The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-06-12
"reminiscences Of Gen. Richard
Taylor.

soon AFTER the clOsc vi ouI WAL d. hO
relates in his book, Taylor went up to
Washington, to endeavor to procure
some am~elioratiOn of the cruel lncarcera-
ton of President Davis, who was his
brother-in-law and his warm friend. 1t
was a bold thing to do few of us would
risk ourselves In Washington then.
But President johnson soon became
placable. Taylor's original and positive
views impressed him favorably, and
pleasant relations sprang up between
them, One day he called on the Presl-
dent, who said to him ~gravely: Cen
eral, a gentleman came to see me to-day
to have you arrested" 20, Mr.. Presl-
dent? why does he wish to do that
He says you tried to hang him in
Louisiana for being a Union man
during the war" Mr.. President, he
had lied to you, Sir. why, Gen
eral, did you not hang Union men IN
Louisiana p "Oh, yes; | hanged many
Union men in Louisiana who were spies
and traitors to our cause and III our
army but [ never did try to hang one
that | did not do it, and SO your com
plainant must have lied to you Soon
after this President johnson released
Mr.. Davis from the easement in Fortress
Monroe, and gave Gen. Taylor a pass to
visit him. Being in England several
years ago, as a President son he was
the guest of the Prince Of Wales at
Sandringham. And no American who
has ever been in England received more
marked personal courtesy from the
English nobility than he. His military
prestige as a successful Confederate
commander, added to the claims of his
high birth, and both were EXCHANGED by
his audacious wit, which feared not
king nor Kaiser all making him the
most notable guest of London that year.
Being invited to a lunch of the Fish
mongers' Company he there heard
some sharp criticisms of Virginia be
cause of her slowness in paying her
debt.
Taylor was by descent entirely a Vir-
gilman, and was very proud of his an
cestry, and he promptly arose to repel
these lmputatlons, and his remarks,
full OF strong sense and justice, SO I'M
pressed the audience that after the ban
quet was over he was waited upon with
a request to meet and confer with a
committee of the principal holders of
the Virginia bonds in London as to the
best plan of compromise of their claims,
and finally was empowered to submit to
the Government of Virginia a PROPOSE
ton from the holders Of $40, 600, 600 of
the Virginia bonds, not very different
from that recently accepted by that
State. Had his counsels prevailed,
much trouble and scandal to Virginia
would have been averted. He left
Richmond chagrined and respondent as
to the result of the efforts Of those who
were in favor of maintaining the credit
of the State. 1t is related of him that
the Derby races the Prince of
Wales took him to his own the
Princess stand, and as they were as
cending the stair the Duke of Edin-
came hastily up and said: 20
Wales. do you know Forester is book
ed to VIM" ooh. yes" said the
"the General and | have just
been to the betting-stand and laid fifty
g%uineas each on him." Turning to
the Duke said Now, won't
you please go to the stand and lay fifty
.guineas for me on him ?" Pardon |
me, your Highness," said Taylor; ''the
AZ sihilI 90 Htod ~ Noo O. lIC |
Il am so glad you told Edirburg that
said the Prince. What a deal Of cheek
he has to be asking my guests to lay his
bets for him" Taylor had a sincere
respect and liking for the Prince, and
4 hearty contempt for the Duke Of
whom he snubbed on more
one occasion. Apart from the
personal character Of the Duke, he was
only the second son of a Queen, while
was the only son of a real Presi-
of the United States.-Agpteton's
Magazine.
STRAWBERRY PLANTS IN PoTs.-I
nave always been i'll favor of starting
strawberry plants IN pots, as it gives
hem "a much better start, and conse-
a large crop of fruit the fist
ear after planting. Being invited by
5off King, an enthusiastic strawberry
grower in the Mahoning Valley, to visit
patch set out by him last September.
did so, and was perfectly astonished
It the size of the plants, and the large
of fruit. The plants were
from pots last September the
-arieties being Monarch of the West.
Nrn,+ ~ k n