Connecticut western news., 1875-05-21
PAYING THE PIPER.
An Incident of Buchanan and His Cabinet
 Years Ago.

An Incident of Buchanan and His Cabinet
 Years Ago. l
 A Washington correspondent relates the following not entirely new story: Howell Cobb, then Secretary of the Treasury, without consultation with the President or any of his colleagues, con cluded that the occasion of the trial trip of the Harriet Lane would be a fine op-i portunity to invite his friends of the cabinet, of the foreign legations, and his acquaintances generally, to enjoy with The preparations were made accordingly and the invitations issued, and all the arrangementsi completed without the Buchanan learned of this !" frolic," as he characterized it, he was very wroth, and sent for his Attorney General.
 That officer found him fuming and swearing, and the first greeting he re- ceived was Q double barreled interroga- tory. "sA Are you" said the President, going on this dashed frolic What do you think of such @ conversion of public property to private use ?"> As soon as the Attorney General could gethis breath, he replied that he was not going on the Harriet Lane, and further that while he felt delicacy in criticizing the acts of his colleagues, he nevertheless could not hesitate in expressing his emphatic dis approval of the whole affair "But," said he, "Mr. President, what are you going to do about it ]"
 "Do about it !'' exclaimed old Buck, in great passion Do about it 1! Why, of course, will stop it. It is all wrong; 1t is scandalous, and I will be held re- sponsible for it. Of course will not suffer it to go on." But" said the Attorney General, "the invitations have been issued; foreign ministers have been invited and accepted. Thay, of course, thought it was all right and proper, and If you interfere now it will be toa certain extent reflection on them; moreover. great many good people have thought lessly agreed to accompany the Secretary of the Treasury, and it will cause them useless and causeless modification if you make a row about it now. l have no idea that MT. Cobb has thought any thing about the morality of making use of a government vessel in this way. l am sure that if he had reflected mo- ment he would have been tho last man in the world to take such @ step, but he has taken 1t, and I can see no way in which you can interfere now without causing a great deal of scandal, and doing more harm than good. Is there no way of remedying the wrong after it is done2' #7 &
 MT. Buchanan, after little reflection, said yes, there was way. He would pay the expenses of the trip him self out of his own pocket.
 At the next meeting of the Cabinet, after the excursion, MT. Buchanan, just before the conference concluded, turned to MT. Cobb, and said MT. Secretary, I want you to bring me an itemized bill of the expenses incurred during the trial trip of the Harriet Lane I want a full and detailed statement of every thing-the coal consumed, the salaries of the officers, the wages of the seamen, and the cost of supplies of every nature and description.
 Cobb was thunderstruck. He could not conceive what such demand meant, but he knew Mir. Buchanan too well to manifest any surprise or ask any questions. He replied: "Certainly, Mir. President, I will do so." But as the members of the. Cabinet retired Cobb took the Attorney General by, the arm and walked along toward the Treas ury, without saying a word. When they he suddenly stopped and exclaimed: "What in thunder does the old | Squire mean?"
 The Attorney General made no reply, and Cobb said, looking him square in kbasf !, know you do; and now think you owe it to me to tell me frankly what he is up | to-"
 The Attorney General, thus appealed to-, of course could not refuse, and ex- plained the matter to him in detail, and concluded by saying "He has asked you for the bill because he means to pay 1t out of his own pocket"
 Cobb gave a long continued whistle, as was his habit when he wished to manifest great surprise, and said
 "That's what the old Squire is up to, is it We'll, I'll see whether I can't sur, prise him" - ..
 The conversation on this point dropped, but every once in while, as they con tinued their walk to the Treasury, Cobt would utter 8 prolonged whistle At the next regular Cabinet meeting Cobb wal as bright and cheerful as lark on sunny morning. He was in extraordi nary humor, and kept cracking his jokel at everybody. The business of the da, was concluded, and the usual friendl, chat on current topics was indulged in and still no allusion was made to tina bill." But the instant there was nov, made by some one to take his departure MT. Buchanan, who had been rathe taciturn during the meeting, turned t, Cobb and said rather sharply: "Mr Secretary, where is that bill4" Cobb
 < What bill do you mean, MT. sPresi
 dent ?" "I mean the bill of expense
 for the trial trip of the Harriet Lane,
 replied Mir. Buchanan, very sternly
 "have you got it with you ?' .-.,t
 "Oh, that bill" said Cobb. " Yes,
 believe I have it somewhere about m