The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1877-08-31
sronx wrrn 1 aoaAl.

i Judge Jero. y, Black tolls caplu
= story Of an incident in President Bl
= chanan's administration, TO which h
= WAS Attorney General 1T tho limo /
which the narrative relates. The even
= has an application which win b
. quickly perceived by readers Of intelli
! gence
: The spacious revenue cuttor, th,
Hal7iet Lane, named in honor Of Oh,
Presidents stately nicce, VINO did In,
: honols Of the White House, and who !,
now mn honored matron Of Baltimore
Ind just been finished Beinga reyenn,
steamer, the vessel was Of course undo,
the control Of the Secretary OF the
Treasury. Hon. Howell Cobb, Of Geoi,
giA, Very quietly aidong thcmsclyc.
the officers Of the Cabinet arranged for
an excursion down the Potainac in the
vessel, and to make the occasion moro
pleasant they invited the diplomatic
corps TO be their guests, II was ef
course designed TO take the President
along, but as his old fashioned notiops
against "using public property for pri-
vate use" wero known too well by the
Cabinet, the members resolved to koep
the trip secret from the Squire as
they called Mr. Buchanan among them
selves, for long q time as possible, and
then insist upon his countenance and
attendance, when It was too late to pre-,
vent the "frolic" on which the Cabinet
was bent as mischievously as "boys"
are on keeping "the old man in the
dark"
The President, however, who OBJ.
served matters very closely, though
very quietly, became aware Of the de.
sign, but said nothing to "the boys for
some time about it. At length, how.
ever, he sent for Judge Black, and quite
abruptly said 10 him, Black, what is
this hear about Cobb'a getting up an
excursion on tho Harriet Lanei"
The Judge started little, and when
he saw tho look on the Presidents face
hc perceived he was in no trifing mood.
He answered evasively, however, AZ
haven't heard anything particular about
it. Guess there il nothing in it,"
Mr.. Buchanan was not to be deceived
by any such Atatement, Taking for
granted Judge Black was indisposod to
tell as much as he might, the President
added, "Tvs sent for you to tell you
that wont have this thing. Cobb
must stop it. The Government vessels
are not to be used in that or any other
way for private purposes wan. the
arrangement countermanded ut once
Judge Black directly perceived there
was lease" Tho diplomatic corps
had been invited and here "tho Sguire"
had forbidden the whole thing. 81 he
added rcmonstratiyely, II hopo you
won't insist upon what you say. The
diplomatic corps have been asked, and
expect to 60. II will be very awkward
to stop il now, :"
Realizing the situation, Mr.. Buchanan
rejoined, but very reluctantly, u aiu
utterly opposed to taking Government .
property for private use. Its bud
thing to take this vessel out of the yard [
for Cobbs party; but if it is done / I
want you to tell him expressly that he's (
got to pay all the bills himself, for the
use Of the vessel, and all the expenses.
The Government shall not bO made to
lose cent by this thing" This time
there was no doubt at all that the "Old
Public Functionnly's" determination
was fixed.
Mr., Black departed, sought Cobb,
and said to him with face decidedly
long Cobb, the SPORES got wind of
your trip, and he sent for me, had
id hard time to get him to let you
take the Lane Que at all. He was for
stopping the whole thing, and told me
to tell you it couldn't be done How
ever, when / showed how far things
had gone he agreed to lot the thing
come of, provided you paid for the
whole affair out Of your pocket, and on
no other condition. There's no doing it
on any other terms"
For response, Cobb's only answer was
a long, low, peculiar whistle, u h1bit of
his whom he was very much surprised.
Nevertheless, the arrangements had
gone too far to recode,
The excursion came of, and after
day or two had elapsed ''the Squire"
was on the lookout to see if his condi-
lions had been complied with, At the
next Cabinet meeting, in lull toward
tho close, no said "Cobh, how about
the bills Of the Harriet Laac excursionl
Have thOy been paid :"
The Secretary Of the Treasury, who
knew only too well that they chad boen
paid" responded eyes, Mr.. President,
and / happen to have the accounts and
roceipts with ne," and with that he
took from his vest pocket and laid on
The table :" tho accounts and the 10.
,eipts."
On examining them "tho Squire
Iouud that his little trip which Cobb
had arranged with "the boys" had cost
ihe Secretary of the Treasury quite
$4,000 out Of his own money,
1t is hardly necessary to say that
here were no more ''frolics" with Coy.
,rnn,ent property during that admins
ration. How poorly MI Robeson'a
rallapOosa trips, during the eight years
# Grant, and Secretary Sherman's
resent trips in revenue cutters having
Ilready been "beached" and ruined,
compare with this principle and practice
4 honesty prescribed BY Mr.. Buchanan, {
ny reader can judge for himself, The 8
unketing business is worse than dis {,
'onesty, il is hypocrisy as Robeson I
lid aud Sherman does conduct it. A {
,leasure party Of ladies and gentlemen 4
i thinly disguised il at I'LL, under a