The New York herald., 1872-10-28
THE CHANCES OF GRANT AND GREELEY.
Opinions on the National and State
Campaign Issues.
AN OLD-FASHIONED NEW HOUSE.
vi Any Ono Attempts to Haul Down the Amer
lean Flag Shoot Him on the Spot"
nowTHE FAMOUS ORDER WAS WRITTEN

NOW THE FAMOUS ORDER WAS WRITTEN
The Generals Fireside Tales Anecdotes Of Great
Hen, Living and Dead-About Game Shot
y1n ''en the spot'-The War Of 1912.
sfM arNl0 800
wEsrHA ANTON L. J., Oct. %, 1872
About seventy-six miles from New York. on the
Long Island railroads.&c. worst ma naged bit Of
railway In the United states-stands wooden
station and cottage, and these are marked down
on the maps OF the line as ''Westhampton." The
country roundabout is thriving agricultural re-
gion though rather nat and uninteresting. A mar
Eow road that delyes a6Aay to the right into o
young forest OF trees - ssunted growth leads
through the dozen houses that form the village
Of Westhampton and at distance or three miles,
Ny0u follow the track and happen to choose the
right Of the half dozen forks in the road that
bewilder the stranger on the way, you may drive
on Long Beach into the Atlantic Ocean. About five
or six hundred yards from the SURF on q
point Of land, known as Ketchabonnock Neck, and
formed by the waters Of Great South Bay and Guam
suck Bay, stands a large and rather handsome
wooden house, one Of the two or three rural or
farm residences OF General John A. Dix, the republl
can candidate for Governor and the man who, in
1851, thrilled the nation by his historic order-"n
any one attempts to haul down the American nag
shoot him on the spot" The house Is by consider
able distance nearer the sea than any other domi-
cile in the vicinity and General Dix has very appro
priately named it "Seafeld," as 1t is situated on
the nearest cultivated ground to the ocean. The
scenery In the neighorho0d is rather tame and nat,
excepting to the south and southwest. There the
sand hummocks Of Long Beach jut their irregular
outlines against the sky and form an ever-wasting
ever-buding rampant, against which Old Oceans
heecy plumed warriors charge, break and roar in
vain.
THE SUBMITS OF THESE DUNES
ore fringed by sparse growth OF scagrass and the
occasional signal poles which tell the DeghbOring
fishermen when shoal OF their prey and profit
makes its appearance on the coast.
Here ana there. on the landward slope Of the
ridge, in the gaps by the rush Of the sea, in
tempest times are located menhaden oil factories.
where millions Of fish annually have been con-
sumed, but 1t Is said the business Is dying out be-
fore the increasing yield Of the petroleum regions.
TO the northeast and north lie the low salt fields
which skirt Quantuck Bay, topped in the distance
by the tall column which bears the Ponquogue
Light. This Long Island Pharos is said to be of
the loftiest lighthouse structures in the United
States. It must have considerable altitude for as
was driving along the village road, a
few evenings since, the great glaring eye
Of the beacon seemed only few
fields distant, though actually ten miles away. All
this low ground skrting the bay offers attrac-
lions to the sportsman, for wild duck. snipe and
Otner water fowl hide under every sedgy tuft that
borders the bays and inlets along this coast. To
the left OF the bridge that spans the narrow chan
mel which divides the neck from the beach and
meets Quantuck and Great South Bays is small
pond in the meadows. and here the General has
shot hundreds OF birds on the spot" and about II;
for he is great sportsman, and probably second to
NO man OF his years as o marksman Duck and
snpe decoys l0 on the surface OF the pool, and at
one end clump of bushes on the margin forms
place OF concealment for
THE VETERAN NIMRoD.
In this retreat 1t is no uncommon thing to find
the rugged septuagcnarlan, encased in rubber
clothing, crouching at daypreak for his game, and
waiting for hours for its approach If necessary.
This is his favorite shooting place; but he bonn
bards water fowl all over the neighborhood, and
founders in and out of holes, kneedeep in water,
In the indulgence Of his great pastime. Indeed, it
his taste for shooting that led to the establish
ment Of Seaaeld, which he originally planned as
sort Of shooting-box and afterward improved and
enlarged, 80 as to make II q Summer seat.
The mansion is fine, square-looking structure
OF two stories In height, with high attic roof rear
extension and Notwithstanding along three
Sides Gravelled carriageways lead up through a
lawn as yet incomplete, to a circle at the porch,
and GladiOlas, verbenas and other choice
on either hand. A handsome barn and carriage
house and water windmill stand in rear OF the
premises the latter supplying large tank with
water from o drypump well.
But it is necessary to visit the interior OF
THE GENERALS HOME AT sEAFIELD
TO understand the peculiar taste which prompted
hlm in Its construction HIS city residence, only
few feet removed from Fifth avenue, is q fashion.
with rare and antique furniture and fittings and
objects Of art and vertn; Down here there IS none
OF this. He has built here the oldest fashioned
modern house have ever seen, but everything in
1t IL calculated for what farmers wives call 'sold
akin to the popular idea of what the .'oakroom''
house. Floors, .,,oaI wal, -. and ceiling are
degree, sombre, there is singular feeling OF the
snug and cosey in It, This is particularly felt on
entering the parIors In evenings about this time OF
the year, when ruddy wood fires snap on the old
style open hearthstone and CLINT the Furnished
Ses sc an a n d %,
subject OF reminiscence by the old folks. The neat
planking Of the floors Is only an inch and half In
GUS carpets, after the style OF our day is covered
here and there, in front Of sofas, hearths and rock
The fronts OF the mantels around the irepaces are
NLAID WITH DUTCH TILES,
Hague snd p One Of ese e ho% ene
ever, was originally set in the fireplace Of house
Se about ae years o and n mus,
that house were pulled down some few years ago,
and this was the only tile that came from the ruin
intact. Some idea may be formed OF the period
when that house was built by the fact, stated to
me BY the General, that there were $4,000
bricks In the chimney. They don't put up smoke
stacks Of that shape and size in these jimcrack
days. few plain pictures ornament the walls
some OF them being the amateur work OF men,
bcrs OF the family. Very noticeable, however
are an unfinished marine view, OF bold
conception and execution painted by the
Generals son, well known artist, whose studio
IN Rome Is the resort OF connoisseurs from the Old
as well as the New World; also . chronograph OF
Paul Potter's Bull the gem OF the Hague gal
series. Up to the beginning OF the present
week the house has been occupied by Mrs. Dix and
her elder daughter young married lady, together
with tour most interesting grandchildren or whom
Mrs. Dix seems peculiarly fond The General is