William Learned MARCY
Recollections of Wm. L. Marcy

It is said to have been remarked by Mrs. Marcy, since the death of her husband, that it was a few only who understood the character of Mr. Marcy on all its sides. His lofty integrity, his discriminating judgment, his inflexibleness of purpose, his thorough patriotism - these were all patent to the world, and were recognized and understood. But there was the social side of his character, known only to those admitted toh is friendship; and the domestic side, known to number still more limited, in which he displayed a genial humor, and a warmth of affection, for which the world failed to give him full credit. It was my fortune to know him on these sides of his character, and my recollections of him have the warm coloring determined by such an acquaintance. When I became acquainted with him, now twenty years ago, he was Governor of New York. For several years I was accustomed to meet him in the most familiar relations, durin ghis frequent visits to his mother, his brother and their families, and the scenes of his youth. I have met him more rarely since - twiced ruing the priod intervening between his service in the Cabinets of Mr. Polk and Mr. Pierce, and once since his final retirement from public office.

HIS ANCESTRY.
Governor Marcy was descended from Moses Marcy, one of the original settlers of Sturbridge, in that part of it embraced in the more modern town of Southbridge. He was a man of consideration in those times, a member of the Provincial Legislature, and a Colonel of the Provincial Militia. A portrait of him, in the costume of his period, adorns the wainscoting of the old homestead, which still remains in the possession of the family. Anecdotes, whcih tradition has preserved, point to him as the source of those social qualities which distinguished his illustrious grandson. The romance of his courtship and marriage, in which he displayed determination and perseverance of no common degree, I recollect to have heard referred to as indicating likewise the degree of the Governor's inflexiblity of purpose. I think this last suppostion, in part at least, a mistake. Governor Marcy had a remarkable mother, whom in many traits of character he strongly resembled. She was not a woman of much cultivation, but she had a native intellect of uncommon strength and force. A daughter of the Revolution, she retained the spirit of that great struggle down to her old age. She dwelt alike on the zeal of the young men who went to the field of strife, and of the young women who remained at home to spin and weae their clothing - of the privations, too, of the one and the other. It is no marvel that her patriotism passed to the son who so much resembeld her, nor is it to me a marvel that the political faith of a son, trained under he influence, and reaching manhood in the days of Jefferson, became unchangeably fixed in the school to which Governor Marcy was constant unto death. I think William must have been a favorite son. I do not know that I ever heard her refer to the eminent distinction to which he attained, but I remember references to his childhood which implied her appreciation of his promotion. And William returned warmly the love of his mother. He left the cares of the office, to visit her frequently in her old age, and in my last interview with him, just before his death, he referred to her in a way which indicated the affection and reverence with which he cherished her memory.

(Since the foregoing paragraph was written, a Southbridge friend, whose acquaintance with Governor Marcy went back to boyhood, has confirmed my impressions "William," said he, "was his mother's boy. His traits of character were peculiar among the children,a nd were like those of his mother." He then paid an interesting tribute to that lady. "Everybody loved her," said he - "her nature overflowed with kindness." "How was it," said I, "as to the matter of firmness?" "The world could not turn her," he replied, "from what she thought was right. Her integrity was remarkable." Governor Marcy undoubtedly adds another to the list of great names, for which the world is indebted to the character and influence of a woman.

HIS VISITS TO SOUTHBRIDGE.
When Governor Marcy visited Southbridge, he left behind him not only the cares, but the dignities of office. He was a quiet, scholarly gentleman, of genial temperament, enjoying himself among friends. Not only did he make not pretensions himself, but he so put at their ease all around him, that it was impossible to get up anything like fawning or sycophancy. Connected by intermarriages with many families in the town, he went round the circle in his visitations. "I like that Governor Marcy," said to me that invincible Federalist, the late Mr. Bottom, of Southbridge, "for the respect he shows to his relatives, even to those who are poor." I remember to have overtaken him once by the roadside in one of these excursions, and that it was with difficulty I persuaded him to take a seat in my carriage, so much was he enjoying his rambles over th ehills. He seemed to surrender himself wholly to his affections - to his friends, and to old and familiar scenes. His boyhood came back freshly to his recollection, and he loved to recount its incidents, pointing out the spots where they had occured. He could be led into conversation on political questions, but, on his part, it was rather to relate the amenities of political life, and to illustrate the character of political personages, than to discuss current political topics.

HIS ADMISSION TO COLLEGE.
Before referring to some of these conversations, I cannot refrain from alluding to a circumstance connected with his admission to college, which furnished an early illustration of his character. When he left the Academy for College, he was denied the ordinary and indispensable testimonials from his Preceptor, and for no reason but for religious, or perhaps for religious and political differences. Young March, undaunted by the refusal, proceeded to Providence and presented himself to the Rev. Dr. Messer, then the President of Brown University. His examination was satisfactory, but he had brought no papers. The difficulty was a serious one - could it be surmounted? He explained to the President the lack of testimonials, and the President was interested in his statements. "I cannot dispense with the testimonials," said the worthy official, "but do you not know somebody of my acquaintance in your neighborhood, who could supply them? There is the Rev. Mr. Leonard, the Baptist minister at Sturbridge, who is a graduate of this University, do you not know him?" "O! yes, sir," replied the youth, who now was sure of his triumph, "I attende his meeting." "Get a certificate of character from him," said the Doctor, "and you shall be received." He returned home with a light heart; Mr. Leonard furnished the necessary testimonials, and at the appointed time young Marcy was admitted to college, victorious over intolerance. He was in college with Theron Metcalf, Willard Preston, Adoniram Judson, Jonathan Going, and John Brown Francis, the last of whom was a classmate. He graduated in 1808.

