Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20

IL ulllBeuIlJ III HIS dIcllcI III L dTlS, dIJcf
having spent several months in Detroit, the
home Of General Cass, securing from old
acquaintance and from relatives all the as
sistance possible for the perfect rendition of
portrait statue.
General Cass is represented as he ap-
peared in the last years of his life-a stately,
dignifed, heavy-set old gentleman, clad in
the dress of so years ago, with swallow
tailed coat, very large in the collar, double
breasted waistcoat, the old-fashioned "barn-
door" trousers, and heavy pendant watch
fob.
Cass was as bald as turnip, but the
sculptor has preserved faithfully his dark
brown curling wig, for which it is said he
was accustomed to pay S1OO in order to have
the best that money could buy The figure
is heroic in size, and no tricks of posture
have been attempted. 1t is Cass, the grave
and reverend statesman, standing squarely
upon his feet, one hand resting upon an
open book and the Other holding q roll of
paper --
A BEAUTIFUL MARBLE.
The sculpture is done in a magnificent
piece Of Carrara marble, the finest piece Mr..
French says he has eyer seen. When you
tap it with silver dollar it rings with
clear fute-like resonance of big bell. The
statute is the gift of the State of Michigan to
the United States, and it has set in the face
hardly foot in diameter, bearing the coat
of arms of the State. Mr.. French received
for the statute 10000.
Senators Sherman and Morrill, are the only
survivors now in Congress who sat with
General Cass in the Senate. 1t will be re-
membered that the Republican party be-
came dominant in Michigan in 1856, and
Zach Chandler was elected to succeed
Cass. With the election of Buchanan,
Cass became Secretary of State, and con-
tinued his life in Washington. He lived
in one of the dwelling houses since modelled
over into the Arlington Hotel, where once
year he was wont to give grand reception.
The old gentleman was exceeding fond of
good wines, and while Secretary of State re-
ceived generous donations of rare old bra n
dies and wines from his admirers in the dip
lomatic colony.
WEALTHY, BUT A MODEST LIVER
Owning farm of 500 acres in the heart of
the city of Detroit, its enhancement in
value when it was cut up into blocks and
lots, made him a wealthy man; yet his econ
omy was by-word in Washington. Dur
ing most of his Senatorial career he lived
at the St. Charles Hotel, in a simple and
saving way. This habit was possibly as
much the result of early training as any
thing else.
General Cass was born in New Hamp-
shire, of poor parents, and although his life
was distinguished by many honors and an
even in youth, with many
great men, it was not until his later years
that he escaped the pinch of poverty.
1t is hardly over 20 years since General
Cass died. To men who knew him and
who heard from his lips the countless stories
of adventure in his long life he seemed won
derful link between the present and the past.
His grandfather knew Peregrine White,
the first child born to the pilgrims after
their arrival at Plymouth. He himself
talked with Washington. As he said in
his speech introducing the Prince of Wales |
10 President Buchanan, he had been
BORN BRITISH SUBJECT,
having seen the light of day before the final |
treaty of peace with the mother country. He
made the acquaintance of General Harrison |
before that worthy had ever travelled west of |
over half century before John Browns |
famous raid.
His first appointment to office was re-
ceived from Thomas Jefferson, who made |
him Marshal of Ohio. He knew the Blen-
nerhasset and his charming wife well, and |
at their island home met Aaron Burr,
against whom afterward, while member Of
the Ohio Legislature, he framed bill de-
fining treason. Hewas Brigadier with Hull
at the Detroit surrender. He saw Tecumseh
killed. For II years he was Governor of
Michigan, which then embraced what is
now Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. He
was in General Jackson's s first Cabinet; for
six years was Minister to France, and
his last Office was that of Secretary of
State under Buchanan. He resigned be-
cause Buchanan would not re-enforce Sum-
ter in 1859. During the war he was an in
tense Unionist, supporting the Government
His candidacy for Presi-
lent in 1S4S is one of the most pathetic in
,idents in the history of the Democratic
party. But for the spite of Martin Van
Buren he would. have received the undi-
vided support of his party, and have been
elected.
Singularly enough, although Van Buren
was nominated as Free Soiler, Cass car
red a majority of the free States, while
majority of the slave States voted with the
Wings for General Taylor. Fifteen States
yave their electoral votes to Cass and Is to
Taylor, but among the latter were New
York and Pennsylvania, where Van Buren
1ad divided his party and effected his rivals
lefeat.