Year: 1873




exposure to the atmosphere in an


open vessel, to be accurate, in an


old pitcher with a broken nose. 1t
is astonishing, we are further told,
to note the number of people, prin-
cipally from the country districts,


who stray into the Treasurer room
during the course of year for the
purpose Of shaking hands with "the


man who makes that funny sigma
ture," and Of looking wonderingly
on to see how he makes it. We are
quite sure to be atfably received,
unless some circumstance Of an un


usually disturbing nature has occur
red, for "the General" as he is IA
miliarly called, Notwithstanding his
reputation for the use of strong
words, is really a man of uncom-
mon good nature. Even when pro-
voked to one OF his ebultions of
righteous wrath, his bark is proven
blally worse than his bite, and his
goodness of heart usually leads him
to make reparation for violence Of
language by lenity of action. So it
happens that applicants for favors
at his hands are sometimes told by
their friends, who know the old
gent!eman's peculiarities, that it is
a favorable circumstance that on the
first presentation of their cases they
have been roundly scolded, since
the chances are, that after the first
heat of temper has cooled, penitence
for undue harshness will lead him
on second consideration to grant
their requests. Not even the Gen
erals most ardent admirerS--and
no man has more-will claim that
he is a handsome man. And even
should they have the hardihood to
do SO, the vignette on certain fifty
cent notes, of which there are
many still in circulation, would fur
nish a complete refutation of their
assertion. But, to be fair, the shin
plasters do not do him Justice
There is an expression OF honesty
and openness of nature about his
homely features, and twinkle of
humor in the eye, which the artist
has failed to produce, and which
renders the face, like Lincoln's,
kind and genial and far from un-
pleasing. A grizzly muslache, cut
unreasonably short at the corners
Of the mouth, does not help to sup
ply she lack OF beauty III the fca-
lures. The wide, determined mouth
and the square, heavy chin, suggest
the irreverent idea that personal
appearance, no less than watchtul
care Of the nations treasure, may
have led to the bestowal of the
sobriquet of "Watch Dog of the
Treasury" by which the faithful
Treasurer is SO well known.


The room is of moderate size and
plainly furnished, giving evidence
that of the vast amount of money
which has passed through his office,
but little has been used to minister
to the Treasurer's comfort. A door
opens into still smaller apartment
in which the Treasurer sleeps
The responsibility of the safe keep
ing of hundreds Of millions is too
great to be devolved upon others,
and the General therefore rests
where he can in a moment assure
himself that the public treasure in
his keeping is safe. Once, before
he began sleeping at the Treasury,
he was awakened in the night by u
strong impression that something
was wrong at the Department. He
lay for long time tossing uneasily
on his bed, and trying to close his
eyes and convince himself that it
was mere freak of an over.taxed
brain; but it would not be driven
away. At last, about two O'clock
in the morning, in order to assure
himself that his impression was at
fault, he arose, hastily dressed him
self, and set out for the Treasury
On his way he met watchman
from the Department, Fastening to
arouse him with the information
that the door of one of the vaults
had just been found standing wide
open. A careless clerk, whose duty
it was to close and lock the door,
had failed to perform his duty that
night, and the watchman on going
his rounds had discovered the ne
glect. Since that night the Treas
urer has inspected the doors and
locks OF the vaults himself, and has
stisfied himself, by attempting to
turn the handles, that they are Sc
curcly locked. The inspection is
made twice every evening-oncc
soun after the departure Of the
clerks, and again before retiring to
rest. There are few public officers
whose sense of duty and response
bility eonstrains them to thus sacri-
flee their own time and comfort in
the interest of the government
The moneyed responsibility is in
deed tremendous, and such, we
venture to assert, as never fell upon
the shoulders of one man before
L at we do not exaggerate is cvi-
denced by the fact that the notes,
bonds and securities in the vaults
of the Treasurer's office amount on
an average to eight hundred million
dollars From "An Hour among
the Greenbacks 80 Scribners for
Apri3.