The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-12-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
PORTRAITSOF WEBSTER AND
HENRY CLAY.
How CIay's Debts We're Paid
Another CentenniaI-A Noble
Act of Congressman Cheatham,
of This State,

Act of Congressman Cheatham,
of This state.
WASHINGTON, d. c., December g.
Few statemen are more popular in
North Carolina than Dauiel Webster.
All the old line Wings revere his memory.
There is magnificent portrait of him
now on exhibition in a wellknown house
in this city, painted from life three years
before his death, by Boston artist. 1t
is very fine, and bears the impress of the
godlike characteristics of the great man.
There is also in this city a portrait of
Henry Clay painted by Vim. SHEPPARD
Pettigrew, of the Diocese of North Caro-
lima. Mr.. Browne painted the portrait
from daguerreotype which Mr.. Clay
gave Mr.. Pettigrew when they were at
the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs
years ago. Mr. Pettigrew and Mr.. Clay
were good friends and the country cler-
gyman who is probably known to MANY
of your readers, still retains a warm
affection for the famous blue grass ora
tor. Mr.. Pettigrew will be highly pleas
ed with this portrait when he sees it. He
told me that when Henry Clay heard
that the late Mr.. Wood, of Edenton, had
prior to his nomination to the presidency
he sent him in payment drove of Ken
lucky mules of the best breed in Ken
lucky. Mr.. Clay's son was sent in
charge of them, and was commissioned
to express his fathers app eciatiOn of
Mr.. Woods generous act. Mr.. Petit
grew saws the stock in and around Eden
ton still retains many of the good points
of the Kentucky breed sent down by Mr.,
Clay. The amount paid down for Mr..
Clay by Mr.. Wood was, think, about
$4,000. A DR.. Mercer, of New Orleans,
paid another $2O,O00 This Mr. Wood,
of Edenton, was at the White Sulphur
springs at the same time with Mr.. Clay
and Mr.. Pettigrew and it WIS there this
unique way of helping the presidential
candidate was determined on. These
methods differ somewhat from the
doodle" manipulations of the present
regime.
Next Wednesday will be celebl ated in
the hall of the house of representatives,
the one hundredth anniversary of the
first meeting of congress under the con-
stitutiOn-an event of signal Importance.
almost entirely overlooked by public
who have i'll the past thirteen years
hardly been able to keep up with the vast
| tide of centennial CommemoratiOn. There
will no doubt be an impressive as
semblage to hear the address of the
chief Justice.
Lieut.. Richard Henderson, U. S. N, a
brother of Hon. John S. Henderson, has
been ordered on duty at the navy yard in
this city. He was recently married to
Miss Scales, and is namesake Of his
distinguished ancestor, Judge Richard
Henderson, of Granville county, the
father of Chief Justice Henderson.
| have previously mentioned i'll this
correspondence the good traits of Plum
mer Cheatham, the negro congressman
from the second district. One of the first
acts of this congress on his part, was
to seek out Mr.. Adams, the new door
keeper, and ask him to retain one men,
Der of the folding room staff. 81 know he
is a democrat" said Cheatham, but he
is a steady, industrious young man, and
for peculiar reasons, | want him re-
tanned. | was given to his mother when
was little boy as a wedding present.
| told his widowed mother | would try
my level best to keep her boy in work. "
The young man is still at his job in the
folding room.