National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-21

shoes, and one can readily believe that Boswell
was influenced BY . similar enthusiasm Il II.
case OF johnson, whose Conversation woald eeT
tainIy repay such attentions and sacrinces - wei
Dr. Cis 1 sse saS sSs. sIsSse thought
much Of Twsddeii or too little Of himself . Eos
even Boswell would have stopped 30 low n ore e
saSy a as ssasS S as 60
that which 1t suggests, respecting the extent to
which biography may. 60, Or must 90. in complete
a5 ssa sabut It r. oeg
| raphy But have neither Boswells gifts nor mis-
ves i vsp not
method and Of manner for this work. How far
have felt bound 70 90 IN showing how the charae.
| cred as . public man, were peculiarixed by his
tastes and manners, the body Of this volume indi.
ment, tending to show how the hero Of this work
himself regarded the prophecies and essentials Of
Tho composer of this work, which, It will sp-
pear, Is little more than compilation, casually
met Its hero on the It'll Of December, 1872, not
having talked with him before for several years.
meeting and the oonseqnsnces Of that meeting
warm iof winter and too cold for summer, it vas
Psns DAY ss
but it was beyond description lustrous. The OBJ
eervatfOns of Q walk, extending from the resi-
and Eighteenth streets, to the Capitol, via Penn:
sylvanfn avenue, constantly reminded mo Of
Lyell's comparison of the atmosphere at New
luminous eiesrness Every Object that could ever
wear q noble aspect seemed as If TRANSPORTED in
that morning sunshine. All the shapes and hues
ing objects then and there revealed to observa-
tion. seemed invested with new invitations TO the
NJ. W s... a. A. .x.s~~-
to the living human shapes encountered in that
walk, seemed finer than had been the presence Of
Chief Justice Chase. How was 1t with him then
holelng him take possession Of his pl.os q Chief
Justice in the open court. How changed he
looked! I knew that mind was mightisr than
natter but my studes Of the relation Of corporal
conditions to ncorporeal states and forces had
been far from superficial; and I felt that the
mems sdna in corPore sano could be found no longer
nal rs 1t had been in him 20 long.
did not even wish to meet him privately; I
had been urged. indeed, to write his public his
quaintanec; and thought Of doing as advised in
that behalf; but fairly dreaded talking with
him and comparing his present state with my re-
On that to me forever memorable It'll of Decen,-
Der the Chief Justice, ascending Capitol Hill, on
his way to the Saturday conference Of the Su-
! companion, not 70 rest, but to point out some
features Of the view which could be enjoyed at
that halting place. He was accompanied BY Mr.
As he resumed his upward way. he was overtaken
and accosted by another old aequaintance-a de-
voted friend, to whom he had addressed some very
him, from time to time, some vitality important
explanations Of his course in politics, Of his re-
ligious views, and Of other matters.
He seemed very glad to meet his old acquaint-
ance, whom he had not seen for several years.
There was some talk about the Geographic notices
of him IN .Men Of the Time" and in Vaperean's
Trnfr,n A He
was apparently less annoyed than amused at the
errors in these brief biographies. But there was
little time for conversation At that time. He
was 90 overtaken and accosted to dine with him
that evening at COL Z street, Washington, where,
he said, he had his temporary domicil. He cx
old times in Ohio.
The invitation caused some embarrassment,
which he must have noticed. But an invitation
was made to dine with him at tive O'Clock that
evening, at the place named; and, Of course, that
engagement was kept punctually.
that manner Of expression Thought, not long
ago, there was. for him, occasion 10 employ these
According to the wittiest Of lecturers on moral
philosophy there is word more powerful than
the cry Of fire in the crowded playhouse when
Beividers Is left to weep unheeded on the s.sge,
more alarming word is not economy; 1t 10 . word
Of still more formidable magnitude. IT'S meta
physics. But there is word more formidably
fearful than that dreadful polysvllable-more
alarming, far, than economy-much more terrible
than the cry Of fire In the crowded play house.
