Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/randomrecollecti00wort_1 I I \ f ' \ 4 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS OF ALBANY, /ram 1800 to 1808 : WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MATTER. SECOND EDITION. ALBANY: PRINTED BY CHARLES VAN BENTHUYSEN. * 1850 . [We take the liberty to insert, by the way of preface to this second edition, the following Letter from the Author.] TO THE PUBLISHER: Agreeably to your request, though not without some misgivings, I send you, herewith, a few additional pages, of “ Random Recollections.” It would be easy to till a volume with such scraps as these; but to do justice to the subject, would require more time than I can novj conveniently spare. The ground is to be carefully surveyed, prior to any act of occu¬ pation. There are many choice anecdotes that cannot yet be told; many amusing scenes that cannot, with propriety, be described; and a long list of original characters, that it would, even at this distant date, be prema¬ ture to sketch. Still, there are materials enough within the rule of right, to satisfy all reasonable curiosity; some little time, however, is indispen¬ sable to their collection and judicious arrangement for exhibition. But, the novelty of the thing, I apprehend, has, in some measure, worn off, and unless the future recollections should be of a better quality than those I now send you, it would be as useless to continue the work, as it would be to re-publish the original copy without additions. To the handsome style in which the thing was printed; to the liberality and laudatory tone of your city press, and to the good nature of the citi¬ zens of Albany, I attribute the favorable reception and ready sale of the first edition. But, it should be remembered, that nothing is new but once, that liberality and good nature may be over-taxed; and that the “recol¬ lections,” being local in their character and limited in their range, can excite little or no interest beyond the confines of your city. But the risk and expense of publication are yours, and if you really think it worth while to try the town with another edition, the few scraps I send you may, perhaps, authorize the printer’s d—1 to insert in the title page, the catching phrase, “with additions;” and to strengthen this important announcement, I place at your disposal an entire new batch, (written some two years since,) entitled “ recollections of Hudson.” These, you may publish separately, or together with their Albany relatives, (or not at all,) as you may think best. I have no wish other than that you should not lose money by the idle sketchings of my pen. Your friend and ob’t serv’t, IGNATIUS JONES. JONESBURGH, JANUARY, 1850. RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. The election of Mr. Jefferson to the presiden¬ cy, produced a new era in the political history of men and things throughout the United States. So great was the change, and so sudden the turn of the executive wheel, that the event was felt through all the ramifications of society, and the period became as memorable as that of the birth of the nation. Many, even at the present day, refer to it in their computations of time, as to one of those fixed periods, which are alike fa¬ miliar to the learned and the unlearned. It is, indeed, one of those chronological meridians, from which we calculate the degrees of time, advancing or receding as the case may he. Thus, instead of saying, “in the year 1801,” or “at the beginning of the nineteenth century,” we say, “at the period of Mr. Jefferson’s elec¬ tion.” Either phrase sufficiently designates the time referred to: the choice is, of course, op- 4 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. tional, and the mode of expression a mere mat¬ ter of taste. In commencing these reminiscences, I prefer to say that my first visit to Albany was just before the election of Mr. Jefferson, or the Great Apostle as he is sometimes called. Not that the visit had any thing to do, either with the election of Mr. Jefferson or the fortunes of his followers, hut because it was an epoch in my own personal history, as the election of Mr. Jefferson was, in the history of the country. I had then just launched my “ light untimber¬ ed bark” upon the ocean of life; with no guide hut providence, and with no hand but my own to direct its course. Never shall I forget the deep feeling of loneliness that came over me when the receding headlands of my native hay disappeared in the distance, and I found myself, for the first time in my life, alone on the waters. It was at the age of eighteen, and in the autumn of the year eighteen hundred, that I first set my foot within the precincts of the ancient and far-famed city of Albany. It is true, I had passed through the city some ten or twelve years before, hut ’twas on a rainy day, and in a covered wagon; and as the only glimpse I had of the town, was obtained through a hole in the can- RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 5 vas, I set it down as nothing, since, in reality, it amounted to nothing. I am, however, well aware that an intelligent, sharp-sighted English traveller, such for instance, as Fearon, Hall, or Marryat would have seen, even through a smaller aperture, and under less favorable circumstances, enough to have enabled him to have given you, not only the exact topo¬ graphy of the town and its localities, but a full and accurate account of its different religious denominations, the state of its society, the num¬ ber of its slaves, and the character of its inns; together with many sage reflections upon the de¬ moralizing tendency of republican governments! But this faculty of taking in all things at a single glance; this ability to see more than is to be seen, is one of the many advantages which the English traveller possesses over all others, and which in fact distinguishes him from the traveller of every other country on the face of the globe — the land of Munchausen not excepted! I mention these things merely to satisfy the reader that I might have made something out of the affair of the covered wagon , had I been so disposed. But ’tis not my intention, nor was it when I commenced these reminiscences, to draw upon my imagination for a single fact. I have 6 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. materials in abundance, and cannot, therefore, be tempted to go out of my way to recollect inci¬ dents which never happened, or to describe things which I never saw. The city of Albany, in 1800, though the capital of the State, and occupying a commanding po¬ sition, was, nevertheless, in point of size, com¬ mercial importance, and architectural dignity, but a third or fourth rate town. It was not, in some respects, what it might have been; but it was, in all respects, unlike what it now is. Its population could not, I think, have exceeded some seven or eight thousand. I know not what the statistics may say, nor is it material, for no man of sense puts the least faith in documents compiled by politicians, or published by authority. Most of Uncle Sam’s figurers, particularly those that belong to the Treasury Department, figure frequently in the dark, and always at random. With them, the addition or omission of a cypher or two is, it would seem, of but little conse¬ quence. Hence their statistics, whether elabo¬ rated by the imposing genius of a Woodbury or a Walker, go for nothing with me. But to the subject. Albany has probably undergone a greater change, not only in its physical aspect, but in RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 7 the habits and character of its population, than any other city in the United States. It was, even in 1800 an old town, (with one exception, I believe, the oldest in the country,) hut the face of nature in and around it had been but little disturbed. Old as it was, it still retained its primitive aspect, and still stood in all its original simplicity; maintaining its quaint and quiescent character, unchanged, unmodified, unimproved: still