Middletown transcript., 1874-05-02
Incident in the Life of Chief-Justice
Taney.
BY JAMES PARTON.

The remarks Of Mr.. Beccher. in late
number of the Ledger, upon public moral
ity, recalled to my mind the singular con-
scientiousness displayed by most of tn
public men of this country in former times
Let me relate an incident or two in the
life of the late Chief-Justice Taney -
Never was there public man more
scrupulously honest than he.
One day. in 1884, he received from
New York two boxes of cigars, without
any card or letter accompanying them
The cigars were of the particular brand
which he liked best, and were not easy to
be procured. Few smokers have ever
lived who enjoyed the weed more thor
onghly than the Chief Justice, AT that
time, however, he was not the Chief
Justice. but Secretary of the Treasury. in
the administration of Andrew Jackson.
In daily expectation of receiving letter
Of advice respecting those cigars, he laid
them aside unopened Several days pass
ed; during which. as the Senate refused
to confirm him in his Office, he became a
private citizen, and as such free to receive
gifts from all the world.
A gentleman holding high office in
the Treasury Department asked him one
day as he was closing up the business of
his office, if he had received two boxes of
cigars lately
eyes" said Taney. "To whom am l
indebted for them :"
lie learned that the giver was an old
friend of the family. Samuel Thompson by
name. who then held temporary appoint
ment in the New York Custom House-an
appointment which had been within his
gift and control as Secretary of the Treas.
ury. He made up his mind at once not
to accept the gift.
81 sincerely thank you," he wrote to
Mr.. Thompson. "for this proof of your
kindness. and you must not feel mortified
at what am about to say. cannot ac-
cept the cigars from you as present.
But will be glad to keep them, ana pay
you the market value for them. And |
must ask the favor of you to say how
much they are worth, that may send you
the money
He proceeded at some length to explain
the grounds of his conduct SO as to avoid
wounding the feelings of the giver
at has been fixed rule with me-" he
said, Ito accept no present. however tiff
ing. from any one, the amount of whose
compensation for public service depend
ed on the department over which l presid-
cd. You will perhaps smile at what you
may think my fastidiousness about such a
triAe as your cigars, but l have thought il
is the true rule for public man, aud thai
it ought to be inAexibly adhered to il
every case, and without any exception in
the smallest matters.
Mr.. Thompson made an ingenious re-
ply. First of all, he confessed that, con-
sidering his peculiar connection with thu
Treasury, he ought not to have sent the
present "although," he added, ''it would
be esteemiug your integrity as a very
supple affair, indeed, to suppose that i
would be Influenced by box of cigars "
But, he went on to say Roger Brooke
fancy is now private citizen, to whom
the rule for public man does not apply
"You will oblige me much" ;" added he
"by accepting in this character. the trife
now in your possession, as a mark of my
respect for your great private worth anc
Invaluable public services; or, if you
fine feelings and independent spirit vii
net allow this, then either return the ci
gars or send me ten dollars"
Mr.. Taney was not to be seduced b,
this plausible reasonsng. He thus re-
piled
Although. in confoi nifty with the rule
which have always prescribed to myself
must send you, as l now do, inclosed
ten dollars for the cigars | received from
you. yet hope you do not doubt that
feel a. much obliged by your kind atten-
tions as if | had accepted them as gift. >