Perleys Reminiscences, v. 1-2 | Page 2

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 have given a connected political and social history of what has
transpired at the National Metropolis during the past sixty years would
have required a dozen volumes, so the most conspicuous features only
have been here and there selected.
Confident of the exact truthfulness of the sketches here given, this work
is presented, without apologies, to a generous public as the result of
very extensive observation.
BEN: PERLEY POORE. INDIAN HILL FARM, Near Newburyport,
Mass.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS BECOMES PRESIDENT. The Tenth
Presidential Election--A Political Bargain--Election of President--A
Scene in the House--Inauguration of J. Q. Adams--The Adams

Administration--The Mistress of the White House--The President's
Private Secretary--Social Life at the White House--President Adams'
Daily Life--Henry Clay as Secretary of State--The Rival Candidates
--The Death of Two Ex-Presidents.
CHAPTER II.
TRAVELING IN "YE OLDEN TIME." Travel by Stage and
Steamboat--Boston to Providence--The Old Town of Providence--The
Long Island Sound Steamers--New York City--New York to
Philadelphia--Philadelphia to Washington--Washington Hotel
Life--Expenses of Living--The Metropolis of the Union--The National
Capital--Works of Art--The Rotunda--Free-Masonry--The Morgan
Excitement--Theatrical--Division of the Friends' Society.
CHAPTER III.
JOURNALISM IN 1828. Old Georgetown--The Union Tavern--A
Natal African Salute--President George Washington--Major
L'Enfant--Newspaper Organs--The National Intelligencer--The
National Journal--Matthew L. Davis--James Gordon
Bennett--Mordecai M. Noah--Other Washington Correspondents--A
Notable Briton--Gambling-Houses--Senatorial Card Playing--Social
Games of Whist.
CHAPTER IV.
PROMINENT SENATORS OF 1827. The Nineteenth
Congress--Vice-President John C. Calhoun--Martin Van
Buren--Nathaniel Macon, of North Carolina--Thomas Hart Benton
--Randolph, of Roanoke--Duel between Clay and Randolph--An
Offended Virginian--A Future President--Prominent
Senators--Senatorial Control of Society--The Dancing
Assemblies--Fashionable Attire-- Belles of the Period--The Code of
Honor.
CHAPTER V.

PROMINENT REPRESENTATIVES OF 1827. The Representatives'
Hall--Admission of Ladies--Webster, of Massachusetts--Edward
Everett--McDuffie, of South Carolina--Rhode Island's Bald Eagle--A
Bargain Exposed--Retrenchment and Reform-- Prominent
Representatives--The Supreme Court--Chief Justice Marshall --Mr.
Justice Washington--The Christmas Holidays.
CHAPTER VI.
THE POLITICAL MACHINE. The Tenth Presidential
Campaign--Election of General Jackson--Death of Mrs. Andrew
Jackson--The Inauguration of "Old Hickory"--Reception at the White
House--An Editorial Phalanx--The Civil Service-- Disciplining a
Postmaster General--A Fortunate Mail Contractor-- The Sunday Mail
Crusade.
CHAPTER VII.
THE KITCHEN CABINET. Jackson's First Annual Message--The
Kitchen Cabinet--Blair, of the Globe--Washington Newspapers and
News--The First Lady-Bird of the Press--Nathaniel P. Willis--Peter
Force--Social Enjoyments--Mrs. Trollope on Washington
Society--Attempt to Oust a Veteran from Office--Payment of the
Claims on France.
CHAPTER VIII.
BATTLE OF THE GIANTS. The Great Senatorial Debate--Attack on
New England--Webster's Reply to Hayne--Nullification Nipped in the
Bud--Society in Jackson's Day--Mrs. General Eaton--A Chivalrous
President--Theatricals--The Great Tragedian--Minor
Amusements--Executive Charity--Swartwouting --The Star Spangled
Banner.
CHAPTER IX.
STAMPING OUT OF NULLIFICATION. Rejection of Martin Van

