The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-12
THE NEW FOREIGN MINISTERS.
Hon. John Lothrop Motley,

NAAA NHW GOt11AON AAAANAO ANAeS'
Hon. John I.othrOp Motley,
whom President Grant has just nominated TO the
Senate as our Minister 10 Great Britain to succeed
"a party by the name OF Johnson" was born az Dor
CHESTER Mass the 10th OF April, 1914, and gradu
ated at Harvard University In 1891 His abors from
carry manhood have been devoted to belies-lettres
After contributing 10 various standard periodicals. he
determined TO apply himself to the history OF Hol-
Iand and after six years OF hard study he produced
ms great work on ''The Rise Of the Dutch Repub-
hc," and published il in 1856 in London. It passed
througn many editions, and was translated into the
Dutch and French, with preface by the great Won
Brink the Dutch philosopher, and by Guzot
the French philosopher. Its sale was enormous
in this and other countries, and it soon super
seded all other authorities on that subject
This great work was followed, i'm $780, by another
on "The United Netherlands" which became equally
popular as a standard book These great literary
triumphs gave him such position that he was
elected member of nearly all the learned societies
in Europe One Of the first acts OF President Lincoln
was TO appoint Mr.. Motley American Minister to the
court of Austria position In which he attained an
enviabe reputation as athorough and accomplished
diplomatst. 1t was while residing at the Austrian
Court that he completed his second great work on
the United Netherlands; and just he had collected
the materials to begin his "Hstory of the Seven
Years War in the Netherlands McCracken turned
up as an eavesdropper, and poured such
scandaous gossip into the ears OF Mr..
Seward, that that functionary directed
TO Mr.. Motley certain impertnent interrogatories
about his alleged misconduct and forced him to
sign at once sacrifice his sef-respect. Mr. Motley
returned to the United States In the fall OF 1861 and
since then has not taken very active part i'm public
life. by many it was hoped that President Grant
would call him into his Cabinet Secretary of State
but as this was not thought advisable by the Presi
dent the country felt confident that he would be
TO England successor to Reverdy Johnson His
nomination to this important position will be re-
ceived with satisfaction by the entire people.
The Hon. John Jay,
OF New YORK, who was regarded as a formidable
competitor for the English mission and who was a
prominent candidate for the mission to Austria when
it was given to Mr.. Motley in 1861 now receives this
latter position. He is descendant OF the celebrated
Chief Justice of the United States in the early days Of
the republic, and is regarded fully competent for
the position 10 which he has been appointed. He
succeeds the Hon. Henry M. Watts OF this city,
whose recall is made necessary In order that while
Pennsylvania receives but one frst-class foreign
appointment,
Ex-Governor Andrew G.. Curtin,
Of this State may be sent to st. Petersburg the
successor Of Cassus M. Clay. Mr. Curtin, as is well
known, was first elected Governor OF PENNSYLVANIA
in 1860, his competitor having been the Hon. Henry
d. Foster, who now contests with John Covode the
right to represent in Congress the Twenty-nrst
district of this State Governor Curtn's majority in
1860 was $4,000, and so satisfactory was
his administration of the affairs OF the
State during the dark days Of the war
that he renominated In 1868, and again elected
over the Hon. George w. Woodward, then Chief
Justice of the State, by majority of over 0Oo in
greatly increased vote. On the expiration OF his
second term he retired to private life, until the Chi
cago Convention Of 1868, when he became formida-
BILE candidate for the position of Vice-Presdent on
the ticket with General Grant Defeated in this as
praon, his friends began at once to press his
for Cabinet position and by their indiscreet zeal
Immediately preceding the Inauguration of President
Grant, not only ensured his defeat for Cabinet
position, but came near wrecking all his hopes of
any other important position under the new admins
traton. Governor Curtin is still in the prime OF life
and his friends in all parts of the country will rejoice
to find that Colonel Mcclure did not succeed in
crushing out all his hopes for the future.
Ebenezer ID. Bassett, Esq,
whom President Grant has nominated as Minister to
Hayti, is a colored man, and for number OF years
has been the Principal OF the Colored High School of
this city. The person whom the President has thus
selected to represent the claims OF the African ele
ment of our population diplomatic honors gen.
teman and scholar in every sense OF the word Mr..
Bassett's father was hard-working farmer in Con-
nectcut in which State he was born. While youth
he devoted himself to study with great perseverance,
and graduated at the Birmingham Academy and State
Normal School, subsequently attending the classes
and lectures at Yale College, although he was not
permitted to become regular student at that nsti-
tuition In the year 1851, when Mr. Bassett had just
attained his majority, the Institute for Coored
Youths, or High School, established in this city,
and was entrusted to his charge. Since then he has
been at the head Of its faculty, and by his manage
ment Of its affairs has given unmstakable evidence
Of the possession Of abilities and culture OF very
high order.