The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-08-31
PROXY DIX.

The Autediiuviau Cats Paw Of New
York Grautism-Some Delicato
Remisiscepces Of Oid faE End.
George Alfred Townsend In Chicago Tri-
bune.l
John A. Dix, Custom House candi-
date for Governor Of New YORK
belongs to that class Of military failures
which were collected around Winfield
Scott in 1861, just about the time Of
Bull Run the first. Scott was the
Lieutenant General. and we possessed
but four Major Generals John {.
Fremont, G. B. Mcclellan, Nathan Z.
Banks and John A. Dix. All the others
ranked Dix, but Dix and Scott were the
only two born 10 the last century, aud
Scott was Dix's senior BY only twelve
wears. Two OF these four Major Cen
erals were dispatched on active service
and had many points Of resemblance
personal as we'll as mental-McClellan
and Banks; but Fremont and Dix were
only Generals to their Aids'de-Camp
John A. Dix is what we know OF the
latter DAYS OF Winfield Scotia Scott
without q Lundy's Lane. Cherubusco,
or a Contreras-a battleless General
and an off-watch officebolder, slipping
in when parties lost vigilance and
dumplings replaced cannon balls.
In the war OF 1912 New Hampshire
en,iqre, he was a feeble aid to General
Brown in the dodge warfare OF the Ms
sgara border; and OF this We should not
be informed had Dix Lot written 1t IN"
dustriously OF himself. His subsequent
lite has been that OF lawyer without
cases or rank in the profession, and the
filler OF unexpired terms for other peo-
Pile; be is a sort OF joker in the euchre'
pack-nothing in himself, but some
times made available, by consent. to
take both jacks. AT times he dIsap-
pears altogether, and exists no more
than Mrs Harris, whom we fancy this
mythical old gentleman might resemble,
if it were possible tor her TO have existed
They piece ou, ends OF terms and vacant
directorships, and idle times, and times
of Tease and eatiety, with this old Bark's
OF IA. He is always at the foot eli the
step waiting to 90 up-the ghost OF
empty places, and like the letter Z in the
riddle:
The beginning OF every End,
And the end Of every Place.
A RELIC OF MICAwBER.
He has been known to be President
OF the Erie railroad Tor two weeks, and
Senator of the United States tor
two-thirds Of another mans term. He
dropped from the United States
Senate into a Sub-Treesurship, and
then flew on eagles wings to common
Postmastership. When Thomas, who
was serving out the fag end OF Howell
Cobb's term in the Treasury, had been
removed, old D was meekly waiting,
with his Bardolphisn blade buckled to
his side, to succeed to the remnant OF
the tag eud. There be wrote the great
sanguinary act OF his life-not with the
blade, but the mightier pen:
"If anybody attempts TO haul down
the American hsg shoot him on the
Nine-spot!" And forthwith our friend
relspsed into q comfortable garrison
commander, took the leavings OF a de.
ceased gentleman at the French Court,
and waited there with strong sense OF
fatality that some Of the crowned heads
would die and give him the benefit Of
an uuexpired reign; failing in which,
he meekly recrossed the pond and went
into winter quarters. Like the Young
prophet, he is ever waiting for the cry
Samuel! Samue'" And when he
heareth it he responds, without any
csm putable hesitation:
Lord, here am =
This propensity TO fill out other peo-
ple's terms at important times reminds
me OF an old literary woman about Of
his age and he', who came once TO sell
me manuscripts when l edited literary
paper.
Said /: Madam, this article must
be incomplete 1t is not all here"
20 no, sir" said she; you have all
that com posed oil it"
"Why, madam, this article begins
page nine. Where is page oneY'
20. sir" said she; 81 always begin
with page nine; that's one OF my little
eccentricities.'
10 1865 an Abide Camp Of Dix BY
the name of Bsrstow came to me | wa
then resident IN New York; TO say that
General Dix wanted to see some news
paper writer on public and military
business. Greatly exercised in my ace
OF hearts and wondering il ! WAS to be
shot Immediately on the Seven-spot, |
took my way to an office on Blocker
street, before which paced . sentinel
and several army warrant agents, the
latter OF whom shaved officers salaries
and are now members in good standing
10 the Republican party.
Within, screened away like pawn
broker, was the General who had com
manded in Accomac.
The nature OF his communication
was somewhat startling, and IuIly in
accord With his proxy character. He
wanted me to hang man and relieve
him OF the respous bility.
Start not, until the above sentence be
explained.
There was q poor devil named Beall,
who had captured q steamboat called
the Philo Parsons, running between
Detroit and S.ndu-ky. Anxious to
shoot HIM on the spot, over somebody's
shoulder, General Dix, to whom he was
transferred, had designed to have Ger.
tain newspaper articles written, clam
orrng for the man's blood; and, under
cover of said articles and the nonuI.r