The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-11-14
MEN OF THE HOUR.
gnunUeI ward.

Kings aud Emperors do not often willingly
resign their powers. Queens and Expresses
do 80 still more seldom. Tho Gar Alexan-
der II has not yot abdicated, all the dyna-
mite and Nihilst pressure notwithstand
ing. Ex-Queen Isabella abdicated only
when driven out of her country and assured
that her son would he given fair chance to
become king some day. Ex-Ring Sam
Ward is far above them in this respect. lie
chcerfully abdicated his lobby power two
years ago and retired into what was supposed
to bo private life. To-day, however, he IS
one OF the leading spirits of Wall street and
as much of public character as hc has ever
been before.
Uncle Sam, as Mr.. Samuel Ward Is called,
is unquestionably one of the best educated
men in the United States. lie speaks sew
eral languages fluently and is an excellent
classical scholar. He is supposed to know
Horace by heart. In any case, he has dia-
mond edition Of the immortal poems con-
stantly in his pocket and seems to lie able to
read them without spectacles or eyeglasses,
Notwithstanding the sixty-six years he car
ries on his shoulders. IIc was born in Jan
uary, 1914, and received his first tuition at
the Round Hill School, Northampton, Mass.
The late Joseph q. Cogswell and the venera-
BILE historian, George Bancroft, were his
first teachers. lie entered Columbia Col
lege in 1929 and graduated In 1881, having
skipped year and half Of the collegiate
course. lie studied In Europe from 1882 to
1886, and returned TO this country at the
| tender age of twenty-five TO enter the Wall
street pandemonium. About thirteen years
later he started for California rs an l849
pioneer. In 1854 no visited Mexico, and in
1858 was appointed secretary Of the commits
sion TO Paraguay to settle the claims against
Paraguay of certain Rhode Island colonists
who had formed n company TO erpioifer the
resources Of that, at the time, unknown
country. Four years later he was sent TO
Nicaragua 10 secure the renewal of tho transit
across the Isthmus, subsequently rendered
useless by the blocking up of the harbor of
Greytown Ivy sand. Upon his return to the
United States he took up his residence in
Washington, and entered upon what Tallcy-
rand called 7" the best kind of diplomacy -
the reconciliation of hostile political factions
by means of dinners and other social enter
tainments. The success he achieved here il
| a matter Of history. His first definite object
in coming to Washington was to help the
passage Of MacCullough's contraction bill,
for which work he got $4,000 to cover his
dinner expenses, and which he carried ont 70
the general satisfaction of everybody con-
cerned in the scheme. His next task was
the advocacy of a lottery tax, the introduce
ton of which he supported on behalf Of John
Morrissey, who wanted to pay taxes, because
none of his competitors could afford it.
When difficulty presented itself In the
shape of personal quarrels between the lead
ing men Mt Washington, Sam Ward invaria-
bly, appeared as astronomical pacifcator.
When Gen. Garfield and Jim Brooks, on one
hand, and Fernando Wood and Gen. Schenck,
on the other, became sworn enemies, Sam
Ward unk nm InrUa Aiunar NJ
Wclcker's and put the enemies side by side.
Before the dinner was half over they were
friends again. His great strength was in
his being the incarnation of European luxury.
To-day, as twenty-five years ago, he barely
eats anything when he gives dinner, and
he prides himself that he never has used
blue pill in his life, On days Of great banquets
he partakes of n mutton chop and glass of
Burgundy, and when the hour of the ban
quet arrives he merely attends to the wants
of the guests. But, when disengaged and
left to his own whms, he is still capable, at
the age of sixty-six, of clearing big dish of
trufles en- serpiette. with quart battle of
champagne to wash II down, and then go to
bed and pass night Of the repose of the
blessed.
Mr.. Ward now loads the life of rich, in
tellectual bachelor. When his speculative
work in Wall street is over he buries him
self in his library in Clinton Place or spends
the evening with party of intimate friends
at the Brevoort House. The only thing that
can change his evening programme is the
arrival in New York of one of his ten grand
children.
lie has been married twice. His first wife
was Miss AstOr, who died after less than
three years. married life. His second wife
was Miss Medora Grymes, daughter of John
R. Grymes, the distinguished lawyer, and
Suzette, the widow of the first GoSernor Of
Louisiana, w. C. Claiborne.
Mr.. Sam Ward has had in his ups and
downs of his matrimonial life rs many vicis-
situdes rs in his business life. {" Ii had TO
draw my own horoscope" said he one day,
81 would probably take an illustration from
the life of nemocritns. He, too, ran through
several large fortunes and was at one time
disregarded by his fellow-citizens, because
his money was wasted in travels and extrav-
agance. According to the law of Abdera, he
lost his right to be received into the family
vault because he had nothing left of his in
heritance. But subsequently, hp prodgced
his work, 'Diakosmos," for which the citi-
Gems of his native city presented him with
500 talents. He died at the age Of one hun
dred, and had q statue erected to him for
high learning and general virtne.'''
" hHoVt Itlo Apo ulicie BAN WTote 10
| friend of his:
:" l am prouder of the part took In de.
feating the Impeachment of Andrew John
son than any of my ground and lofty tumb-
ling 1t was on Westinghouse birthday,
1868, when the Democrats met at Welcker's
to appoint time and place for the Presi-
dental Convention, viz: July a, 1868. And
| learned that, after Stanton, owing to the
weakness of Gen. Thomas, had retained
possession of the War Department, IL was
resolved by Sumner, Hooper, James +. Will
son, of Iowa, and tho leading Republicans
to impeach the President in three days and
try him in four weeks. It was who first
carried tho tidings to Secretary MoCullooll
and took from him card to the President
whom did not know. lie was entertaining
tho Corps Dipiomatique at dinner, 50 ! had az
hour to spare, which spent in seeing Chief
Justice Chase, to whom the news was sur
prise. II was also one to the President
when found him at 10 O'Clock. told hin
to secure the most eminent counsel, hal
Democrats and half Republicans. He tool
Curtis and Evarts and Nelson and Groesbeck
What killed the impeachment II IL not fol
me to say here. But it is due to the lat,
Senator Grimes, of Iowa, TO state that he wa,
the hero of the occasion. There were hun
dreds of thousands betted upon the issue ani
the biters, deceived by Gen. Buffers assur
ances, were heavily bitten. All this is mat
ter of history. But am prouder of having
counterninded that vile intrigue 10 max,
Bon Wade President, whh a Cabinet that Gen
Grant was asked to name, than Of any othel
event of my life. contributed my stoutes
efforts, and we won and saved the oOnntr,
from being Mexioanized."
Mr.. Wards fame for nrbanity, good fellow
ship, social accomplishments, and solid cul
ture are AZ well known in this country as IL
the Old World, and there is probably N
other man on this continent who can equa
him in the tact of combining business will
pleasure and genuine scholarship. Tn
modesty of Uncle Sam is 10 great that IL
refused to sit for his portrait, and does no
appear to possess even photograph of him
self.-Ihe HoW.