Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-08-26

famous seat OF learning. de occupied
the spacious residence of the late DIR.
Beans, out of which the doctor was car.
ried off by the British in 1914, when
Francis Scott Key went under cartel to
seek bis release, and wrote "The Star
Spangled Banner" at the bombardment
of Fort McHenry. Day scholars and
boarders from various parts of the State
hOcked to the academy, and Mr.. Nc
Laughlin had to employ numerous assist
ants: Mr.. Smyth and Mr.. KaIenback to
teach French and the primary branches,
Prot. Fulter for chemistry, and Prof. Nc
Gowan, late of the Navy, for the chair of
mathematics. MIR. Mclaughlin himself
teaching the higher branches of Greek
and Latin, and lecturiDg on philosophy
and metaphysics.
The California gold fever broke out iO
1S49 and dazzled thousands with Pacto.
lan visions of wealth awaiting them in
the new Eldorado. The next year Mr
Mclaughlin resigned the fourishng Marl-
boro Academy and joined the Argonauis.
He reached Panama about the beginning
of July, and the thousands of Americans
he met there got up celebration of the
glorious Fourth, invited the Spanish Gov
ernor-General, who attended in great
state, and Mr.. Mclaughlin was elected
orator of the day. After patriotic flight
in the rounded periods of the English Ian
guage, the speaker turned round and ad
dressed the Governor General and his
suite in the softer accents of the Spanish
tongue The New York Herald, in its
next letter from the Islhmus, had q spig.
tied account of this, the first celebration
Of the Foulh of July in that quarter of
the world, and audatory notice of Mr..
McLaughlin's address. Always racy
and inimiiable conversaiiOnalist. his jour.
uey down the San Juan river and through
Nicaragua furnished him with a rich
fund of anecdole and adventure with
which to regale his friends and acquaint-
ances. He set to work at Alexandria
with characteristic energy and dash to
WOO back for une through the more con.
genial paths of Blackstone and Coke, and
as he humorously said, he found more
money in RobinsoD's Forms, Tuckers
Commentaries aud Pelers's, Wbsrton's,
and Cranch's Reports than in all the au-
riferious mines and Midas treasures OF
California. While praclcing law at Al
exandria he was appointed by Governor
johnson, of Virginia, director on the
part of the State OF the Exchange Bank
of that city. Always an ardent Demo-
crat, he was elected delegate in 1852,
and with Roger A. Pryor was made one
of the secretaries of the State Convention
held at Richmond to send delegates to
the National Convention of that year at
Cincinnati. Gen. Pierce was nominated
and elected President. William l..
Marcy, Secretary of State, knowing OF
Mr.. Mclaughlin as inguist, made him
Translator of the State Department. He
soon promoted him to the head OF the Bu.
reau of Statistics in the same Department.
Mr.. McLaughlin's Annual Report on
Foreign Relations became famous both in
this country and Europe. He held the
same position under the Buchanan Ad-
ministralion, Gen. Cass succeeding Mr..
Marcy as Secretary of State. Mr.. Buch-
anan had long been warm personal
friend of Mr. Mclaughlin, and by the
Presidents desire he became associate ed
itor with Caleb Gushing and ex-CoDgress'
man Harris, of Virginia, Of the admins
tration organ, the Washington Union
He was also writer at this period for
Hunts Merchants Magazine and The
Democratic Quarterly Review. He was
now constantly consulted by committees
of the Senate and House on questions o.
commerce and foreign trade, and Mr.
Hunter. of Virginia, Mr.. Stephens, o
Georgia, Mr., Chestnut, Of South Carolina
and Mr.. Kelly, of New York, we're among
his devoted personal friends. Speaking
of Mr.. McLaughin's reports from ib'
State Department, the French Minister
of Agriculture and Commerce under Ma
poleon the Third, the famous NJ. Rouh'r
observed: "The Minister Of France a
Washington has already communicated (
the Imperial Government this remarkabl
report. am happy to recognize IN
marked improvement over works OF th
: same character previously published b
the American Government" The Lor
don Athenaeum of February 20, lo5'
said "The highest praise is due TO th
House of Representatives for puolishln
this comprehensive and really naiioni
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