Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-09-19
A 1ssmini.eenee of the Golden Gate.


The New York correspondent of the
Philadelphia Inquirer relates the follow
ing: 1t is some eight years ago, when
the writer of this was one of party of
invited guests to accompany the vessel
on her trial trip. The late Bishop
Wainwright, George Law, Colonel May !,
and several members of Congress, were
on board. We brought up at Annapolis,
and the fame of the,vessel having reached
Washington, President Fillmore and his
Cabinet signi6ed to Captain Patterson
and Mr.. Aspinwall their intention Of pay
ing them ''fying visit
Straightway magnificent banquet
was prepared, the decks were illuminated
with variegated lights, and the saloo rs
below were "cleared for action" The
Presidential party spent all night on
board, and returned to Washington the
next morning by daybreak.
About an hour after these distin-
guished guests had taken farewell of us,
a small boat put off from the shore to-
wards the ship, containing one passen
ger. The oarsmen urged the boat
through the waters as easily as possible,
for the passenger was sick, almos5 unto
death. He was covered with a heavy
blanket to shield him from the crisp
air of the early morn. On reaching
the gangway of the steamer the boat
men took him up tenderly, and bore
him up to the deck, where he was re-
ceived by Capt. Patterson, and at his
request, led to the quarter deck, to be-
hold, for a few moments, the sun, just
then gliding with rosy effulgence the
bright, dancing waters the Chesapeake.
All the guests, wearied with the night 5
festivities had retired to rest, and, after
few words from Capt. Patterson, the
invalid was left alone with only little
! girl-the captains daughter-as his
companion. With this little prattler
he kept up talk for half an aour or so,
and then imprinting kiss on her cheek.
with the assistance of Mr.. Aspinwall
and her father, he retired to his state
room.
That invalid was Daniel Webster, then
laboring under the indispositions
which, in a few weeks afterwards, proved
fatal.
| Next morning when the Golden Gate
was bounding through the Narrows, on
her return to the city, at parting col
latior, Rev. DIR. Wainwright paid feel
ing tribute to the genius of this great
man, who was unable to be with them
then. Hardly had the words fallen
from his lips when the "sGreat Defender
himself slowly walked into the saloon
and the whole company rising to receive
him, and took seat near the head of
of the table.
After pause of few moments the
great man, leaning on his cane, rose to
his feet, and, after returning his ac-
acknowledgements to the company, pro-
ceeded to electrify all who were within
range of his voice, with only such a
thrilling speech as Webster on such oc-
casions could make. Taking the noble
vessel as fitting type of our glorious
Union, he went on to contrast the COM
plex machinery which propelled he1
Through the stormy seas, with the com
plex machinery of our republican form
Of government. AS we moved on with
out jarring, in the ferccst of tempests
SO would the other, he trusted, till the
end Of time.
Every spar in the Golden Gate was
sound, and there would be found, per.
haps, cross grained beam, or a rotten
plank, but it did not impair the efficient
or harmonious working of the whole
There were cross grained beams and
rotten planks in our system of govern
ment, too, but the goverum snt neverthe.
less, with Gods blessing, would move
steadily, safely, triu nphantly on to the
glorious destiny in store for it unde,
the same Stars and Stripes which were
then floating over their heads.
think that was the last speech evel
delivered by the "Great Defender il
public. ..
Alas! that the gallant ship, which ht
had chosen to typify our republic
should have met with SO disastrous +;
fate. God grant that, in her destruction
our own is not pre6gured.