The Portland daily press., 1873-03-24
"The Watch-aogiof the Treasury. y

Very probably he is occupied in construct
| ing specimens of that mysterious signature
| which ornaments all our paper NOR ey. and is
to most men riddle more unsolvable than
any that the Sphinx everpropounded. Trans
lated, it is E. F. Spinner. We observe that
the pen with which it is written Is of peculiar
construction, and has three points, and that
the ink used has the thickness and consistency
of mud and the blackness of Egyptian dark.
ness, and is ''piled up'' on the paper to a
height OF which we would be increduous had
we rever seen 1t, and which, having been
seen, renders us more incredulous still. This
delightful quality in the ink, the messenger
informs US, is produced by long exposure to
an open vessei, 10 De accurate, in an old
pitcher with broken nose. It is astonish-
ing we are further told, to note the number OF
people, principally from the country districts.
who stray into the Treasurer's room during
tne course OF year for the purpose of shak-
ing hands with ''the man who makes that
,anny signaturer'' and of looking wondering
~ on TO see ho~ he makes it. We are quite
sure to be affably received, unless some cir
cumstance of an unusually disturbing nature
has occurred, for ssthe General as he is ia
miliarly called, notwithstanding his reputa-
tion for the use of strong words, is really q
man of uncommon good-nature. Even when
provoked to one of his ebullitions Of righte-
Gus wrath, his bark is .,roverbially worse
than his bite, and the goodness Ct his heart
usually leads him to make reparation for vio-
lence of language by lenity of action. So 1t
happens that applicants for favors at his
hands are sometimes told by their friends,
who know the old gentleman's peculiarities,
that it is a favorable circumstance at on
the first presentation OF their cases they have
been rounily scolded, since the chances are,
that after the first heat Of temper has cooled,
nanifapca for dino hor will lead him
on second consideration to grant their re-
quests. Not even the Generals most ardent
admreis-and no man has more-wili cain
that he is handsome man. And even should
they have the hardihood to do so, the yignetle
on certain fifty-cent notes, of which there are
many still in circulation, would furnish
complete refutation Of their assertion. But
to be fair, the shin plasters do not do him
Justice. There is an expression OF honesty
and openness OF nature about his homely
features. and a twinkle of humor in the eye,
which the artist has failed to reprod ce, and
which render the face, like Lincoln's, kind
and genial and far from unpleasing. A griz-
ely mustache, cut unreasonably short at the
corners of the Eiouth does not help to supply
the lack of beauty in the features. The wide.
determined mouth, and the square, heavy
chin, suggest the irreverent idea that personal
appearance, no less than watchful care, OF
the nations treasure may have led to the be-
stowal OF the sobriquet of "Watch- dog of the
Treasury" by which the faithful Treasurer ia
| so well known. --i3i
Inc room is of moderate size and plainly
furnished, and gives evidence that Of the
Vast amount OF money which has passed
through his office, but little has been used to
minister to the Treasurer's comfort. door
opens into still smaller apartment in which
the Treasurer sleeps. The responsibility of
fbQ collaborating of hnn1rofa nf pnill.0na n
too great 10 be devolved upon others, and the
General therefore re is where he can in a
moment assure himself that the public treas
ufe in his keeping is safe. Once, before he
began sleeping at the Treasury. he was
awakened in the night by st. ong impression
that something was wrong at the Depart
ment. He lay for long time tossing uneasi-
ly on his bed, and trying to close his eyes and
convince himself that IL was mere freak of
an over taxed brain; but 1t would not be
driven away. At last, about two O'Clock In
the morning, in order to assure himself that
mis- impression was at lault. he arose, hastily
dressed, and set out for the Tr asury. On
his way he met a watchlnan from the De-
partment, fastening to arouse him with the
information that the door OF one of the
vaults had just been found standing wide
open. A careless clerk, whose duty 1t was to
close and lock the door had failed to perform
MS uuty tndt hlSnt, anu tne Waterman On
going his rounds had discovered his neglect.
Since that night tie Treasurer has inspected
the doors and locks Of the vaults himself, and
has satisfied himself, by attempting to turn
the handles, that they are securely locked.
The inspection is made twice every evening
once soon afier the departure of the clerks,
and again before retiring to rest. There are
few public officers whose sense of duty and
responsibility constrains them to thus sacri-
fee their own time and comfort in the inter-
ests of the government. The moneyed re-
sp3nsibillty is indeed tremendous, and such,
we venture to- assert, as never fell on the
not exaggerate Is evidenced by the fact that
the notes, bonds, and securities in the vaults
of the Treasurer's Office amount on an av-
erage to eight hundred million dollars From
"An Hour Among the Greenbacks. - Scrib-
nor, q for AT,riI