New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-11

numerous friends stating the fact that he expecteda
| large number of young people and asking employ
ment for them. When the vessel reached the harbor
of NewYork, places had been found for almost every
one of the new emigrants.
! After the Franco-German war Mr. Stewart char
tered a steamer and dispatched her to Havre with
$500 barrels of -four for the relief Of sufferers in
manufacturing districts. One of the Paris newspa-
pers in commenting upon this gift at the time said:
:" 1t is from republic that such examples OF gen.
crosby and true grandeur come to us. Can we show
ourselves worthy of the sympathy of people repre-
sented by such menp
When Chicago was desolated by fire in 1871, Mr..
Stewart gave $50 900 for the relief OF the sufferers
princely charity was his proposed home for WORK
ing women on Fourth-ave which is still unfinished.
The building has cost s. 900. The main object
was to furnish a building wherein lodging, food and
warmth could be furnished at the lowest possible
rates. Each working girl was to pay hxed rate
for lodging the bcnevOlence OF the plan consisting
in the fact that every one would secure more co"-
fort than in a common hotel for less money than
squalld lodging in tenementhouse. Although MI
Stewart not considered generous to local chari-
| ties, he gave in his own way. He had Scotchmans
hatred for professional beggars.
| The public events in Mr. Stewards life have been
| few in number. In 1867 he went to the Paris Tx
| hibtion as United States Commissioner. This was
the only public Office which he ever held. lie was
President Grants first nominee for Secretary OF the
Treasury. A few days previous to the Inauguration
of the President, Mr.. Stewart and his family, ac-
companied by Judge Henry Hilton and Gen.
| Daniel Butterield visited Washington and occu-
pied apartments in the Ebbitt House. private en-
trance on Fourecnth-st near Newspaper-row beng
arranged for his personal convenience it was
understood at the time that only the OBJ
| nod hv
| his confirmation by the Senate. Latc in the
afternoon of the day on which the nominations ere
| sent in n rumor got abroad that there was law.
understood to have been really written by Al, an
der Hamilton while Secretary of the Treasury, FRO
hbting an importer in active business from holding
| the position Of Secretary Of the Treasury news
paper correspondent obtained the law bearing on
the case and carried it to Gen Butcrheld, who con-
veyed it to Mr.. Stewart and his legal adviser Judge
| Henry Hilton, who was then with HIM at Washing
ton. They Immediately consulted ChiefJusiice
| Chase, and he confirmed the view which had been
taken of the law by those who first brought to Mr.
Stewards attention 1t was understood at the time in
Washington that Mr. Stewart proposed to retire from
business nd devote the entire profits that might
accrue daring the time that he should hold the Office
of Secretary of the Treasury to any charitable OBJ
! ect which might be named. Bat tins was decided
| TO be means which would not be proper either lor
him Ia carry out or for the Government to accept.
| Immediately after seeing Chief-Justice Chase MIR.
Stewart and Judge Hilton drove to the White
House and laid the facts and the opinions before the
| President who on the next day wrote message Ia
the Senate asking that the law of 17ss be set ASIDE
SO as to enable the candidate to hold the Office lhis
| the Senate declined 70 do. 1t was a very natural
! ambition for a man of Mr.. Stewarts tastes and
training desire to be at the head of the Treasury
and il is not unlikely that the disappointment was
! very severe one.
Mr. Stewart had been n strong and active advo-
cate of tho election of Gen Grant to the Presidency
and had been one of the large contributors to the
present of 800 900 made him by the merchants OF
| New-York as an acknowledgment of his services
during the war. II his favorite political theory
that public affairs should he rescued from the hands
OF professional politicians and intrustcd to those
who would do public business the same principles
upon which private business is DONE lie has been
an outspokcn opponent of municipal corruption. Tie
fought the Broadway Railroad project year after
vcor and its ultimate defeat was due mainly IL his
efforts.
Al the outbreak of the Civil War NJ. Stewart
wrote the following letter to one of his Southern
| customers:
DEAR SIR: Your letter requesting to know whether or
net bad offered million OF dollars To inc Doveriet
for the purposea Of the and at the same time ~
forming tina. neither yourself no you iflees Mo',.u
nav Their debts the Fn they matnred has been re-
ccived. The intention not 10 pay ems 10 De un,e,sa
N the south ags n ~ SS't e'Sg t whatever may
he your determination or tna OF Others AT tue SOUTH,
ahail not change my course. Al That nave OF post
lion and wealth owe the free institutions of The United
states uacr which, in coinncn with All others Norln
and SOUTH protection to life, liberty and property nave
Incn enayed m The fullest manner The Government TO
which these blessings are due calls on her CITIZENS 10
protect The Capital Union from threate ned assault
and although The offer to which you refer has not IN
terms been made by me- yet ded cate all that have.
and will need. my fc, To the ser'ie OF the country
for TO that country bound by the strongest ties OF
affection and duty. had hoped that Tennessee would
bc loyal TO the Constitution. But however exieisye
10 uphold the sovereignty OF the United states, shall be
| with them supporting the flag. Yours, &c,
Ner YORK., April 20, 1861. ALEXANDER l. srL"Akr'
As city real-estate holder Mr.. Stewart was, next
TO Mr. Astor, the largest on Manhattan Island, and
good share of his property was productive. One OF
! his largest purchases the Metropolitan Hotel
property 10 1853 for which he paid $53O00O. He
also owned the Grand Union Hotel at Saratoga. One
of his greatest enterprises the purchase of Hemp
stead Plains Long Island and their conversion into
thriving farming lands On the western end of the es-
tate he founded thriving town and brought his lands
within reach Of Ncw-York by means of the Central
Railroad Of Long Island. lie has recently been con-
structing several factories at Glenham, Fshki,
| NY His intention was TO manufacture carpets and
other fabrics which are now imported and he ex-
| pectcd to bring skilled artisans from Europe and TO
| build homes for them near the mills.
His ideas of architecture were peculiar Iron was
his fayorte material and he used plenty of glass. His
aim was TO adapt the structure to all its purposes,
| and TO secure the comfort of all within. When he
| built a house for another-as his marble palace in
Fifth-aye which he playfully called n little atten-
ton to Mrs. Stewart vt was n different matter lie
built that he used TO say, merely to please her. his
il the costlest private residence in America and his