Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-12
BRECKINRIDGE.
Return or John O. Breckenridge
to Kentucky.
His Reception on the Read /,
Lexington.
He Is Serenaded In Lexington.
Ills Speech In Response.

! Correspondents of the Cincinnati Commercial
/ LEXINGTON, KY, March 9.-Jno
, G. Breckenridge comes back t
: Kentucky a man of commander,
, stature, with a face that womel
call handsome and men intellectual
; and strong, with the same eagl,
eye that your readers have seen il
pictures of him as a Confederate
Major General. His cheeks ar,
square from the check bones down
complexion ruddy and almost ferid
mustache and chopped goatee O
mixed gray and sandy, forehead
scanned with lines of thought and
care, and hair very gray, with
much more of gray than any of us
remember in our recollection OF
him. In his commanding personal
appearance, his stature of near six
feet, he reminds us Of the John G..
Breckenridge of military fame.
But in place of the gray, gold and
silver of his warlike days, he
wears plain dark suit of civilians
clothes, and in all his foreign ex-
perience he has not forgotten the
cloak that Kentuckians love in
common with Spaniards. .- 4
Gen. Breckenridge left Coyington
this afternoon at 2 o'clock, with as
much privacy as possible. un-
derstand that Mr.. Wash. Mclean,
of the Enquirer, accompanied him
to the train, after having been his
host in Cincinnati. He had hoped
to avoid recognition, in q great
measure, and to this end word had
been given outtthat he had already
passed down, and that he had gone
by the way Of Louisville. All
along the line of the road from
CovingtOn to Lexington the sta
tions had been visited by anxious
and expectant crowds for two days,
all DESTROYS Of catching a glimpse
of the man who, as a Winchester
lawyer said to me to-day, "was
more loved by Kentuckians than
any living man."
The General in company with
his wife, occupied seats in the rear
car, and at all the small stations be-
tween Cincinnati and Cynthiana,
those who had waited and watched
for him gathered around the car,
and forced him to exchange words
with them. At Cynthiana, the first
important stopping place, the crowd
cheered him and demanded his APP
pearance On therear platform. Said
one of the observers '-God bless
him he looks better than when we
fought together" Crowds made
their way into the ear, and took
him by the hand 70 all he was
the urbane, gentlemanly Breckin-
ridge of old, but to all he said Gen
tlemen, you must excuse me for be-
ing quiet; 1 am here by permission,
and it is my request that l be all
lowed to pass.quietly." But he had a
kind word from the heart for many
an old acquaintance, and more than
once his eye filed as old times
forced themselves upon his mind.
Said he, 81 am glad to get back to
my home once more. 1t is nearly
eight years since | was here"
When asked if the old scenes were
familiar to him, he answered yes"
and then dived with some personal
friends into many "reminiscences of
the past, and many personal recol-
lections of old associations.
At Paris the demonstration ex-
ceeded even that. at Cynthiana.
Despite the rain, there was a large
crowd on the platform, and many
calls for his appearance. After
shaking hands at the window, he
could not resist the demands for
his appearance on the platform, and
put ON his cloak and went out.
There was wonderful shaking of
hands, and many words of kind
ness. "How is my old friend, Colo
mel II 2' said he. HE is one the
Oldest friends, and when / ask for
him | ask for all" Here, again,
General Breckenridge assured them
of his desire for quiet, as he was
here on permission. He had many
kindly words of greeting, such as
"God bless you" General, it does
the..heart good to.see you" Young
as ever" etc. The General replied
that he was we'll, and glad to get
back, but felt older, and certainly
had grown gray. Colonel Wood
ford, of the Southern Hotel, met
the General at Cynthiana, and in
troduced many to him, among
them an OhiOan, who said he never
saw the General, but voted for him
over there.
A conversation sprung up about
the cabinet. As to Stewart, Gen.
Breckenridge said, "He thinks,
doubtless he will make a good Sec
rotary, and so he may, as he has
head enough to acquire a big for
tune for himself, but it was strange
they never thought of that law.
Sumner would never forgive him
self for not being the first to find
that out" The General refused a
pressing invitation to stay at Paris,
and left the crowd there waving
him adieu, and pushed on for Lex
ington. As he neared Lexington,
this returned exile peered out into
the gathering night to catch the
familiar objects of childhood days,
and recognized many a one as he
sped onward, and spoke of them to
friends who gathered around him.
NEARLY eight years ago." said he
twice in soliloquy, as old land
marks sped behind, and then was
silent.
At Lexington station the waiting
crowd peered into the cars, and
when he appeared cheered, "Three
cheers for Gen. Breckenridge"
The object of the cheers, modest as
ever, simply shook hands, and
pushed his way to carriage with
his wife, and with cheers following
him drove to Will Breckinridge's
residence, his home for a time,
where all the evening a crowd of
visitors and admirers congratulated
him. He was retieent as to politics,
and his friends did not speak much
of the mast hut welcomed him as