Evening star., 1898-12-10

enviable a record AS that of State. 1t is
the proud boast of the minor officials in
this department that they are as essential
to the well-being of this nation as the cogs
in mill-wheel to the machinery tIat
grinds the grist. Consequently, as their pc
cular value is recognized by the astute
politicians of all parties, they are never re-
moved And, with perhaps solitary eX
ception, none of them has ever died: so
we have the benefit of their vast and va
ried experience, i'll unbroken continuity
1t Is within the sheltertng care of the
Department of State that we find the
Nestor of governmental service, in The per-
son of Mr.. George Bartle, an aged clerk
who has beer In public service for ffty-foIlr
years. HE was appointed assistant mes
senger by President. James X Polk in the
year 1915. and during his long career has
known and conversed with every Secretary
of State since that time
Over Four score.
He was born in Virginia, at Alexandria
on that memorable day, in September. 1Sti,
on which the British fleet sailed down the
Fotomac after the destruction of the Capt.
lol by nre So, as native of the town
IN which General Washington was so deep
Iy Interested, both pecunIariy and senti-
mentally, and with a memory of events ex-
tending away back to the second decade of
inns century, Mr.. Bartic has many most
interesting "reminiscences. H. has seen at
one time or another, nearly all the pail
hearers of the father of his country. and
his own father was intimately known TO the
general during his lifetime.
A quiet, courteous, mild-nannered gentle
man of the old school, innately refined and
dlpIomattcally reserved, Mr.. Bartle recalls
To us the best traditions of the great state
known as the Mother of Presidents" And
yet. though all his life resident of Alex
andria and Washington he is a New Eng
lander by descent, his first American an
cestor being the celebrated Roger Williams
nj 1ityhf fro, nj
apparently never of robust constitution, dis
inclined to athletic exercises and devoted
to the weed yet Mr.. Bartle retains his
vigor wonderfully, showing few If any of
the infrmities of age, being keen of vision
and acute of hearing During many years
past he has remained at his desk in office
hours year in and year out, having taken
no vacation. confirming his short excursions
to the vicinity of Washington. In every
respect, indeed, he Is a model servant OF
the public, faithful, Industrious conscen-
tious and devoted to his duties.
At present, occupying a pleasant room
overlooking the Potomac at the southern
end of the great granite buildings devoted
to War Navy and State, this aged official
uses his time in making out commissions
for our. representatives abroad. For much
more than a generation of time he has
been the honored custodian of the great
seal of the United States. Its nominal Gus
todisn is the Secretary of State. but as, dur
ing his long career, many secretaries have
come and gone, and the great seal had TO
be left behind, this gentleman has been In
charge of it This seal is affixed only to
the commissions of cabinet officers, and of
diplomatic and consular officials nominated
by the President and confirmed by the
Senate: all treaties, conventions and for
NAL agreements with foreign powers; par
dons. eXequators to foreign consular Off
GERS in the United States, etc.
Throwing at President.
Eishty-four years of age, and having
L.
governmental affairs, Mr.. Bartle Is a liv-
ing history of many presidential adminis-
trations Born during Madison's second
term, almost within sight of the White
House, he has distinct recollections of all
but five of the administrations that span
the space between Washington and Nc
kinley. Our first five Presidents-Wash-
ington. John Adams, Jefferson, Madison
and Morroe-he does not claim to have
seen; but of the sixth President, John
Quincy Adams, he has at least one very
amusing "reminiscences. ]. Q. Adams filed
the presidential chair from 1925 to 1929 and
It was some time during his incumbency
that young Bartle, boy between twelve
and fifteen, while strolling along the Poto-
mac, saw the great man In swimming. 1t
was Mr. Adams custom, he says, to take
a dip in the river in the summer time, for
the Potomac then flowed much nearer the
White House than today, and 1t was while
he was thus disporting himself that Mr.
Bartle saw him. Now, Mr.. Adams head,
as those who knew him at that time tes-
tify and. as his portraits show, was very
round and very bald: and 1t may not seem
a matter of surprise that certain ragged
youngster, seeing 1t bobbing about in the
water, should shy potato at it. The aged
narrator does not say what the youngsters
name was but from lurking smile at the
corners of his mouth one might infer that
1t was Bartle. However, the venerable
man was greatly enraged. and shouted out:
Hello, you young rascal, stop that You
almost hit me on the heady'
''Whew Was that your head? thought
it was a pumpkin yelled the urchin, TAX
ing to his heels.
During Jackson's occupation of the White
House Mr.. Bartle went to see him several
times, and of erratic. choleric and stub
born "Oid Hickory he has some character