Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-04-20

bring all the NECESSARY skilled work
men from abroad, and he had provi-
ded comfortable homes for all OF them.
The marble house on Fifth avenue,
built by him, is the finest private resi-
dence in America, and il is filled With
pictures and objects Of art correspond
ing in value with the structure. Mr..
was plain man In his person.
al appearance, but was always scrupu-
lously neat in his dress, and to strang-
res he was particularly courteous, al
ways evincing the manners OF refined
and educated gentleman. He married
young, and leaves wife, but no chill
dren, and, it is said, has not a known
relative living to inherit his immense
wealth. He did not often attend pri-
vate entertainments, but gave frequent
dinners to select circles of friends at his
Fifth avenue mansion. There have
been many surmises as to the disposi-
ton which will be made of his immense
wealth, but his plans are entirely un-
known to the public.
PUBLIC LIFE.
From the New York Tribute, April IL.
The public events in Mr.. Stewards
life, have been few in number. In
1867 he went to the Paris exhibition az
United States Commissioner. This
was the only public office which he ev-
er held. He was President Grants
first nominee for Secretary of the
Treasury. A few days previous to the
Inauguration of the President, MIR.
Stewart and his family, accompanied
by Judge Henry Hilton and Gen. Dan
iel Butterfield, visited Washington
and occupied apartments in the Ebbiti
House, a private entrauce on -Four
teenth street, near Newspaper Row,
being arranged for his personal conve'
nience. 1t was understood at the time
that only the objection made by Sena'
tor Sumner prevented his confirmation
| by the Senate. Late in the afternoon
of the day on which the nominations
were sent in, q rumor got abroad thai
there wasa law, understood to have.been
really written by Alexander Hamilton
while Secretary of the Treasury, pro-
hibiting an importer in active business
from holding the position OF Secreta'
ry of the Treasury. A newspaper cor
respondent obtained the law bearing on
the case and carried it Gen. Butter
field, who conveyed it to Mr.. Stewart
and his legal adviser, Judge Henry
Hilton, who was then with him al
Washington. They Immediately con-
suited Chief Justice Chase, and ne con-
firmed the view whiIh had been Ia
ken of the law by those who first
bro't it to Mr.. Stewards attention. II
WA sunderstood at the time in Washing.
ton that Mr.. Stewart proposed to retire
from business and devote the entire
profits that might accrue during the
time that he should hold the Office OF
Secretary of the Treasury to any char
liable object which might be named
But this was decided to be a means
which would not be proper either fol
him to carry out or for the government
to accept. immediately after seeing
Chief Justice Chase, Mr.. Stewart and
Judge Hilton drove to the White
House and laid the fact and the opin'
ions before the President, who on the
next day wrote message to the Sen
ate asking that the law of 1873 be sci
aside so as to enable the candidate tC
hold the Office. This the Senate de
clined to do. 1t was very natural
ambition for a man of Mr.. Stewards
tastes and training to desire TO be al
the head of the Treasury, and it is not
unlikely that the disappointment was
a very severe one.
Mr.. Stewart had been strong and
active advocate of the election of Gen
Grant to the Presidency, and had been
one of the large contributors to the
present of 500, 900 made him by the
merchants of New York as an &C.
knowledgment of his services during
the war. 1t was his favorite political
theory that public affairs should be res.
cued from the hands of professional
politicians and intrusted TO those who
would do public business on the same
principles upon which private business
is done. He has been an outspokeu
opponent of municipal corruption. He
fought the Broadway Railroad project
year after year, and its ultimate defeat
was due mainly to his efforts.