Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-15


STA: / think you are sometimes little
too severe, even for an independent"
pepper, on the President. ] voted for the
Electors who voted for him, and am not
disappointed. He turns out to be as good
President as 1 anticipated, though |
confess it did not req 7ire anything extra.
ordinary to meet my expectations. He
is net TOO stiff-necked to correct his
errors, and be has always shown an ad-
mirabls stuhbornness when that quality
was necessary to be exercised.
Still, your STRUCTURES upon the absentee
ism of the head of the national Govern
ment nave mucn more IN them tnan mere
pIaasibility. We do net want peri
patetic Administration, or en- Admins
tration on wheels, or availing itself of any
other circulating" facility. Beading
of General Grants bathing in the bill
lowing surges" brought to mind several
anecdotes related to Iae last winter BY a
highly respectable citizen OF Washington.
John Quincy Adams was in Che habit
of breasting the pillows when he was
President. Instead Of going to a fashion
able resort, be might be noticed very
early in the mospipg swimming 10 the
Potomac amid " school, Of boys and
youth, who took their morning bath ear.
lier than was their wont, that they might
swim With the President of the United
States. twas With them as With John
Ouincys ancestor" sink or swim, sur
vive or perish" they we're bound to be
afoat at that particular time. Adams
generally selected place near the Long
Bridge lnot Long Brancb). The boys
annoyed the loDg.boatmen very much,
seizing the steering car, etc ss the latter
would be rowing and polling iheir Eoad
aud coal boats mp the river, and they
frequently had to dodge bilIets Of wood,
Which the vexed river men would hurl OF
them. Adams bald patio, meantime,
would be bobbing up and down in close
proximity to these scenes, and on one
occasion q boatman SHE'D q missile at
him With an accompanying admonition
to the old baldbeaq 10 get away from
thereI"
Mr.. Adams had sort Of weakness for
the water. 90 another occasion, 10 com
psny with his valet IA Swiss. who had
been with him in Europe), be attempted
TO cross the Potomac in small skif to
Mssons Island; and when about in the
middle Of the stream their craft began to
leak rapidly. Both were good swimmers
and they stripped of nearly all their
garments, and tied them in bundles to be
ready fpr the threatened emergency. II
soon came. The skif went under, and
its late occupants. saeh 9Th bis bundle
spaniel-like, between bis tssth. Cyan
with the force of Leanders toward the
nsarest shore. But the swiftness Of the
current compelled them to drop their
packages, and thsy reached the muddy
island with but shirt and Q pair Of
drawers bs.yeen them. Adams stripped
his remaining garment TO add to the
wardrobe of his valet, Who thus coolly
sccoutred for Summers day, approached
the nearest habitstiou, borrowed clothing
for himself and proceeded round By .
distant bridge TO the city. Having pro.
Cared suitable attire for the PRECEDENT
and himss.s, be took q carriage and drove
back to where the fsiETe "old man elo.
auent" had been stark-naked fos sone
three hours 10 Potomac mud and water.
At that time the newspapers could not
veil report whether all vas quiet or no.
tice this ripple on the Potomsc, a1d men
then had not sEch prnriency for notorie-
~, even when the. Joke was favorable.
THIS event was Of course uuheralded,
The hrsttbiag President Adams did Gu
bis return to Washington vas to pur.
chaos 3 valuable gold watch for bis valet
TO supply the place Of one which that
faithful attsnasnt lost in the adventure.
Ludierous as it must strike one to real.
izs the head Of a great nation 10 such q
predicsment (and it is in strong contrast