The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-09
A Good Story of Old Buk.

A Good Story of Old BIk.
Judge Jere S. Black tells capita
story Of an incident in Presidelt Buch
anan's administration, to whicl lie wa
the Attorney General at theTlme tt
which the narrative relates. De even
has an application which will blquickly
perceived by readers of intellig@ce.
The spacious and elegant revhue cut
ter, the Harriet Lane, named in honor o.
the Presidents stately niece VIII did the
honors of the White House, AM who is
now an honored matron of Fillmore
had just been finished. Being irevenue
steamer the vessel was of couse under
the control of the Secretary Of te Treas
ury, Hon. Howell Cobb, of Georgia
Very quietly among themselvesthe Off
GERS of the Cabinet arranged pr an ex.
cursion down the Potomac in te vessel,
and to make the occasion the mre pleas
ant they invited the diplomatic corps to
be their guests. 1t was, of carse, de-
signed to take the President apng, but
as his old-fashioned notions against
"using public property for priete use''
were known all too we'll by tht Cabinet,
the members resolved to keep he trip a
secret from "the Squire" as thy called
Mr.. Buchanan among themsel@, for as
long a time as possible, and TIN insist
upon his countenance and aendance,
when it was too late to preent the
"frolic" on which the Cabinet 1as bent,
as mischievously as "boys" whiare bent
on keeping "the old man in thdark."
The President, however, whObserved
matters very closely though yer quietly,
became aware of the design, ,5ut said
nothing to "the boys" for s1e time
about it. At length, however,he sent
for Judge Black, and quite abrltly said
to him: .
"Black, what is this I he'd about
Cobb's getting up an excursio1on the
Harriet Lane?"
The Judge started little, ah when
he saw the look on the Presidens face
he perceived he was in no triaing mood.
He answered evasively, howeH: "I
haven't heard anything very paicular
about it. Guess there's nothingin it. }"
Mr.. Buchanan was not to be decRed by
any such statement. Taking for Santed
that Judge Black was indisposedto tell
as much as he might, the Presids add
ed: "I've sent for you to tell yothat l
won't have this thing. Cobb nut stop
it. The government vessels are ~ to be
used in that or in any other way pr pri-
vate purposes. I want the arranement
countermanded at once"
Judge Black directly perceiveathere
was "a case." The diplomatic COTS had
been invited and here "the 'Squin' had
forbidden the whole thing. So hadded
remonstratively, "I hope you wonainsist
on what you say. The diplomatic Gcorps
have been asked. and expect top. It
will be very awkward to stopit MOI"
Realizing the situation, Mr.. Budanan
rejoined, but very reluctantly, "Ih ut
terly opposed to taking GoveHment
property for private use. It's vel bad
thing to take this vessel out. Of thgard
for Cobb's party; but if it is dde, |
want you to tell him expressly thahe's
got to pay all the bills himself, fa the
use of the vessel, and all the exposes.
The government shall not be mae to
lose a cent by this thing" Thisime
there was no doubt at all that thsOld
Public Functionary's" determinatidwas
fixed.
Mr.. Black departed, sought Cobbsnd
said to him with face decidedly apg:
"Cobb, the 'Sqnire's' got wind oflour
trip, and he sent for me. I had a I'D
hard time to get him to let you taEthe
Lane out at all. He was for stoiing
the whole thing, and told me to teEou
it couldn't be done. However, win I
showed how far things had gonE he
agreed to let the affair come off, proiied
you paid for the whole shot out ofpur
pocket, and on no other condi ion.
There's no doing it on any other tens"
For response, Cobb's only act Vi
long, low, peculiar whistle, a habi of
his when he was very much surprsd.
Nevertheless, the arrangements had Sne
too far to recede. !
The excursion came off, and afR a
day or,two had elapsed "tbe Squire" Jas
on the lookout to see if his conditns
had been complied with. At the rxt
Cabinet meeting, in a lull toward he
close, he said: "Cobb, how about he
bills of the Harriet Lane excursis i?
Have they been paid ?"
The Secretary of the Treasury, Ho
knew only too we'll that they 'had BIN
paid" responded: eyes, Mr.. Preside,
and happen to have the accounts Si
receipts with me-" and with that he tSk
from his vest pocket and laid en- thes.
BILE "the accounts and receipts"
On examining them "the 'Squih'
found that this little trip which Cob
had arranged with 'the boys" had cit
the Secretary of the Treasury que
$4,000 out of his own money