Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-05-09

clerk of the State Department, but he was
soon engaged in editing newspaper which
was the organ of the Republican party. 1t
was more violent in its attacks upon Ham;l-
ton and Washington's public policy than
| Bache's paper was afterward. Long years
subs quently Freneau acknowledged that
many of the most violent articles were
written by Jefferson himself But Jeffer-
son must not be blamed" said Colonel
Carr, 'fer st that time he was really
msnomaniac on the subject of miscsiled
French democracy He had lately come
from France, and was thoroughly imbued
with the spirit of the radical French revo-
lutionists. Freneau, you know, celebrated
in stirring verse the American victories
during the war of 1925. Poor Freneau!
He persisted in cold storm near Freehold,
New Jersey, in December, 1882, when in
the eightieth year of his age"
"Did you know personally Charles Thom-
son, the permanent Secretary Of the Conti-
mental Congress?" l inquired.
81 knew him quite intimately for several
years." replied Colonel Carr. 81 first be-
came partially acquainted with him about
the year 1900. He was then busy in
making his translation of the Septuagint,
or Old Testament Scriptures, from the
original Greek into English. He also
translated the New Testament. l had the
reputation then of being the most careful
proof.reader in Philadelphia, and when
Mr.. Thomson began to have his great work
put in type he employed me to read the
last revised proofs. The whole Bible
translated by Mr.. Thomson was published
by the Widow Aitkin, in four volumes, in
1908, at about the time when l left printing
and took charge of the Botanic Garden"
"What was the personal appearance of
Mr.. Thomson ?" l inquired.
''He was past seventy years of age when
1 first became acquainted with him. He
was rather tall, quite spare in flesh; his face
was very thin and much furrowed; his blue
eyes were truly sparkling, and his straight
white hair hung in graceful curls at the ends
below his ears. His whole appearance was
venerable; yet his form was erect, his step
elastic, and his voice was strong, clear and
musical. He lived, as you know, until 1924,
when he was in the Dinety-fifth year OF his
age"
I gathered much more from the lips of
the venerable printer and soldier during our
interview that was exceedingly
He was about to communicate
some of his "reminiscences of the war of
1S12-15 when he was called away by the ar
rival of visitors at the gate, and We bade
him farewell.
Colonel Carr remained very active al
most to the last. A month before my visit
he went among the Union camps, near Ar
lington Heights, Virginia, where he travel
ed seventeen miles one day and attended u
theater at Washington City that evening.
81 could have danced to a cotillion aftcr
that" he said. In 1868 he participated in
the centennial celebration of the birth Of
~ Grcf r,,1ta fx,p
sylvania and New York, held by the New
York Historical Society; and on the 22nd
of February, 1864, when he was past eigh-
ty. six years of age, he read Washington's
Farewell Address before the veterans of the
war of 1919 at Philadelphia. He died on the
18th of April, 1865.
BENSON J. LOSING, LID.