Yet i is very little word-a matter Of mono
syllable, unliteral word-a very little word, In
deed. On ones own lips, indeed, u often If not
always makes to ones own ear, delightful music:
but, emitted by the lips or BY the pen Of ones
terrible repulsivs force That little word is l."
A shrewd gentleman / know, bnt must not
name, has been heard proposing to amend these
IT Is difiicult Tor 2 man to speak long of him.
elf without vanity" |
The proposed amendment would have the tenor:
at e impossible for Q man to speak long Of
himself without lying"
Shrewdness is not wisdom. Wisdom would not /
econd that amendment. Hume is clearly right,
Iume's justQuoted saying, is as cleariy.wrong.
t is not impossible for one to speak long about
himself without lying; but It is quite diticut for
my man to esy much about himself without dis
Not much, then, is this work to say about the
,art performed by the author Of It toward Its
rhen It e proper 70 say ], for any purpose, will
1, then, explain tina. II was whom tho Chief
Justice 80 invited to dine with him.
There was an hour or % Of waiting before din
Ter was announced. That hour was given up to
chiefly about politics and politicians
Conversation about politics and politicians very
led to mention Of his health. He told
ne why, in his opinion, some Of the Ohio poll |
Is nan ni S.Srs the Kay
blamed that his eorporeal condition rendered him
At the table also he conversed about his health
md about hygiene and medicine.
His table-talk had been knownto me before, but |
,ever at his own table. At the hearth and 1t the
able We had more than once exchanged ideas;
,ut had been seldom beneath his roof and never
4 his table until that evening. He was, always
~ III kAIt - XII
o oUia not chat" a. al. What the French cali
auserine, what the Germans call Piauderet, he
ould but seldom contribute to the charm Of con-
hings that sounded Of humor, and no loved the
Vitty and the humorous in his companions.
Part of my inducement to accept his invitation
lad been less changed than had thought, and
he consideration that, comparing hum with him
elf, might be able to contribute somewhat to
he correction OF some current errors, II found
lin what, In the morning, he appeared to be dur
ng the brief talk to which attention has been
As he discoursed on topic after topic 1t the
able, and after dinner in the parlor, became
convinced that1his condition had been much mis-
represented. VIII and memory and understand
ng he apparently possessed, with very slight
and no Impairment. l perceived that
10 could aid me greatly, IL approving my design
o write ont an account Of his career and char
ng, the contemplated work.
After dinner we walked together. As We were
for our Walk, i made known 70 him my
conditional willingness to be his bi0grapher.
Without eagerness, but promptly, he approved
ny purpose, and agreed to aid its execution rs I
Wished: He then said to me, among other things,
q substance: ...-
~ can only say to you what was said to mo by
dr. Writ Q similar occasion: II II is to be done
I al; I should prefer to have 1t done BY such .
Amer his death learned much more about the
natter here referred to. In one of his letter
looks was found Q memorandum indicating what
must have been the substance of letter to Wirt's
laughter, Catharine, written at Cincinnati. and
ddressed to Miss Writ, as at Wirtland, Florida.
That memorandum clearly shows that mr.. Chase
nee actually undertook to write . life Of Writ,
nd that he recommended Mr.. Kennedy when he
hat occasion, doubtless, he who, long afterwards,
hose me for his preferred biographer, and fur
lished nae % largely and SO richly with material,
considered, more than specifically, the requisites
But, apart from the furnishing of diaries and
ther documents. the fullest and the clesrest IN
locations on this subject are afforded by the
Letters, ~ It Is convenient to call
hem, copious extracts from which are given in
he body of the volume, and which are simply
In the following chapter, then, is offered, an &C
cunt Of Chases parents and grandparents, in
ghich have freely drawn from all the sources at
ny command, matter showing, as completely as
'ossible, the home-lives Of these truly worthy |
ersons. t.-s
ITEMS FROM NEW YORK.
Gold closed yesterday ut l12sz. ....--
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