The Portland daily press., 1871-11-07
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
TUESDAY. NOVEMER 7, 1871.
Anecdotes of Public Men.
BY COL. j. W. FoRNEY.

BY COL. y. W. FORNEY.
Steam is your real revolutionist. 1t has alter
ed the physical geography of the civilized
world. 1t has bridged the seas, partially an
INFLATED space and time, opened new high
ways into and redeemed the wilderness,
neigbbored far distant States, converted old
cities into new oues, changed deserted villages
into thriving towns, levelled the forest, cross
ed chasms and connected mountains and ele-
waited skilled labor into a science. Immagin-
tion is baffied by its present and vainly at
| tempts to anticipate its future triumphs.
But in nothing has steam so transformed the
| face OF the country and the habits OF the peo-
pie as in the substitution OF railroads for turn
| pixies. While was preparing my last sketch,
in which recalled the genial Zenos Barnum
OF Baltimore, to the thousands who knew
MN in bygone days, the famous hotel and
innkeepers OF the past rose before me, with
the stagecoach, the Conestoga wagon. and The
ancient system of land transportation, Where
| are Iney nowP In my young manhood their
| uecay nad Degun, but it requires no strong ef-
| tort to revive the long train of can yass c5ver-
ed wagons passing through my native town
on their way to and from Pittsburg and Phil
adelphia, carrying the produce OF the West in
| exchange for the merchandise of the East,
/ with their hale rough drivers and their long
| leather whips, the coronal of bells on their
horses, and their stoppage at the old tavcrns
for food aud water. They were to the more
ostentatious stage coach what the baggage
train is to the lightning express of the present
| day.
And when these coaches dashed into Lam
caster, and rnshed down the streets, the dri-
yer winding merry air on his horn, accom-
panied by the crack of his long whip, women,
children and dogs rushed out to meet the me-
teoric chariot, as it drew up with its foampg
steeds at Slaymakers old hotel, ON East King
street and began to throw off the mails, while
the passengers aliehted, thirsty, hungry and
covered with dust. 1t was the event of the day.
Repeated at every other station and at every
other town, it was one OF thousand similar
pictures in other States and countries. Old
EDg'and's great highways were made jocund
with post coaches, fast horses, daring drivers,
uniformed guards, !and jolly passengers. 1t
was favorite amusement for the nobility to
mount the box and hold the reins with four
or six in hand, and to course along the level
roads, excelling in feats of daring drivership.
They were as ambitious to lead in this sort
of exercise as their descendants are in boat
and foot races, in pueilistic encounters and
general gymnastics. OF these scenes the CEN
trail figure was always the innkeeper who did
not hold it beneath his dignity to stand in his
doorway, engirthed in his white apron to well
come the coming and speed the parting
guests That class is nearly extinct, though
happily net forgotten. The old-fashioned pub
lcan aspired to be gentleman, and was gen.
orally the associate of gentlemen-a connois-
seur of wines, "a judge of horsefesh, critical
caterer, and in politics 80 unexceptionally
neutral, that, when the probable votes of
town were estimated, 1t was generally So ma
| ny Wings, so many Democrats and so many
| tavern keepers.
| These Sir Roger De Coverleys-for they
| were men of substance and hospitable to the
extreme-have given way to generation as
| different as the Conestoga wagon differs from
/ the locomotive, the old stase-driver from the
car-condIctor, the railroad director from the
| stockholder of the turnpike company. They
are the dilettanti of the hotels, and like the
| Pontif7s robe rarely seen and much wondered
l at Living in gorgeous private residences,
| away from the splendid palaces which bear
i their names, they in fact vicariousy feed,
i room, and care Tor more human beings in one
i day than the men of the past did in six
| months. One of these men was John Guy,
! who may be called the hero of three cities
| known alike in Philadelphia, Baltimore. and
| Washington, though better appreciated in
/ Baltimore. Born in Lancaster county, Penn
1 sylvania, believe he was the founder of a
family of unrivalled hotel keepers. He still
lives in Guys, ON Seventh street, Philadel-
l phia, now in course of rehabilitation and 5000
| to expand into an ostentatious establishment
on the European plan, and in the unequalled
Monument House nearly opposite Barnum'i
| in Baltimore. When think of him / thnl
| also of Dorrance and Pope Mitchell Of thu
| United States Hotel, of Joseph Head of the
| Mansion House on Third street, of Dunlap o
the City Hotel, of Hartwell of the Washing
| ton House, and Jones of the old Jones' Ho
tel, IN r.iiaiciPhia; of Gadsby in Washing
ton, Stetson OF the Astor House, in New York
| and many more. There is not State in the
| Onion, North or South, which could no. fur
nish anecdotes of its representative inn-keep
ers; of their relations to public men-to Cal
| houn in South Carolina, to Webster in Mas
| sachusetts, to Clay in Kentucky, to Sergean
s. Prentss in Mississippi, to George d. Prem
tltse in Louisville, and to the lawyers, divines
ana orators who for half century dominate,
in tht,se sections. If these Bonifaces could
have k apt records of their experience, wbai
anecdotes they could relate of the giants o
the past, Of their private troubles, their ambi
tions. their cOntrivances and their caucusses
their friends and their foes! knew many o.
them, and could relate many interesting Incl
dents if had 81 i,ace and time.
Let me recall cue in regard to this same
| John Guy, sometimes told by my frient
Dougherty, when we can win him to socia
| familiarity ana make uiu IOIScL pIOlcSSlOud
responsibilities. Guy bore striking resem
blance to General Lewis Cass, and while ht
| was proprietor of the National Hotel, il
Washington, the Michigan Senator wa'
amonglhs favored guests. Guy dressed lik
Cass, and although not as portly, his face, in
Guiding the wart, was strangely similar. ON
day Western friend of tine house came il
afler long ride, dusty and tired and walking
up to the office encountered General Cass
who was quietly standing there. Mistakins
him for Guy, he slapped him on the shoulde
| and exclaimed: "WeIl, old fellow, here am
the last time hung my hat up in your shan
| ty, one of your clerks sent me to the fourtl
story; but now that have got bold of you,
| insist upon a lower room."
The General, a most dignifed personag,
taken aback by this startling salute, coldly re
| piled: you have committed mistake, siI
| am not Mr. Guy; 1 am General Cass
! Michigan" and angrily turned away. I'll
Western mail was shocked at the uDcon
| scious outrage he had committed; but befvr
| he bad recovered from his modification, Ger
eral Cass, who had passed around the office
, confronted him again, when second tim
mistaking him for Guy, he faced him ant
, said: "Here you are at last l have jus
made a devil of mistake Il met old Cass ant
took him for you, and am afraid the Mich
gander has gone eff mad" What Geners
Cass would have said may we'll be imagined
| if the real Guy had not approached and res
cued the innocent offender from the twice as
sailed and twice-angered statesman Snnda