The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-28

sell recalling again and again for TWO or three
days single sentence. 1t would keep singing in
your ears. like strain nf va "a, aener's music-a
purely meenanicai .ect of encc-..T sn.. ..ar-
...eSy. iar. -,detone was more of an American
~ au"N - Englishman as speaker He had
.eep, impressive baritone voice John Bright
perhaps had more power as an orator than Glad
stone"
What impression did John Bright make upon
your"
"Of course, was attracted to Mr. Bright by
the fact that he had been the friend of the
United States during the struggle of my country
Tor existence. lie was very kind and gracious.
| saw Mr. Bright at the Reform Club frequently.
He was club man. Mr. Bright reminded me
good deal of Mr. Stanton. he was the best
friend America had during the war, but he was
always intolerant of the way America received
the ideas which Golden and himself had given
their lives to perpetuate.
"In the House. l think-having heard all the
orators who have graced English public life
during my life in London-he was the greatest,
and | rank him-recallng the speeches have
heard him make-as perhaps the best orator who
speaks the English tongue"
During your experience in Parliament you
probably saw Mr.. Parnell?'
Il have no personal acquaintance with Dir.
Parnell beyond casual conversation. But l.
saw enough Of Mr.. Parne to give me this i'm
preston: have been asked frequently what
was the source of the power which makes Mr..
Parnell practically the King of Ireland It
comes from this He is man of unbounded
courage and self-possession and a fanatic on the
question of Irish Independence Mr. Parnel, IN
the House of Commons, owes his power to one
fact-that he is absolutely courageous He is
more American than English. He is a grandson
of our Commodore Stewart He has but one
thought-to force England to yield to the wishes
of Ireland. In the House of Commons he is the
embodiment of self possession, calmness, will.
He is no orator, but is>thoroughly and absolutely
the imperious controller of the legislation OF his
party, ard the belief of his people in his SINGER
ity and genius gives him his power"
"What of Lord Beaconsfield? You doubtless
knew bim!"
Il had the honor to meet Lord Beaconsfeld
through the introduction of General Grant.
Lord Beaconsfeld thoroughly unique type
of public man, hard to describe Disrae when
In Parliament was not good speaker, from the
American point of oratory. but he had a faculty
of saying contentious things which, in body
like the House OF Commons, would make an i'm
preston. General Grant and Beaconsield were
especially good friends Beaconsfield had been
in favor of the North during the rebellion, al
though. considering his relations to the Con
servatve party, he thought it best to be reserved
in expressing his opinions. General Grant
never forgot the fact. when he met any of these
distinguished men, like Lord Beaeonsfeld, that
the person in whose company he was had been
in favor of the South or the North. Tom
Hughes Chamberlain, the Duke Of Argyll, Will
lam e. Forster, Sir Charles Dixie and others
who sided with the North Grant went out of
his way to be polite to. To some who had taken
a prominent position in favor of the South he
polite but Indifferent
Il suppose you have met the great men in lit
erature in Englandl
81 had the good fortune to know many of the
literary men who have done admirable things.
Dickens l knew we'll. He came to New York in
1868 to give his readings He lived in the same
street. within a few doors of me, and we became
friends and correspondents.
What impression did Dickens make upon
your
Dickens as we all know, was a man of
genius We had many long walks about New
York together He had a wonderful eye. He
had curious way of looking at you, and telling
stories, and talking. as though searching out
your inner consciousness. l remember dining
out with Dickens one night. There very
slight snow the ground as | walked home
with him. When got to the Westminster
Hotel, where he lived, he said he didn't care to
go to bed, and would like to take a walk. So we
started out and walked through Gramercy Park
and on Fourth avenue almost to Harlem. We
talked about Mathew Arnold, Browning Car
lyle. Tom Hood ThacGeray Tennyson. and
others, and he had some amusing story about all
of them with a sting to it. l was chairman of
the committee that took charge of Mr.. Dickens
when he met the Press Club at dinner. We ex-
changed letters while he was travelling, giving
MS readings, and after he returned to England.
and until he died. in 1870.
q
and complete knowledge of his interests, and
there was blending of humor in everything he
did. | should say that Dickens if he had
been in a bank, a railroad company, or in any
business capacity, would have become a com
plete master Of trade. He was decisive, just,
prompt. He had a mind like Steele genuine
n thoroughly just man. The more | knew him
and the more l saw of him, the more found in
him that quality of thorough. straightforward.
honorable manhood that was the basis of his
fame"
did You know Emerson? Your impressions
of him would be interesting"
Emerson [ met when l was a boy in rather
an odd way. l had read Emersons lectures
and they had captured my boyish Imagination,
until felt towards the Concord philosopher as
many young men did-amost worshiping the
transcendental school of Emerson. Thoreau and
Hawthorne. Emerson came to Philadelphia to
lecture. | called upon him at his hotel and sent
up my name, saying on my card that L wished,
one of his admirers, to pay respects. l sat
down in the seats used by the hall boys to wait
and Mr. Emerson came down in few minutes.
lie asked about my years. my position and pur
poses and plans in life, and talked to me about
literature. He showed more than kindly in
terest, and he could not have been more gracious.
He left me with the impression that had dis
covered world through his genius and
kindness. He talked everything out Of me.
Later in life, when l came to know n i'm
through Wendell Phillips, l became his personal
friend I never know kinder or eentler ma
ture. He had strange way OF drawing out of
you what were your inmost thoughts
did you know Gambetta"
II knew Gambetta fairly we'll. | met him
first in 1871. From that time until his death he
was always i'll i'll health. l remember Clemen-
ceau telling me years ago that Gambetta would
never reach the time of life of Theirs He died
at forty-four Theirs, whom saw when he was
President, was an interesting man. He was of
small figure, with great beaming eyes, and full
of conversation and intellect Clemenceau l
have often met and know well. He is the lead
ing Radical IN Paris. My relations with him are
those of intimacy
'Of course. Mr.. Young, in your experience of
men and things, you must often have found
yourself led back TO interesting events in the
worlds history" suggested.
Well" replied the distinguished journalist.
II have always considered three points in my
life as being of very great interest to me- as
showing the connection of our generation with
those gone before. | remember meeting in the