Representative in Congress, and afterwards the great Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States.

The other brother, the Rev. Henry Ernest Muhlenberg, was born in Trappe, Montgomery county, November, 1753. He was ordained, and acted as assistant pastor of a Lutheran church of Philadelphia, and a patriot, a man of science, a linguist. He removed to Lancaster, where he remained at the head of a Lutheran church for thirty-five years. The third generation of Muhlenbergs I knew and honored: Henry A. Muhlenberg of Reading, Dr. Frederick Augustus of Lancaster, and the eminent scholar of the same name, one of the professors in the University of Pennsylvania, the first two gone, the last surviving,-filled high positions in public, and have always been eminent for their virtues.

MADE A CADET AT THE MILITARY ACADEMY.

It was among such scenes and men, many of the latter known to himself, and those not known to him, frequently spoken of by his father, that young Hancock approached manhood. A proud father and fond mother saw their three boys growing in grace and strength. In 1840, Winfield was just sixteen years old. It is not flattery to say that he was a handsome boy, if you may judge by the picturesque soldier now before the country, as the candidate of the great party,

for the highest gift of over forty-eight millions of people. The member of Congress from the district, in that year, was Joseph Fornance, a Democrat like Hancock's father, who had, at that time, considerable influence in Washington. A mild, yet conscientious lawyer, he wielded a large influence in society and at the bar. It fell to his lot, under the law of the government, to select a cadet to West Point. For some years Winfield had become quite a soldier boy among his school-fellows. He was a lad of spirit and natural elegance of manner, vigilant at Sundayschool, (his father was a Sunday-school teacher,) and a leader among his mates. His parents were sincere Christians; morning and evening they had their family prayers. Winfield acquired a sort of chivalry, and more than once assumed the championship of weaker and younger boys. The lads of the village organized a volunteer "soldier company," and Winfield was unanimously elected captain, when he was only twelve years old, and to this date it is remembered in Norristown, how well the drills, parades, inspections, reviews, battles, and camps of these little men were conducted under the command of their graceful boyish chief. He had learned at home that obedience was not only a virtue, but a duty. and his brother Hillary, worshipped their mother. I wish I could say that the influence of home in these latter days is as controlling as it was fifty

He,

years ago, and I hope there are still hamlets and country-sides where the simple, gracious, indulgent, yet courageous ministrations of a dear mother are as frequent and effective as they were in 1835 and 1840. Is it because women are less amiable or emulous to excel in piety and devotion, or because their children are more eager to rush all unprovided and unarmed and inexperienced, into the wild and terrible attractions and dangers of life? Assuredly, admiration for the sex is not dead among men, and ambition to excel no longer a passion. Yet without pausing to decide the problem, it is useful and certainly pleasant to recur to that gentle household in Norristown, of which the presiding divinity was the sweet mother of the Hancock boys. Her authority was the law. And so in the discipline of his little soldiers, whenever an offence had to be punished, the case was referred, by Winfield, to the mother of the culprit, and she, as the supreme court of the occasion, generally cured the delinquent.

It was perhaps these early American inclinings that attracted a friend of Mr. Fornance, the member of Congress from the district, to Winfield. But there is a curious incident connected with his selection to West Point, that may be related here: Appointments to the Military Academy, like those to the Naval Academy, have always been attractive to American youth. Some years ago a practice had grown up under which members of

Congress were not themselves indifferent to temptation, and even to bribes, when they came to distribute this peculiar patronage. A few exposures, however, seemed to have put an end to the wretched business, and now our Congressional statesmen have adopted the better practice of opening a competition to these great national Academies, by which the best pupils in our common schools may be examined whenever a cadet to West Point or Annapolis must be appointed. In this way there is little danger of corruption or inferiority. Forty years ago a Philadelphian came to Norristown with his son, intending to make a residence preparatory to his application for the waiting cadetship. His movements soon became known to an old friend of mine, long since dead, who had himself been in Congress and had special reason to distrust the Philadelphian. This reason was his knowledge of a transaction in which the latter was a principal. My old friend had sold this man a valuable horse under the plain condition that the noble animal should be treated well and only put to light work. In his day and time my friend had been the leader of the Democratic party of Montgomery County, and many a night he had been carried through the townships by this faithful steed, arousing the unterrified, or attending to his own heavy law business. He loved his old horse; he trusted his Philadelphia acquaintance. But what was his

amazement, on visiting the city some time subsequent to the sale, to find his favorite trotter hitched to a heavy loaded dray, and an angry driver lashing him with brutal ferocity. The poor animal had been sold by the man who had promised to be kind to him. It did not take long for the original owner to buy back his favorite horse at a high price. But he did not forget the bad faith of the Philadelphian, and when he found the latter had changed his residence to get his son into West Point, he at once resolved to see if he could not checkmate him. Joseph Fornance was the sitting member. The other veteran politician lost no time in letting him know the horse story, and the scheme to obtain his recommendation of the other boy. The next day after his interview with the member of Congress, my friend consulted Winfield's father and mother, telling them that he thought he could secure his selection as a cadet to West Point. They were much surprised, but needed little persuasion, especially reinforced by the earnest appeals of their son to consent to the suggestion. Thus giving the boy to his country to begin a career, which progressed so favorably and ended so brilliantly. My devoted friend died in 1852, leaving an ample fortune; and his first executor was Winfield's father, Benjamin Franklin Hancock.

And now we find young Winfield Scott Hancock an entered cadet at West Point. Forty years have produced a magical change in man