pertinaciously adhering, in all its walks, to the old track and the old form. The rude hand of innovation, however, was then just beginning to he felt; and slight as was the touch, it was felt as an injury, or resented as an insult. Nothing could he more unique or picturesque to the eye, than Albany in its primitive days. Even at the period above mentioned, it struck me as peculiarly naive and beautiful. All was an¬ tique, clean and quiet. There was no noise, no hurry, no confusion. There was no putting up, nor pulling down; no ill-looking excavations, no leveling of hills, no filling up of valleys: in short, none of those villainous improvements, which disfigure the face of nature, and exhibit the restless spirit of the Anglo-Saxon race. The stinted pines still covered the hills to the very 8 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. edge of the city, and the ravines and valleys were clothed with evergreens, intermixed with briars, and spangled with the wild rose. The margin of the river, with the exception of an opening at the foot of State-street, extending down to the ferry, was overhung with willows, and shaded by the wide spreading elm. The little islands below the town were feathered with foliage down to the very water’s edge, and bordered with stately trees, whose forms were mirrored in the stream below. As far as the eye could extend, up and down the river, all remained comparatively wild and beautiful, while the city itself was a curiosity; nay, a perfect jewel of antiquity, particularly to the eye of one who had been accustomed to the “ white house, green door, and brass knocker,” of the towns and vil¬ lages of New-England. Nothing, indeed, could be more picturesque than the view of North Pearl- street, from the old elm at Webster’s corner, up to the new two-steepled church. Pearl-street, it must be remembered, was, in those days, the west end of the town; for there the town ended, and there resided some of the most aristocratic of the ancient burghers. There, a little after sun¬ rise, in a mild spring morning, might be seen, sit¬ ting by the side of their doors, the ancient and RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 9 venerable mynheers, with their little sharp cock¬ ed hats, or red-ringed worsted caps, (as the case might be,) drawn tight over their heads. There they sat, like monuments of a former age, still lingering on the verge of time; or like mile¬ stones upon a turnpike road, solus in solo! or, in simple English, zmlike any thing I had ever seen before. But there they sat, smoking their pipes in that dignified silence, and with that phleg¬ matic gravity, which would have done honor to Sir Walter Van Twiller, or even to PufFendorf himself. The whole line of the street, on either side, was dotted by the little clouds of smoke, that, issuing from their pipes, and, curling round their noddles, rose slowly up the antique gables, and mingled with the morning air; giving beauty to the scene, and adding an air of life to the picture. But the great charm was in the novelty of the thing. I had seen a dutch house before, but never till then had I seen a row of dutchmen, smoking in a dutch city. Albany was indeed dutch, in all its moods and tenses; thoroughly and inveterately dutch. The buildings were dutch—dutch in style, in position, attitude and aspect. The people were dutch, the horses were dutch, and even the dogs were dutch. If any confirmation were wanting, as to the origin B 10 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. and character of the place, it might be found in the old dutch church, which was itself always to be found in the middle of State-street, looking as if it had been wheeled out of line by the giants of old, and there left; or had dropped down from the clouds in a dark night, and had stuck fast where it fell. All the old buildings in the city—and they constituted a large majority'—were but one story high, with sharp peaked-roofs, surmounted by a rooster , vulgarly called a weathercock. Every house, having any pretensions to dignity, was placed with its gable end to the street, and Was ornamented with huge iron numericals, announc¬ ing the date of its erection; while from its eaves long wooden gutters, or spouts, projected in front some six or seven feet, so as to discharge the water from the roof, when it rained, directly over the centre of the sidewalks. This was probably contrived for the benefit of those who were compelled to be out in wet weather, as it fur¬ nished them with an extra shower-bath free of expense. But the destined hour was drawing near. The Yankees were creeping in. Every day added to their number; and the unhallowed hand of inno¬ vation was seen pointing its impertinent finger RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 11 at the cherished habits and venerated customs of the ancient burghers. These meddling eastern Saxons at length obtained a majority in the city councils; and then came an order, with a handsaw, to “cut off those spouts.” Nothing could exceed the consternation of the aforesaid burghers, upon the announcement of this order. Had it been a decree abolishing their mother tongue, it could hardly have excited greater astonishment, or greater indignation. “What!” said they, “are our own spouts, then, to be measured and gradu¬ ated by a corporation standard! Are they to he cut off or fore-shortened, without our knowledge or consent!” But the Dutch still retained the obstinacy, if not the valor of their ancestors. They rallied their forces, and at the next election, the principal author of the obnoxious order (my old friend Elkanah Watson,) was elected a con¬ stable of the ward in which he lived! This done, they went to sleep again; and before they awoke, new swarms had arrived, and a complete and thorough revolution had taken place. The Yan¬ kees were in possession of the city! and the fate of the Dutch was sealed. The old families, however, still claimed the lead in all matters relating to good society. The city assemblies were still under their control, as 12 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. well in regard to time and place, as in the power of admission and exclusion. In the exercise of this prerogative, a little jealousy of the Yankees was occasionally manifested. The difficulty was, to know who icas who ; to distinguish between those that were entitled to admission, and those that were not. Mere respectability was not of itself sufficient; nor was wealth to be considered as a certain passport. It was necessary that there should be something of rank, of family, or of fashion, to entitle a new comer to a seat among the notables. These matters, however, were, as a matter of course, left to the younger branches of the ancient aristocracy, to regulate as they saw fit. Now it happened, that into this ancient and somewhat exclusive circle of good society, had slid many families, with their twigs and branches, who had in reality none of the rights and claims of the genuine Knickerbockers; and who were, as far as antiquity was concerned, mere squatters; yet they were found to be greater sticklers for exclusion and probation, than the veritable myn¬ heers themselves. Still, up to 1803 or 4, things went on tolerably well: at all events, there was no complaint. The assemblies were sufficiently select as to quality, and perhaps sufficiently RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 13 liberal in their range as to number. But, some¬ where about the period referred to, the self- constituted managers held a meeting, at which it was determined that the city assemblies should in future be “more select and that “a line of distinction ,” as they termed it, should be drawn. Accordingly a new list was made out, by which it was soon ascertained that several, heretofore admitted, had been left off, and many others excluded, that were thought to be better entitled to admission than many that were retained. The measure, therefore, was taken in high dudgeon by the friends of the excluded parties, and was considered as a piece of arrogance, even by those who had no personal cause of complaint. A paper war was immediately commenced, and the character and pretension of the managers were ridiculed and satirized in a style as new as it was amusing. A series of poetical epis¬ tles, odes, satires, &c. &c., appeared in rapid succession; some of them displaying a good deal of taste and cleverness. One piece in particular, entitled “ The Conspiracy of the Nobles,” written in mock heroic verse, contained some capital hits. It gave a highly poetic description of the first meeting of the managers, and an amusing sketch of their persons, pretensions, characters and de- 14 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. bates.