DEAR SIR: I have not been able to attend any of the meetings in the inauguration or getting up our old settlers meeting, nor can I promise to do any special work in soliciting contributions, but I have good reason to hope that the intelligence and liberality of our people will, when offered the opportunity, promptly make up the amount necessary to make it a grand success. I am in hopes to be with you on the occasion, where I expect to meet many old friends as well as their sons and daughters. In fact I am promising myself a good old time generally on that day, and with that in view I enclose you herewith ten dollars that, as treasurer, you will apply to its funds.

Yours Truly,

In regard to the resolution condemnatory of the conduct of the attorneys for the defense, I may say that they are our own men, and not doubt, not only able to take care of their clients interests in the courts, but also their own reputations as gentlemen before the people. And I am inclined to think our Elsberry friends hardly considered the latitude a lawyer is allowed to take, or may be morally bound to take, in defense of his client; and I can hardly bring myself to believe that our friends in that meeting, or even the six highly respectable and influential gentlemen that prepared those resolution, intended the inference that is fairly to be drawn from it.

It may indeed be true that our jury system as at present arranged is at fault. It is certain that the Emma, Bond case, recently tried in Illinois, that is quite familiar to most of our reading people, and the Gibson case here was very similar, in both cases the jury failed to give a verdict in accordance with the sympathy and wishes of the people, but I dare say the great majority of the people, including those our friends who composed the Elsberry meeting, would have given the very same verdict and had they been sworn jurors in the case. With all our respect and esteem for the representative gentlemen who composed the committee that prepared and proposed those resolutions, and our sympathy for the good people who voted for their adoption, we think they were wrong and in their cooler moments they must think so themselves. We cannot think the circumstances warranted it, an if so, it had better been left so.

The Globe-Democrat may admire their publication to help show up the state of affairs in one of the neighboring counties of "poor old Missouri," but I am little inclined to think that the old reliable and conservative element of the Missouri Republican had rather deal in more conservative treatment of all such cases.

A CRITTER

NEW ORLEANS, LA.,

Feb. 14^th, 1885

EDITOR FREEE PRESS: You will hardly expect, I think, to get a letter from me at this place. Dr. Wommack, Mr. George Sands and myself left Millwood last Monday morning and St. Louis at 9 o’clock the same evening, and would have reached here by 6 o’clock Wednesday morning had we not been detained eight hours by a wrecked freight train ahead of us.

scamp so badly scared that he didn’t even raise a hand to help the lady to her feet again. The ladies, upon regaining their seats, commenced a roar of laughter and merriment over the incident, in which I walked over and heartily joined with them, explaining who George was, etc., and saying, I would call him up and introduce him, which they were very anxious I should do, the lady even agreeing to apologize to him if I would bring him up to the point; but, with all my coaxing and persuasion, the devil-a-bit, would he come, and so spoiled a part of the fun the ladies and myself had laid out.

The Doctor is not only taking in all the fun he can, but an immense quantity of lettuce, and if there is no abatement in his appetite for that delicious salad, which is found on our table here every day, he will have to sow quite a large patch at Millwood when our Spring comes.

We have been most elegantly situated her at a first-class private boarding house on Canal street, one of the finest in the city, and where we can get in the street cars going out to the exposition (six miles) n two blocks of us at the usual fare of five cents each way. Our room is 20x20 feet, with five good beds in it, in which we have also as room-mates two gentlemen from Warrensburg and two from Columbia, in our own state. We pay three dollars per day each for rent and breakfast and supper (which they call dinner here), but we cannot get away at less than five dollars per day, all told.

We now come to saying something, or trying to say something, about this wonderful exposition. It is truly called, as it should be, the "World’s Exposition," for we not only find here every

conceivable thing taken from the bowels of the earth in the way of mineral curiosities, etc., but every conceivable thing for the use, ornament and benefit of mankind that can be grown from the earth; all the agricultural, mechanical and labor-saving machinery ever invented or known for the use of mankind, propelled by steam or otherwise; all the fine arts, such as painting, sculpture, ladies work, etc., and thousands of other things, I cannot enumerate – not only from all our states and territories, but from many of the Old World. All have met here in friendly and honorable competition, to than they. see if some we meet men here from every state and territory in the Union, with articles on exhibition, and ready to grasp the hand of every man he meets in the most perfect friendship, regardless of from what state of section he may hail, or what part he may have taken in our past troubles, or what opinions or sympathies he may have entertained. I dare say that his very exposition now going on will do more to allay any unkind feeling between the section, should any still exist, than anything that has transpired before it.

