ment and society as the basis of the work. This work I could also finish in about the same time, by devoting myself to it. What I have already written would occupy more pages than that above mentioned. My correspondence, when in the War Department, of three hundred and ninety-four pages folio, I mean my own letters only, is another work which I intend at a proper time to publish. If my claims are rejected I should wish to take the preparatory steps to a publication, by suitable notices in the public papers at the proper time. I think no part had better be published until that part is finished; and to accomplish which, that I had better devote myself to one of the works mentioned, exclusively in the first instance, the biographical one, for instance. I shall place occurrences and develop principles by a faithful attention to facts, manifesting no hostility to any one. The publication of any part cannot, I presume, be made till the fall, and no notice had better be taken of it till just before."

1830.

During the latter part of his life a gentleman who is now living in Charlottesville, Va., Judge E. R. Watson, was a member of Monroe's family, and retains a very vivid recollection of his appearance, occupations, and characteristics. He has been so kind as to prepare for insertion here the following reminiscences.

Judge Watson's Recollections.

"In person Mr. Monroe was about six feet high, perhaps rather more; broad and squareshouldered and raw-boned. When I knew him he was an old man (more than seventy years of age), and he looked perhaps even older than he was, his face being strongly marked with the lines of anxiety and care. His mouth was rather large, his nose of medium size and well-shaped, his forehead broad, and his eyes blue approaching gray. Altogether his face was a little rugged; and I do not suppose he was ever handsome, but in his younger days he must have been a man of fine physique, and capable of great endurance. As an illustration of this, I remember hearing him say that immediately preceding the occupation of Washington by the British, and just after their retreat from the city, during the war of 1812, with the burden of three of the departments of the government resting upon him, State, Treasury and War,

he did not undress himself for ten days and nights, and was in the saddle the greater part of the time. There was no grace about Mr. Monroe, either in appearance or manner. He was, in fact, rather an awkward man, and, even in his old age, a diffident one. Nevertheless, there was a calm and quiet dignity about him

with which no one in his presence could fail to be impressed, and he was one of the most polite men I ever saw to all ranks and classes. It was his habit, in his ride of a morning or evening, to bow and speak to the humblest slave whom he passed as respectfully as if he had been the first gentleman in the neighborhood. I have heard him define true politeness as right feeling controlled by good common sense.'

I do not know that I ever witnessed in Mr. Monroe any actual outbreak of temper, but I was always impressed with the idea that he was a man of very strong feelings and passions, which, however, he had learned to control perfectly. I never heard him use an oath, or utter a word of profanity, and hence I was quite astonished when, on one occasion, I was talking with an old family servant about a gentleman who swore very hard, and he remarked, 'Bless your soul, you ought to hear old master! He can give that man two in the deal and beat him.' In his intercourse with his family he was not only unvaryingly kind and affectionate, but as gentle as a woman or a child. He was wholly unselfish. The wishes, the feelings, the interests, the happiness, of others were always consulted in preference to his own.

Being quite young at the time, I was not a

very competent judge, but my recollection is that Mr. Monroe's conversational powers were not of a high order. He always used the plainest, simplest language, but was not fluent, and was, it seemed to me, wholly wanting in imag ination. He lacked the versatility, and I should say also the general culture, requisite for shining in the social circle, but was always interesting and instructive; when with good listeners he led in conversation, and talked of the scenes and events through which he had passed, et quorum magna pars fuit. Whilst I was a member of Mr. Monroe's family it was his habit, when the weather and his health would allow, and the presence of visitors did not prevent, to ride out morning and evening, and I was very often his only companion. On these occasions he always talked of the past, and I was strongly impressed with the idea that he must have been in his public career essentially a man of action; content even that others might share the credit really due to him, if he could only enjoy the consciousness of doing his duty and rendering his country service. Love of country and devotion to duty appeared to me the explanation of his success in life and the honors bestowed upon him. There was not the least particle of conceit in Mr. Monroe, and yet he seemed always strongly to feel that he had rendered

great public service. From Washington to John Quincy Adams, he was the associate and co-laborer of the greatest and best men of his day. Yet he had no feeling of envy towards any of them; and though he felt that some had not always treated him justly, he took far more pleasure in commending their high qualities and patriotic services than in referring to his wrongs, real or imaginary.

One striking peculiarity about Mr. Monroe was his sensitiveness, his timidity in reference to public sentiment. I do not mean as it respected his past public life. As to that he appeared to feel secure. But in retirement his great care seemed to be to do and say nothing unbecoming in an ex-President of the United States. He thought it incumbent on him to have nothing to do with party politics. This was beneath the dignity of an ex-President, and it was unjust to the people who had so highly honored him, to seek to throw the weight of his name and character on either side of any contest between them. Hence Mr. Monroe, after retiring from office, rarely, if ever, expressed his opinions of public men or measures, except confidentially. Over and over again, in the early days of Jackson's administration, did he speak freely to me of that remarkable man, of Mr. Calhoun, Mr. Webster, Mr. Clay, and