The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-01-23
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Wednesday, Jan. %, 1884.
EMINENT AMERICANS.
Stories of Jefferson, Seward, Tappan and
Thurman.

EmlNGNl AM Eh1NhNoE
Stories of Jefferson, Seward, Tappan and
Thurman.
In the Boston Budget Ben Perley Poore
writes Jefferson's great height and slender
figure exposed him to much ridicule from
his opponents; his sobriquet with them was
Long Tom" Nothing could present q
more striking or more singular contrast than
the figures of Mr.. jefferson and General
Knox, the one very short, the other lank
and lean, and unusually tall. They hap
pened to meet one morning on the steps of
General Washington's lodgings. The two
gentlemen approached from opposite di-
rections, and arriving at the same moment,
q contest in etiquette took place between
them. The general at the head of an army,
and full of its chivalric politeness, could
not think of passing in before the co-equal
head of the Department of State, while the
civil officer of the Government was equally
averse to taking precedence of the military,
and they stood for some moments, each
drawing back and waving the other forward.
In the midst of this somewhat entertaining
scene, the notorious Judge Peters, the great
est wit of his day, came up directly in front.
Perceiving how matters Stood and casting
a sly glance from one side to the other, he
pushed boldly between them, exclaiming,
as he passed Pardon me, gentlemen, if,
in my haste, dash through thick and thin"
Governor Seward was good story-teller,
and some of the best things in his repertoire
were humorous incidents in his own event
full life. One of these narrated his first ex-
perience as public lecturer in free course
village in Western New York His an
nounced subject was Poetry anil the Fine
Arts" and he was delighted, on entering
the church, to see that nearly every seat
was occupied.
He was shown to the pulpit, where he
.ound an old man, dressed in black, sitting
near the desk, as if to divide the honors
with him. He proceeded with his lecture,
which was literally interpreted with quo
tations from the poets, which the audience
received with satisfaction. Not so the old
gentleman in the pulpit, who testified his
dissatisfaction with loud coughs, shifts, in
dignant looks, and even an occasional groan,
oil of which were incomprehensible to the
lecturer, who supposed he had made his Sc
lections with taste. When, ON further Illus
tration of his theme, he quoted the
Witches scene from " Macbeth the
curse of King Lear" and stanza from
"Don juan" the old man could stand it no
longer. Rising with an air that riveted the
attention, he advanced, and said, in tones
Of outraged feeling "Forty long years
have l been preacher of the Gospel, and
what have to say is that if this that we
have heard tonight is that Gospel, it is not
the Gospel which I was dedicated to believe
in and to preach"
Here the audience began to litter, and
finally broke up in confusion. Then came
the explanation. The old clergyman resided
In distant locality, and happening to be
in town that evening, had been told by a
mischievous jester that there would be
meeting in the Methodist church that eve
ming and he was expected to be present and
take part. He had been grieved to find that
the other clergyman, as he supposed him,
had neglected to begin with either hymn or
prayer, but he was shocked and astonished
ut the recital of language which seemed TO
him immoral and profane Whether he ever
learned his mistake is not known, as he pre-
cipitately left the town in one direction,
while young Seward, equally astonished,
was prepared to go early the next morning
in another
Benjamin Tappan, better known as Old
Ben Tappan, of Ohio" was one of the wit
iest men who has ever sat in the United
States Senate, and he laboretl under an OBJ
hquity of vision greater than that of Cover.
nor Butler. On one occasion, while hold
ing court in an interior town in Ohio, the
prison or county Jail of which was con-
structed of logs, as he was passing sentence
upon the usual number convicted of petty
efenses against the law, an inebriated indt
vidual in the customary crowd of spectators
sung out That's right; give it to him,
old gimlet-eye.p Who is that sn sternls
demanded the Court-his sinister eye india
nantly flashing fire. Z" It's the old boss,
Judged" exclaimed the offender against
iho pchou uuu uiBHity vi the ptNte,
Mr. Sheriff" promptly responded the dig
nitary with the italic eye take that old
horse to the stable, lock him up, and keep
him without hay, oats, or drink for twenty
fonr hours, which mandate was forthwith
obeyed
Allen Thurman, who may come to the
front again,,now that the politics of Ohio
have changed their base, is stalwart,
square-toed old man, whose manly look and
well turned sentences always commanded
respect. Thurman is undoubtedly n pow
erful man of affairs, and in debate of a run
ming sort, with copious invective interim
ings, his passing criticisms deal rough cav
airy blows, and he comes the nearest to the
beau ideal of q Senator ON his side of the
House. He had fine power of cutting up
his political opponents, saying word of
encouragement to some Republicans when
he is down, and scattering the caucuses of
the opposite side with pistol shot Once
when Sumner had kicked over the party
traces, and some of the Republican Senators
were trying to badger him, Thurman sailed
into the defence, and gave broadside that
sent the would-be censors to their seats in
shame, while S~~aner's features gloweo
with gratitude
ANCIENT AMERICA.