The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-04-24
"REMINISCENCES OF IAN OLD
STAGER."

have often quoted fragments Of con-
versation with the first Territorial Gov
ernor of Colorado, William Gilpin. lie
was appointed by President Lincoln and
,ramed the Territory. He acquired by
purchase the San Luis Park. a majestic
domain of land, and has sold 500, 600 acres
Of it to parties in Holland. He was a
West Point cadet, appointed by President
Jackson, and after retiring from the Army
many years ago, made his home in Mis-
souri,. where he was groomsman at Cen
eral Grants wedding. The following arc
some fresh bits of talk with this orieina!
pioneer.
els not Bentons character eNaGgcr
ated? Wasn't he good deal of an ego
fist 20
"No, sir. Benton was one of the truly
great men of this country. His patriot
ism was like spring, coming up from
the earth of the size of a mans body for
aver. He was always laboring for the
development of the country. lie was
alphabetically the great statesman OF the
West, who first perceived the need of Il
continental understanding and policy,
Ind felt the relations of the Rocky Noun
tains and the Pacific to the welfare OF
the Republic. He said himself that he
was not an egotist. but an 'egoist that
he believed himself right AMI worked for
the right. Benton would not support
some of my early views. but he was dc
cidedly the greatest of that class OF men
who made the old galaxy in the Senate
greater than Webster, Clay, Calhoun, or
Douglas, or any of them. He never got
Town to the contemplate Presidential
intrigues of those men. You read his
history and you will find old Tom Benton
always ready to support somebody else
whom he could impregnate with his
views. Although an enemy of Andrew
jackson he crossed right over and went
to his aid and was his ablest supporter
because he believed Jackson right. lie
was always dead in earnest, child-like ir
us love VI luSlIuCllOll. anu pNtu 'iN
American people and the American con-
tinent wholly outside of his personal sue
cess on it.
"You must have known Col. Fremont
Benton's son-in-law.
81 should think did. He is one Of
our great men, notwithstanding he has
been so much abused. His aptness to
take ideas brought him into relations
with Benton, whose daughter he mar
ried. You see Joel Poinsett, Secretary
in Van Buren's Cabinet, established iii
The interior of the country system of
survey and exploration like that of the
Coast Survey. The Coast Survey had
been in charge of Hanler, Swiss. Poin-
sett put Nicolay, Swiss also and a civil
ian, in control of surveys on the north
side of the Missouri river, ON what VIC
call the Cote DIES Prairies. An officer Of
the Army was then to be detailed to act
under Nicolay. With entire unanimitN
the Army officers made up their minds
that they would not work subordinate to-
Il civilian. Fremont stepped out, with Il
desire to learn and be useful. and when
Nicolay died he had control of that work
over the plains; but all the Army officers
hated him. Thence came his exploring
expeditions and his crossing the Rocky
Mountains at the South Pass. Col Ben
ton was in advance of any public man OH
that class of questions, and he brought
Fremont to his house. where he saw Ben
tons daughter, and hence the runaway
match"
"Was Jessie Benton Fremont woman
of ability"
"She was always superb woman. |
think, however, that both of Bcnton's
daughters were little too fond of cxter-
nails. Fremont himself had propensity
for jewelry and fine uniforms, and snowy
worldly circumstances, and perhaps his
(ooNrIsuEp ON THE FOURTH pAGE.)