Of course in the few days that we have been here we have seen but a small portion of what is to be seen; it would take weeks, instead of days, to see it all. There are many acres covered with buildings, perhaps twenty or thirty – traversing all the avenues of some, which a number of miles would have to be walked.

I have not learned much about their financial condition or prospect, but I believe it is understood that Congress has given about a million and will give more if necessary.

Dr. Wommack will start for home this evening via Hot Springs, Ark., and Mr. Sands and myself leave for Washington, D.C., where we will spend a few days, as also in Baltimore and perhaps New York, and then down a little below Washington to my old Charles county home. I may perhaps, be able to drop you a note from one or more of these places. You may publish this, provided you can read it, for I have written it n much haste, without rewriting or correction.

On route from New Orleans here, we met with nothing of special interest in passing through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, or until we reached the Shenandoah valley in Virginia, which I suppose embraces a dozen or more of the best counties of the state and where it was said a crow could not pass over immediately after the was without carrying its rations, but such a fine country and such a noble and chivalrous people as it inhabitants are known to be, it could not, or was not left long in its devastated condition and they are prosperous and happy again. We met and conversed with many of her best people in passing through; they are people who can afford to travel.

When I left home it was understood I would be gone for about a month for the purpose of rest and recreation leaving the business in charge of Dan until my return, but it has proven thus far to be the most active stirring around and getting up and go sort of rest. I have ever had in my life before, as you may suppose after all I have seen and done to day I have had to write hastily what I am now sending you since 7 o’clock, I think it just be now (not having the time in my room) nearly 12 and not quite bed time. Will mail to you in the morning, don’t know yet where I will go tomorrow. Will perhaps write you again though I fear what I am writing will not interest any but my own family and perhaps Judge Martin and indeed I am not even sure of that much.

New York, Feb. 20^th, 1885

7 o’clock P.M.

that he could very well spare a short time with me, but had an engagement to meet, I assuring him that I would not detain him long. I directed the conversation to the history of his own family, his freedom from sectarian bias or bigotry in his sermons, his support of Mr. Cleveland in the late election, etc., until he seemed to have become quite interested and had forgotten his engagement. I then told him that my wife was an educated lady and had read much of the history of him and his family and something of Mrs. Beecher also and I would like to have to tell her when I went home that I had seen and talked with Mrs. B. also. He then said he very much regretted that Mrs. B. was out shopping and he did not know what time she would be in, but invited me into what he called his bunk, a most palatial study and library room, where we had been seated but a short time until Mrs. B., in elegant dress, stepped in on return from her shopping expedition, to whom I was kindly introduced by Mr. B., upon which further conversation ensued, but upon rising to leave Mr. B. bade me be seated a while and ran off up stairs and returned with two elegant portraits of Mrs. B. and himself some 8x12 inches, for which I expressed much thanks to him and Mrs. B., promising that I would have them framed and preserved, after which I took kindly leave and departed.

I had hardly expected such simplicity and kindness from Mr. And Mrs. B., he is now seventy-one years of age, never used tobacco or spirituous liquor in any form except an occasional glass of wine – and says he claims ten years hard work ahead for him yet and surely he looks able for it; they have three grown sons and on daughter; I told him that I thought Mr. Cleveland ought to give on of his sons a good office, to which he replied that neither of them could or should be induced to take any office that could be tendered them, which I am sure he meant.

I now crossed the grand bridge again over to New York in the steam cars at the three-cent fare.

General Grant (I hope our people at home will not think I am trying to elevate myself whilst here, for I only want to have something to tell when I get home); arriving at the general’s palatial mansion with its palatial surroundings I wasp soon placed in his reception parlor where I saw quite a number of very fine hats and cloaks, much finer than my own and was soon told that the General was now almost, or quite an invalid and could see no one except on special business, which indeed was more of a relief to me than otherwise, as I knew from the hats and cloaks that the General had, at that very time, quite a number of distinguished visitors with him, but Mr. Frederick Grant, the oldest son kindly came down in answer to my card, in his father’s place, whom I found almost as kind and communicative as Br. Beecher had been; we talked quite a little while in which the rejection by the congress to placing his father on the retired list was mentioned. I found him as I sure his father was (for indeed he told me so) much chagrined and disappointed about it.

