The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-15

had nothing at all to do with Mr.. CLAY,
but 10 Is very interssti M Ia itself on &C.
oouho Vi the notices therein contained of
various famous mon of the first days of
inc republic, with whom Judge Brooke
was intimately acquainted.
ne devotss the following paragraph to
George Washington:
personally knew, Gas well as SO young
man could knew. all the eminent mill
bary characters Of the Revolution, with
the exception of Alexander Hamilton and
General Knox. I knew Washington,
0reen and Gates knew Washington
IN my poyhood. de came to Smithfeld
Wien General Spotswood in 177a I hink
IL was. be was then q Colonel in the
brltlsh Army. remember his dress;
ne wore deep blue coat, scarlet waist
cont. trimmed with gold chain, and
nuokskln small clothes, boots. spurs and
sword; he had with him beautiful
SFsyhoun1, was fond of sports of the fisld
nnd proposed to my father, who had a
tame deer, to try if the grsyho could
not catch him; to which my father as
sented, and after leaping over the yard
palings they went through the garden
where they lsaped the palings again when
the deer turned towards the river, he got
start of the greyhound, and got into
tho river before he could catch him. Cen
eral Washington was afterwards at
Smlthfield two or three times; he was
fond Of horses, my father had ssome ex-
cellont ones, SO hads GEN. .Spotswood; they
TOOK the horses to the road, and mounted
tne boys upon them. to try their speed.
General Washington, in the year 1774
came to Frediokburg to review the in
dependent companies. After the review.
they gave him a collation. In the old
market-house, whore he had all the boys
OF large grammar school, of W hioh !
was ore, brought to him; gave them a
drink Of punch, patted them upon their
heads, and asked them if..they could fight
for their country. After the war he fire.
quently came to fredericksburg, where
his mother resided, and his only sister,
Airs Lewis. He attended the ball Of the
2snd OF February, opened it by dancing
a minuet with some lady, then danced
gallant, and always attached himself. by
his attentions to some one or more of the
beautiful and attractive ladies at the
balls. The next day, his friends gave
him dinner, ut which, after the cloth
was removed, and the wine came on, a
Mr.. Jack Stewart (who had been Clerk
of she House of Delemgates)" a great
voocalisr, was oallod upon for song ;and
he sung one from the novel Of Frederick
Random" which was very amusing
one. Gen. Washington laughed at 1t very
| much. and sncored it. The next day,
when went to his sisters to introduce
| strangers to him, found him one of the
most dignitied mon OF tbs age. While he
was President of the United States, at
| the instance of my father-in-law. Gen
| eral Spotswood, he offered mo the COL
| lector's office, at Rappahannock, but l
preferred my profession, and declined 1t
though the office at that time was very
lucrative one. Washington was undoubt-
eddy great man, and there was a sub
Unity in his greatness, which exceeded
that of any of the great men Of ancient or
modern history"
Fancy the outory If the present incum-
bent of the pres idential chair were TO do
what the Father of hisCountry is here re-
ported to have done-treat all the boys of
our. large Qrammer schools to drink of
punch In view of the present interest
in the Monroe Doctrine, the following
statement. made by Calhoun to Judge
Brooke with regard to the responsibility
for the authorship of that doctrine pos
sssses considerable interest:
II knew Mr.. Monroe, practised law
with him, and think, though slow
man, he possessed strong mind and
excellent Judgment. When was at York,
in 1894, with Gen. La Fayette, Mr.. CAL
houn, then Secretary of War. was there,
and asked him the question, whether
it was President Monroe, or his cab
mot, who was in favor OF that passage
in his message which ::deolared to the
| Holy Alliance, that America would not
be Indifferent to any attempt to aid the
| Spanish government to prevent the en-
franchisement of the South American
Provinces, then at war with Spain; and
he replied, that it was the Presidents
own sentiment, that he thought he was
a slow man, yet give him time, and he
WAS a man Of the best judgment he had
| ever known"
OF Mr.. jefferson and Mr.. Madison he
says: II knew Mr.. Jefferson very we'll.
| The first time saw him was at the mag
azine, at Westham, above Richmond, as I
have mentioned before. was afterwards
often at Monticello. and saw much Of
him there; and while he was President of
| the United States. He was a man Of easy
and ingratiating manners; he was very
partial to me, and I correspondent with
him while was Vice President Of the
Society Of the Cincinnati; he wished the
funds of that Society to be appropriated
to his central college, near Charlottes-
Vile, and on one occasion I obtained an
! order from a meeting of the Society, to