Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-02-01
Reminiscences-No.l l.

AS intimated in an Introductory article
l now commence series of recollections
running through long life, for the infor
nation of the readers of the Sentinel.
But few persons ever notice or trace the
events which connect themselves with the
consecutive periods of their lives. And yet
events transporting between the extremes Of
a long life, may be of absorbing interest tc
any person who can recall them as the
shadows of age preclude further obs ervation
The years of my pilgrimage have now
reached the limit of eighty-five, which, with
a few unusual exceptions, has been the long
est period allotted to human life for the last
three thousand years. Since the time Oh
Moses the life of man has but seldom gone
beyond this period, and one who has reach
ed it without any distressing infirmities-
which is my case-has no cause for COM
plant.
But what numerous and diversified
changes occur as the wings of time wait one
onward through cycles of four score and
five years Only those who have kept dia.
ries, or have retained in their minds images
OF past events, have any conception of the
number and character of the incidents which
have solicited attention between their era.
dies and their graves. Even compare
lively short life may have covered momen-
tous achievements. Both Alexander and
Napoleon died prematurely, yet what mar
velous victories and conquests have left for
them an undying fame. They have never
been matched on the arena OF heroic war
| fare.
| Hence as events never pause nor rest, but
rush forward from antecedents to conse-
quents with untaltering speed, the cycle of
eighty years must cover larger number of
incidents than q brefer period could. Since
my nativity there have been twenty Presi-
dents of the United States of America !;
three Popes Of Rome; four Kings of Sweed-
en- ten rulers of France, including the
three Napoleons; three Sultans of Turkey
three Sovereigns of England, including the
reignng Queen three Emperors of Russia,
three of Austria, two Kings OF Italy, and
three Emperors of Germany. OF distln-
guished Premiers, | remember Peel, Russell,
Palmerston, Disraeli and Gladstone of En-
gland Talleyrand Theirs, La Fayette and
Tuvanel of France; Bismark of Prussia,
Count Cavour of Sardinia, Metternich OF
Austria, Gortchakoff of Russia and Jefferson.
Madison, Cass, Webster, Seward, Frelin
ghuysen, Blaine and Bayard in the United
States Thus it appears that during the life
| time of an humble private citiZ N, pDten-
tateS and statesmen OF every rank and
nation are swept into eternity on the rush
ing stream OF time. Death exempts no
| iavorites.
The exciting canvass when the friends Of
Jefferson endeavored To defeat the elder
Adams for second term, was u theme for
| heated discussion when my youthful ears
| first began To appropriate political facts and
ideas | listened with curious amazement
to the harsh criticisms on the conduct of
Mr. Adams for having left Washington in
dispeasure before his successful competitor
arrived to be inaugurated. Many persons
trembed lest the estrangement between
these popu.ar patriots would endanger the
safety ul the Republic. Mr.. Jefferson be-
sides losing the friendship of Mr.. Adams,
soon found that his political bark had been
| launched GA Il te;npestuous sea. Clouds and
storms fruwned abolt his administration
from the hour OF his Inauguration. Col.
Burr had been on the tick ct with him as
candidate for Vice President When the
ballots were counted it was found that each
had exactly the same number of votes
Burr maintained that there had been no
constitutional election, and that the House
of Representatives must decide batWeen
them, which it did in favor of Jefferson
Burr, however, was qualified as Vice Presi
dent But in about year thereafter he Was
suspected OF IL design to break up the Union
in order to found II separate Confederacy
beyond the Alleghanles, and he was arrested
and tried for high treason in 1907. Though
acquitted, he Was regarded az an outcast.
| was but three years old when this cele-
brated trial took place, but the thrilling in
cidents OF it were handed down from par
ents to children for years. 50 that have to
day distinct recuIectiOn OF It's principal
features. Tue trial took place in Richmond,
Va, before Chief Justice Marshall. TIE
people throughout the whole country were
astounded at the audacity Of the traitor,
and from all directions they came to witness
the unique proceedings. George Hay, Will
liam Writ, aud Alexander McCrea were re
tanned for the prosecution; and Luther
Martin, John Wickham, ami Benjamin Bolts
were OF counsel Tor the defence. Burr, who
was himself a lawyer Of distinguished noto-
riety, assisted in the conduct of his case;
and in fact, as affirmed by many, controlled
the line Of defence His iyocates willingly
gave him free scope, and lie developed his
great legal abilities with astonishing SUCCESS
against the almost mitch!ess trio opp ,scd
to him The high reputation OF both the
Bench and the Bar, the official rank of the
prisoner, and the gravity OF the crime, were
elements in the case that commanded uni
versal attention.
The only parallel, perhaps, in the history
OF national impeachments, was the trial of
Warren Hastings in England, also for high
treason. Pitt, Burke, Sheridan, Fox, and
Earl Gray were the principal lawyers en-
gagged in that case; and while all England
was intensely wrathful against the offender,
yet Hastings, like Burr, was acquitted for
want of definite proof. In both cases the
stigma OF treason chung to them till death
| brought relief
But though Jefferson's administration was
thus harrassed by internal troubles, these
were all over balanced by the purchase of
louisiana three years before, from the
great Napoleon. The acquisition OF over
one million square miles Of territory Tor
fifteen millions Of dollars, with the full
possession Of the Mississippi river, WAS an
| event which neither history nor tradition
| could ever forget
! In 1911, when was but seven years Old,
a calamity beieil Richmond which for
| awhile flied the lanl with wailiny and in
tense misery. This was the burning Of the
Richmond theatre. According to Howison,
| il had been and was at the time Il season OF
unwunied gaiety, and six hundred of the
! elite oi the city aud The surrounding coun-
| try were in the play house On that fatal
night The edltice caught fire near the
| close OF the performance, aud one hundred
| persons persisted in the flames Among the
! number were the Governor OF the state and
| the President OF the Farmers Bank OF Vr-
gfnia The members OF the United states
| Senate expressed their sympathy by wear.
! ing Grape On their left arms for thirty days,
| and the Common Council of the city passed
an ordinance forbiddlng any public show or
dancing assembly Tor the space OF six
months An Episcopal church stands on
the spot where thtt theatre stood, and over
a common grave stands a monument, in
front OF the church, on the sides Of which
| myself counted seventy three nan;s Of
persons who perished in that catastrophe.
JOSEPH WALKER
RocictlLe, Nd
overwhelmingly Grand Opera
House continues To draw immense houses
by reason OF the rare Inducements it is CON