Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02
and he never failed to reply in the heartiest
manner
The Cause of His Retirement.


retaries of the Treasury had never inter-
fered with the appointments made in the
treasurer's Office, as it was regarded as a
great national bank, the treasurer giving a
personal bond for a hundred thousand dol
lars for the proper care and account of the
money of the republic. 1t was by common
consent admitted that as the treasurer was
responsible for the cash, he should be al
lowed to select his own counters and cash
iers, but Bristow sought to thrust some of
his political friends into Spinners office.
The general kicked, and the matter was
brought to the notice of President Grant by
Bristow. Spinner said that he would resign
unIess he was allowed to select the working
tools of his office, and Bristow insisted that
he was the appointing power under the law
and would have his own way or vacate the
Treasury Department
Grant, being schooled as a diSciplinarian
and Influenced by some personal and politi-
cal friends, sided at the time with the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, and Spinner at once
resigned the office that he had held so long
with rare honor to himself and great profit to
his country. In few months Grant was
forced to dismiss Bristow, who brought up
on his head the scandal of 1.-The whisky ring, "
that made such noise in its day.
The spring before the general retired from
office he visited his family in Florida for
a short vacation from his arduous labors as
treasurer, and on his return to the capital,
he came back by the way of New Orleans,
up the Mississippi river, by one of the palace
steamboats, that then piled between the
crescent city and st. Louis, and stopped off
few days to see some of his subordinate
officers and view the sights and growing
greatness of the metropolis that aspired to
be the future capital of the republic.
The most prominent people of st. Louis
called on him at the Planters House, where
L was then boarding with my family, and
We'd with each other in showing respect and
attention to the great war treasurer of the
United States. One pleasant, sunny after
noon 1 invited himself. his daughter and
adopted daughter to take a carriage drive
and see some of the rare sights Of the
mound city.
At the Old Botanfsfs.
In the course of the drive we visited the
celebrated Shaw's garden, one of the rarest
botanical gardens in the United States.
The general and his daughter aljghted at
the lodge gate, and we proceeded to the
summer home of Henry Shaw, located at
one end of the garden, anil rare ices,
shrubs. vines and ferns, and beautiful flow
ers growing in grace AMI eXhaling perfume
on the wings of the gentle Zephyrs that
blew over this earthly PARADISE.
We sent in our cards, ami We're uslIered
into the reception room. Soon afte"ward
the sage of the flowers appeared in silk
skull cap. Mr.. Shaw produced n register
of visitors. and asked the general to give
him his celebrated signature, saying, laugh
ingly, that some future wanderers might
have fine time arnong his net flowers ami
working out his signature as n autograph
ic puzzle. The general repliei: mfr. Shaw.
i think it has puzzled some OF the counter
feiterS, and it puzzles great many other
people as to how TO secure enough of the
greenbacks' with my cramped chirogra-
ply" We all signed our names the gem
eral, think, composing phrase before his
signature. Mr.. Shaw then escorted us
through the grounds, explaining, he
p-an ha vii nd 10 ri las
of his botanical beauties growing in regu-
lar beds outdoors or blooming in pots in
the long greenhouses. l remember one
plant about three feet high that he took a
great interest in. l think he called il a
breathing or pulse plant, and that II had
come from the Amazon in South America.
Its small branches and slender leaves
moved up and down with the rhythmic &C
ton of heart beats, and ii seemed TO be a
living object. We stood in Amusement at
the sight of this rare plant, and Gen. Spin
ner asked Mr.. Shaw if he thought il had a
heart and soul The octogenarian replied
Il am as certain as l live that the same
Supreme Being that called us into life and
breathed into us His celestial spirit reigns
in this wonderful plant and teaches us the
lesson of Immortality"
We passed on, and, going back to the
house at his pressing invitation, we fingered
at the tomb that he had prepared to en-
case his mortal remains when lifes fitful
fever was over. General" he said, point
ing to the marble Sarcophagus, there is
where l expect to rest when the sun shall
shine for me no more, and since will not
be able to attend to my lovely flowers with
hands Of flesh. my spirit can watch over
them daily and nightly, and their own
beauty will induce those to whom / have
bequeathed them to watch with jealous
care for their preservation" We We're
| deeply impressed by the solemn language
and surrounding scene, a man standing be-
| side his own tomb delivering his own fu-
neral Grafton. When We arrived at the
| q HNr1f ltNn
| the old sage pressed us to partake produc-
| ing some fine old sherry wine. clear as am
| Der and seemingly as old as himself In a
short time we finished, and,as Gen. Spinner
wished to take the train that night for
| Washington, hurried away, bidding Mr.
| Shaw and his beautiful garden a fond fare
| well, he not forgetting, however to present
| each of the ladies with a beautiful hououet
and the general and myself with a single
Jucqueminot to wear as a boutonniere
In que course we arrived at the Planters
House. The general and his daughters
were much pleased with their entertain
ment by Mr.. Shaw and to the day of their
death, no doubt, remembered with pleasure
the St Louis botanist.
The Last Interview.
The last time / saw Gen. Spinner was
at Wizards Hotel on his way to Florida,
two years before his death. The ravaSes of
cancer had greatly disfigured his face
and a settled gloom seemed to have taken
poSStSSloI OF MS cOuntenance, While his
| natural irrtability was increased He saw
but few persons and those some of the
| true and faithful clerks that had so hon
estly served him while treasurer The morn
| ing / called was dark and rainy He was
| located on the second floor on the corner
| near the f street entrance. When 1 put in
an appearance at his parlor room he rose
with some effort, saluted me kindly and
remarked. why, gen eral, how well Won
look He impulsively replied: Now, look
here Joyce you know that's a liei'' | made
some explanatory remarks and turned the
! conversation into another channel know
| ing, of course. that my first salutatfon was
| not exactly the truth, but uttered as the
usual compliment among friends. But ri
never forget the sterling sincerity of Snin
ner, who would not accept a passing social
compliment when he felt it to be falsei
The waters of the romantic Mohawk now
| murmur requiem to his memory, and the
rolling hills and blooming wales that blessed
| his boyhood will long echo the praises of
| this illustrious man, who handled $1,000
| 100000 during the civil war and accounted
| for every cent to a grateful people who will
| always cherish his memory while truth
| loyalty and honesty reign in the human
| heart! JOHN A. JOYCE.
| WANTED 1T FIXED.