It now being nearly night and some two miles from the hotel I took leave of Mr. Frederick, who most kindly directed me the best was back to the hotel, going outside to point out the way to me.

There is, of course, much to be seen in this grand city, whilst I have seen in my short stay comparatively but little. It seems to have been build up, as I am sure it was. With a view to saving space; the streets in most parts are narrow and the houses very tall; the streets seem at all times to be crowded with people waiting and dodging between a ram and jam of every sort of vehicle that can be place on wheels; it seems only a wonder that a great many of them don’t get themselves knocked over, especially such a day as this has been with half the waling spaces covered with sleet. I think I have walked several miles today and had the good fortune to keep on my feet whilst I saw several other fall, some of whom I couldn’t help but laugh at even now while I am writing of it, but there were no bones broken. I have written again in much hast and can’t change or correct it. Now 11 o’clock. Will leave here in the morning for Baltimore – reach there about 12 – may write you again before my return.

I have been occupying an elegant room here at the Maltby hotel, where I have been treated with especial kindness by the proprietors, they being well acquainted with many of my relatives here, as well as those down in Charles County, who stop at this hotel when they come to the city; And, by the way, in speaking of the kindness I have received at this house, I may well say I have met with nothing buyt kindness and civility from all whom I have met in the past fifteen days since I left home. Will here say to any of my friends that may conclude to take a trip around as I have, that civility and kindness are very cheap – but are very valuable commodities for a stranger to be in possession when traveling himself; and as kindness begets its like, it is more to bring back to a stranger from more many-fold its cost and outlay.

I reached here too late that evening to see any of my relatives or anything else, and, being tired, I quietly betook myself to rest at my comfortable quarters here. The next day being Sunday I attended eight o’clock mass at St. Joseph church, after which I went to the Carmelite Monastery to see my sister that is twelve years younger than myself, and whom I had not seen but once since she was grown, with whom I talked for some hours.

He is still living, now at the age of eight-two, and in good health, having raised many children. His daughter, Sister Joseph of Julia, is a woman of superior education, and, but for the color of her skin would pass most creditary in the best society in the country. They have thirty colored sisters at this institution, all well educated and quite intelligent, and about fifty little female orphan children, which they put out to service at good places after sufficient age and education. The smartest and more efficient ones are taught music on the piano and other instruments, etc. Sister Joseph, with other sister spent two years in St. Louis in establishing a branch of her order there, in which he was very successful. She informed me that Mr. Clemens alone, whose given name I forget, got up a subscription for them of $1,700, a good part of which he gave himself. The institution here is carrying a heavy debt and is very poor, but in St. Louis they owe no debt. She showed me through a portion of their institution, and in one of the school rooms she requested the teacher to let the class about thirty in number, sing for me, which they did with wonderful ability for their age. I gave her five dollars, which was a part of my business in going there. She promised to have the sisters and all these little orphans to pray for me, for which I very much thanked her and told her I had great faith in the orphan’s prayer. I had also to promise that I would go to see her father when I went down to my old home in Charles country. I think Sister Joseph is a good Democrat for she told me that none were so kind to them as the Southern people who had owned them when slaves. AI then returned to my comfortable quarters at the hotel again.

showed me through many portions of it and through many of the rooms occupied by the insane people. Something may be conjectured about this institution when it is learned that their building alone has cost them about $50,0000 and that they have in their institution at this time between 300 and 600 insane inmates. Under their skillful and successful management, the number I think is still increasing. A considerable portion of their large tract of 360 acres is in shade and ornament trees and groves, but they raise all the feed for their milk cows and about all the feed for their very large gamily (all told) I suppose of about 700 people On my return to the city at half-past twelve I spent the balance of the day with other relatives.

As Washington’s birthday falls on Sunday this year, the mayor of Washington and congress chose Saturday the 21^st, for its celebration and the dedication of the monument; but the mayor of Baltimore set Monday, the 23^rd for its celebration here, and most the stores and business houses are closed and the people out on different sorts of parade today – but this I cannot tell much about as I did not go out amongst them.

