my memories of eighty years-第8节

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actical　and　highly　imaginative　discourse；　that　the　speaker　was　one　of　the　ablest　party　managers；　shrewdest　of　politicians；　and　most　eloquent　advocates　in　the　country；　whose　whole　time　and　mind　apparently　were　absorbed　in　the　success　of　his　party　and　the　fruition　of　his　own　ambitions。

As　we　were　returning　home　he　said　to　me：　　〃You　have　risen　higher　than　any　young　man　in　the　country　of　your　age。　　You　have　a　talent　and　taste　for　public　life；　but　let　me　advise　you　to　drop　it　and　devote　yourself　to　your　profession。　　Public　life　is　full　of　disappointments；　has　an　unusual　share　of　ingratitude；　and　its　compensations　are　not　equal　to　its　failures。　　The　country　is　full　of　men　who　have　made　brilliant　careers　in　the　public　service　and　then　been　suddenly　dropped　and　forgotten。　　The　number　of　such　men　who　have　climbed　the　hill　up　State　Street　to　the　capitol　in　Albany；　with　the　applause　of　admiring　crowds　whom　none　now　can　recall；　would　make　a　great　army。〃

He　continued　by　telling　this　story：　　〃In　the　war　of　1812　the　governor　and　the　legislature　decided　to　bring　from　Canada　to　Albany　the　remains　of　a　hero　whose　deeds　had　excited　the　admiration　of　the　whole　State。　　There　was　an　imposing　and　continuous　procession；　with　local　celebrations　all　along　the　route；　from　the　frontier　to　the　capital。　　The　ceremonies　in　Albany　were　attended　by　the　governor；　State　officers；　legislature；　and　judges；　and　the　remains　were　buried　in　the　capitol　park。　　No　monument　was　erected。　The　incident　is　entirely　forgotten；　no　one　remembers　who　the　hero　was；　what　were　his　deeds；　nor　the　spot　where　he　rests。〃

Years　afterwards；　when　the　State　was　building　a　new　capitol　and　I　was　one　of　the　commissioners；　in　excavating　the　grounds　a　skeleton　was　found。　　It　was　undoubtedly　the　forgotten　hero　of　Governor　Seymour's　story。


When　my　term　was　about　expiring　with　the　year　1865　I　decided　to　leave　public　life　and　resume　the　practice　of　my　profession。　I　was　at　the　crossroads　of　a　political　or　a　professional　career。　So；　while　there　was　a　general　assent　to　my　renomination；　I　emphatically　stated　the　conclusion　at　which　I　had　arrived。

The　Republican　convention　nominated　for　my　successor　as　secretary　of　state　General　Francis　C。　Barlow；　a　very　brilliant　soldier　in　the　Civil　War。　　The　Democratic　convention　adopted　a　patriotic　platform　of　advanced　and　progressive　views；　and　nominated　at　the　head　of　their　ticket　for　secretary　of　state　General　Henry　W。　Slocum。　General　Slocum　had　been　a　corps　commander　in　General　Sherman's　army；　and　came　out　of　the　war　among　the　first　in　reputation　and　achievement　of　the　great　commanders。　　It　was　a　master　stroke　on　the　part　of　the　Democratic　leaders　to　place　him　at　the　head　of　their　ticket。　　He　was　the　greatest　soldier　of　our　State　and　very　popular　with　the　people。　　In　addition　to　being　a　great　commander；　he　had　a　charming　personality；　which　fitted　him　for　success　in　public　life。

The　Democrats　also　on　the　same　ticket　nominated　for　attorney…general　John　Van　Buren。　　He　was　a　son　of　President　Van　Buren　and　a　man　of　genius。　　Although　he　was　very　erratic；　his　ability　was　so　great　that　when　serious　he　captured　not　only　the　attention　but　the　judgment　of　people。　　He　was　an　eloquent　speaker　and　had　a　faculty　of　entrancing　the　crowd　with　his　wit　and　of　characterization　of　his　opponent　which　was　fatal。　　I　have　seen　crowds；　when　he　was　elaborately　explaining　details　necessary　for　the　vindication　of　his　position；　or　that　of　his　party　which　did　not　interest　them；　to　remain　with　close　attention；　hoping　for　what　was　certain　to　come；　namely；　one　of　those　sallies　of　wit；　which　made　a　speech　of　Van　Buren　a　memorable　thing　to　have　listened　to。

Van　Buren　was　noted　for　a　reckless　disregard　of　the　confidences　of　private　conversation。　　Once　I　was　with　him　on　the　train　for　several　hours；　and　in　the　intimacy　which　exists　among　political　opponents　who　know　and　trust　each　other　we　exchanged　views　in　regard　to　public　measures　and　especially　public　men。　　I　was　very　indiscreet　in　talking　with　him　in　my　criticism　of　the　leaders　of　my　own　party；　and　he　equally　frank　and　delightful　in　flaying　alive　the　leaders　of　his　party；　especially　Governor　Seymour。

A　few　days　afterwards　he　made　a　speech　in　which　he　detailed　what　I　had　said；　causing　me　the　greatest　embarrassment　and　trouble。　In　retaliation　I　wrote　a　letter　to　the　public；　stating　what　he　had　said　about　Governor　Seymour。　　The　Democratic　ticket　was　beaten　by　fifteen　thousand　in　a　very　heavy　vote；　and　Van　Buren　always　charged　it　to　the　resentment　of　Governor　Seymour　and　his　friends。


