my memories of eighty years-第3章
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this which you think so great a calamity is really divine discipline。 The Lord has sent it to you for your own good; because in His infinite wisdom He saw that you needed it。 I am absolutely certain that if you submit instead of repining and protesting; if you will ask with faith and proper spirit for guidance and help; they both will come to you and with greater blessings than you ever had before。〃 That faith of my mother inspired and intensified my efforts and in every instance her predictions proved true。
Every community has a public…spirited citizen who unselfishly devotes himself or herself to the public good。 That citizen of Peekskill in those early days was Doctor James Brewer。 He had accumulated a modest competence sufficient for his simple needs as bachelor。 He was either the promoter or among the leaders of all the movements for betterment of the town。 He established a circulating library upon most liberal terms; and it became an educational institution of benefit。 The books were admirably selected; and the doctor's advice to readers was always available。 His taste ran to the English classics; and he had all the standard authors in poetry; history; fiction; and essay。
No pleasure derived in reading in after…years gave me such delight as the Waverley Novels。 I think I read through that library and some of it several times over。
The excitement as the novels of Dickens and Thackeray began to appear equalled almost the enthusiasm of a political campaign。 Each one of those authors had ardent admirers and partisans。 The characters of Dickens became household companions。 Every one was looking for the counterpart of Micawber or Sam Weller; Pecksniff or David Copperfield; and had little trouble in finding them either in the family circle or among the neighbors。
Dickens's lectures in New York; which consisted of readings from his novels; were an event which has rarely been duplicated for interest。 With high dramatic ability he brought out before the audience the characters from his novels with whom all were familiar。 Every one in the crowd had an idealistic picture in his mind of the actors of the story。 It was curious to note that the presentation which the author gave coincided with the idea of the majority of his audience。 I was fresh from the country but had with me that evening a rather ultra…fashionable young lady。 She said she was not interested in the lecture because it represented the sort of people she did not know and never expected to meet; they were a very common lot。 In her subsequent career in this country and abroad she had to her credit three matrimonial adventures and two divorces; but none of her husbands were of the common lot。
Speaking of Dickens; one picture remains indelibly pressed upon my memory。 It was the banquet given him at which Horace Greeley presided。 Everybody was as familiar with Mr。 Pickwick and his portrait by Cruikshank in Dickens's works as with one's father。 When Mr。 Greeley arose to make the opening speech and introduce the guest of the evening; his likeness to this portrait of Pickwick was so remarkable that the whole audience; including Mr。 Dickens; shouted their delight in greeting an old and welI…beloved friend。
Another educational opportunity came in my way because one of my uncles was postmaster of the village。 Through his post…office came several high…class magazines and foreign reviews。 There was no rural delivery in those days; and the mail could only be had on personal application; and the result was that the subscribers of these periodicals frequently left them a long time before they were called for。 I was an omnivorous reader of everything available; and as a result these publications; especially the foreign reviews; became a fascinating source of information and culture。 They gave from the first minds of the century criticisms of current literature and expositions of political movements and public men which became of infinite value in after…years。
Another unincorporated and yet valuable school was the frequent sessions at the drug store of the elder statesmen of the village。 On certain evenings these men; representing most of the activities of the village; would avail themselves of the hospitable chairs about the stove and discuss not only local matters but the general conditions of the country; some of them revolving about the constitutionality of various measures which had been proposed and enacted into laws。 They nearly all related to slavery; the compromise measures; the introduction of slaves into new territories; the fugitive slave law; and were discussed with much intelligence and information。 The boys heard them talked about in their homes and were eager listeners on the outskirts of this village congress。 Such institutions are not possible except in the universal acquaintance; fellowship; and confidences of village and country life。 They were the most important factors in forming that public opinion; especially among the young; which supported Mr。 Lincoln in his successful efforts to save the Union at whatever cost。
A few days after returning home from Yale I entered the office of Edward Wells; a lawyer of the village; as a student。 Mr。 Wells had attained high rank in his profession; was a profound student of the law; and had a number of young men; fitting them for the bar under his direction。
I was admitted to the bar in 1858; and immediately opened an office in the village。 My first client was a prosperous farmer who wanted an opinion on a rather complicated question。 I prepared the case with great care。 He asked me what my fee was; and I told him five dollars。 He said: 〃A dollar and seventy…five is enough for a young lawyer like you。〃 Subsequently he submitted the case to one of the most eminent lawyers in New York; who came to the same conclusion and charged him five hundred dollars。 On account of this gentleman's national reputation the farmer thought that fee was very reasonable。 In subsequent years I have received several very large retainers; but none of them gave so much satisfaction as that dollar and seventy…five cents; which I had actually earned after having been so long dependent on my father。
After some years of private practice Commodore Vanderbilt sent for me and offered the attorneyship for the New York and Harlem Railroad。 I had just been nominated and confirmed United States minister to Japan。 The appointment was a complete surprise to me; as I was not an applicant for any federal position。 The salary was seven thousand five hundred dollars and an outfit of nine thousand。 The commodore's offer of the attorneyship for the Harlem Railroad; which was his first venture in railroading; was far less than the salary as minister。 When I said this to the commodore; he remarked: 〃Railroads are the career for a young man; there is nothing in politics。 Don't be a damned fool。〃 That decided me; and on the 1st of January; 1921; I rounded out fifty…five years in the railway service of this corporation and its allied lines。
Nothing has impressed me more than little things; and apparently immaterial ones; which have influenced the careers of many people。 My father and his brothers; all active business men; were also deeply interested in politics; not on the practical side but in policies and governmental measures。 They were uncompromising Democrats of the most conservative type; they believed that interference with slavery of any kind imperilled the union of the States; and that the union of the States was the sole salvation of the perpetuity of the republic and its liberties。 I went to Yale saturated with these ideas。 Yale was a favorite college for Southern people。 There was a large element from the slaveholding States among the students。 It was so considerable that these Southerners withdrew from the great debating societies of the college and formed a society of their own; which they called the Calliopean。 Outside of these Southerners there were very few Democrats among the students; and I came very near being drawn into the CaIliopean; but happily escaped。
The slavery question in all its phases of fugitive slave law and its enforcement; the extension of slavery into the new territori