The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-26
The Varying Fortunes OF Friar Tuck

When the greatest living American
lived in the White House, there was accus-
toned TO meet around his mahogany n very
convivial band Of 1 'eebooters Boss SHEP-
HERD, Measurer BABCoCK, the bland and
bearded BELKNAP, SECoR Robson, with
his scarlet nose and great capacity for old
Madeira. were habtually Of the party, while
one or the other Of the Dents uscd TO creep
up from the basement to listen to the talk
OF the "old man" and his distinguished
friends and to enjoy the contents of the black
bottle that went round and round at these
famous revels. The jolly Friar Tuck of the
company was a Methodist parson named
NEWMAN, a Doctor OF Divinity, and at that
time pastor Of the church where GRANT sat
In state once a Sunday and snoozed away
the hour between text and doXology.
This convivial clergyman was great IA
vorte at the White House during the hal
cyon days OF Grantism and unlimited whis-
key. The late President and his boon COM
panions were not over partial to the profess
sion which the Rev. DR.. NEWMAN adorns, but
they used to declare with emphatic adjec-
tivcs that out OF the pulpit nobody would
ever take NEWMAN for parson. He never
obtrudcd observations Of theological char
actcr when guest at the Executive Man
sion. He knew how TO tell a fair story him
self, and how 10 laugh heartily over a poor
one told by somebody else His ears were
discrcetly avertcd and his eyes wandered to
the ceiling whenever the conversation be-
came broad, and he showed strong head
even when the air was blue with the fumes
Of alcohol and tobacco In short, the Rev.
DR.. NEWMAN displayed so liberal and ac-
commoduting a spirit that he early won the
esteem of the Kitchen Cabinet and was freely
admitted to its most important sessions.
When Parson NEWMAN manifested de-
sire to go abroad for relaxation his infu-
entail friends stood him in good stead
GRANT appointed him Inspector Of Ameri-
can COnsulates at a salary OF $1,000 and
travelling expenses, and he was allowed Il
private secretary with salary Of 81 800
and travelling expenscs-this latter Office
being satisfactorily filled by the appoint
ment of Mrs. NEWMAN. There is no record
that the Inspector Of American Consulatcs
ever inspected any consulates. He went all
the way around the world at the expense Of
the United States Treasury, explored the
Garden OF Eden, visited the lions den into
which DANIEL was cast by order Of DARIUS.
saw many surprising things in Mesopo-
tamia, had good time, and came home in
robust health and much richer in pocket
than when he started. On his return he
won still another title to the respect and
confidence of the Administration by invent
Ing a new drink for winter use NEW
MANS hot Scotch speedily became popular
in Washington barrooms, and it will proba-
bly, carry the good mans name down
through posterity, long after his sermons
and political services as Chaplain Of the
Senate are forgotten.
Near the end OF GRANTS second term the
Rev. DR.. NEWMAN was at tho high water
mark OF earthly prosperity. Sleek, wcll
fed we'll off, the pastor OF wealthy and
fashionable flock Of lambs, Il welcome guest
at the White House, on intimate terms with
the people in power, he had scarcely any
thing more TO ask of Providence than that
the existing state OF affairs should be in
definitely continued OF course DR.. NEW
MAN was an ardent champion OF the third
term. He was one of tho first to discover
that tho insidious aggressions OF papacy
threatened the FREQ school system Of the
United States, and that the only man capa-
BILE Of consolidating the forces that must
battle for religious freedom was the Chris
tinn statesman and soldier. ULYSSES SNIP
SON GRANT. DR., NEWMAN prompted GRANTS
celebrated speech at Dos Moines, in which
the note Of defiance TO tho Vatican was
sounded with clarion clearness.
In the downfall OF tho whiskey dynasty
this clergyman and inventor became in
volved. For II time after HAYES had been
counted in, DR. NEWMAN lived in tho hope
that his peculiar relations with the Admin
istratlon might be pcrpctuated under tho
new dspensation of Fraud. Mr.. HAYES
was Methodist and was extensively adj
vertlsed as pious, church-going man.
When he arrived in Washington polite
note from tho Metropolitan Methodist
Church placed at his disposal tho Pres-
dents pew in that house OF worship. But
Dr. NEwMANs cherished hope soon vanished.
Mr.. HAYES took pew In the other Mctho.
dist establishment. 1t is openly charged by
! the friends OF the slighted parson that this