PERSONAL INCIDENTS.
I once called up for criticism the sentiment uttered by Gov. Macy when he was in the Senate - "To the victors belong the spils." We were alone in the sitting-room of the old family mansion, a generous fire blazing on the hearth. He arose without saying a word, crossed the room, and taking his cane, came back to his seat, laying the cane across his knees. "I have just had a present," said he. "This cane is from the timber of the British ship taken by Perry on Lake Erie; - see the inscriptions." One one of them was the presentation - on another the history of the material - on the third, "To the victors belong the spoils." With this for his text, he proceeded to illustrate and vindicate his real meaning. It was not proscriptive. It was in harmony, I may add, with his own habits of dispensing political patronage. He was true to his party always, but always just to opponents. During his eight years of Cabinet service, it is understood that he dismissed no employe of the Government for political opinions.

I rallied him once in some way about the affair of his "pantaloons," and received from him an explanation of that unlucky incident. It was in the autumn of 1838, I think, and just before his failure of a reelection. He had recently been at Newburgh, where a company of gentlemen of both political parties, had spent an evening with him in a social way. Among them was a Whig lawyer, who had just attended a political Convention in Western New York. "We were riding along in high spirits - a stage-load of us," said the lawyer, "when the driver drew up his horses and stopped. 'This, gentlemen," said he, reaching down to us in the inside, 'is the identical spot where Gov. Marcy tore his pantaloons.' Whereupon," added the laswer, "we alighted, the whole of us, and gave three cheers for Gov. Marcy's pantaloons." "The laugh was on me," said the Governor, "but I had a retort, which I proceeded to give. This same gentleman had just been engaged in securing a pardon for a criminal in prison, and the case was one which commended itself to my judgement. 'Give me the papers,' said I, and I proceeded to indorse upon them a pardon. While I was in the act, my friend exclaimed, 'Hold, hold, Governor, I have made a mistake. Those are the wrong papers. That's a Whig speech that I am just going to deliver.' ' No matter, no matter,' replied the Governore, 'I am only pardoning the offense before it is committed!'

When Governor Marcy was in the Senate, a bill was before that body, containing provisions for the removal of obstructions in the Hudson River, at the Overslaugh. Governor Marcy was in favor of these provisions, but the bill, while pending in Congress, was loaed with so many appropriations which were against his judgment that he was obliged in conscience to vote against it. The vote cost him a good deal of reproach, and the Overslaugh received the title of "Marcy's Farm." He was on boad a steamboat some years later, while Governor of the State, and the vessel went aground at this troublsome spot. - Leaning quietly over the railing, and looking into the water, he was accosted by a stranger, who was occupied in the same way, with the inquir, "Isn't this what they call Marcy's Farm?" "I believe it is," said the Governor. The stranger, who was a man of excitable temper, referred to the vote which had given it the name, and proceeded to abuse Mr. Marcy in round terms, for having betrayed the interest of his constituents. Enjoying the sport, the Governor permitted the stranger to proceed, and perhaps aided him a little in firing up his wrath, until at length the man exclaimed, "I wish I had him here; I should be glad to pitch him into the river at this very spot." "That," replied the Governor, "might be sport for you, but I'm thinking it would be death to me I am Governor Marcy." The discomfiture of the amazed stranger was complete. He cooled down in an instant, apologized, and went his way.

I met Gov. Marcy in the Post-Office at Southbridge, during the pendency of the Presidential election of 1844, when the mail arrived, bringing one of the unfortunate letters of Mr. Clay. "Mr. Clay," said he, earnestly, (and he made the remark, not in the tone of an opponent exulting in an advantage, but in the generous spirit of an admirer and friend) "Mr. Clay is very unwise. He should write no letters. He can write nothing which will not be perverted to his injury. When I am a candidate, I make it a point to write no letters." These letters were, undoubtedly, the occasion of Mr. Clay's defeat.

The newspapers at this time were very generally discussing, pro and con, the alleged habits of Mr. Clay as to the matter of gambling, and these discussions led to some remarks by Gov. Marcy on the habits, in particular, of many public men. The conversation was confidential, and the confidence of that moment is not to be broken now. I shall make no reference to dates or names. The Governor was present at a dinner party, and after dinner, cards were introduced. The Governor was invited to a game of whist, to which he had no objection, but when money was named, though "it was only a small sum, to keep the game," he replied, "No, gentlemen, not six cents, to save the city from sinking." Once only, when a yound man, he had played for a quarter of a dollar; he was startled by the error, and had never repeated it.

I find this paper extending to such length, that I must reserve for another week some of my later, and perhaps to many, more interesting recollections of the departed statesman. C.


Albany Evening Journal
Albany, New York, USA
August 13, 1857

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