Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1873-02-08
Anecdotes Of Public Men.
nv cot. .. W. yoRSEr,


For many years before The war the
northwest corner Of Seventh and Chest
nut streets, Philadelphia, was a popular
resort Of public men Of oil sides. The
head OF tho house was Harry Connolly,
one Of the handsomest men ever knew,
and full Of excellent traits. You would
not have taken him for the proprietor. with
his exquisite dress, ruiIled shirt, and easy
manney. IIe was like one Of his guests
and left his business to q bright mulatto
called "Lew," who was .faetotum OF the
concern, and relieved his employer from
world Of care. Both master an d man have
gone, and the old dingy building has given
way 10 stately structure, In part OF
which Colonel Green's Sunday Transcript
is printed and published but the men
who gathered In the ancient back room
every day .or years still live in many
memories. They met involuntary, and
spent many happy hours. Harry Connel
ley saw much of society Of oil kinds, and
was an especial favorite nth the Souther-
ners. He was the intimate friend Of many
Of the great horsemen Of Kentucky, and
he had been present at mora than one dos
most amiable, he believed in the code OF
honor and was party TO more than one
"affair." A prince in expenditures, and q
gentleman in manners, his rooms were
sought by his friends far and near. And
Harry Connelly's" was the scene Of mnny
important discussions and business opera.
lions. 1t was rendezvous for people OF
diverse views and objects-a sort Of neu'
trail ground, where everybody uttered his
own ideas, md where every gentleman was
tolerated. And 1t was pleasant to note
that those who gathered at Connelley's
were always careful in their treatment OF
each other. Henry Clay liked Harry as
one Of his original supporters, and fire.
quently dropped in with his friend, ex-
Mayor John Swift; Daniel Webster, who
stopped at HartwelTs (Bolton's) Wash.
ington House, two doors off liked to take
one of the rickety chairs and talk to the
pleasant host, and John j.. Crittendon
would stay for hours to gossip over the
times. Ihave met in this dark back room,
with its low, cobwebbed ceilings, most Of
the public characters, between 1916 and
1860. Robt 7 Conrad, author Of "Jsck
Cade," Robert NJ Bird, author Of the
"Gladiator," David Wilmot and Henry NJ
Fuller; John G Breckenridge and Jesse D
Brights; James Buchanan and John Sill
dell; Josiah Randall (father Of the pres
ent Representative from the First Con.
gressi onal district, Pennsylvania, and
James Watson Webb; George W. Barton
and Ovid Johnson; James A Bayard
who was Senator in Congress, and Gee
Law, Of New York; the Pennsylvania,
Governors, D R Porter, " F Packer, W y
Johnston, and Andrew Curtin; George
Ashmun and Charles Train, Of Mnssa'
oh usetts; Thaddeus Stevens, Jack Ogle
DR.. William Elder, Justice Thompson,
Henry s Magraw, Arstides WEIGH, D. X
Jackman, A X Mcclure, Charles Wister'
of Pennsylvania, were among the visi-
tors. You met there the kings Of finance,
of the stage, Of the turf, aud of politics
1t was altogether novelty, a spontaneout
growth. look over the long catalogue Of
those who made "Harry Connelly's, theil
headquarters, and discover that while
most of them are dead, none who survive
can fail to realize that when our generous
friend was himself ,called away we LOST
one of the few who was never half sc
happy as when he was making otherl
happy.