Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-04-16
been when the long lines of wagons would

been when the long lines of wagons would
!, come to halt and the drivers would go
i to the provision boxes for their bottles and
their dinner. He enjoyed that more, he
said, that the entertainments in Wash
ington. He was wonderful in anecdotes
and had the dramatic powers CT Gar
rick. He was true and noble gentleman.
The Secretary of the Navy. C. NJ. Conrad
of Louisiana, was Virginian; Gov. W.
A. Graham of North Carolina, was Secre-
tary of the Treasury; John J. Crittenden
of Kentucky, another Virglnian and grad
uate of Washington College at Lexington.
was Attorney General; Judge N. K. Hall
of New York, a former law partner Of Mr..
/ Fillmore, was Postmaster General. Three
of the cabinet either died or resigned dur
ing his administration. When Mr.. Web
ster died, Edward Everett of Massacha-
sets, took bis place. When Secretary
Graham was nominated for Vice President
on the ticket with Winfield Scott. Jno.
P. Kennedy of Maryland, took his place.
and when P. NJ. General Hall was ap-
pointed Circuit Judge, Samuel D. Hub
bard, of CT. took his place.
! THE HUNGARIAN KossUTH.
1t was while was at the head at the
Interior Department that Kossuth came
to this country. He wanted to establish
a colony, almost State of Hungarians in
America, and visited me to get my assent
to the scheme. told him We would give
TO- p 70 ipd iuid
from his country who would settle and
assimilate with our people, but we could
establish no wheel within wheel, by set
ting up a Hungarian State in the Union.
He seemed much disappointed and on
| leaving my room, | can recollect now his
deep, mournful voice ss he said, ''Then,
Mr.. Secretary, my mecshon has failed"
IN PRIVATE LIFE.
ibid you return to private life after
your cabinet service ?''
| Yes; though / had some trouble in doing
SO. A month after my return from WASH
ington I was nominated, by the Wings of
Augusta, for the State Senate, but de.
clined. That was in 1858, and DR.. Glen
Harris, Democrat, was elected. In 1857,
when DIR. Harris term expired, was
again nominated, but declined. The con-
vention was then sitting in the town hall,
where the VINDICAToR office now is, and
| | went there and declined. After l left,
the convention sent committee headed,
I think, by Mr.. Mathew Pilson, here te my
| office, with directions to take no re-
fusal. | then ran and was elected. I re-
| NAMED in the Senate until 1861. In the
meantime was elected to the State (seces-
stony Convention which met in Richmond,
and the Senate being still in session, had
to divide my time between the one in the
State Capitol and the other in the Mech
anics Institute. After the adjournment
I came home. I felt, having been a
strong Union man, and having taken a
decided position as such, that it was but
right that men holding my views should
not be in the way of those who had
thought differently about secession, and
that it was fit that those who had been
most active in bringing it on, should
! have control of carrying it out to the end
AN OFFER OF A RESPONSIBLE FOREIGN
POSITION UNDER THE CONFEDERATE
GOVERNMENT.
"From the general opinion about Presi-
dent Davis intolerance of different views
from his own. suppose need hardly ask
If you were rendered any position under
the Confederate Government y''
Mr.. Stuart-Mr. Davis has been done
great injustice by that opinion. So far
from this being the case, he did tender me
q most important mission under his gov
eminent. One evening in March, 1854 j,
while sitting at home this letter came to
me from the Post Office.
Here Mr.. Stuart took from ia BILE a
faded envelope, directed to himself On
one corner it bore the printed legend,
Confederate States of America-Depart-
ment of State" and in the other corner
two blue. Confederate postage stamps of
five cents each. It reads as follows:
| CONFIDENTIAL
RICHMOND, 18th MARCH, '64.
Ny Dean. Sir:
Would it be in your power to
come to Richmond as promptly as possible on
a matter of great public interest The
President and myself are DESTROYS of confer
ring with you in person, as the subject is too
delicate for correspondence. I need scarcely
say that it should not be known that you
come on any but your own private business.
| Yours very truly,
J. P. BENJAMIN.
Hon. A. FL. FL. Stuart,
Stanton. Va.
l was much puzzled about the object of
the call. My wife suggested that proba-
bly, it was to tender me a position in the
Confederate government. I replied that
the only position that I would accept,
would be that of Commissioner to nego-
tiate with the United States with view
to peace. After the lapse of day left for
Richmond-in those hard Confederate
times one could not start on journey
without making some preparation, such as
mendlpg up little and putting button
on, here and there. The next morning
after my arrival went to the State De-
partment to see Secretary Benjamin.
COMMISSION FOR CULTIVATING A PEACE
SENTIMENT AT THE NORTH.
He received me very cordially land made
known what was called there for. He
said that the President and himself had