* The most ridiculous speeches were of *[l QUOTE FROM MEMORY THE FOLOWING AS A SAMPLE.] Next, up rose Milo, with a graceful mein, No comelier noble on the floor was seen, And all undaunted stood, with phiz serene. Thrice e’er he spoke, with easy grace he bow’d, Twice to the king, once only to the crowd: His hand sincere, he placed upon his breast. And thus his majesty and peers address’d. “ I wage no war, with either great or small; A neutral post I hold, or none at all: Of squibs, of jarring factions, plebeian bands And proud nobility, I wash my hand,s. My interests only, henceforth I’ll pursue, To please all men, henceforth shall be my cue.” He ceased and sat, when with terrific frown, That darkened all the hall and half the town, Lord Roderick rose, and ’neath the awful shade, His proud imaginations thus display’d. “ Ye gods! and is it come to this, that we, •- The city’s proud and prime nobility, Should waive our right of birth, our rank and place To gratify this new and upstart race ! Let those who will, to base-born interests bend I scorn the trading tribe, the truckling friend. Though round my head plebeian placards flit, With saucy satire till’d, and damning wit; Though the whole town should join the vulgar throng, And point the finger as I pass along, Still would 1 wear my wonted lordly face, And vindicate the honors of my race. Sooner than yield to their insurgent claims, I’d see the hills o’erthrown, the town in flames. Sooner than mingle in their turbid flood, And dance with doxies of plebeian blood, I’d see the assemblies to perdition hurl’d, And round them piled the fiddlers of the world! I’d see old Jove, on his imperial height, Blot out the stars and quench the solar light: I’d see the angry gods their vengeance pour, And hear, unmoved, eternal chaos roar !” He ended—and applauding murmurs ran In echoing circles round the sage Divan. When, rising from his seat with scornful look, Thus spoke Van Trump,— and spoke it like a book. “ I view, my Lords, with deep disgust these jars, These petty jealousies and paper wars, And above all, this ‘blotting out the stars!’ This mighty nonsense! this uproar about The right of entrance at a dancing rout. For shame, my Lords! for once, be wise—be civil. And send your starch’d exclusives to the devil! Take my advice—throw wide your ball-room door. Add to your music six, and sand the floor! Take, take the Yankees in, and end this fuss, Or, be assured, my Lords, they’ll take in ms!” RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 15 course put into their mouths, and they were thus made to exhibit themselv.es in a light that was as laughable as it was absurd. These squibs were answered by the conspirators, but without the wit or the humor that characterized the pieces of their opponents. The tire, however, was kept up on both sides for several weeks, to the great amuse¬ ment of the town. The result was a mortifying defeat on the part of the exclusionists. The assemblies, as a matter of course, fell into the hands of the victorious party, and, to their credit, be it said, were conducted with more taste and propriety, and were indeed more brilliantly at¬ tended than they had ever been before. This was considered as a victory of wit over impudence, or rather of sense over nonsense. It is but just, however, to add, that the real old Knickerbocker families took but very little inte¬ rest in the contest, and were probably not much displeased at the discomfiture of their quondam allies. Let us now turn to revolutions of a graver import. A restless, levelling, innovating spirit, now pre¬ vailed throughout the city. The detested word improvement was in every mouth, and resistance was unavailing. The stinted pines became 16 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. alarmed, and gradually receded. The hills themselves gave way. New streets opened their extended lines, and the old ones grew wider. The roosters on the gable heads, that for more than a century had braved the Indians and the breeze; that had even flapped their wings and crowed in the face of Burgoyne himself, now gave it up, and came quietly down. The gables in despair soon followed, and more imposing fronts soon reared their corniced heads. The old Dutch church itself, though thought to he immor¬ tal submitted to its fate, and fell! not at the foot of Pompey’s statue, exactly, but at the foot of State-street, which, freed from that obstruction, thenceforward became the Bialto of the city, where pedlars of stale sea-cod, and country hucksters, “now do congregate.” Even the dogs now began to bark in broken englisli: many of them, indeed had already caught the Yankee twang, so rapid was the pro¬ gress of refinement. In the process of a few brief years, all that was venerable in the eyes of the ancient burghers disappeared. Then came the great eclipse of 1806, which clearly announced the fall and final end of the dutch dynasty. It is hardly necessary to say, that not an iron rooster has crowed upon the gable heads, nor a civil RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 17 cocked hat been seen in the ancient city of Al- Albany, from that day to this! But let it he remembered, that if the growth of Albany was slow, its position rendered it sure. The great west, in 1800, was comparatively a wil¬ derness. With the growth of this vast interior, Albany has grown: it has increased with its in¬ crease, and strengthened with its strength. No hand, however strong, no enterprise, however active, could have carried it forward one hour faster than it went. Its trade was necessarily dependent upon the population and products of the west, and with these it has fairly kept pace. It is, however, true that the ancient Dutch families, though among the most wealthy and respectable, were not the most enterprising, nor the most active. Many of them possessed large landed estates, lived upon their incomes, and left to others the toils and profits of trade. At the head of this class, and distinguished for his many excellent and amiable qualities, stood the late pa- troon, Stephen Van Rensselaer: a man widely and honorably known; rich without pride, and liberal without ostentation. I may also mention the name of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, a whig of the revolution, and for several years Lieutenant- c 18 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. Governor of the state: a frank, stout-hearted old gentleman, universally respected. Generali Ten Brook, also of the revolutionary school, distinguished for his activity, intelligence and public spirit. Cornelius Van Schelluyne, the then best living type of the ancient race; rich, honest, indepen¬ dent, unlettered and unpretending. In alluding to these ancient and wealthy fa¬ milies, that of the Gansevoorts should not he omitted: for it is connected with the patriotism and the triumphs of the revolution. “ The hero of Fort Stanwix” has left to his descendants a time-honored name—a name that belongs to the history of the country, and to one of its most interesting and important periods. But those of a more active and business-like character among the Dutch, were the Bleeckers, the Lansings, the Douws, the Van Schaicks, the Ten Eycks, the Ten Broecks, the Pruyns, the Hochstrassers, the Van Loons, and the Staatses. The principal merchants of the