Perleys Reminiscences, v. 1-2

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Reminiscences, v. 1-2, by Benjamin Perley Poore

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Title: Perley's Reminiscences, v. 1-2 of Sixty Years in the National Metropolis
Author: Benjamin Perley Poore
Release Date: January 5, 2007 [EBook #20290]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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Transcriber's note:
The digraphs "ae" and "oe" are spelled out for clarity.
The chapter summaries in the Table of Contents are repeated in the book at the start of each chapter. At the end of each chapter is a facsimile autograph and a brief biography of the signer. The running page titles are omitted.
Vol. I, Chap. XLIII: "President's Message or" changed to "President's Message on"
Vol. II, Chap. IX: "Lamar" changed to "Lamon"
A tabulation of the 1884 Presidential vote totals has been added.
The typographical fist is represented by the right guillamet (?).
LoC catalog number: E179.P8
[Frontispiece: perley.jpg] Engr. by H. B. Hall's Sons, New York
[Signed] Faithfully yours, Ben: Perley Poore
PERLEY'S REMINISCENCES OF SIXTY YEARS IN THE NATIONAL METROPOLIS
Illustrating the Wit, Humor, Genius, Eccentricities, Jealousies, Ambitions and Intrigues of the Brilliant Statesmen, Ladies, Officers, Diplomats, Lobbyists and other noted Celebrities of the World that gather at the Centre of the Nation; describing imposing Inauguration Ceremonies, Gala Day Festivities, Army Reviews, &c., &c., &c.
BY BEN: PERLEY POORE.
The Veteran Journalist, Clerk of the Senate Printing Records, Editor of the Congressional Directory, and Author of Various Works.
Illustrated.
VOL. I. HUBBARD BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, PHILADELPHIA. Boston, Cincinnati, Kansas City; W. A. Houghton, New York; A. W. Stolp, Chicago; A. W. Mills, Tecumseh, Mich.; E. Holdoway & Co., St. Louis; L. S. Varney & Co., Minneapolis; A. L. Bancroft & Co., San Francisco.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1886, by
BEN: PERLEY POORE, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
NOTICE TO BOOKSELLERS. This book is sold exclusively by subscription, all agents being strictly enjoined by contract from selling in any other way. Any evasion of this plan of sale will be a trespass upon the copyright rights of the author. HUBBARD BROS.
PREFACE.
The public favor with which the journalistic writings of the subscriber have been received prompted the publication of these volumes. Their object is to give personal details concerning prominent men and women in social and political life at the National Metropolis since he has known it. He has especially endeavored to portray those who "in Congress assembled" have enacted the laws, and those who have interpreted and enforced the provisions under which the United States has advanced, during the past sixty years, from comparative infancy into the vigor of mature manhood, and has successfully defended its own life against a vigorous attempt at its destruction.
In chronicling what has transpired within his personal recollection at the National Metropolis, he has gathered what "waifs" he has found floating on the sea of chat, in the whirlpools of gossip, or in the quiet havens of conversation. Some of these may be personal --piquantly personal, perhaps--but the mighty public has had an appetite for gossipings about prominent men and measures ever since the time when the old Athenians crowded to hear the plays of Aristophanes.
The subscriber is aware that some who write of prominent persons and political events indulge too much in sycophantic flattery, while others have their brains addled by brooding on some fancied wrong, or their minds have lost their even poise by dwelling on insane reforms or visionary projects. All this may have its use, but the subscriber has preferred to look at things in a more cheerful way, to pluck roses rather than nettles, and neither to throw filth nor to blow trumpets.
While the Republic has preserved with commendable pride the histories of her statesmen and her martial defenders, it is well that the memories of those of the gentler sex, who have from time to time taken prominent part in shaping the destinies of the nation, should also be remembered. This work will give, it is hoped, an idea of stirring events in both political and social life, of the great men and the fascinating women who have figured in Washington during the past six decades. Those who were too well acquainted with these personal details to think of recording them are fast passing away, and some account of them cannot but interest younger generations, while it will not fail to profit the older politicians, publicists, and journalists.
The great difficulty in the compilation of the "Reminiscences" has been the selection from the masses of material accumulated in diaries, autograph letters, and scrap-books containing published literary matter. To