New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-13

long enough to return to Massachusetts,. The once
of adutant general kept him by the side OF the CON-
mander-in-chief, and made him for the time mem
Der of his military family. 1t position OF great
responsibility, aud in all critical moments III 'front.'
of the foe, of great exposure. But he wa sneVer
wounded, although his official duties In bearing
orders from General Washington, often called MN
under fire in face of the enemy, his TALL commanding
figure presenting q conspicuous mark his lh'iina'o
connection with Washington inspired INN WIN
high estimate of the character of that great man.
and land the foundation of friendship wmch re-
manned nvolable until his death.
In the Summer of 1880. Colonel Pickering was
elected by Congress to the office of Quartermaster-
general and on August 5, repaired to headquarters
at Tappan His labors in this capacity were truly
enormous The duties had been found intolerable
by General Greene his immediate predecessor, but no
attempt was made to diminish the burden. His hrst
step was to demand that all purchases for the army
should be on the basis of specie payments lie mace
this the condition Of accepting the 0fhce ana Con
gress complied with the terms The depreciation OF
the currency which had nearly reached the point
Of min was thus checked at once. Placing his adj
ADMINISTRATION of the military finances OF the
country on this only solid basis, he carried his
policy firmly through to the end. The once
of auarteImaster- general continued after
the cessation of hostities and the ratihcation OF
peace with Great Britain. Colonel Pickering
brought its complicated accounts to final settle
ment and close having held the office until its abol-
ton on July 2s, 1885, which day was the termination
of his Revolutionary services. After full descrip-
ton of his military career Mr. Upham fehcltously
refers to the labors of his pen which at all periods
of his life formed an important element OF his ac-
tivity.
From the earliest stages of his education he had made
style an object of special and study aiming 10 ac-
act and terse use of language His this train
ing Of the elements of his usefulness and ds,
tincon in ali the diversified spheres OF his lfe ana no,
the during its military epoch IL is easy to detect
certain rules principles by which he was careful 10 ne
guided in composition. or words OF anything my
equivalent meaning, he chose the shortest and simplest
in its formation So far as could he done without lower
gnage and phrases that were familiar to common minor,
speech lie avoided loading ms sentences cn,,o M
only such or as 50 may be e Color to the ideas
designed to be depicted or conveyed. lie had as
covered that brevy chief element OF FORCE tat
or dilute the sense and that guratve or rhetorical eN
pressons 10. TO be sought for merely to emOeis,
chung TO the good old AngoSaxOn phraseology, refrain
ing much possible from composite terms, either OF
foreign extraction ancient, even II classical torns
whether in whole in part. writer trained under
such strict system OF restraint whose tastes are al
ustcd to severe simplicity, may safely depend upon
The glow OF composition for all requisite ferVOr and
force. 1t emlnently III his case Inc warmth OF
strength Of faculties. without violating the sim
pctv of his language but in fact in virtue of it, not
only the productions Of his pen but under the excite
mens discussion and conversation. aud III the ardor
OF debate often raised him to tne most effective results
OF elOquence.
Without attempting to follow the biographer in
his narrative of the public life of Colonel Pickering
after the close of the war; during which period he
held several important civil Offices we will dwell for
a moment on the traits of his personal character of
Mr. JT,,l,a bac ii
with admirable discrimination and force.
Upon retiring from the military service, Colonel
Pickering took up his residence i'll Philadelphia,
where he was for some time engaged in mercantile
pursuits. He at once found high place in the cul-
tvated and intellectual society of that city. His
company was courted in the most polite circles. His
powers of conversation were of high order As
narrator of events, or delineator of persons, he
had no superior He related with great dlstinctncss
the interesting scenes of his varied experience The
habits of simplicity of expression, to which he had
trained himself in the use of language, were be-
trayed in his familiar speech. He had thoroughly
studied the meaning and force OF words. In his
knowledge of idiOmatic English, he had few equais
even among scholars. His verbal exactness was
combined with peculiar freedom ease and flnency,
and his sentences were full of energy and ANNA
tion. The strong views he took of men and things
often
deeply stamped on the memory of those who heard
Them The earnestncss of his nature sometimes
gave the character of vehemence TO his uteTances,
although he endeavored to avoid the tendency. He
was free from one common faut of good takers.
He never engrossed the conversation. He drew
others ont and left room for each to bear his
mart But his manner so natural and fOrcibe,
his voice and countenance so attractive, that every
one was disposed to leave as much OF the field to
him as he could he induced TO occupy. Daring his
residence in Philadelphia, many OF the first men OF
the day his intimate associates. All the lead
ing persons of that city, as well as distinguished
visitors from other parts of the country and from
FOREIGN lands. sought his acquaintance. He es-
pecialy enjoyed the society of the estmabe Quakers
who dwet in the city of brotherly love- The leisure
afforded by the intervals of business was spent i'll
interest in the general advancement of society.
His usefulness felt in various important spheres.
The leading statesmen of the day sought his coun-
sells in great public measures The founders of
academies, cultivators of farms. and writers of
books solicited his advice. He kept up au active
literary correspondence with persons interested in
education and was the means of introducing many
valuable SCHOOL, books into favorable notice.
His domestic life, as described by Mr.. Upham pre-
sents delightful picture. lie was often called the
American Cato, and in respect dId he more resem-
bic the noble Roman than in his devotion to his
family, who thought that d" it was better to be
Good husband than "a great senator" He was sin
gularly happy in his marriage. His wife model
of sweet temper and excellent judgment. The
cret of their conjugal felicity explained by Mr..
Upham will probably not find acceptance with the
modern champions of the equality of the sexes.
she wholly subordnated her will and judgment to
his thus acquiring a controlling influence him
which it was the happiness and pride of his life to
recognize. In this the legitimate way, she welded