I had been in a theater but one, when I saw
Forrest in Boston, in King Lear. At Philadelphia I bought a copy of
Byron for three dollars. That volume I have yet.
The Hon. William Parmenter, a Democrat, then represented the district
in Congress, and I carried one or more letters to him--one from my
employer Mr. Henry Woods, who was an active Democrat. Mr. Parmenter
was then about fifty years of age, of heavy frame, swarthy in
complexion, and a man of good natural abilities. He took me to Mr.
Van Buren. We found him alone, well dressed, polite and rather
gracious than otherwise. Quite early in my visit, Mr. Parmenter took
me to the Pension Office, then presided over by Mr. Edwards. Mr.
Parmenter stated his business, and immediately attention was given to
my applications. In the course of a few days some of the cases were
disposed of, and in a few weeks my docket was clear.
Caleb Butler was then postmaster at Groton. He had had the place,
probably from the days of John Quincy Adams, for as he was a violent
Whig, he could not have received his appointment from General Jackson.
My employer, Mr. Woods, was an applicant for the post-office, he being
the only Democrat in the street who had accommodations for the office.
I carried papers in support of the application. Those I gave probably
to Mr. Parmenter, as I have no recollection of any interview with any
post-office official.
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