic turn of mind
rs well as of patriotic spirit. In composing
the heroic song Of the . Star Spanxled Ban
her, he in measure associated himself with
the glory Of his country. lie held the Office OF
District Attorney here under General Jackson.
and OF course was n political friend Of that
daring President. At the same time he wa.
religious in hs tendencies a member Of the
Episcopal church, and a warm friend of Sab.
the District =. 5. Union. Mr.. Key, in company
with the late Senator Southland, delivered an
address IN the open park East of the Capitol
under the shelter Of the beautiful shade trees
which there abound, and amid the glow and
animation Of carly summer As an exeeutiye
officer, Mr.. n. was energetic. "a well as con-
scientiOus, having while in Office undertaken
the herculean task of purging the city Of the
houses Of prostitution.
The publication of the Augean stable was A
light task compared with this; but considerable
success attended the effort though this kind of
depravity quickly rebounds and rebuilds itself
through the aid of the base passions of human
nature-mans libcrtinism and woman 8 weak
ness Mr.. hey was esteemed as a Christian
man, not of the formal but of the evangelical
order. and would have shuddered Mt the idea of
the trghtful guilt and atrOcity connected with
his name; but he il guiltless. Nor can ms
name be tarnished by the conduct of his guilty
and unfortunate SON who iii the fierce infatua-
tion of his lusts forgot the reverence due the
memory Of his sainted parent. rs he did the af-
fectiOn due his mOtherless children. 1t Is in
deed case rs full Of horrors as the ocean is of
waves The picture has not one point Of relief
But II Is not TO be mentioned. save as o warn
Ing to young men of hot blood and ungOyerned
passions; to men in whom a cOnfding Chief
Magistrate has 'repOsed special trust expecting
they will not betray it This trial OfM Sickles
must be painful to Judge Crawford before
whom hey was aeeI 5 Cmed to plead, and who
feels natural pride that all associated with
him In maintaining the dignity of tho govern
ment ut very seat, should demean themselves
with prOpriety and deeOrum. 1t is however q
rare occurrence, not likely to be repeated in
half n century. There was indeed \ murder
committed two years ago in the upper rooms of
the Pension Office, (Winder's building) by a
clerk OF the name of Lee, on the person Of Col
Hume. of Virginia, who called him 10 account
for accusing him of stealing Lees pocket book
.
untOundcd- Unfortunately Hume raised stick
Odensively over his head aud perhaps struck
him, and this vas reciprOcatel by deadly shot
from pistol. hey, then District Attorney
conducted the prosecution, but Lee was ac-
quilted, and IS now al large in the vicinity
The last time L saw Lee, he was walking along
at the est End with slow spsce his eyes fixed
on the ground. He threw Inc one glance and
resumed his downward look. Ii there be not
80 many street fights in the metropolis ~ In
some Of our Western tUWns,-I mean with the
pistol and bowie knife,-thOse weapons are Of
ten carried, especially when any quarrel is on
hand, OF when one Is sought. Members of
Congress have carried them concealed. One
desperate fellow kept his knife sheathed at the
back Of hi. neck, displaying it occasionally by
way Ot tIntimidati"n Having a aCOnsumptiye dis
ease which has since carried him OFF he wouId
hsve stood poor ch iuce in bodily ruqyle
Hen- FOOtc drew pistol in the Senate Cham
her on Col. Benton, which tax On from him
and licked up in drawer. Col. Benton him
self, when once threatened by u pugnaeious
Missourian. is said to have gone heavily armed
to the Senate for u few days. The London Times
takes sharp notice Of these rough features of
American life, not much to pronounce us
wicked above nations rs making a more salient
and terrific exhibition of our wrath something
after the fashion Of our Indians WHO brandis6
tomahawk and scalping knife over their enc
mics Let Us take the hint, and confess that
We are rather too much a''isw unto ourselves. -
and grow more civil in future history
RATHER MIxED.-James McGiIleu resides in
Eavenna. lie peddles jewelry. He came to
this city last Saturday with the intention of
replenishing his stock. lie brought a trunk
with him ia which there were 500 in money
and about 500 worth Of jewelry lie got in
toxlcated and put up ut some hotel in some
hack street. where he got into difficulty with
somebody and Was carried to the watch-bouse
by somebody else. lie staid there all night
and in the morning he didn't remember where
he had left his trunk The watehman who ar
rested him says he met him on ST. Clair street
in company with three other men, each one of
whom Was trying to take the others to the
watch house for - creating a disturbance" all
being So drunk that they could hardly keep on
their feet. The watehman locked them ali up.
After spending several days in fruitless On
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