city, however— those who gave life and character to its business interests—were citizens of a more recent date, coming from different parts of the Union, hut mostly from New-England. Among these, were James Kane, Dudley Walsh, William James, RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 19 Isaiah Townsend, Gilbert Stewart, Thomas Gould, Thomas Mather, William, John, and Alexander Marvin, Peter and John I. Boyd, John Spencer & Co., John and Spencer Stafford, Issac and George Hutton, the Messrs. Webbs, and many others. There was still another class, not less active, nor less important, in a business point of view. I allude to a then comparatively new, or recently established body of mechanics, of which Benja¬ min Knower was confessedly at the head. Mr. Knower was indeed a man of strong mind and persevering energy of character. Through his influence, the charter of the Mechanics’ and Farmers’ Bank was obtained; and the mechanics of the city of Albany rose in consideration and respect, personal and political, to a height which they had never before reached. Among the merchants (I speak of the period from 1800 to 1808), Mr. Kane was perhaps the most prominent. He was, indeed, in many respects, the most prominent man in the city: prominent from his extensive operations and business connections; prominent from his wealth, his liberality, his marked attention to strangers, his gentlemanly style of dress, and bachelor mode of living. He was distinguished, too, by an address and manner so singularly polite and 20 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. courteous as seemingly to border upon excess. But let it be remembered, to his honor, that as no man in the city was more generally known, so there was no one more generally or more highly respected. The courtesy or politeness of Mr. Kane did not, however, consist in mere words or modes of expression. It had its foundation in good feeling—I may say in humanity, which speaks to the heart, and is understood where words are not; which, rising superior to forms and fashions, borrows nothing from art, nothing from eloquence. I shall venture, by way of illustration, to give an instance of this sort of politeness. There appeared at the dinner table of the Tontine Coffee House, where Mr. Kane then hoarded, and at a time when the house was crowded to excess, an old gentleman and his wife. They were very plainly dressed, but still respectable in their ap¬ pearance. They were, evidently, country people, “from down east;” and were probably bound on a visit to their relations in the west. The ser¬ vants, always too few in number, were now altogether insufficient to attend to the wants of the company at table. The old people, therefore, being strangers, and unknown to any one, were totally neglected. It was shameful! I made RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 21 one or two efforts to get a servant to attend to them, hut all in vain: there were too many louder and more authoritative calls. At length, however, they were noticed by Mr. Kane, who looked round for his own servant, hut finding him engaged, immediately left his seat and walk¬ ed down to the lower end of the table where the old couple sat, and politely asked them what they would he helped to; took their plates to a side- table, carved for them himself, helped them to vegetables, bread, &c., and then returned quietly to his seat. He was doubtless taken by the old people, and perhaps by other strangers, for the master of the house, or the head waiter! There was certainly no gentleman present who dared to run the risk of being so mistaken. But Mr. Kane could afford it. The politeness, or, more properly speaking, the humanity of the act, did him honor, and far outweighed the momentary, or rather the imaginary loss of dignity. As a people, we cannot be sufficiently grateful to Providence for the character of our ancestors. From the Puritans of England, the Hugenots of France, and the Protestants of the Netherlands, did this country derive the seeds and elements of its greatness: its purity of faith, its principles, and its power, To them, under Providence, are 22 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. we indebted for our civil and religious liberties, the character of our institutions, and the hardy, resolute and enterprising spirit of the nation. Talents and virtues are alike hereditary, though the stream is not always unbroken by shallows, nor the measure of its greatness always full. There must, I think, have been a strong fund of good sense and native talent in the early Dutch settlers. We have seen it break out occasionally, even in the fourth and fifth generations; and sometimes, too, quite unexpectedly, as in the case of Ex-President Van Buren, whose imme¬ diate antecedents gave no promise of such an eruption, or even foreshadowed the probability of such an event. Still, in all such cases, there must have been a living spring (no matter how remote) from whence the waters flowed. Among the Dutch families of Albany, in which a strong vein of original talent, occasionally manifested itself, were those of the Schuylers, the Van Vechtens, the Lansings, and the Yates’s. General Schuyler, of the Revolution, was a man of great vigor of mind, strong sense, and sound judgment; which was happily associated with liberal feelings, and principles of honor and patriotism. He should by right have command¬ ed that army in the revolutionary war, which, RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 23 in the day of battle, he joined as a volunteer,—a man greatly his inferior having been placed over his head. But no neglect or injury could alienate his feelings, or weaken his attachment to the cause of his country. The talents and character of Abraham Van Vechten, are still fresh in the memory of the living. He was one of the ablest members of the Albany bar, when that bar was studded with eminent names. Chancellor Lansing, though not possessed of shining talents, was nevertheless a man of good abilities and of strict integrity. His brother, Abraham G., was a man of sound sense and vigorous tone of mind; rough, and somewhat abrupt in his manner, but upright, frank and fearless, in conduct and in character. Old Judge Yates, one of the members of the Convention that framed the Constitution, was a clear-headed, strong-minded man; straight for¬ ward, honest and patriotic. His son, John Van Ness Yates, was a man of talents, both natural and acquired. He was equal to the duties of any station, and to the difficulties of any task. He was a wit, a poet, a belles-lettres scholar, and a boon companion, whose joke was ever ready, and whose laugh was contagious. He wanted no- 24 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. thing but industry and relf-respect, to have made him eminent as a lawyer. His associations were beneath him, not only in point of talent, but in character; yet they affected his interests rather than his principles. He possessed the readiest apprehension, and the most retentive memory, of any man I ever knew. All that he had ever read, and he had read a vast deal, was at his fingers ends. He was often consulted by the younger members of the bar, while walking in the streets; and, without a moment’s hesitation, would take out his pencil and write down what was the law in the case, and where it was to be found'—volume, chapter and verse ! From these frequent street consultations, he was called “the walking library.” But the cleverest man of the name or family, was John W. Yates. He was a man of educa¬ tion, of talents, of natural eloquence, and of extensive reading. He was the best classical scholar in the city'—Judge Kent not excepted. He was familiar with the greek, latin and french languages and literature; a mathematician, and a passionate lover of the belles-lettres. He was bred to the law, but never attempted to practice; yet, I repeat, he was naturally eloquent, and, in his buoyant moments, one of the most lively and RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 