The Evening critic., 1882-03-20
CAPTAIN BASSETT'S SNUFF-BOX,
The Presentation Of Which brings
0uf Gamn Iuf areSfinp. Remi., Scnu m.

ceS.
The members of the United States Senate by
personal subscription have purchased for Cap
tain Bassett gold snuff box, as token OF
their appreciation for his personal worth and
official fidelity. Captain Bassett has been In
office fifty years.
The box arrived on Wednesday last, and was
shortly afterward presented TO Captain Bas-
sett, with many wishes for the continued good
health and prosperity Of the recipient. The
following is copy OF the inscription on the
snun-boX:
"Each member OF the
United States Senate
has Joined In presenting this
testimonial to
ISAAC BAsSETT,
on the
completion Of the fiftieth year
Of his services as an officer OF that
body,
In recognition of his personal worth
and official fidelity.
Dec. 9th, 1851"
In Acknowledgement OF this valuable gift,
Capt, Bassett addresses Mr.. Bayard as follows:
al have this day received from you, AMI as
the organ Of your associate Senator'S, n beautl-
ful snun-box, rendered 10 me, as you ara
pleased to express II, for my fidelity in your
service as a subordinate officer in your body.
fully appreciate the gift as not only In
trinsically valuable, but for the fiattettng
terms in which Il has been presented 10 me. /
accept your gift and kind expressions OF good
VIII, which you so touchingly and feelingly
express, and so long rs life lasts shall retain
II as a souvenir OF the estimation which the
members OF the Senate have placed upon my
poor services as one OF their subordinate ofil-
GERS, and, when death shall still my hearts
last emotion, shall transmit unimpaired
not only the token, but the kind
and graceful expressions Of your feelings ac-
companytng the gift 10 my children's children
TO the latest generation. Permit me, in this
connection, 10 recall some "reminiscences Of
the Senate and its presiding officers in the
past. When Martin Van Buren, was Vice
President ne was possessed OF gold SNUFF
box. He gave IL TO me in charge 10 keep we'll
nlled with snun and see that 1t was placed on
the ce-Presidents table every day that the
week thereafter he handed me 90 cents 10
pay for the SNUFF When his term expired
gave him the snuff-box. He left the city soon
after and forgot 10 give me the 80 cents that
he had always given me at the end OF the
week. Henry Clay was very fond OF
He would often stop in the midst
Of his speech and call page TO bring him a
pinch OF snuff, and II he could not see any one
OF the pages he would leave his seat and walk
up 20 the vice-Presidents table, take up the
gold snun-box, take pinch and returning to
his seat resume his speech. Richard M.JohnsOn
and John Tyler were neither of them snuffers
and therefore had to furnish my own snuff-
box, but when George Nj. Dallas was Nico-Presi-
dent he brought With him very handsome
gold snuff-box ana gave II 10 me In charge, and
after his term expired l returned 1t to him.
when Millard Fillmore was Vice President he
objected TO having a snun-box ON the table OF
ce-President because, In his opinion, Il In
! terfered with the business of the Senate. SEN
atOrs would come up aud stop TO converse with
| could not hear what was going ON in the Sen
| ate Ever since that period there has been
| placed on each side Of tho Senate a small
snuff-box fastened to the wall.