The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-28
A. OAKEY HALL.
Brilliant Type Of Young America and Long
Chapter Of Brilliant Successes College and
Law Studies and Early journalistic
Career and Sirusglss-Ttn Years as
District litcrnry-Carcer as Pri.
yase Lawyer, Politician, Mayor,
Orator and Litterateur-Mis
Personal Life.

Proteus has his many modern prototypes but NO
one In whom versatile accomplishments and marked
brilIancy OF IN varied pursuits reveal them
selves with more lustrous spendor than IN the
career OF A. 0aEey Hall. Uaus IN onsre ct 0anid IN
wao was grand epitomlzation by Livy Of the
character Of one OF the Old Roman c0nsuls. This u
A. Oakley Hall epoml1ed. Lawyer, politician, editor,
author. orator. tterateur. dramalist. poet critic.
wit-one IN all anu VII IN one. These characters, OF
course, are moro or less blended together. HIS
sparkling W.T. Instance, shows Itself In every
thing he does and lact part aud parcel OF himself
Oratory has ever been . distinguishing element Of
AM legal career and political liie anu his diverse
lebors ~ author, EDITOR, htielateur, poet and
dramatiss ore only the varied expressions OF
his divergent literary tastes. Hls great dis
Anotive characters arc those OF lawyer
politician, wllter and orator. In each he
has SHOWN those shining Qualities enforcing nghcst
admiration nnd bringing it'll them those rewards OF
true, noble and well directed genlus-pace, proml-
nence anu power. In TACT, he goes Q good ways
ahead o. the Old god OF Grccian mythology who, with
the power 70 cnau1a himself into any form he
pleased could be only one tninx at time. A. Oakley
Hall Is Oil his diversified characters az once. he
practses law, nothing Ia potica or political ofics
being able TO divert nlm from his profession attends
to MS dudes as Mayor, MAKES speeches. delivers lee
lures, aud edits paper, wRlie the CcOeteS scrtOends
~ developed Ia the exlented form Of miscella
neous ana book wiring SILL RACES and burns within
him Win Aa,ernttent vlruIence These duties, dis
tinct from each other yet deity interviewer into
the single wool Of busy life, ME helping to make
mp the woven fabric. and give II not only It's rich
ness ana beauty anu sunny glow ami warmth. but
iss compactness, durability and strength-are
the uuceasng sparAle Of his exhaustless
VII, his trutnIuness that never ialters, MS inleg
rty, the weispring OF every thought, word and act
Of MS he; his strength Oh VIII aud seadfastness of
purpose-oyereoming obstacles that would appal
ordinary men; his pleasing suavlty OF manners aad
that obsing gcnt.cness OF tne heart stamping him
that driS of these degenerate selfish and grasp
kg tnnes-a true ana refined gentleman. lie IL
diiierent type OF representative man from those
have oeen sSeehins HIS successes are not The sue
cesses of advancing years. lie Is not veteran SOL
der IN Lc's battlefield lie Is Young America .not
Young America Of orassy impGdence, not our mod
ern school OF fast, undlsciplncd lncons.deratc
youths who sacrifice everything 70 breaxneck speed
but tic enbod.uieut OF our young activities smart
ness, tact aud go-ahead spirit the personlicaton
OF the biood and muscle that tell, tho Young
America that Keeps lis eyes open looks
ahead, gives odds ana beats the word-the charac-
ter cYystaliizea into q hery Determination i'm
petuous courage, passion, intellect force aud bold
supremacy OF lmpassioled genius and wiIl rev
men 81 young Ia years nayo been 30 successful poll
Ncally, SOCIALLY or Otherwise. Elevated 10 The high
est municipal once IN the .t Of our citizens, he has
brought to It's duties not only the Inquest executive
abtics but STERLING fidelity 10 tine Oehests OF justice.
dspasslonale caimness ana dignity, indomitablo In
dependence and the true manIiness 0l brave and
magIanimous spirlt. Ito has NOT sought popularity.
He has Compelled popularity. There Ia not . more
popular man in our city to-day. Among our repre-
a., ~ uyl.
s1etch given below Of Ills lie, aud which we regret
having compress SUCH limited space. shows
that he is O scf-made man, and that his spirit has
been tempered In the legy furnace Of early
sTuggies. .....
