The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-09
COLONEL WIN. HI. SPARKS.
Personal ReeOllectiOns of Every Presi.
dent but Washington.
Jefferson. Madison and sfory-Sec ession I'm
1S2O-Interessins "Reminiscences
of the Past.
philadelphia Times.l


thick-set, sturdy old gentleman, bearing
erectly on unusually broad shoulders An
immense head, surrounded with q crown OF
white hair. A trife reserved, holding him.
self like gentleman and man of affairs
with ruddy face and quick, penetrating eve
holding stout cane in his hand, less fol
support than in Difference to an old habit OF
the Southwest, the stranger who sees him
usually inquiries of some one for his name.
Any bystander will inform the inquirer that
it is "Colonel w. III. Sparks, an old veter-
an, who has known more distinguished PEG.
pie than any man living" L do not
think there Is so remarkable link be-
anywhere, Colonel Sparks is not a centen-
arian, being only about eighty-three, and he
has none of the querulous weakness or
vagueness of old age. He is still good for
a ten mile tramp; is a decisive brilliant
talker and altogether a compact, vigorous
old gentleman. He has been prominent in
politics and society all his life, and as leg
islator, writer and wit has been famous for
more than half century throughout the
West and Southwest. He has known per-
sonally every President since Washington
and has the most entertaining gossip about
each of them. He was the intimate of Hen
ry Clay, Prentiss, Crawford end the most
of their contemporaries; sat opposite Aaron
Burr at the table for three months; heard
the story of the execution of Andre from the
lips of the man who superintendent it; heard
Nlsa- ,all No1l- Nf h. Il
signers of the Declaration of Independence
from the mouth of John Adams, and is, in
short, perfect treasury of gossip and per-
sonal history.
Your correspondent asked him this morn
ing If it was true that be had been person.
ally acquainted with every President of the
United States, except Washington.
eyes, SIR" he replied; Il have had the
the Presidential chair since George Wash
ington left il; the friendship and confidence
of most of them-certainly of the greatest of
them"
Where did you meet John Adans7 He
must have died when you were very yong"
There is a story connected with that ]
was at Cambridge with three young South
ern chums. We were discussing the best
termined to spend it with Ex-President
Adams. l wrote a letter soliciting the
privilege of calling on him and destroyed a
quire or two of paper in forming the request.
Mr.. Adams replied that he would be happy
to see us and instructed us to stop at a GER
tain hotel in Boston. As soon as we were
registered the landlord informed us that Mr..
Adams carriage was awaiting US. At the
l., . L.
horses and equipped with great pomp. We
were rapidly driven to bis home, where he
welcomed us cordially, being touched, l
think, at the respect shown him by South
erners. He gave us most graphic account
of the singing of the Declaration and the
election of Washington as Commander-in-
Chief. While we we're with him he received
the first of those letters from Jefferson that
led TO the correspondence between them.
He read it to US and said: This is the finest
letter ever written by an octogensrian.' ,"
"Did YOU know Jefferson Intimately"
Il knew him we'll. l was once travelling
through Virginia with young friend and
stopped at a small tavern. As we were
sitting in the tap-room four distinguished
looking men passed up stairs and entered
a small room, / inquired rs to who they
were aud was informed that they were Ex-
President Jefferson, Ex-President Madison,
Chief Justice Marshall and. 1 at once
determined to see them and knocked at the
door of their room. Mr.. Jefferson came to
the door, and | stated that we were Geo.gians
who desired to pay our respects to himself
and his friends He took us cordially by
the hand, and introduced us to tie company
Mr.. Madison was sitting in a corner, with
his head tied up in a handkerchief, and
merely grunted when we were presented.
We soon secured attention, as we had Just
left Washington and bore to these disting-
uished men the first news they had of the
Missouri Compromise. When we left, after
AN hours stay, Mr.. Jefferson followed us to
the door. He took our hands in his and
bending his head forward-it was as fat AS
board on top-said: Go home, young
gentlemen, and prepare to devote your
talents and your lives to the service of your
country. This compromise has only
scOtched the snake, not killed it, and it will
yet tear this country asunder. The South
will need your services How prophetic
were these words. have since given the
lives of my sons to the service he then dedi-
Gated me-"
"Was there much open talk of secession
Them"
LET me tell you scene in Mr.. Craw-
ford's room just prior to the passage of that
compromise. William II. Crawford, OF
Georgia, was then the most powerful
man in Washington. His rooms were the
rendezvous of a band of lofty and ardent
spirits, such as Loundes, Calhoun, Clay,
Troup, Randolph, Forsyth. He would have
been the candidate of his party to succeed
Madison had he not declined TO oppose Mr.
Monroe. He was sent to France rs Minis
ter to succeed Mr.. Livingstone, who was
hard Of hearing. Crawford could not speak
French, and Napoleon said after his Iecep-
ton: America has sent me two Senators,
one Of whom was deaf and the other dumb
On the night speak of there was a meet
ing at Crawford's rooms to discuss the
Missouri question. Mr.. Holmes, of Maine,
was present. Mr.. Crawford was lying, as
was his wont, on sofa. Addressing the
Southern men present he told them that if
they held slavery of more Importance than
the Union the time had come for them to
secede, but if they though! the Union Of
more importance than slavery they must go
home and begin gradual emancipation. He
added that the slave States were strong
enough then to go in peace and preserve
their institutions, but that they could never
hope to maintain slavery in the Union"
At this Mr. Randolph jumped up and said:
"Then let US GO and at once. Mr.. Clay
will be here tomorrow. l have not spoken
to the fellow for years, but will go to him
tomorrow and beg him to go to his people
and nroa than IN omit this Union will 90