St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-11-30
Jack MattOCkS.

Among the old volumes in my libra
ry, once priced and studied, but now
neglected or half forgotten, is a book
of the autographs of the members of
the 9th Congress. This was a distin-
guished body of men, and have again
today looked over the pages of this old
book, and recalled, with pleasure ming
led with sadness, the memory of those
early days. | see in the long list the
names of Calhoun, of ChOate, of Ben
ton, of John Quincy Adams-all illus
trious men. Mangam of North Carroll
na, Clayton of Delaware, Silas Wright
of New York, Fessenden and Evans of
Maine, Gov. Briggs and Speaker Win
thrOp of Massachusetts, the eloquent
Tom Marshall of Kentucky, Giddings,
the champion of the slave, Levi
Woodbury. of New Hampshire, Presi-
dents Buchanan and Fillmore, and the
erratic but talented Henry A. Wise of
| Virginia, have here recorded their dis
! tinguished names among many others
now fast sinking into oblivion.
As | look over these autographs, |
have asked myself if the penmanship
of these illustrious men gives any indi-
cation of their character and talents.
| But nothing is more evident to me
than the fact that no such indication is
! given. The two men i'll that Congress
who possessed the keenest intellects
were probably Choate and Calhoun,
but their penmanship seems to Indicate
no noble traits of character whatever.
1t is careless and unsymmetrical; the
letters are half-formed and the names
scarcely legible. Indeed, it is said ot
Mr.. ChOate that once being invited to
deliver an address, his reply could not
be read, and when this reply was car
ried to him to decipher, he could neith-
er read it nor remember whether it was
an affirmative or negative reply.
One would suppose that Daniel Web
ster for example, would exhibit pen
manship marked by clearness, strength
and decision, but we find in it none oi
these qualities. Why does Sila'
Wright give us an elegant "cOpy'
hand, while the impeGuous Gov. Me
Duffie writes in the most effeminatC
style ? 1t is hardly pleasant to dispeI
the illusion in which everybody indul
ces, that in the bold signature of til,
punctilious Gov. Hancock to the Dec
laration of independence there is a
|
70" but verify believe that be signeC
his name with equal bOldness to th'
, note (if note was sent) which he ad
, dressed to Washington when ill Bos
ton, in which he insincerely ASSURE
him that he had not called upon hin
because he was afflicted with the rheu
, matism.
t The question was, you see, just theI
, and there, which was the greater man
the president of the country OF tin
} ''chief executive magistrate" of tin
{ state. But the name in this old bool
r. which | wish especially to refer to i
| that of Gov. Mattocks of Vermont. |
z was he who kindly procured the sigma
+ lures for me, and with whom | one,
Y enjoyed Il friendly acquaintance. Tn
governor, when in Congress, used t
; boast to me that he could cheat ther
D all in writing bad" My book help
y confirm the boast. His penmanshi
t especially excelled in wandering froI
t. straight line. Gov. MattOcks wa
t famiIiarly known as "Jack Mattocks,
r and was distinguished for his shrewd
t ness and his ready wit. 1t was sal
T that when he addressed a jury he gaze
t on vacancy, using no arts of oratOry
n but he possessed wonderful power {
e persuasion. He never made speecl
The nearest ever knew of his maxim
=, political harangue was when hi
II friends gathered around him to cor
e gratulate him upon his nomination a
II governor of the state. He was in
n tight place, for he was compelled
;. reply. His speech was as follow,
n "Boys, / thank you;-and now, if yo
will elect me governor, will tell yC
n what | will do will appoint tw
If Thanksgiving aud no fast. Goo
.r bVen