25 agreeable men in conversation that I ever met with. Such a man, it is natural to suppose, made a figure in his day: no such thing; he made no figure at all. He was not appreciated by the public, because the public knew nothing of him. He was not known even to his friends, for the very good and sufficient reason that his friends knew nothing of greek or latin, of mathematics or of poetry. It was curious to find him reading Homer with a pipe in his mouth; and to see him turn from the page of Thucydides, to talk dutch. Yet this alternation between the languages of Athens and Amsterdam, was in some measure unavoidable; for many of his old friends, and indeed most of the old families, continued to speak, in their domestic circles, the language of their ancestors long after the period to which these sketches refer. Though no man set a higher value upon literary acquirements than himself, yet he took no pains to exhibit, much less to profit by those he pos¬ sessed. Political distinction he never sought, and never desired. He had no taste for popular parade, no love for public display. He was, in fact, better acquainted with Pericles and Xeno¬ phon than he was with the aldermen of the ward 26 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. in which he lived. His knowledge of ancient history was more perfect than that of any other man I ever knew, nor was that of modern Europe less familiar. History, poetry and philosophy; Egypt and Asia, Athens and Rome, with all their classic superstitions and diviner arts, were the subjects of many an evening conversation, to which I listened with delight. To this faint sketch of his literary character, I may add, that no man possessed a higher sense of honor, or was governed in his conduct by purer principles. His talents and his tastes were, indeed, altogether above the position in which he was placed; and hence, instead of giving him celebrity, they served but to render him, in some measure, unsuited to the station he held. But never will that station, or that official rank, be again honored with so much learning, combined with so much talent. Let it not be supposed that this is a mere fancy sketch, “writ for the sake of writing it.” It is a tribute justly due to the memory of a man whose merits were unappreciated, and comparatively unknown. It is a tribute which I owe to the recollection of his partiality and kindness; to the memory of many a friendly lecture—many a social—many a pleasant hour. 4 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 27 Of the public men of Albany, Office holders, Politicians and Jurists, it may be expected that I should say something. Among the most promi¬ nent were Geo. Clinton, Jno. Taylor, Ambrose Spencer, James Kent, Chancellor Lansing, Abra¬ ham Van Vechten, John V. Henry, John Wood- worth, Thos. Tillotson, Abraham G. Lansing, Elisha Jenkins, Edmond Charles Genet, and last, though not least, the editor of the Albany Regis¬ ter, Solomon Southwick ! These are names too well known to require any comment. Many of them are identified with the history of the State, and will be chronicled in its pages. I can not in courtesy, however, pass over my old friend Southwick, without some other notice than that of a mere casual glance of recognition. Southwick was a man of genius, with all the peculiarities that belong to that temperament—its strength and its weakness, its excellencies and its errors: its delusive dreams and visions, its impro¬ vidence and its instability. He had great fertility of mind, united with 'great enthusiasm. This was the source of his eloquence and his power. His writings were rather outpourings than compo¬ sitions. Yet he imbued them with so much life and animation, that he seldom failed to carry his readers with them. His style, though well 28 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. adapted to the popular ear, was redundant in epithet, inflated and declamatory, and his language, though often strong and impressive, was yet in the main, loose and inelegant. He read but little, and only from necessity. He referred to books for particular facts, rather than for general information. He was, by nature, honest, warm-hearted, and generous to a fault, but seemed to have no fixed or settled principles. In ethics, as well as in politics, he travelled from pole to pole. Yet, the kindness of his nature went with him and never forsook him, His heart and his hand were always open; and as he was credulous to excess, and even superstitious, he was, as a matter of course, swindled by every knave, and duped by every impostor, he met with upon the road. He was extremely fluent and even eloquent in conversation. But he had little knowledge of the world, and the predominance of interest or of passion, left his judgment too often at fault. He had the finest eye and forehead that ever belonged to mortal man, but every other feature of his face, was either indifferent or defective. His counte¬ nance, therefore, was a correct index to the character of his mind—-incongruous, mixed, and full of contradictions. RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 29 The Albany Register, which he so long and ably edited, was pronounced, by Judge Spencer, to be the “ Political Bible of the Western District.” A greater compliment was certainly never paid to the conductor of a political journal. Mr. Southwick held, at different periods, the office of State printer, clerk of the House of As¬ sembly, sheriff of the county of Albany, president of the Mechanics’ and Farmers’ Bank, and post¬ master of the city. Even in the cloudy days of his latter years, when friends, fame and fortune, had forsaken him, when every objectionable act of his life was spread upon the record, and all his faults and weaknesses blazoned to the public eye; even then he received over Thirty Thousand votes for governor of the State. Of the clergy of those days, if I am wise, I shall say but little: first, because I recollect but little; and secondly, because, with me, the subject is not a debateable one. One’s opinions, unless moulded early, are often formed by accident, or spring up as the result of circumstances. It has often occurred to me as not a little singular, that my attention should have been turned to the unkindred subjects of politics and religion, at about the same period of time. The noise and triumph of Mr. Jefferson’s election to the presi- 30 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. dency, led me to look a little into the mysterious philosophy of party politics; and the preaching of Dr. Nott, carried me, nolens nolens, into the Presbyterian brick church of South Pearl-street. Thus I acquired, at nearly one and the same time, a decided inclination to church and State ; or, in other words, a marked taste for politics and preaching. No one, certainly, could have studied under abler masters: and for many of the opinions I entertain to this day, I hold those masters re¬ sponsible. But the only names belonging to the church, of which my memory took cognizance, at the period referred to, or of which I have any distinct recol¬ lection, are those of Nott, Romaine and Bradford. Mr. Bradford was a well educated—well read— and gentlemanly man. He was, moreover, one of the handsomest men in the city, which in the minds or fancies of the fairer part of his congre¬ gation, added no doubt to his eloquence, and of course to his usefulness in the church. Mr. Ro¬ maine was an able man, of a denunciatory and vehement style of oratory—altogether too calvi- nistic to suit the taste of his hearers. But it must be remembered “ That no rogue e’er felt the halter draw, With good opinion of the law.” Doctor Nott, I should say, was neither a Cal- RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 31 vinist nor a Lutheran. In other words, he was no bigoted sectarian; and in this respect, he bore, and stills hears, I think, hut little resemblance to many of his clerical brethren. In mind , as well as in manner, he stood alone. The narrow dogmas, and common place oratory of