ANCESTRY AND EARLY YOUTH.
0enealogcally A. 0azcy Hail represents the COM
pos,,e well cosmopolitan character Of tho Ame-
rican people. His paternai grandfather was
native OF Hampshire, Engand. aud ned to this
country In the latter part Of the last century because
~ turbulent worxlngmau politician, he was anne
nabie to political arrest. lie was OF quite humble
origin, being house carpenter. HIS vile was
wesnwoman. His maternal grandfather was
uneaIly descended from Colouel John OKey, as the
Camo was then spelled, regicido member OF Par.
hanent IN The stirring times OF Charles /. Readers
Of tue state .ra.s VIII recoilecs now colonel Okey
were born, Dut afterwards WAS decoJed bacK to
England and oeneadca on TyDurn Hili IN the
w
OF ,hs other leg cdes gofying IN ls deed OF king
killing. MI. Hai's maternal grandfather, Abraham
Hc married a French lady bearing tie family
name U'Assigne, VINO was daughter OF refugee
French count II will thus be seen that II Mr.. Han
be a somewhat turbulent politician aud q Daler OF
oesp0usm ne comes 10y these taiH b0tn ioai-
caily and geneaoglcaliy. luis Abraham Oakley,
alLer whom Ar. Hal ~ named. was educated uL old
Kings Co ege, now lo.amoia College, and supse-
QucnIy, as OWL engineer aud surveyor IN the employ
u Inc STATE haa considerable d0 with making
tmenty years, from 1910 W 1880, be was deputy
Treasurer Of ta.s SAFE his colaboreS III the Comp
troher's once PLilip Phelps beng Btil alive ut
Wonueriuiiy old ule. All. HANS faincr Was q New
YORK merchant, connected with the nrm OF p. X.
Starr, ate walds Chand CT, starr u Co. Coming now
TO The D.rth of a. 0akey Hail. we hnd that sngu-
larry enough nc was born right in the very atlos-
phcre vi Albany POLITICIANS and within u stones
tlruw Of the STATE Capitol Iue event occurred ~
his grandia ncrs resldeace, in the summer Oh Io-6,
wnie nls mother was there on VISIT. Recently
Ct pubic dinner III referring 10 TINS rather lnpor-
eanI era oi MS history ne iausalngy said Il was
tuas porn tttraHsttu. ouE barring the accident. az
Sauuei Lover says ABOUT st. Patrick, think | am
entlted ~ DO called a New OK Doy.n The city OF
New YORK VIII certainty always dc jure ciainl him
as ncr sou. Wlen he was only three years Old his
father ased OF yellow lever contracted IN New
Orleans. his father lett varJ little property aud the
result was that MS mother was obliged 10 take
boaruers Us means OF support. she was not M
mindful however, or her young sons education.
eho saw HIS bright promise ana cary sent him TO
AonIo Oi The best schools IN the city Having f0nd
ness Tor stuiy and mind as quick ns 1t was eager
In acquiring kuJweage he made rapid progress
~ want " 80 10 college, nc aaid one day to his
mother
II am too poor, my son, TO send you to college,"
she Answered s0rrUwuliy, 'tIOagi 1 would sacri-
ice auy thing 10 do ro.n
'iou board me ana IA par the college Dils,n he
answered, with eager inpetuosity,
slow wiiiy sss tAe money!"
"W0rk l0rIt
"Work at whatiu
'Head worK. III manage Il some way.n
ENTERING SEw YORK UNIVERSITY.
And young Oaacy dil enter college. lie was four.
teen when tue ABOVE con,ersalion occurred, tho
ana found fully prepared. lilo entered IN 1870 the
New lorS Universitg. IL was happy day Tor HIM.
Tue temple OF knowledge Was 70 him sacred.
Through It's portals Ne IN the dim distance
nues icaIl1a 10 goals Of highest ambition. lie
appreciated his Opportunities too highly 10 waste his
time. An interchangeable student always prompt snd
almost Always perfect IN the recitation room, his