Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-30
GEORGE LAWS BEE
A New York Spectator who Longed 70
the Presidency.

"A New York Spectator who Longed for
the Presidency.
A New York letter to the Boston Globe
says: "DO you remember when the Herald
christened George Law Live Oak George
nominated him for the Presidency, and
then convinced him that he was popular?
Hundreds of needy persons traded on his
van tyand credulity in those years. Law
was worth $4,000, 600 when he died. When
he was 12 he footed it into town without
cent in his pocket. He worked as a ste
vedore on the docks for his first dinner.
the very docks he was destined to own.
In six months he had saved 500. In a
year he had $1,000. He started ferries
and built High Bridge. ] remember the
old man we'll. Tall and broad he was,
hardy and muscular. had coarse features
like Vanderbilt, and dressed shabbily.
When he walked he rushed, and when he
ate he ate like a savage, or like one of the
hairy SaXOns of old
Capt. Clark, now in the service Of Rufus
i. Bush, oil merchant, told me yesterday
about his partnership with Law. Our
ing the Mexican war;" he said, 'sthe
United States Government contracted for
100000 tlint-lOck muskets, but Just before
they were delivered the war suddenly
[
fused to receive them. The contractor
put them up at auction and sued the gov
eminent. George Law bought them at
the absurdly low price of 80 cents apiece,
and had them changed into MIME rifles
with caps. ! made a bargain with him
for $4,000 at 81 apiece, and started with
them for Lopez, who was then fighting
down in Uruguay, and | contracted to
sell them to him at 81 apiece. The only
0lffaTpnpn nc MI, 4Ior-
should be delivered or paid for first. 1
had heard OF his tricks, and refused TO
run the vessel ashore till l had my paw.
He fell into a terrible rage, wanted to
fight and left.
Il took the guns TO Brazil and tried to
sell them to the Emperor. At private
audience | made some good shots with
them, but Dom Pedro laughed and said he
was a peaceable man.
81 took them to Europe during the Tur-
cO-Russian war, but when l was lust 90
ing up through the Dardanelles into the
Black Sea, ready to sell to either belliger-
ent, didn't care which, hanged if didn't
get news that the MalakOf was taken,
and that the was over too! Those old
muskets were wonderful peace makers.
AS soon as they put in an appearance men
ceased to fight
''Then Law took all the muskets to Cuba
to sell them to Lopez, and while he was
trying to get them into port Lopez was
caught and had his head cut off, and that
was the last Of him. At last Law started
with those muskets for California around
the Horn. He stopped at Valparaiso for
water and revolution broke out that
very morning-in time at last! The Chi
liam Government Immediately put down
the insurgents, and seized George Laws
muskets as having a criminal intent. AS
certaining the mistake afterward they
apolOgized and offered to return them,
but Law refused to receive them and
brought suit for their value and got it.
and more, too, probably. / have some
times lain awake nights and wondered
how Chilli could have maintained her indie
pendence, much more how she could whip
Peru and Bolivia, while her army is
afflicted with those large-bore musket
rifles, with muzzle that you could put
your thumb in and breech that would
knock over mule. fancy they must
cunningly have exchanged those weapons
with the nations around them before the
fight began.v