Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-25
Stephens and Reagan I'm New York
Great Excitement Among the Jen.
kinS Tribe.

kinS Tribe.
[From the N. Y Tribune, 19th.l
The guests at the Astor House had con-
siderable of an excitement on Tuesday
evening by unexpected additions to their
number in the persons of Mr.. Alexander
H. Stephens, ex-Vice President, and Mr.
John II. Reagan, ex-POstmaster General,
of the defunct Southern Confederacy, ac-
companied by several Bostonian friends.
As soon as announcement that these
gentlemen were expected at the Astor in
a few moments, notwithstanding the late
hour in the evening, considerable crowd
Of guests and street passengers, who had
got wind of the affair, blocked up the stone
steps and vestibules at the entrance of the
hotel, to catch a glimpse af the, perhaps,
unenviably distinguished gentlemen
When Mr.. Stephens and his party ascend
ed the steps they consequently found them
selves the objects of more regard than was
exactly agreeable to their feelings, as they
had entertained hopes that their arrival
would fail to attract extraordinary atten-
tion.
Besides this, however, the first glances
which were directed upon them were by
no means of the most favorable character.
The leading Copperheads of the city had
not received notice in time to pay their
special respects. Most of those present
had assembled from mere curiosity, and
the regard which the ex-traitors drew from
them partook somewhat of the old rebel
hating war feeling; but the new guests
passed unmolested to the rooms which had
been prepared for their reception, and
were speedily lost to view.
Mr.. Stephens appears to have altered
very little in his personal appearance
Many will remember the slight, small
emaciated frame of the enOtoriOus Southern
leader whose influence was so powerful in
deciding the destiny of the South when
her horizon was black with rising war
clouds, which that influence might have
averted had he been sustained by genuine
moral courage and fOrethought. Mr..
Stephens appears to weigh but little
over 100 pounds. His frame was attired
in suit of unobtrusive black. and there
was perceptible weary age-stoop in his
shoulders as he ascended the stairs of the
hotel
His hair is considerably thinner and
graver than of yore His face is one of
the kind which but tardily portrays the
advances of time, the dry, pallid, almost
ghost-lille skin seeming to be drawn over
his strongly marked features like thin,
clear parchment Nevertheless, traces of
the fearful anxieties of the last fveterrible
years aud his recent imprisonment are per-
ceptible in many faint crows foot about
his eyes, the lucid brightness of which ap-
pears, however, to be unimpaired.
Trouble and anxiety have told much
more perceptibly upon the face and frame
of John h. Reagan Formerly full and
bluff of frame, he has become emaciated,
and his face is instinct with trouble and
care.
Between 9 and 10 o'clock yesterday
morning, Messrs. Stephens and Reagan
passed into the dinning hall of the hotel,
where, of course, they were the observed
of all observers; for by this time their
presence in the city was pretty generally
known.
During the progress of the meal, they
were merely regarded curiously, and moth
| ing more; but the passage way to the din
ing room was completely blocked up with
gentlemen and a few ladies, anxiously
| waiting for an opportunity to pay their
there ensued a scene which was highly
|
| the hotel, as it would have been TO almost
all truly loyal and respectable citizens.
Fifty servile hats were plucked by fifty
fawning hands from fifty obsequious heads,
and several thousand submissive smiles
rippled in quick succession over funkey
lips, as Mr.. Stephens and his party essay
&c to pass across the hall to the drawing
| roo,n opposite. Running a guantlet of
oTutstretcIS,ed hands, and shaking as many
of them as vas practicable with the be-
stowal of a smile here, and a bow there, or
a patronizing word of commonplace upon
this or that fatterer, the objects of this
| demonstrations lengthreached the parior,
which was speedily filed behind them.
Here they were again surrounded. Among
the crowd were to be seen nearly all the
leaders of the Copperhead Democracy in
New York. There were a few ladies
several small children, and last, and very
least, several men bearing the uniforms OF
! United States army officers. While Mr.
Stephens was busily engaged IN shaking
the numerous hands of those who eraveo
the high honor, he econOmized time by
E briefly acknowledging verbal hattery, a
the same time receiving in either ear al
individual adulatory buz from whomsO
, ever could succeed in crowding neal
. enough. Mr.. Reagan, in the meantime
though lesser light, was almost equally
overpOwered.
4 A stranger to the nature of the recep
4 ton would have supposed it to be a con
f gratulatory greeting of two heroes from
. an honorable and glorious field of en-
deayor. The few casual spectators at tn