Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-12

The recollections Of few OF the old citizen,
Of Washington have such rich store OF reminis-
cences as of Mr.. Zenas c. Robbins, whose official
and social relations with some of the great men
Of the nation during a critical period of our
national history made him familiar with the mo-
tives and circumstances influencing momentous
public events Mr.. Robbins. originally from New
Hampshire. came here from st. Louis nearly
forty years ago, and began practice az patent
attorney. He is now by right of long service
the dean Of his profession. He enjoyed an in
Innate social acquaintance with Mr.. Lincoln,
arising partly, at least, from political sympathy
as Dir. Robbins was one Of the original abolition
lists here. During President LncOln's first term
Mr. Robbins held the Office of register of wills,
and was also a member of the first board of
metropolitan police. Mr.. Robbins has spent
most ofhis time during the past ten years tray
cling in Europe for the benefit Of his health.
and has returned to his home much refreshed
In health and spirits. 70 STAR reporter who
applied to Mr.. Robbins for some of his recolec-
lions of events in this city preceding and at
tending the war of the rebellion, he gave the
following interesting details:
DR. BAILEY AND THE NATIONAL ERA.
The first anti-savery paper in this city, said
Dir. Robbins, Twas established by Dr. Bailey,
one of the bravest, wisest add most ioveahle
men ever knew. After having two or three
presses thrown into the Ohio river at Cinein-
natl. he came here and started an anti-slayery
paper called the National Era. Dr. Bailey con-
demned slavery for the reason that 1t was OPP
posed to the Christian religion to civilization
and the material prosperity and progress OF any
people. A few years after he started the paper
Captain DraytOn-I think that was the name
came here with q schooner loaded with produce
OF some kind. When he went away he sailed In
the night with his schooner filed with slaves-a
most unwise thing. as his progress depended On
uncertain winds and tides. OF course he had
got no further than the mouth of the river be-
fore he was arrested and brought back with all
the slaves. The affair produced q terrible ex-
element here The people took it for granted
that it was plotted at the National Era Office
An angry mob collected about the Office, which
was located on It'll street, opposite the Patent
Once. and broke in the windows. Then they
started to DR.. Bailey's house. He lived then
which adjOined the Seaton mansion, ON E
street, opposite the Post Office. Bailey
came out, with his wife and little
children. upon the high stoop or door
step. He was perfectly cool and calm.
and told the crowd that he was unarmed and
could make no defense; that every one who
rea0 the National Era knew that he had never
advocated any interference with the constitu-
tional rights of the south, that he had never
made war upon slavery by such means; that he
had not advocated the runningof of slaves or
the underground railroad. 1t was very furi-
Gus crowd, and this speech did not seem to
make any impression. At that instant Dan
Radcliffe, a leading lawyer. and q man Of dem
ocrate Sympathies. jumped up and made most
thrilling, splendid speech, under the influence
Of which the crowd slowly and reluctantly re-
tired. That, think, was the only time that an
assault was ever made, either upon the printing
ONCE or DR.. Bailey. A feature of the National
Era was that DR.. Bailey never permitted 1t to
b Used to promote the selfish interest or ag-
grandizement of any politician or man. About
One-half of Uncle Toms Cabin came out in the
Era. and then the public became so impatient
they could not wait for it to come out In that
slow way. and it was published at once in book
form. 1t must have been not far from 1850
that DR.. Bailey started the paper. l came here
In 1874, and that was before the establishment
of the National Era. There were not a dozen
abOlitiOnists here when DR.. Bailey came DR..
Bailey was an able writer. but he ever kept
himself within the Constitution. He did not
approve at all OF using unlawful means"
LINCOLN's sHOAL-wATER STEAMBOAT.
''How did you first become acquainted with
1I. Lincoln?" asked The STAR reporter.
81 met with Mr.. Lincoln first in 1S47. at
which time he was in Congress" said Mr. Rob-
bins. MIR. E. b. Washburne brought him to
Mrs. Janney's boarding house, where myself
and family boarded, and they spent the evening
with US. A few days afterwards, when was
sitting In my Office, corner of and It'll streets,
the door opened and Mr.. LincOln's tall form
marched into the room. He had under his arm
model of a western steamboat. He placed the
model on the table and said he had made an i'm
prevement in the western steamboat that might
be valuable. At that time there were no rail-
roads in the west Most Of the population was
located on or near the banks of the rivers, and
almost the only means Of conveyance they had
was by steamboat. The Illinois river, near
which Mr.. Lincoln lived, and the Ohio river used
to get dstressingly low in the summer. A
steamboat would run on to sand bar and be
kept there perhaps two weeks. until the pas
sengers had gathered and consumed all the pro-
visions for twenty miles around. Mr.. LincOns
invention provided for placing under the guards
OF the boat, buOyant chambers, expansible buoy
ant chambers, made Of some waterproof ma
ter1al, with the parts so arranged and con-
nected with the engines. that when the boat got
aground the whole power Of the boilers could
be exerted to depress these chambers, and more
than double the width Of the boat. and of course
raise the boat in the water. Then the power
would be applied to the wheels and the boat
could again go on Its way rejoicing. / told Mr.
Lincoln that his device was novel, prepared the
papers, and In due time obtained patent
That patent can be seen now at the Patent
ONCE, where the model is kept in a case by
Itself. The invention never was introduced, for
the reason that Mr.. Lincoln's time was taken up
with more important matters. He had the
largest legal practice in the west, and shortly
after the time Of which I speak entered upon
his great debate with Douglass"
OLD ABE AND THE GENTEEL MIR. WINTHROP.
'.In Congress with Mr.. Lincoln" continued
Mr. Robbins, twas Robert G.. Winthrop, Of Bos-
Ton. very dressy, very prim, proud specimen
Of the high Boston aristoeracy, very cold, very
formal, very polite. In the Senate was very
different character Of Massachusetts man-
that was honest John Davis, a PLAIN, strong.
practical. genial old gentleman. He ap-
preciated Mr.. Lincoln. and did him the honor
to invite him to go on and deliver q political
speech in old Faneuil hall, the Cradle Of Lib
erty. At New York, when he entered the cars
for Boston. Mr.. Lincoln found himself seated ty
the side of one of the solid men Of Boston, one
Of the leading merchants of that city. He, Of
course, was delighted with Mr. LincOln's con-
versatiOn, and spent the time occupied In the
Journey very agreeably. Just before they ar
rived In Boston, Mr.. Lincoln's fellow traveller
remarked: We'll, Mr.. Lincoln. suppose you
are acquainted with our representative, Mr..
Winthrop Mr.. Lincoln said, In his peculiar
way: Il can't exactly say that am. The truth
Of the case is that Mr.. Winthrop is such q very
geHteel man, that haven't been able to make
hls acQuaintance."
THE ORIGIN OF OUR METROPO1ITAN POLICE.