In　our　country　public　life　is　a　most　uncertain　career　for　a　young　man。　　Its　duties　and　activities　remove　him　from　his　profession　or　business　and　impose　habits　of　work　and　thought　which　unfit　him　for　ordinary　pursuits；　especially　if　he　remains　long　in　public　service。　　With　a　change　of　administration　or　of　party　popularity；　he　may　be　at　any　time　dropped　and　left　hopelessly　stranded。　On　the　other　hand；　if　his　party　is　in　power　he　has　in　it　a　position　of　influence　and　popularity。　　He　has　a　host　of　friends；　with　many　people　dependent　upon　him　for　their　own　places；　and　it　is　no　easy　thing　for　him　to　retire。

When　I　had　decided　not　to　remain　any　longer　in　public　life　and　return　home；　the　convention　of　my　old　district；　which　I　had　represented　in　the　legislature；　renominated　me　for　the　old　position　with　such　earnestness　and　affection　that　it　was　very　difficult　to　refuse　and　to　persuade　them　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　for　me　to　resume　actively　my　profession。

Our　village　of　Peekskill；　which　has　since　grown　into　the　largest　village　in　the　State；　with　many　manufacturing　and　other　interests；　was　then　comparatively　small。　　A　large　number　of　people　gathered　at　the　post…office　every　morning。　　On　one　occasion　when　I　arrived　I　found　them　studying　a　large　envelope　addressed　to　me；　which　the　postmaster　had　passed　around。　　It　was　a　letter　from　William　H。　Seward；　secretary　of　state；　announcing　that　the　president　had　appointed　me　United　States　minister　to　Japan；　and　that　the　appointment　had　been　sent　to　the　Senate　and　confirmed　by　that　body；　and　directing　that　I　appear　at　the　earliest　possible　moment　at　his　office　to　receive　instructions　and　go　to　my　post。　　A　few　days　afterwards　I　received　a　beautiful　letter　from　Henry　J。　Raymond；　then　in　Congress；　urging　my　acceptance。

On　arriving　in　Washington　I　went　to　see　Mr。　Seward；　who　said　to　me：　〃I　have　special　reasons　for　securing　your　appointment　from　the　president。　　He　is　rewarding　friends　of　his　by　putting　them　in　diplomatic　positions　for　which　they　are　wholly　unfit。　　I　regard　the　opening　of　Japan　to　commerce　and　our　relations　to　that　new　and　promising　country　so　important；　that　I　asked　the　privilege　to　select　one　whom　I　thought　fitted　for　the　position。　　Your　youth；　familiarity　with　public　life；　and　ability　seem　to　me　ideal　for　this　position；　and　I　have　no　doubt　you　will　accept。〃

I　stated　to　him　how　necessary　it　was　that　after　long　neglect　in　public　life　of　my　private　affairs　I　should　return　to　my　profession；　if　I　was　to　make　a　career；　but　Mr。　Seward　brushed　that　aside　by　reciting　his　own　sucess；　notwithstanding　his　long　service　in　our　State　and　in　Washington。　　〃However；〃　he　continued；　〃I　feared　that　this　might　be　your　attitude；　so　I　have　made　an　appointment　for　you　to　see　Mr。　Burlingame；　who　has　been　our　minister　to　China；　and　is　now　here　at　the　head　of　a　mission　from　China　to　the　different　nations　of　the　world。〃

Anson　Burlingame's　career　had　been　most　picturesque　and　had　attracted　the　attention　of　not　only　the　United　States　but　of　Europe。　　As　a　member　of　the　House　of　Representatives　he　had　accepted　the　challenge　of　a　〃fire…eater；〃　who　had　sent　it　under　the　general　view　that　no　Northern　man　would　fight。　　As　minister　to　China　he　had　so　gained　the　confidence　of　the　Chinese　Government　that　he　persuaded　them　to　open　diplomatic　relations　with　the　Western　world；　and　at　their　request　he　had　resigned　his　position　from　the　United　States　and　accepted　the　place　of　ambassador　to　the　great　powers；　and　was　at　the　head　of　a　large　delegation；　composed　of　the　most　important；　influential；　and　representative　mandarins　of　the　old　empire。

When　I　sent　up　my　card　to　his　room　at　the　hotel　his　answer　was：　〃Come　up　immediately。〃　　He　was　shaving　and　had　on　the　minimum　of　clothes　permissible　to　receive　a　visitor。　　He　was　expecting　me　and　started　in　at　once　with　an　eloquent　description　of　the　attractions　and　importance　of　the　mission　to　Japan。　　With　the　shaving　brush　in　one　hand　and　the　razor　in　the　other　he　delivered　an　oration。　In　order　to　emphasize　it　and　have　time　to　think　and　enforce　a　new　idea；　he　would　apply　the　brush　and　the　razor　vigorously；　then　pause　and　resume。　　I　cannot　remember　his　exact　words；　but　have　a　keen　recollection　of　the　general　trend　of　his　argument。

He　said：　　〃I　am　surprised　that　a　young　man　like　you；　unmarried　and　with　no　social　obligations；　should　hesitate　for　a　moment　to　accept　this　most　important　and　attractive　position。　　If　you　think　these　people　are　barbarians；　I　can　assure　you　that　they　had　a　civilization　and　a　highly　developed　literature　when　our　forefathers　were　painted　savages。　　The　western　nations　of　Europe；　in　order　to　secure　advantages　in　this　newly　opened　country　for　commerce；　have　sent　their