Weekly Phoenix herald., 1885-03-19
President Cieve1and's Private
 Secretary-Col. Lamont.
WAsH1NeToN. March 8, 1885.

WAsH1NeToN, March 8, 1885.
 ED. HERALD TO day I give you
 touch of one of the leading charec
 ters which the new administration
 has brought to Washington.
 To observe Col. Lamont in the
 Executive Mansion busily scribling
 at his desk, one would imagine that
 he was merely devoted and indus
 trious clerk. Actually he has been
 one of the influences that has shaped Democratic politics in New York
 for ten years, and to no one more
 than to him is Governor Cleveland
 indebted for those opportunities,
 the successful improvement of which 1 has made him President.
 Mir. Lamont was born in Cortland | county, New York, about 1850, and
 his early youth was devoted to those
 bucolic pursuits in which, according to Horace Greeley, most of our pubs
 lie men have found the strength to carry them through the labors of
 political life. He began climbing
 the ladder of Knowledge at the
 McGranville public school, ard h due season entered Union college.
 During the earlier years of his college course he formed the idea of ent ering politics, and accordingly
 paid a visit to Governor Hoffman The latter was impressed by his clear political conceptions, and the same year found him installed as clerk ID the Assembly. It was in this position that he first fell under the notice of Samuel Tilden, then member of the lower house. Nr. Tilden had remarkable aptitude in judging the capabilities of young men, and forthwith attached the young man to the machine which he was then engaged in constructing. MT. Lamont was enrolled as one of the clerks In the New York Demos CIdblC '7tdtO OOnlhlliOc, anu III 4OtI became a prominent attache of that body. When Mr, Biglow was chosen Secretary of State, the clerkship of hls office came to Mr, Lamont al> most as matter of course.
 The Tilden star was then in the ascendant, and in the presidential campaign of 1876 MT. Lamont be- came the factotum and one of the most trusted of Tilden's supporters At this period he acqui red that minute knowledge of the personnel of the Democratic party in New York for which he is noted and | which has never been possessed ill the same measure by any other man. For four years he was Secretary of ] the State Committee, increasing in popularity and innuenee with each i year. Tn 1878 the Albany Argus needed a managing editor and MT. Lamont was at once offered that posi- Iion, which he accepted. As res porter in the legislature, telegraph and news and editorial writer he was through ready tact, un> tagging industry and as thorough B knowledge of the worth of facts md ideas as he had already shown ,f men. While CD the Argus, ln which he soon acquired proprie> ory interest, which he stIll retains, Ie was the regular representative of he Albany press at the meetings of be Associated Press
 The story of the nomination and lection of 1882 is familiar to all uffice it to say that in both MT. La lont was potent factor, and when Governor Cleveland went to Albany, lmost wholly unacquainted with he public men of the State, he sens ibly determined to supply his own eficlency by the appointment of Mir lamont as private secretary and military secretary, with the orna> 1ental rank of Colonel. He carries O sword and is averse to the noise nd bloodshed of war. In political Lrife only is he Q gladiator. Dur DE his administration Governor Cleveland has put the greatest reli> nee upon his secretary, and in 8 lrge measure each has perceptibly rown by contact with the other.