Baltimore, the pride of my native state, is quite a grand old city – that is; old when compared to our younger Western cities. It has a population of about 400,000, which is about or nearly equal to that of St. Louis. The appearance of the streets, the public and private buildings, hotels, etc., and there manners and habits of the people are son nearly the same as in St. Louis that a traveler will experience scarcely and difference between the two cities.

I will take the eight o’clock train in the morning (two ours run) down to our old native homestead of 9000 acres where I was born. It is still owned by my brothers and family, as it has been by my forefathers for the past 210 years which is the date of its patent, still in good preservation, a copy of which I have in my diary at Millwood.

I will probably write you again before my return.

BRYANTOWN, MD, Mch 1, 1885

Mr. EDITOR: I think I have written four letters for publication since I left home, addressed to my friend Mr. H.W. Perkins to had to the editor of the FREE PRESS or Herald, whichever might go to press first, all of which were written in my room at the hotels where I was then stopping, but I now date from the parlor of my brother, Dr. George dl Mudd, of Bryantown, where I arrived at 9 0’clock P.M., the 22nd, and as we had not met for quite awhile and he was not informed as to m coming, it afforded me an opportunity (even now, at the age of sixty-nine) to play a joke on him with some success by introducing myself to him on his portico somewhat in disguise as a tired traveler wanting to warm at his fire, which was very much enjoyed by himself and family and a very dear friend whom I found at his house, and perhaps even more intensified their and my pleasure at meeting once more; but this sort of introduction did not stop here, but afforded my brother who is very fond of a good practical joke himself, an opportunity to play off a very successfully – with my assistance – by introducing me under a fictitious name, to several very dear old friends and relatives of the long ago.

and getting-up-and-go sort of resting spells I ever had in my life. A vast number of slaves were owned in a few of these peninsular or tide-water counties and tobacco being their principal crop, in this county, the colored population materially larger than the whites, and the people suffered more perhaps from the change of their labor system than almost any county in the more Southern states, although I think I can see that their recovery and progress since the war has perhaps, not been equal to most of our Southern people, it has been gradual and is fairly on the upgrade again. Their roads and system of working them are far better than ours. Their school houses and school system are far better and I think their roast turkeys and hams are better and their fish, oysters, crabs, terrapins and turtles and wild fowl from these beautiful salt waters all around in striking distance here, I know to be a shimmering sight better than we have. And, though it is generally supposed that there are some other places better than the place where we are, I am not right sure but that this is not about as good a place to live and die as many others elected such purposes.

It will be observed, from the date of this letter, that it is the day of Cleveland’s inauguration at Washington, 25 miles distant and a forty minutes run from our convenient depot, but as I’ve already spent several sort of field days there with my relatives and old friends, hunting up reminiscences of my early days there and witnessing the vast preparations being made for the grand occasion, and where I well know I could not see much more than the vast concourse of people that will be there assembled, and as I am spending my time so very pleasantly and delightfully with my own people here, I have concluded not to go, but I sincerely hope for the peace and prosperity and good will toward each other of all the states, such as I witnessed in New Orleans, that Mr. Cleveland can and will be inaugurated not withstanding my absence.

of the best varieties perhaps known in the beautiful tributaries of Chesapeake bay. A small portion of the fish were brought to Bryantown yesterday by some colored men for sale on their own account, but the greater part of them were on sale in Baltimore, where they, no doubt brought good prices.

I should be very glad if several of my old friends in Troy, who have eaten oysters with me in St. Louis and elsewhere, were with me here, where nothing is known about dozens or half dozens, but the finest in the world are ladled out and every person made eat all he can possibly get away with.

I expect to start for home next Monday, and this will be my last communication or talk about the trip, unless something more than I am looking for should occur.

