Smyrna times., 1865-10-25
NJ | S { ELLAN EOU S
General Lewis Cass.

We rlrcly " meet with the name of Gen. CaSs
III chc papers. but he still lives " at the ripe
age Of 81 years. He resides on jefferson street.
Detroit, III Il handsome modern built dwelling.
while his eldest son occupies the old family
homestead, two squares distant. Though af-
ftlcted with the tcebloncsS and forgetfuncsS ma.
tuIally incident to his patriarchal age. he maim-
talnS better health and more active spirit than
could reasonably be supposed to belong to his
time of life. Some Of the commercial gentle
men waited on General CaSS while al Detroj-.
and a correspondent thus speaks Of their yi,itI.
General CasS and his SONS are quite rich. the
former having settled at Il very early period in
Detroit. and when lands could hc purchased at
thousand part Of their valuation. They own
quantities of the best improved real estate in
the city, and are i'll the enjoyment of incomes
that are princcy in magnitude
Beng an accomplished cOnnoisseur in the
fine arts, General CaSs INDUCED his tastes while
he was minister to France, and while making a
! tour from Europe to the extent of providing
| himself with many objects of rarity and value
One of those, which he prizes very highly, is
hall finished painting, by the famous West,
| OF the signing OF the treaty of Paris, which
closed the revolutionary war. and secured the
| Indepcmdcncc of the rcvolted American colo
| MES Five figures are outlined on the canvass
being those of benjamin Franklin, John jay
and Henry LaurenS the others, doubtless, be-
ing the British commissioners. The great pain
ter was engaged at the same time i'll executing
ce.tain art works for George the Third. When
the King heard that West was about to per-
petuatc a scene so approaching to his own bad
policy, he got into passion and sent an order
! to the artist to cease it, or be dismissed the
| ro yal employment. West could do no more
than obey the royal mandate, but the picture,
incomplete as it was survived the Kings in
III Il 4
| It's present distinguished owner
| Major Lewis Cass the eldest son of the GEN
erll who was Minister to Rome ;lurin" the adj
minlstration Of Polk, Taylor and Fillmore, has
even more than his father taste and tOndncSs
fo' collecting works of art. His house here
possesses Il superb gallery, to which the public
are admitted at certain seasons daily at |
! o'clock. In his collection are at least two OBJ
jects that would be acquisitions to the Dresden
| or Louvre galleries. or to any III the world
| One is an antique marble Of life size, that was
exhumed in cxcavatng about Rome. The 9th
| er is "a painting OF our Saviour sweating under
| his crown of th0rnS, is from the hand OF Guido
himself, and one OF the five master pieces
which he disposed of in his will. During the
revolution in Italy which was set on foot by
Charles Albert, Garibaldi and Mazzini there
were exciting tumults in Rome, incident to
the occupation Of the city by the Austrians and
which this treasure belonged was in danger of
being destroyed, and was saved only by the
interposition of Minister Cass who caused the
American flag to be hoiSted over it. The
monks of the church, by way Of testiying their
gratitude for the signal service rendered them,
afterwards presented him with the painting in
question. On his arrival in New York he was
offered 10000 for the relic, but declined all
overtures from persons who were ambitious OF
purchasing .-ChicaQo Times.