The daily gazette., 1876-05-26
A Dream N and Not a Dream,
[From the Phlla., Press of Monday.l

lrTon INC LNlh', ITtbS Vi Montity.I
My simple dream in the Press of
May IA, 1873, excited natural criti-
cism, but as the reader soon saw that
few of us W ould live to see the some-
what daring prophesies even partially
confirmed, there was generous and
general forgiveness of the liberties |
ventured in that forecast of the second
Centennial Of American Independence
had, therefore no desire to continue
the series; much less to be called upon
to paint what in some respects may be
called a realistic companion picture of
that exaggerated vision. Last Satur-
day, May Goth, 1876, while seated in
editorial chair, an old friend, Mr.. III.
Bowyer, of this city, well known to
thousands Of our people for his intelli-
gence and enterprise, opened the door,
and, coming forward with an aged
man, he presented to me Col. -,
born 4th Of July, 1880, q erase the
name at tho old gentleman's express
DESIRE Thirty miles west of Albany,
N. Y. l h hRd not been five minutes in
conversation with him before l felt
that if my peep into the future on the
evening of the 10th of May, 1876,
opened bewildering anticipation,
this genuine visitor of the Goth of May
1876. carried me almost as far back
into the past. l saw man of extraor-
| dinary memory and quick perception.
He reads the Press every day without
spectacles, and in his ninety sixth year
talks with the freedom and clearness
of man OF fifty. He has never tasted
! a drop of liquor, nevet used butter,
and has been steady tobacco chewer
for more than three quarters of GEN.
tury. This latter habit has been per-
severed in by the advice CT his physi+
clan. He knew Gen. Washington in
timately, and described his person ac-
curately, saying that he himself was
sbout the size of the Father of his
Country, five feet ten, and, except
that Washington's mouth was unusu-
ally large, my old friend had often
been said to resemble the first Presi-
dent.
He passed through Philadelphia in
1894 with General Washington, and
said his father was close and conf.
dental friend of the latter. His first
vote was given in New York, at the
opening of the present century, for an
amendment of the constitution of that
State, providing for the abolition of
human slavery. General LAFAYETTE
conferred upon him the 33d degree of
Masonry, but, as he had been great
traveller, a sailor as well as soldier, be
had rarely voted at any of our elections
He was privateer In the War of 1912,
and his ship visited the Pacific coast,
and he himself had been upon the
shores of California four times, during
our second conflict with Eng and
Afterwards he commanded the Erie
Greens (sharpshooters) from Erie
county, Pennsylvania, and was taken
prisoner in the Western Territory by
the Indians, having on one occasion
been tied to the stake, to be burnt,
and was only rescued by an acci-
dent.
He was sheriff of the District of
Columbia during the first term of
General Jackson's administration and
related curious incident which end.
ed by making General Jackson his
warm friend. A writ had been issued
against member of Congress, which
Old Hickory insisted should be served
on a certain Saturday, but Which my
old friend sternly refused to obey,
with the expression, "If you are Pre-
s.dent of the United States, am
sheriff of the District of Columbia, and
| will not allow myself to be dictated
to-" The effect of this spirited act
was to win the heart of the iron Pre-
sident, Who more than once told him
that he re expected him because he was