Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-05-04
Visit to Mr. Peabody -His Opinions on Public.
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Visit ts Atr. Peabody -His Opinions on Public
Affairs
a From the Newark .Iourna! April %
% Kindly invited by relative OF Mr. George
Peabody to be presented to him, called upon
hin on Saturday last, at The residence OF Sam,
ueI Wetmore, ESQ, and vas very cordially
received The conversation Al once turned
upon the remote section Of the country in
which [ formerly resided the difficulties at
te1dant upon reaching it by the overland stage
facilities, and the rapid progress made by the
Jinion Pacific railroad In this connection Mr..
Peabody expressed The hope that on his next
visit to this co,;ntry an opportunity might be
afforded him TO visit the Pacific coast and the
sequently handed Mr. Peabody 4 copy Of the
Newark Daily Journal, Of the 22I instant, con
tainiog the article which placed him in nomi-
nution for President q! the United States. anal
called his attention 20 it, He smiled and re
marked:
Mr. Fuller wo2 no. OF course, in earnest ln
this suggestion. -
replied | knew the. editor OF the Journal
too we'll to doubt The fact Of his sincerity in
every line which he had written.
Then continued Mr Peabody, "he can
not be aware Of NY age Do not understand
me to intim ate that | consider this alusion to
my name disrespectiul; on the contrary, il i
most kind and complimentary. We're [ but
not as q partisan but hya united people,
should like it. =
But anl seyeaty-two years age, and my
chief desire, SO lar as | am personally concern
ed, is to preserve my health The climate of
England admirably agrees with me, and on
Wednesday next sail for England in the SEQ
tia for three years absence There can
paaa my days in the open air, without suffer.
ing from the exposure. The rays Of the sun
do not PROSTATE NE there as here. II cold
weather comes, | can reach n mildcr atmos
phere in tWenty-!our hours. shall pass much
OF my time in salmon fishing. The exercise Ii,
ast what require, and | enjoy it. 1t gives
expansion to the lungs and freedom In the cir
culation .t,~. eea>sr p f~s
"On Wednesday, just one year Wsi IA iitags
elapsed since l arrived in this couutry.' All
the plans connected with the object Of my visit
here were arranged in England before my de-
,arture, and have been accomplished with
Slight modification. The gift of $4,000 to
the Essex Society was not contemplated, but
will, | am satisfied, be productive OF much
good. In all my charities | have been favored
with the valuable advice and cooperation OF
Mr.. Robert G. Winthrop, Of Massachusetts,
whom l. highly honor and respect. If the
choice OF President Of the United States were
left to me, that Office would fall upon Mr.
Winthrop. A gentleman by education and
instinct, ripe scholar, possessing every states
manlike attribute, with An unbemished repu-
taton, he would honor the position, and my
countrymen swould elevate themselves BY the
selection. ..-
>fcll Mr.. Fuller chat the mention OF my
name in connection with thc Presidency is not
original with him Ten years ago bright
little lad, son Of Mr. Samel Wetmore, pinned
INV name upon an American flag, and marched
around announcing me as his candidate he
IS now sixteen, and one of the noblest youths
have ever SEEN The other day | intro
ducel him to President Johnson, and asked
that he be appointed to q cadetship at W est
Point. My request was instantly granted, and
the Joy of the little fellow was complete.
Speaking Of the recent visit to Washington,
incidentally alluded to- He expressed the
conviction that our large national debt would
prove no barrier to our progress il the country
could but be once mere united. Bat with
separation, disunion practically continued, with
y latent spirit of rebellion still existing, the
heavy burden Of taxation would be i'll borne,
and civil warfare might be again renewed. His
dearest wish was that his country might GO
forward in the career of progress, which every
element, save that OF internul discord, would
I re powerless to prevent, and that the Govern
ment and nation should become, as would be
the case ii wise counsels prevailed, the most
powerful under the sun He expressed the
most unbounded confidence in the wisdom and
ability Of Secretary McCucch, whom he had
learned to esteem as a noble man and tarsee
Mr.,
Peabody, "that Secretary will take no back
wards The resumption OF specie payments
and the diminution Of the public debt are the
objects of his profoundest solicitude: tie ade.
auately comprehends the injury and confusion
which would result from sudden contraction o.
an abrupt return to the specie basis; but heEll
recommend no measure which tends in th
other direction, and will lose ro opportunity
to make point in favor OF resumption. 90
On nv making some allusiou to his vas
London charities, Mr.. Peabody informed M
Of gratifying letter just received from one 0
the house of Barring Brothers, OF London, AM
afterwards favored me with It's nernSaL !
stated that meeting had been called BY th
Lord Mayor of London to take into consider
alton the subject Of erecting a memorial i
honoroi Mr. Peabody, 1t which meeting th
writer was appointed committee to soici
subscriptions, limited to ten gulneas each. 10
The erection Of a statue of the distinguished
American, and that he had secured one hun
dred names ina single day, A copy o! th
snbacription list was enclosed, headed by hi
ROYAL @ HEighness the prloee OF Wales in who's
tsha]f The ten guinea rule had been waived
,ht ann af6xsd 70 his uamr, being twenty fy
onneas HThe writer farther remarked tia
Mr Story, The American Scul ptor had bee
suggested as tho artist, 20 VII whom N the t. wor
should be entrusted but hat q decision upo
this and all other details would 6e postpone
until Mr. Peabody's arrival In Londen. q =
beautiful andtouching letter from the ,e. EmpreS
Eugene, under date Of the 4th nltltnot L WI WI
also kindly shown me, the body OF the doG. !,
RI fnr being. lQ 10