National Republican., 1873-12-19
TIE sLoRY Of 4 LIFE.
GOOD READING FOR YOUNG MEN


American enterprise has seldom had more re.
markable Illustration than in the recent career or
Mr.. Samuel Bryan. At the beginning OF the war
he was living nj Cadiz, Ohio, "a youth to fortune
and TO fame unknown" Soon after the commence.
mcnt Of hostilItcs he enlisted In on Ohio regiment
% fn aSSu E'n S
the drumstioks, obtained 0 discharge, and pro-
cured an appointment In Tho Sixth Auditors OF.
rose to the grade Of si oOl clerk and was placed
In charge of the British mqll.dcsk Being Of an
ambitious turn, and possessing an active mind ho
conceived few years since the idea Of Introducing
the American postal system into Japan, and be.
leylng that II would be good thing for Japan,
and an excellent one for Mr.. Bryan, he set him.
self to work the matter up. Procuring an intro.
duction TO Mr.. Morl, the Japanese Minister, he
learned that the japanese government had no
Kom that oiiieial. Here was long pause
In his operations, but they were by no means
abandoned. When Minister De Long arrived In
procured an Introduction to him, and explained
hls pians which we're ger pP approved. An interview
who also cordially approved his IDEAS, but, having
no authority to make any contract. could only ad
wise him to go TO Japan. This was good advice;
sappsr sui lad d no means However 81. AmetssaS
pluck stood him In good stead. Armed with =
letter Of introduction from member Of Congress
Company. he made such favorable impression
on that official that he was appointed purser In
ISs sSg rssSd free ,'hs C% ssH
get to San fraRclsco and here again his fertility
Of rsource was tested. Through . letter Of ID.
e q sai NIS ySS Ss S hS SSprs P
pass from Ogden TO San Francisco. AT Omaha
be bought ticket from that point to Ogden, and
quaIntance Of the mail clerk, who kindly ap-
pointed him asslstant, and TOOK him into the
| reaching Ogden, was sold for til.G0.
From San Francisco he took the hrst steamer
| to Yokohama, and reached there with % cents In
his pocket. Here he met Minister DeLong, who
with tho authorities. The fare to Yeddo was
37 cents, Just l2Is cents more than he could COM
at Yokohama, who was an American, he Dor.
rowed tS and went TO Scddo. There, through a
member OF the American Legation, he obtained
an interview with the NJ mister of Foreign Affairs,
| but received little encouragement. Two weeks
| passed and his money was nearly gone. Return.
Psei6c Mail Company explained the object Of
| his visit TO Japan, dllnted on tho benefits ot o
postal treaty 10 the Pacific line, and borrowed
Rich in the possession Of so large q sum, he re
turned once more TO leddo and opened eommuni
cation with the authorities, and soon began 70
thrown in his way, both BY Satives and iorelpners
but he steadily gained y s<and, and in the end
! of ceaseless etort the Japanese Government a,
last indorted bis plan, and the imperial edict wal
Issued establishing post once department, with
|
was appointed His Imperial Maiesty's special
commissioner to negotiate q postal treaty with
! the United States, Great Britain, France and
| Germany, and his salary hxed at six Thousand
Mexican dollars per annum, with an alo anee o
1870 month for travelling expenses, railroad far,
| and like expenses being extra. Ills Majesty nj
lowed him Ss00 TO compensate Him Tor theiciiy /,
which he had been suhlected, and 800 for passage
money by steamer to the United States. SoOl
| after his arrival In this country he negotiated
favorable treaty with our Government and abou
two weeks ago he sailed for Hayre. From Hayr,
he goes TO Paris, and, amer negotiating a treatj
with France, he visits Berlin and London. III
| expects to accomplish his mission md return Il
| tho United States by next July. when he come
back he will have the dies for the Japanes
stamps engraved, and purchase large quantit!
of bags and bagging, and other material needed
in the mall service. He has an assistant al $50
| a year, and two clerks at %, 700 each, to traye
with him. While Mayshlmi lilsaki h nominall!
Postmaster General Of Japan, Bryan Is the rea
head OF the department. II was ut Bryans sug
gestion that Mayshinll Hlsaki was raised from n
| Inferior clerkship In the Finance Department 4
the position he now occupies, and the gratefu
chief 10 the young American's most 1eyote
friend.