the church, were beneath him. His ambition was to make men wiser and better, rather than to promote the secta¬ rian interests and speculative tenets of the church. The eloquent enforcement of that single injunc¬ tion “to do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” would to an unsophisticated mind be of more efficacy than a dozen dry discourses upon evidence, which no novice requires, or upon those knotty points in theology, which no intel¬ lect can comprehend. But it is not my business to preach, nor am I disposed to criticise the preaching of others. All I mean to say is, that Doctor Nott was by far the most eloquent and effective preacher of the period to which I refer; that he drew together the largest congregation— made the deepest impression, and commanded the profoundest respect. His church was filled to overflowing. His ap¬ pearance in the pulpit, his style of eloquence, his very look, “ Drew audience and attention still as night, Or summer’s noontide air.” 32 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. His elocution was admirable, and his manner altogether better, because more impressive, than that of any other preacher of the day: yet he could not, I think, have been over twenty-eight or thirty years of age when I first heard him, which was in 1803. Shortly afterwards, I had the pleasure of becoming personally acquainted with him, and soon found he possessed powers and qualities of which his congregation little dreamed. His talents were by no means con¬ fined to pulpit eloquence, nor even to the wider range of clerical duties. His information extend¬ ed to almost every department of life; and with the whole fabric of human society, he was per¬ fectly familiar. He understood the animal man, not only in the abstract, but in all the detail of action, passion and propensity. He was, more¬ over, a mechanist, a political economist, a philo¬ sopher, and what is of more consequence in any ivalk of life, a man of keen observation and sound sense. But he is still living, and too widely known, to require any portraiture from my pen. BATTLE IN STATE-STREET. Among other incidents and events, falling with¬ in the range of these reminiscences, was the fa- RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 33 mous passage of arms , that took place between an eminent citizen and a distinguished general, in one of the principal streets of the city, in open day. It was a perilous, hand to hand en¬ counter, that brought together, at least, one half of the male population of the town—not as spec¬ tators merely, hut as combatants, who, like the knights of old, entered the lists with an alacrity and a spirit, that would, have done honor to the heroes of chivalry, when chivalry was in its prime, and knighthood in its glory. The full breadth of State-street, from Pearl down to the intersection of Court and Market, was literally filled with the combatants; while the doors, porches, windows, and even the house-tops on both sides, were crowded with astonished and terrified spectators. The street, viewed from any elevated position, resembled a tumultuous sea of heads, over which clattered a forest of canes; the vast body now surging this way, now that, as the tide of combat ebbed or flowed. It was, certainly, one of the most classic or greek-like battles that had been fought since the wars of Ilium, and the heroic days of Hector and Achil¬ les. But as it respects the origin of the war, the names of the combatants, and the details of the fight, are they not written in the hook of the E 34 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. kings of Jndali and Israel! If not, they may perhaps, he found in the chronicles of the lives of the illustrious fathers of the city. Certain it is that the battle has already been described; and the record, like the Iliad, will he found imper¬ ishable ! It is a little curious, when we consider what Albany now is, to look back and recollect, that so late as 1803, there was hut one public house in the city; or, at least, hut one in any respect better than a common signpost tavern, such as no gentleman of the present day would put his foot in: hut that owe was an excellent one. I allude to the Tontine Coffee House in State-street, kept by Mr. Gregory: a house distinguished from all other public houses of that day, by the quiet order that reigned through all its departments; by its perfect neatness, and the total absence of a bar. The higher rates of fare charged at the Tontine, and the fact that no liquors were sold except to its own boarders, nor ever seen except at table, excluded the loiv and thirsty, and left it, as it were by a law of its nature, open to good com¬ pany alone. I need not say that it was well filled: it was, at least half the year, redundantly RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 35 full. All travellers of any note or consequence; all foreigners of distinction; in one word, all gen¬ tlemen put up at the Tontine. For a period of some ten or twelve years, Mr. Gregory had no compe¬ tition, no rival house to contend with; and was therefore compelled, I do not say reluctantly, to make a fortune! Manners, ’tis said, change with customs; and customs, we all know, change sometimes for the worse. I have seen something of public houses and hotels since Mr. Gregory’s day, and am forced to acknowledge, that on the score of gentlemanly habits, politeness, and courtesy among their guests, and in reference also to the civility of their keepers and waiters, the present hears no comparison with the past. The inmates of the best hotels of the present day, are as va¬ ried in their aspects, habits and character, as were the motley herd that took lodgings in the ark; while of their keepers and waiters, the best that can be said, is, that they are in keeping with the character of their company. An occasional exception does hut strengthen the rule. It was at the Tontine that I became acquaint¬ ed with many of the leading politicians and dis¬ tinguished men of the State. It was there I first saw De Witt Clinton, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron 36 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. Burr, Doctor Mason, Morgan Lewis, Daniel D. Tompkins, John Armstrong, Chancellor Livings¬ ton, and many others. It was while there, I had the opportunity and the pleasure of examining, leisurely, and with a critical eye, that lightest twig of the great Corsican tree, Mr. Jerome Bo¬ naparte; and of observing the fine form, the careless, abandoned air, and soldierly aspect of the celebrated Moreau, the rival at once of Xeno¬ phon and Napoleon. The Tontine was, indeed, for several years, my local observatory, from which I watched the transit of the political pla¬ nets, and noted the restless movements of the Avandering stars. It was, in fact, the best school- house I ever entered, and the only one, I am sorry to say, in which I ever took much delight. I cannot resist the temptation (though I know I shall make nothing of it) to relate a ludicrous circumstance which took place at the Tontine, in the summer of 1804. I am well aware that many a good joke has been spoiled, and many a laughable incident rendered grave, by an attempt to put them on paper. ’Tis useless, said Doctor Johnson, to print Quin’s jokes, unless you print his face with them. Nevertheless, I shall ven¬ ture to relate the circumstance to which I have referred. I shall call it RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 37 THE STORY OF MONSIEUR GARROT, Among the many foreigners at the Tontine in the travelling season of 1804, was a french gen¬ tleman by the name of Garrot, apparently about twenty-five or thirty years of age; remarkable for the simplicity of his manners, for his taste in music, and for his inability to speak a word of english. His personal appearance was greatly in his favor; being stout, well made, and of a most agreeable countenance. Sitting near him at ta¬ ble, and speaking a little french, I soon became acquainted with him. He was, I found, a ger¬ man by