Francis B. Carpenter, Six Months at the White House

[179] incident in the career of Mr. McCulloch, given me by the Rev. John Pierpont, who was an occasional visitor at the studio, and who, in his hale old age, was occupying one of the subordinate positions in the Department.

The desk at which Dr. Pierpont was occupied was in a room with those of a large number of other clerks, among whom the tall figure and silvery beard of the poet-preacher were very conspicuous. One day, just after Mr. McCulloch had entered upon his duties in Washington, it was announced at the entrance of this room, that the new Comptroller had called to see “Dr. Pierpont.” The clerks looked up from their books, and at one another, inquiringly, as Mr. McCulloch took a seat by the poet's desk. “I perceive, Dr. Pierpont,” said he, “that you do not remember me?” The venerable preacher looked at him a moment, and replied that he did not think he ever had seen him before. “Oh yes, you have,” returned the Comptroller; “I was a member of — Class, in Cambridge, in 1833 and ‘34, and used to hear you preach. Upon leaving the Law School, purposing to take up my residence at the West, I called upon you and requested one or two letters of introduction to parties in Cincinnati. You gave me two letters, one to a Mr. S-and the other to a Mr. G--, of that city. Those letters, my dear sir, were the stepping-stones to my fortune. I have not seen you since; but learning that you were in ”