Buren--The War against the United States Bank--Nick Biddle, of the
Bank--Re-election of General Jackson-- Financial Debate in the
Senate--Calhoun, of South Carolina--Secession Stamped Out--Union
Proclamation--The Expunging Resolution--A Senatorial Scene--An
Appeal from the Chair.
CHAPTER X.
PROMINENT MEN OF JACKSON'S TIME. Harry of the West--Tilt
between Clay and Benton--Rebuke of a Revolutionary Hero--Apt
Oratorical Illustration--Daniel Webster's Wit--An Excited Visitor--The
House of Representatives--General Houston Reprimanded--Eli Moore,
of New York--Churchill C. Cambreleng --Crockett, of
Tennessee--Embryo Presidents--Other Distinguished
Representatives--A Jackson Democrat.
CHAPTER XI.
SOCIETY IN JACKSON'S TIME. The Van Ness Mansion--A
Benefactress--A Popular Citizen--A Much- Talked-of Lawsuit--A
Runaway Nun--General Jackson's Diplomacy-- Washington
Society--Anecdotes told by Mr. Clay--Maelzel's Automata
--Condemned Literature.
CHAPTER XII.
JACKSON AND HIS ASSOCIATES. Democratic Rejoicing--Attempt
at Assassination--The Political Guillotine--The Vicar of Bray--Daniel
Webster's Memory--Bayard, of Delaware--The Claytons--Pearce, of
Maryland--The Classical and the Vernacular--Boulanger's--Location of
the New Treasury Building-- Hackett, the Comedian--A Jealous
Artist--Sumner's First Visit to Washington--The Supreme Court and its
Justices.
CHAPTER XIII.
JACKSON'S LAST YEAR IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Van Buren as

Vice-President--Henry Clay as Champion of the Bank-- Washington's
Ceremonial Birthday--Removal of His Remains--The Decapitation of
General Jackson--The President at the Race-Track-- An Old-Time
Cock Fight--Wedding at Arlington--The Public Gardener --Miss Fanny
Kemble--Cheese Reception at the White House.
CHAPTER XIV.
VAN BUREN'S STORMY ADMINISTRATION. Inauguration of Van
Buren--His First Reception--Departure of Jackson for the
Hermitage--Van Buren's Embarrassments--The Great Financial
Debate--Antagonism of Clay and Calhoun--An All Night Session--
Morning Excuses--The Graves and Cilley Duel--A Congressional
Comedian.
CHAPTER XV.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT. The
Slavery Agitation--Early Secession Movements--Webster on
Emancipation--His Idea of the Far West--Franklin Pierce's Position
--The Foremost of Orators--Joseph Holt--King, of Alabama--The
Buckshot War--Star Routes--Van Buren's Titles.
CHAPTER XVI.
POLITICAL INTRIGUES AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS. Presidential
Hospitalities--Social Entertainments--A Gifted Adventuress--Espy, the
Weather King--A Foreign Indorsement--Van Buren's Re-election--The
Ogle Speech--Van Buren's New Year's Reception.
CHAPTER XVII.
LOG-CABINS AND HARD CIDER. The Harrison
Campaign--Political Songs--Whig Conventions--Great
Paraders--Corwin's Reply to Crary--Crary's Complete Discomfiture--
The Campaign Paper--Horace Greeley--Henry Clay on the
Stump--Amos Kendall--The Fall Elections--Pipe Laying--The Whigs

Triumphant.
CHAPTER XVIII.
ENTER WHIGS--EXIT DEMOCRATS. The Fourteenth Presidential
Election--Enter Harrison--Exit Van Buren--The Harrison
Cabinet--Attack upon Mr. Webster--"The Salt Boiler of the
Kanawha"--The other Cabinet Officers--Harrison's Inaugural
Message--The Inauguration--The Procession--Scenes