birth, born in Frankfort, but a resident of Nantes. He remained several months in the city, was flush of money, and liberal, not to say profuse, in his expenditures. His object, if indeed he had any, was to ob¬ tain information as to the form and character of our government; the institutions and condition of the country; its extent, population, trade, commerce, agricultural products, arts, manufac¬ tures, &c. &c. Of all the travellers I had ever met with, he was the most inquisitive. He ask¬ ed ten thousand questions about things of which I knew nothing, or next to nothing — questions, 38 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. some of which, it would have puzzled Chief Justice Marshall, Mr. Madison, Mr. Clay, or Mr. Anybody Else, save John Quincy Adams, to have answered olf-hand. But as I perceived he enter¬ tained a high opinion of my abilities, I had not the heart, nor was it indeed my business, to un- decieve him. I was ashamed to confess igno¬ rance upon any point, and therefore gave him prompt and specific answers to each and every question, let it relate to what it might: but the mischief of it was, they were all taken for gospel, and immediately noted down in his tablets. I could not hut laugh at the idea. It was, per¬ haps, unfair on my part, hut the fault was his. To suppose a young man of twenty-two or three, of sufficient authority for the history and statis¬ tics of an empire, was absurd. He should have known better. Many a book, however, has been written upon information of an inferior quality to that with which I furnished Monsieur Garrot, and from a less rational, not to say reliable source. It was through the priests and poets of Egypt and Assyria, that Herodotus obtained the mate¬ rials for his famous history; and who thinks the less of his history on that account ? The credu¬ lity and child-like simplicity of the author, toge¬ ther with the traditional and poetical character RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 39 of its testimony constitute, in fact, its greatest attractions. But Monsieur Garrot, no doubt, congratulated himself upon his good fortune in finding a person so full of information, and so ready to impart it. On the other side, I did the best I could, under the circumstances. I studied day and night to prepare myself for Mr. Garrot’s questions; and if monsieur published his hook, I flattered myself that it would be found in the truth of its state¬ ments and the accuracy of its details, at least equal to the history of Herodotus, or the travels of Basil Hall! But this has nothing to do with the circum¬ stance which it was my intention to narrate. It may serve, however, as a preface to the story, which runs thus: Monsieur Garrot and myself, after a long walk one Sunday afternoon, returned to the Tontine about six o’clock. The weather was extremely hot; and as the private parlors below were filled with strangers, I accompanied Mr. Garrot to his own chamber, where, complaining of the heat, he threw off his coat, and, somewhat to my sur¬ prise, continued the operation of stripping, until he came to the last article, over which, however, he threw a light silk morning gown —light, in- 40 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. deed, as gossamer: this he tied loosely at the neck, and then sticking his toes into a pair of yellow slippers, began walking backward and forward between the window and door, both of which were thrown open to admit the air. The window looked into the street; the door opened into a wide hall, with dormitories on either side. While thus cooling himself in the breeze, which swept his loose drapery from side to side, he sud¬ denly turned to me and inquired whether I was fond of mtisic. I answered, of course, in the affirmative. When, without further ceremony, he opened a long case filled with musical instru¬ ments of various kinds, and asked me which I preferred. I could hardly believe it possible that he really meant to exercise his musical talents on that day of the week; but being a little curi¬ ous, and, I must confess, a little mischievous at the same time, I pointed to the violin, which he immediately took out, and began to twang and tune. The discharge of a 12-pounder in the hall, would not have set the house in greater commo¬ tion. The first scrape of the bow brought half a dozen chambermaids to the door; who, catching sight of monsieur’s bare legs, &c., ran down stairs, and reported that there was a frenchman fiddling in the chambers, stark naked! By this time, my RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 41 friend Giarrot had got fairly-a-going; and, with his head inclined to one shoulder, and his eye turned upwards, stalked up and down the room, fiddling as if the devil, together with Apollo and the whole nine, were in him. The figure he cut was so ridiculous, that I thought I should have died in the effort to suppress my laughter. In less than five minutes from the time he began, it appeared to me that not less than five hundred heads had passed the door, each one catching something more than a glimpse of mon¬ sieur’s fine form. The wind seemed to increase with the music, and the stride of the performer became more lofty and majestic. At every turn the morning gown filled and swelled with the breeze — now waving and flapping in the cross current, and now extending out, as it were, upon a taught bowline. The hall was literally crowd¬ ed with spectators, and the several questions Who is he ? Where did he come from ? Is he mad ? were whispered in rapid succession. But Monsieur Garrot saw nothing hut the ceiling of his room—heard nothing hut the clarion voice of his own fiddle. I was amazed at his abstraction—at his en¬ thusiasm; and yet found it difficult to prevent myself from laughing aloud. He fiddled with F 42 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. such force and energy, that his elbow seemed to move like a whipsaw driven by steam. I had no idea that ’twas in the power of a single in¬ strument to produce such a tumult of sounds. The Battle of Prague , roared from ten “forty piazzas” (as Johnny Robinson used to call them) would be a mere tinkling, compared with this uproar of Mr. Garrot’s fiddle. I could not but confess, that in variety, force and compass, he surpassed even my okl friend Mr. Giles. This is no light compliment. A greater, indeed, could not in sincerity be paid to the most celebrated performer. But Mr. Gregory, at length, made his appear¬ ance, and as he worked his way through the crowd at the door, I could perceive that he was not only angry, but a little frightened. He was about to speak to Mr. Garrot, but Mr. Garrot was too much engaged to take the least notice of him; he therefore addressed himself to me, and and said—“For God’s sake, Mr. Jones, what is the meaning of all this?” I was so full of laughter that I could not speak, and of course said nothing. He then turned to Mr. Garrot, and raised his hand as a sign for him to stop. Now, Mr. Gregory had no more the appearance of an inkeeper than he had of an emperor. It RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 43 was natural, therefore, that the frenchman should consider him as an intruder, and order him out of the room; which he did. But ’twas in french, which he perceived Mr. Gregory did not under¬ stand. He therefore collected all the english he was master of, and exclaimed, in an offended tone—“Vat you vont?” Mr. Gregory was about to reply, when monsieur, waving his hand, cried “ Go vay! go vay!” and thereupon commenced fiddling fiercer than ever. This produced a uni¬ versal hurst of laughter; and so loud and long was the peal, (in which I was compelled to join,) that monsieur paused, and seemed now, for the first time, to he sensible that there was an unu¬ sual collection in the hall, and that something was wrong somewhere. The scene at this moment was picturesque in the highest degree. There stood Mr. Garrot, in the middle of the room, with his fiddle in his hand; his pantaloons hanging upon a chair, and his morning