The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-09

Some "reminiscences of Presidents
known by Colonel Thompson.

known by Colonel THOMPSON.
In 1898 correspondent of the Journal
described Colonel Thompson as "a man
who saw Thomas Jefferson, who was dam
died on the knees of James Madison, whose
boyish head was patted by Monroe who
saw John Quincy Adams when he was in
the White House and was serving with him
in Congress when he dropped dead in the
Hall of Representatives This man was
given political advice when he started ont
III life by Andrew Jackson. He knew Mar
tin Van Buren,. He was one of the presi-
Dental electors who put William Henry
Harrison in the Executive Mansion, and he
refused the mission TO Austria when it was
offered to him by President Taylor. He
had close associations with Fillmore. He
was friend of Frank Pierce and he knew
we'll James Buchanan. He served in Con-
gress with Abraham Lincoln, and during
the latter's presidency he was his trusted
friend. He knew Johnson, was a friend
of Grants, and during the presidency of
Hayes he was the secretary of the navy
With the exception of George Washing
ton and John Adams, he has associated
so that to-day he forms, as it were,
bridge between the past and the present"
In the course of the interview Colonel
Thompson said: 81 suppose, the secret of
my good health is largely due to temper
ance in eating and drinking L drink very
little, and L never eat anything that does
not agree with me. I was born, you know.
in Culpeper Va, and when / was ap-
preaching manhood the doctors held con-
sultation over me and decided that l would
die of consumption. They said my only
salvation was to keep out of doors. and
my father made me take horse and tour
over the mountains to Kentucky. / did
this. and spent the greater part of two
years on horseback. coming home with
much more flesh than when l started, and
in excellent health. L don't think the doc
tors knew what they were talking about,
but / have no doubt the horseback riding
did me good.
He was a moderate smoker late in life.
but earlier had smoked to excess. At one
time he chewed a great deal of tobacco,
but quit it on the advice of Henry Clay.
and at the time of his death had not used
tobacco in that form for nearly sixty
years.
A LECTURE BY CLAY.
Almost all young men chewed tobacco
III tnOSt udyS, Sdlu Soiohci ihoihPSoh.
81 had a quid in my mouth almost all the
time. / was particular as to what brand of
tobacco l used, and when friend of mine
from Virginia presented me with lot of
very fine pulg tobacco 1 took 1t with me
to the House of Representatives and laid
IT away in my desk. 1 was, you know, then
a member of Congress There were lot
of other tobacco chewers sitting near me.
Tom Marshall. of Kentucky. was on one
side. Garrett Davis was on the other, and
there were good fellows all around me. So
/ passed my titbit around. There was
good lot of tobacco and supplied the
party. i noted, however, that the plugs
seemed TO be going faster than was right,
and 1t bothered me- For p short time
suspected the page boys, and accused them
of stealing my tobacco. They denied 1t.
At last one morning page came 10 me
and said: Mr.. Thompson. 1 can tell you
who Is stealing your tobacco. 1t is Senator
Mangum. of North Carolina l at once
went TO the Senate and found Henry Clay
and Mangum sitting together. both chew
ing busily. / charged Mangum with the
theft. He owned up 10 IL and told me that
he did IL for my good. Thereupon Henry
Clay broke in, and the two gave me lee
ture on the evil effects of tobacco chewing
They told me that was chewing too much
and that would certainly ruin my nervous
system II l did not stop. In short, they
made such an impression on me that after
supper that night 1 did not take my
usual chew. My wife noticed the omission,
but said nothing. ! thought the matter over