The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-02-21

in the matter of personalities used to be
much more strict than it now is. Once
while Aaron Burr was Vice-President and
presiding officer of the Senate member
who had been out riding came in and took
his seat with his boots on. Burr sent word
to him by page that he would be obliged
if he would retire at once and appear in
dress becoming his place in the Senate
Chamber.
AN OPINION OF WEBSTER.
IL suppose you remember Webster well,
Senator?"
81 have heard him speak and have
never heard his equal Whenever 1 think
of Webster l feel that | appreciate the re-
mark once made about him by Sydney
Smith. Webster was in England on a visit
and somebody asked Sydney Smith if he
had seen the great American. He said he
had. Well, what did he think of him?
He is cathedral, he said That is just
my idea of him. [ never saw such play
of ideas on any mans face while speaking.
The cavernous depths of his eyes seemed
to be actually on fire. He had most
grave and solemn expression of counte-
nance, but Vinton, who knew him init
mately, told me he had great fund of
humor and good jokes, and that he could
tell a story as well as Tom Corwin.
HOW LIVED CABINET OFFICERS IN ANTE
BELLUM DAYS.
Mr.. Thurman was in Congress part of
the time during Folks Administration, and
has been pretty well acquainted with pub
lie men at Washington since 1910. Since
there has been so much said recently about
the expense of holding the office of Secre-
tary of State, l asked him if he could tell
me anything about the way Webster, Bu-
chanan, Calhoun, Marcy and other distin-
guished gentlemen had lived while they
held that Office.
at is not true, said |, ''that Webster
and some of the others of the old and So
called economical regime entertained more
extravagantly, according to the time in
which they lived than men now holding
the Office of Secretary of State?'
"Oh, no; you are greatly mistaken if
you think so.
"Did not Webster buy house for the
express purpose of entertaining people in
grand style?'
"He may have bought house," said
Mr.. Thurman slowly, with significant
smile, as though he meant he might have
bought it but never paid for it. Perhaps
he thought of the story about the great
Massachusetts statesman when he made
speech at Baltimore once He was, ac-
cording to a conventional but expressive
phrase, 'about three sheets in the wind"
and had made rather loose talk on finance
"But what about the national debt?"
said somebody in the crowd.
Webster looked up, thrust both hands
into his capacious pockets and said "How
much is it?. III just pay it."
"No," continued Mr. Thurman; II be-
lieve every Secretary of State we had up to
the war lived within his salary Mr. Cal
houn certainly did. | think he always,
while at Washington, lived in the rooms
near the Capitol, where he died. Mr..
Marcy was a very economical man, and l
am sure he never exceeded his salary He
was the last Democratic Secretary of State
before the war Mr. Buchanan was Folks
Secretary of State, and | was in Washing
ton much of the time while he was serving
in that position, and | knew him well He
was probably the wealthiest Democrat who
ever held the office. In his day he was
considered rich man, though there were
no millionaires in public life at Washington
in those times Old Buck, as we used to
call him. was bachelor and very polite
and courtly gentleman, and yet do not
think that he owned a house in Washing
ton. He gave an occasional dinner at his
hotel, but never anything extravagant.
He gave one ball, which was then consid-
cred the grandest one that had ever been
given by Secretary of State. The ladies
got about him and told him he would never
marry in the world if he did not give ball.
He finally consented to do so, and it came
off at a place called Carusi's Saloon. 1t
was not saloon in the sense of drinking
place, but hall-what in French we would
call a salon, if you please There were
over a thousand invitations and the hall
was crowded, but still it was after all a very
modest affair compared with some of the
now given at Washington.
Mr.. Seward came into the office of Secre-
tary of State at the opening of the war,
and he had house where he extended fire.
quent courtesies to foreign representatives.
1t was important that nc should do so; but
doubt if he exceeded his salary. There
was nothing extravagant during Andy
Johnson's administration, but when Grant
came in he made Mr.. Fish Secretary of
State. He was very rich man and of
most hospitable disposition. He spent a
great deal more than his salary, and was
the first Secretary of State to do that.
Those who have followed him have felt
obliged to follow his example as far as they
we're able. Mr.. Evarts, no doubt, spent
three or four times his salary, though, of
course, he did not bankrupt himself in
doing so"
'Do you think, Senator, that with the
Democratic administration and an
effort at political reform, there ought to be
a return on the part of the chief officer of
the Cabinet to the old-fashioned way of
Iiving?'
'There must be limit somewhere. |
think the country will sustain man who
draws the limit at his salary If public
sentiment demands that the Secretary of
State shall spend more than $4,000 year,
then public sentiment will give the Secre-
tary of State more salary IF this rule
does not hold, then it will be SO that none
but very rich men can hold the office This
would be an injustice and misfortune"
----~--o--e-
Rev. DIR. Prime, in Neao York Observer,
writing on popular amusements, says
Our young people do not play as much as