gown floating behind him; looking first at Mr. Gregory, then at me, then at the cluster of heads at the door, utterly at a loss to to know what it all meant. There stood Mr. Gregory, too, in his neat drab-colored coat and Sunday inexpressibles, the very impersonation of order, decency and decorum, looking at the 44 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. brawney, half naked frenchman, with wonder and snrpise. There, too, was the crowd of cu¬ rious faces, male and female, peering in at the hall door; exhibiting every variety of expression, from the most serious to the most comic; all staring in profound silence, at the frenchman and his fiddle. It was ridiculous enough; and had it continued a moment longer, it would have been discreditable too. At my suggestion, Mr. Gregory left the room. I then closed the door, and endeavored to explain to Mr. Garrot the cause of the collection in the hall, and the mo¬ tives of the individual who had interrupted him, But I found it difficult to make him comprehend it; for I was not a little puzzled myself to shape the matter in such a way as to render the expla¬ nation satisfactory, as well as plausible. At * length he seemed to understand it; and taking out his tablets, wrote down what I suppose he considered the substance of my explanation, and then handed it to me to read. It ran thus: — “Americans have very little taste for music, and never listen with pleasure to the violin on Sun¬ days, except in church /” ’ Tis very well, said I, monsieur; ’tis very well. Half an hour afterwards, we walked deliber¬ ately down stairs, and took our seats at the tea RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 45 table, as carelessly and as composedly, as if no¬ thing had happened. But I observed, what Mon¬ sieur Garrot probably did not, that every eye in the room was occasionally turned upon him. Though in one sense the author of the mischief, and certainly the most censurable of the two, yet I received the thanks of Mr. Gregory, for ha¬ ving put an end to the confusion occasioned by the musical taste of Monsieur Garrot. In looking back to the period of 1801, nothing impresses itself upon my mind more forcibly, than the degeneracy of the race of great men. What a difference between the leading politicians of that day and this! between Thomas Jefferson, for instance, and John Tyler! If we continue to go down hill at this rate, where, I would ask, shall we be likely to find ourselves at the end of the next half century? But this is leading us off the track: let us go back to the Tontine. It is near the breakfast hour and the city boarders, I perceive, are already dropping in. That well-dressed, handsome-faced gentleman standing upon the stoop, with his hat under his arm and a ratan in his hand, is Mr. James Kane, of whom you have heard me speak 46 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. so frequently. The tall, spare man, with whom he is conversing, is Mr. Walter Clark, a merchant of the city, plain and simple in his character and manner, hut polite and gentlemanly. The person that has just joined them, is an exceedingly clever man in his way — a little self-complacent, perhaps, but a gentleman and a wit: the latter he inherited, among other goods and chattels, from his father, who had a great deal more, by the by, than he bequeathed to any one. He is, as you perceive, extremely civil and polite; hut it is rather because he deems it due to himself, than to others. His wit, though perfectly good- natured, is not scattered at random. It has its mark, and is always intended to tell. But not¬ withstanding this piquancy, and self appreciation, he is a clever companion, particularly over a bot¬ tle of good madeira. His fine rosy face shows this. In short, among the gentlemen of the Ton¬ tine, Mr. Caldwell holds no second rank. That young man standing in the centre of the group on the left, is a Mr. --*, somewhat re¬ markable for his flow of spirits and 'fluency of speech. He has acquired some reputation in the city, as a business man, and is quite a favorite with Mr. Kane. He is said to be something of a reader too, and, by the aid of a retentive me- RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 47 mory, sustains himself in the midst of a class of young men, much better educated than himself. He has a disposition to satire, which he frequent¬ ly indulges at the expense of others, hut without any taint of malignity. In his open and some¬ what random mode of talking, he certainly says some things, and tells some truths, which it would be difficult tor any other person to utter without giving offence. He has the advantage, too, of being older, if not abler, than he looks; and, under the guise of a frank and heedless manner, is keenly observant of the conduct and character of those around him. I have no doubt that he has, at this moment, in his portfolio, a full length portrait, not only of many of his per¬ sonal friends and acquaintances, hut of most of the distinguished men of the State. But he is no scholar, and cannot give to his sketches an abiding interest. That plain but gentlemanly looking man, now talking with Mr. Kane, is Mr. Sedgwick, a mem¬ ber of the bar, and one of the most promising young men in the city. His character may be read in his countenance: in which, I think, you may also read that he is from Massachusetts. He brings with him the advantages of family reputation, character, and talents; and sustains 48 RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. these antecedents by personal merit, purity of mind, and cleverness of manner. He is the pro¬ fessional partner of Mr. Harmanus Bleecker, a gentleman of sterling merit, and withal the best dutch scholar in the city. By the by — but let us walk on—it has often occurred to me, that next to the good fortune of being born ivhite, or, in other words, of not being born a squalid esquimaux on the frozen coast of Labrador, nor yet a woolly-pated negro, in the burning wilds of Senegambia — next, I repeat, to this good fortune, is that of having been born in a Christian country, and of a good family. He that does not appreciate his escape from the wretched condition of savage life or slavish ne- groism, and is not impressed with the advantages of Christian nativity and family distinction, has no sense of indebtedness to providence, or no feeling of gratitude in him. In using the term good family , I have no reference to wealth; for wealth, as we all know, is not only within the reach, but often in the possession of the meanest of mankind. A good family, in the or¬ dinary sense of the phrase, is a family of good character, distinguished for talent or patriotism, or at least free from the touch or taint of dishon¬ or. By way of illustration, permit me to say, RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS. 49 that had my ancestors, upon either side, been tories of the revolution, I should never have ventured to boast of my descent from a good family: on the contrary, I should have consid¬ ered the toryism as a stain upon the family es¬ cutcheon, which it would require the patriotism of at least two generations to wipe out. But this, you will say, is a compound of pride and preju¬ dice. It may he so; hut the pride is of that species which has some dignity in it, and the prejudice is of that family of the plant which is worth cultivating. Pride, my dear madam, is a more powerful passion of the mind than ambition itself. The one may lead us to seek the bubble reputation, even in the cannon’s mouth; but the other cross¬ es and controls the vicious impulses of our na¬ ture, steps in between the tempter and the crime, holds back the hand from the forbidden fruit, and balks the devil in his efforts to corrupt us.— Though in no degree allied to morality or prin¬ ciple, yet it often operates in conjunction with them, and not unfrequently supplies their total absence. It must be remembered that we are not all armed alike; and in this warfare with evil, it becomes us to make use of such arms as we possess.