The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-09-23


he went there and fraternized with the
Sans Culotte convention In '94. He ne.
gotlated treaty with England in 1906
Which his friend Jefferson did not even
dare send to the Senate. He was the
most prominent Cabinet officer of Madi-
sons luckless Administration. So it was
no wonder that the stock of the savior of
his boyish life died out before he was able
TO reward them for the service. Yet he
probably was more president Of the
Whole people"---inasmuch as he encoun-
Tered the least opposition-than any man
who ever occupied the White House.
There is a vagrant story of Coryell's
having helped Thaddeus Stevens out OF
the back window of the House OF Repre-
sentatives, at Harrisburg, when the (uot
yeti Great Commoner's life was in danger
during the Buckshot War in 1888. This
story Is undoubtedly true, but its details
are not In nearly as good state OF preser-
walton as one told of him during the Ad-
ministration of President Polk.
Mr.. Coryell was hearty advocate of
the Democratic policy of the time. He
was sent TO Texas to assist in the negotia-
lions for the annexation of the Lone Star
Republic, and was, of course, persona
g1'dtG to the President, who declared war
against Mexico and inspired the scorn of
Hosea Bigelow. AT one time during
Folks Administration Coryel boarded at
the same hotel, during visit to Washing
ton, with young man who wore mus
tache and was after an office. Office
seeking was not new thing then, but
mustaches were and were decidedly OBJ
jectiohable on the ground OF neatness 10
many smooth-faced gentlemen of the old
school, among them Mr.. Coryell He
called them shoe-brushes. and he did not
modulate his voice in calling them so from
his knowledge of the fact that the wearer
OF one of them was within earshot.
whats new at the White House, Mr..
Coryell 2" said table neighbor one day
at breakfast. The obnoxious mustache
had just taken its seat across the board,
and Mr.. Coryell replied gruffly, "The only
news know OF is that President Polk has
decided to appoint no man to office who
wears shoe-brush on his upper lip. u
After the next meal was over Mr.. Coryell
turned to his neighbor and asked, "Who's
that young man across the table from US
He has really nice face"
THAT nice face,n said his friend, sis
the one which was under the mustache
which you disliked so much, and the mus
tache was cut off on account of your pro-
mitigation of the Presidents new order as
to officeholders.
GOOD gracious, you don't say so,
said Mr.. Coryell.
He was too good politician to waste
his influence on impulses, but day after
day the rape of the mustache weighed up
on him, and the implicit and pathetic
trust with which it had been sacrificed to
his hasty words made him remorseful
He looked up the mustacheless young
mans case, found 1t worthy one, and in
pressing II before the President told how
he had been interested in it. Polk laugh
ingly signed the commission, bat said,
"For Heavens sake, Coryell, don't make
this precedent or there wont be offices
enough to 60 around
Strong as Mr.. Coryell's Democratic pro-
clivities were they did not put an end to
his friendship with General Cameron when
the latter cast his fortune with the young
Republican party. There is little doubt
that this friendship was of great value to
him 10 the declining years of his life,
when his straight-out Democracy was of
an independently outspoken kind.
So great was the antagonism Of the old
politician among the Unionists' of New
Hope, that during the first years of the
war his devoted granddaughter, Miss Tor
bert, never permitted him to stir from the
house unless she was by his side, think
ing that the resistance OF a woman would
be the best deterrent to any steps, legal or
otherwise, which might be taken against
him. An invalidsm of sixteen years
duration was the result of the nervous
strain upon the granddaughter 10 guard
ing his footsteps.
II was while the feeling was hottest
against him that General Cameron met
him one day in Philadelphia. ''Coryell, ="
said his old friend in humorous entreaty,
''Can't you stop talking politics 2 The pa
pers have been made out for your arrest
and are only awaiting signature.
Cameron" replied the irreconcilable
earnestly, 81 never start political dis
cussIon. It's only when people begin at
me that talk"
btDtihi RdFC ON6t tuC
ment. 81 shall advise the President" he
said, "that the only course for the Gov
eminent is to Issue a proclamation pro-
hibiting all citizens from talking politics
to Lewis s. Coryell, of New Hope"
The old gentleman grew less irrecou-
cilable probably as the war went on, for
when General Davis, in 1864, wrote from
the front that it would be good plan for
the Democrats to run Grant for President
on his military record, he did not resent
II. But he was too old to take the chance
which he might once have taken to lead
this bold flank movement against his old
foes. He died In 1866, having been since
early youth power in Pennsylvania poll
tics and having refused TO take any Office
save that Of Commissioner for the I'm
provement of the Delaware, which he held
10 1918. Herein he gained the reputation
OF being good practical engineer. His
nearest approach to military service was
as a baggage master in the War OF 1912.
His talk with Monroe which he related
to General Davis is not the only living
link that those about the old Ferry have
with Washington's stormy crossing to
LTeHtou. MOI ionR hinCe uieu JOnn MUTT
head, OF Lambertville, nephew OF the
John Muirhead who was one OF the three
guides OF the army from that desperate
sunset to that glorious dawn. The uncle
told the nephew, who in turn told his
neighbor, DIR. Geo. II. Larson, who 10
turn told this correspondent, that he saw
some one hand Washington an empty bee
hive from some farmers frozen apiary as
he landed (not from the first boat but one
Of the first), and that on this democratic
throne the lberator of the Western world
saw his little host pass to its emancipa-
tion--a strange contrast to the Persian
monarch, who from his golden eminence
saw his hosts sail to defeat at the hands
Of the Greeks whom he sought to enslave.
In fact there are more "other stories"
about old Coryelps Ferry than any but a
Kipling could tell.
Happy and content Is a home with The Ro'
CHESTER" alamp with the light of the morning.
Fer eatalegas, write Roehsitey Lamp Go. Nf7O York