New-York tribune., 1876-10-11
A "REMINISCENCES or JOHN F. CLEVE-
LAND.
To IN, Editor Of The Tribune.


to write except professionally, but the business of
journalism makes warm friendships among those
who for so many days and nights have worked to-
gether There is a hackneyed obituary phrase,
DIED universally regretted" which may mean
nothing or may mean great deal we may say
safely of John f. Cleveland that he leaves the world
regretted by all who knew him. He had genius
for making those who knew him best love him, and
those who knew him at all still like him. There
was a something infinitely winning in his manner,
as if upon all occasions he were just upon the point
of taking you into his confidence, and OF trusting
Won with the inmo,t secret Of his heart Tired of
such toll as falls to the lot of few men, very ILL., yet
still sticking to his daily work, he would
look mp from the drudgery OF his desk, always with
the same pleasant smile ready always for jest or
for serious talk 1t may be an ungraciOus effort of
the memory to try to rememember Mr. Cleveland for
a moment ill-natured or impatient; but the effort,
if made. will be a failure. The equanimity OF hls
Temperament was proof against sickness, WEAKNESS,
impertinerce and interruption. He compelled those
about him to be good natured, and even merry ny
a certain magnetism all the more potent because IL
never made him bOsterOus or intrusive 1t Is pleas
ant to remember that in these last days he seemed
olvays specially graifed to meet the friends OF the
old times and to talk over the history of the news
paper with which he had been so long connected.
Mr. Cleveland was nearly the last of those who
contributed to make THE TRIBUNE distinguished
journal long before it was an old one 1t was MS
fortune TO survive many of those with whom he had
been associated in his profession and especially his
distinguished knsman who the founder and
first editor of tins newspaper. lie must have felt
sometimes that the office was much changed Tor
tbonqh all the faces which were about him were
friendly they were not the faces which for so many
wears he had been accustomed to look upon. Nhen
bo met one who remembered as he did and shared
with him pleasant memories and fond regrets, ne
was full of anecdote and recolections and charac-
teristic illusions TO the old staff OF IRE TRIBUNE
There was not mOrsel OF malice IN MS
nature and So if il were just now decorouS,
many a humorous story might be repeated
which fell from his lips. Then he would talk OF HI
dreth of Snow of Gurowski, of Fry, and of so many
Others never forgetting to say something ol eaeh
which il was kind IN him TO remember ana credita-
lle 70 their memory to recount. He had also in his
time known a great many distinguished Pubic
characters and of them he also talked pleasantly
and iustly. MANY of them were amiabe and honor
able-none of them more amiable or more honorable
than himself.
II is curious and possibly little dishcartening o
think how terribly journalist may toll, and yet
leave behind him hardly any monument to ms
fidelity and industry. If Mr.. Cleveland had gwen
to any other profession the diligence and PAINS
taking which he bestowed upon statistics ana upon
topics not less important on account OF ihef tempo
rary interest he might have been much more MS
tnguished though not perhaps more uNeinl man.
But in his case, i'll so many others journalism
which asks so much devotion and gives So little en-
during fame, was fortunately lis own reward Like
all who succeed IN it, he fond of II, apart from
considerations of its pecuniary remuneration. lie
had a natural love of good work lie llked 10 go u
himself but he was especially pleased wheheNrrlt
was done by any of his ricnds for IN such case he
was always the first and the warincst in his con-
gratulatons He was not "A man oi literary preI'h-
sons but his literary taste, like that of Mr. Greeley.
was first rate. This with their calling was what
brought both of them from the country To- New
York and led both to engage in journalism. OF
mere literary pretcntion, MIR. Cleveland had not
particle but YOU could not talk 10 him long without
discovering that he had read great deal and remem-
bered what he had read. lie was a pcrsplcuons and
correct writer, and there was no department ol a
newspaper to which he could not, If called upon,
render welcome and efficient assistance.
If TO have been assduOus in his discharge of duty
doing well whatever his hands may have found t.
do, entities a man to honorable mention at ms
death and TO kindly recollection long after It, both
these needs are due TO Mr.. Cleveland. II to have
gone on, making always new friends, AMI never III
all his life an enemy is 10 have lived an honorable
life how honorable was his! He who pays this
tribute to his departed friend knows full well that
if the situation had been reversed, his friend
would have done for him far more giaciously these
last public offices. One by one the com
panions of our better days depart; until
it may happen to any of us, to sit all
alone i, the familiar places lighted no longer by
1.-THE old familiar faces" One understands bettorthat
we are merely soiourners here, as IN their turn our
fellow-travelers take their departure and We know
that they will never come back. Those who think
that journalism necessarily embltters the charac-
ter those who fancy that all men are selfish and
grasping those who suppose that the pursuits OF
literature make ITS vOtares enyOus or conceed, or
egotistical; those who cry ont that friendship Is
only name, should have known our friend and
thus learned the error of their ighobe sentiments
D,t ~