HENRY T. MUDD

Visit From an Old Citizen:

EDITOR WESTERN WATCHMAN:

Last Sunday was the 25^th anniversary, as you know, of Rev. Father Cleary’s ordination to the priesthood (his silver jubilee). And in consideration of the occasion a meeting of the Catholic congregation was held at the town hall in Millwood at three o’clock P.M. , and upon organization and appointment of Henry Corley, Esq., as chairman, a voluntary contribution was taken up as a complimentary donation to Father Cleary, after which a deputation of three were sent to the parochial residence for Father C. who was escorted to the chair with beautiful and lively strains from th organ and vocal music from the young ladies of the choir, amid the presentation of dowers bouquets from the little girls of the parish, after which the following address was read and the donation of a handsome well filled purse presented:

FATHER CLEARY – Today sir, Trinity Sunday, is the 25^th anniversary of our ordination to the holy ministry of the priesthood; it is your silver jubilee. Five others with yourself were ordained at the same time and place in this diocese. All six of you are living, and with pious fervor, zeal, and ability are still dispensing your Christian ministrations to the congregations entrusted to your holy care and keeping.

that you have no orators or learned men in your congregation here today to give better expression of what we might desire to say, but we speak from the heart, in our own humble way, and what we know ourselves of your pious an holy ministration in the discharge of all your duties as our pastor for nearly the past quarter century in this congregation. You have christened our sisters, brothers and children, and afterwards united them in the holy bonds of wedlock, and christened their children also. The day or the night has never been so dark or rainy, the weather so cold or stormy, the water so high, or the distance so great, but what you have always been found with your face breasting the storm to reach the bedside of our wives, our children and ourselves in the hour of need, and your Christian ministration were wanted, at the bedside of our sick and dying people but what you have been found with us. On all the Sundays and pious festivals of our Church you have carefully warned us to come and participate in its blessing and rewards.

With the expression of these brief and kindly sentiments and feeling upon our part toward you as our pastor, which we have good reason to believe is reciprocal upon your part toward us, and each one of us, as members of your congregation, we beg you accept the contents of this little purse as an expression in part of the gratitude we feel toward you, and, although now somewhat advanced in years, we hope with the blessing of God you may long live in health and happiness in the performance of your ministrations as our pastor."

Father Cleary made a most beautiful impromptu and feeling reply. Highly complimentary and thankful to the donors, and to each and every member of his congregation, as also declaring that the donation had taken him entirely by surprise, and as he owed no debt and his individual wants were all abundantly supplied he would accept it only as complimentary to himself, but that the contents of the purse should be applied to such improvement or things as should be left after him.

A MUDDY AFFAIR

An Interesting History of the Millwood

Post-Office Covering a Period of

Thirty Years

I am reminded by a little occurrence in the store with us here of its connection with a little reminiscence of the past, the more especially as it is one of the rainiest and "muddiest" days we have had for some time past – in fact I have scarcely seen so much "mudd" in and around our house at any time before.

But to commence at the commencement of the little "muddy" affair. I am carried back to the year when we first came here. At that time there were very few inhabitants living in the forks of Cuivre, and no post office nearer than Louisville, Auburn, and Troy, we having generally to go to the latter place, twelve miles distant, for out mail. But we very soon commenced to try to get a post office at this place, and after much effort with the Department at Washing, we succeeded in 1841 in getting a post office established at this place called Millwood, and Doctor Hilary Mudd appointed postmaster, but it was granted only upon the condition that if the revenue derived from it didn’t pay one half the expenses, it would be discontinued – our respected friend Rev. Dennis Grandfield will remember this post office, and the long cold winter some forty years ago, when about twelve years of age he delivered the mail to this office under contract of Mr. Paxton and the kindly feeling between old Doctor Mudd and himself.

Old Dr. Mudd continued t hold the office as post-master here for about twenty years, the latter ten at our store with myself as deputy. It was then taken from us for some three years during the war, we not being considered quite up to the standard of loyalty during those times. Afterwards my son Edwin Mudd was appointed postmaster and myself again, and subsequently my son Dan as deputies, which had continued up to the present time. But by our request Mr. Hutton our present member elect to congress from this district, has had Dan appointed as postmaster-in-chief at this place, with two other sons of mine, John P. and Andrew A. and myself as deputies and Edwin as one his securities, and myself as Notary taking the affidavits, etc.

Thus it will be seen that the post office commenced at this place though perhaps in clear weather, fort-five years ago in a very "muddy" sort of way, and winds up with its management of today quite as "muddy" both in and outside of our house this rainy "muddy" day as before said. It will also be observed that I have had the honor of holding the office of deputy postmaster at this place through the different Democratic and Republican administration, for thirty odd years without being turned out – an honor that I quite sure Judge Martin nor any other member of the old county court can boast of.

Death at 95

[From the Baltimore Sun]