The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-21
KING OF THE LOBBY.
The Life, Character, and Habits or This
Weil.Known American.

WeH.hn0Wn Ameffcuns
The New York Tribune in its sketch OF
Sam Ward, whose death was chronicled
yes terday, saws: SAN Ward. to give him
| the name by which he was universally
known, was born IN this city, bis father
being member OF the banking firm OF
Prin se, Ward & King. One OF his sisters
Is Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. Another, who
first married the sculptor Crawford, Is
now Mrs. Terry. Mr.. F. Marion Craw.
| ford, the novelist, IL her son. Sam Ward
was a pupil OF the late DIR. Joseph G..
| CogswelI and George Bancroft at the
| Hound Hill School, Northampton, Massa-
chusetts. Afterward he entered Column
bia College, where he was graduated
| In 1881, and then he spent five years In
Europe, STUDYING in Germany and else
where, and laying the foundation OF that
genteel scholarship and cultivated literary
| taste Of which he made such effective use
| in later life in WAYS which his instructors
probably never dreamed OF. He was still
| in the prime OF youth when he returned
| home, entered his fathers clearinghouse.
and married the daughter OF William B.
Astor. His wife died, the banking firm
failed, and in 1s49 young Ward exchanged
the life OF New York man OF fashion for
that OF one OF the Argonauts OF California.
Many remarkable stories are told Of his
adventures on the Pacific slope, the for
| tunes that he made aud lost, the Indian
| friendships which he cemented with cere
monies OF adoption. He spent some time in
Mexico. He was secretary OF Paraguayan
claim commission. He went to Nicaragua
| in connection with one Of the transit pro-
| jects; he returned TO New York and at
tempted n little business in Wall street.
These various ventures had not much i'm
mediate result, but they were part OF the
training for Sam Wards true career. He
had genius for making the most OF eXpe-
riences, and the failures of his youth be-
came the preparation for that profitable old
age IN which he fascinated all classes OF men
and women by the vast range Of his in
formation, and made his existence COM
Portable by boundless capacity for DIVERSE
fed conversation. He was understood to
have performed famous exploit when he
married for his second wife the beautiful
daughter OF John +. Grymes-a lady who
remained a queen OF fashion to the very
end OF her life.
"The King OF the Lobby" was desig-
nation OF which Sam Ward was truly
proud. 1t has often been said OF him that
he never resorted TO vulgar bribery; he
excelled rather in composing the enmites
and ccmentlng the rickety friendships
which play so large part in political
affairs, and he tempted men not with the
purse, but with banquets, graced by viva
cious company and the conversation OF
wits and people OF the world. Just how
Sam Ward did manage the affairs in which
he was retained will OF course never be
known, and nobody can say what his
standard OF virtue may have been; but he
found the business OF lobbying profitable
enough to maintain princely style Of
entertainment; and as his short figure
rIpened into rotundity the record OF
well-fed life became written in every
feature. That is equivalent to saying that
he never was gross. Sam Ward always
dined discreetly. A marked natural taste
for the finer arts Of the table he had cult
waited by the amplest opportunities and the
most CONSCIENTIOUS study until in all that
belonged to the aesthetics Of the kitchen
and the dining.room he became one OF the
highest OF living authorities. 10 over
feed q guest would have been in his ewes a
crime quite as black and much more dis
gushing than serving a scorched canvas
back or drinking Yquem with the soup.
Nobody ever brought away an i, digestion
from his table. The generous but dainty
feasts by which he promoted intrgues and
pushed claims upon the treasury left IN The
memory Of the participant only the haunting
aroma OF unparalleled dishes, and the echoes
of the best table.talk to be heard in the
United States. Sam Ward had travelled
all over Europe and America, and learned
Al nf oil tbn host
cooks OF both hemispheres, and the gossip
OF all the best society. He had all the
learning OF the culinary profession at his
tongues end and when he wished to pre-
pare a surprise for a connoisseur he could
stand over the range and direct the whole
process. But the great art OF his dinners
and breakfasts was, first. the selection OF
the company, and, secondly, the exquisite
tact and bonhOmie with which he fused
heterogeneous elements, and sent every
one away pleased alike with his host, his
companions, and CHIEF Of all, with him
self.
We have already spoken OF his scholar
ship. lie was an accomplished linguist,
strong in the classics; he knew and loved
books; he had a happy faculty of quota
ton; he could turn pretty compliment
in an elegant copy OF verses; he once pub
lished volume Of poems, which ut least
showed taste and fancy; he WAS perfectly
at home in literary society; he had at least
as much acquaintance with science as SUI
feed for an introduction to scientific men.
He was stout and ruddy, with scanty gray
hair cropped close, heavy white nous
tache, firm, erect figure, a military tread.
His appearance was that OF an old French
marshal. His manners had the indefina-
BILE grace of a school which we are fast out
growing. To men he was delightfully."- cor
dial and courteous without oppressive for
mality; to women he was model OF adj
miring Difference. What 4 puzzle, IN
short, was this universal fayorite, whom
the sternest moralist could not find it in
his heart to dislike. and the bOldest lobby
agent could yet call his comrade; who
lived by arts which nobody can respect,
and adorned a questionable life with so
much good breeding! 1t is pleasant at ali
events to reflect that his last years were
spent in the exercise only OF his most en-
gaging qualities, and that after abdlcating
the functions Of King OF the Lobby he
was spared to show the world for awhile
his better side as an accomplished and
kind-hearted gentleman.
CYRUS II. McC0RMICK'S MILLIONS.
NM. ..,, y,Iued nj $40 500 OOO-The Pro-