Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-05-21

Vic Il lLASc AGAiSeN6 bA20 IT,
lowing not entire new story:
Howell Cobb, then Secretary of the
Treasury, without consultation wi b
the President or any Of his colleague
concluded that the occasion of the
trial trip of the Harriet Lane would
be Inc opportunity to- invite his
friends of the Cabinet, of the for ECU
ations and his acquaintences gcuer-
ally, to enjoy with him short Sal
down the Potomac. The preparations
were made accordingly aud the invita-
tions issued, and all arrangements
completed without the knowledge o.
the President. When Mr. Buchanan
acterized it, he was very wToth and
officer found him Tuning aud swearing,
and the first greeting ne received was
a double Sarre;ed interrogatory. care
you, said the President, going on
this - frolic? What do you think of
such a conversion of public property
to private use?" AS soon as the A.
torney-General could get his breath,
he replied that he was not going en-
while he felt delicacy in crIticising
Vic dClS vi ttcS, AS 1ICNCI-
theless could not hesitate in express
whole affair. But" said he, "Mr.
President, what are you going to do
about it?
"Do about it, exclaimed old Buck,
in a great passion-"Do about 1t?
Why OF course 1 will stop it. 1t is all
wrong; it is scandelous, and / will be
held responsible for it. OF course I
will not suffer it to go Oh" ''But, !"
said the Attorney General, ''the invi
tatious have been issued; foreign
Ministers have been invited and have
accepted. They, of course, thought it
was all right and proper, and If you
interfere now it will be to certain tx
tent reflection on them; moreover. a
great many good people have thought
lassly agreed to accompany the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury, and it Will cause
them useless and causeless mortiica-
ton if you make row about 1t now.
have 10 idea that MIR. Comb
has thought anything about the
morality of making use of a
Government vessel in this way.
L am sure that if he had re-
fiected moment he would have
been the last man in the
world to take such step. but he has
taken it, and [ can see no way IN which
you can interfere now without caus-
ing great deal of scandal, and doing
more harm than good. Is there no
way of remedying the wrong after it
IS done ?"
Mr.. Buchanan, after little refec-
ton, said yes there was a way. He
would pay the expenses of the trip
himself out of his own pocket.
At the next meeting of the Cabinet,
after the excursion, Mr.. Buchanan,
just before the conference concluded,
turned to Mr.. Cobb, and said: ''Mr.
Secretary, [ .eant you to bring to me
an itemized bill of the expenses in
Cured during the trial trip Of the
Harriet Lane. [ want full and de-
| tailed statement of everything-th
| coal consumed, the salerieS OF the Off
GERS, the wages of the seamen, and the
/ cost of supplies OF every nature end
description"
! Cobb was thunderstruck. He could
not conceive what such a demand
ment, but he knew Mr.. Buchanan too
we'll 10 manifest any surprise or ask
any ques ions. He replied: Certain
/ ~, Mr. President, [ will do so" Bui
as the members OF the Cabinet re,
! tired, Cobb took the Attorney-Gener
/ al by the arm, and walked along to-
/ ward the Treasury, without saying t
word. When they had traversed about
half the distance, he suddenly stopped
aud exclaimed: What in the thunder
does the old Squire mean 2"
The AttOrney-General made no re
ply, and Cobb said, looking hin
! square in the face: You know VIVA
he means, l know you do; aud ROW
think you owe it to me to tell me frank
IL what he is mp TO.
The Attorney General thus appeal,
ed to, of course could not refuse, and
| explained the matter to him III de ,aii
and concluded by saying: He has
asked you for the bill because ht
means to pay it out of his own pocket.
Cobb gave long continued Hhistle
as was his habit when he wished tc
manifest great surprise, and said
That's what the old Squire is up to
is it? Well I'll see whether L cam
surprise HIM"
The conversation on this point
| dropped, but every once and awhile
as tn V continued their walk to the
| Treasury, Cobb would utter Protun G
! ed whistle. Ar the next regular CaDl-
net eeting Cobb was as bright and
| cheerful as lark on sunny morning.
He was iu extraordinary humor, and
kept cracking his jokes at everybody.
| The business of the day was concluded.
! and the usual friendly chat on current
| topics was INDUCED in, and still no al
| fusion was made to "that bill. But
! the instant there was a move made by
some one to take his departure, MIR
| Buchanan, who had been rather tacl-
| turn during the meeting, turned t.
| Cobb and said rather sharply, ''Mr.
| Secretary" where is that bill ?" Cobb,
assuming an innocent air, answered,
"What bill do you mean, Mr.. Presi-
! dent ?'' 81 mean the bill of expense s
! for the trial trip of the Harriet Lam, .
replied Mr.. Buchanan, very sternly
''have you got it with you ?'
so, that bill,'' said Cobb. eyes,
| believe [ have it somewhere about my
clothes" and he fumbled first in one
pocket and then al other, and fualIy
drew out a crumpled paper. which lie
| handed carelessly to the President,
saying 81 guess that's it.. Mr.. Bu-
chanan took it and carefully read it,
| scrutiniziLg each item closely until he
reached the end, when he exclaimed
"Why, it is receipted-paid in full by
| Howell Cobb" ''And who IN the
thunder should have paid it but How
eli Cobb ?" broke in that individual
with an air of injured innocence. 1T
was my froiic; vino should have paid
| for it ?" Sure enough, sure enough;
who should" was all that old Buck
said. But he frightened up immedi-
1T ly and joined in the conversation
with that peculiar gusto which he
could SO well add to a friendly chat,
and 1t was hours before the meeting
broke up. AS the Attorney General
was taking his leave, Cobb caught him
by the arm, and as they were going
down the steps into the yard, he said:
didn't come it over the old Squire
that time ?"
That WAS the first and only time the
Harriet Lane was used, during Blu
chanan's administration, as pleasure