St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-10-08
DR.. CURRY CALLED.
Resort Had to the Ranks of the Baptist
Clergy to Fill the Spanish Min
isterial Berth.
Ez-Minister Fosters Secret Mission Among
the Castilians Pronounced a Sig
nal Failure.
Friends of the Blair Educational Bill
Predict Its speedy Passage
by Congress.
Holm T. Knox on the Warner silver
RiII--Secretary Garland Denies
Sheridan's Request.
The spanish Mission Filled.

T,5,e spanish Mission Filled.
Special TO the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7.-Dr. Jabaz L. NJ.
Curry of Virginia was to-day appointed
minister to Spain, vice Foster resigned.
The appointment creates some surprise,
mainly because the appointment OF clergy
man to political Office is unusual. There
is another rather peculiar thing
about it. Sometime ago the ad-
ministration was impressed with
the idea that the minister to Spain ought to
be rich enough TO be able to spend good
deal more than his salary The theory Of
this was that the Spanish court was poor,
and that minister who had the means Of
cutting a big figure socially would easily
make himself very popular and acquire great
influence over the impecuniouS grandeS,
who are fond Of grand dinners, but who
can't afford to pay for a great many OF
them, and there Eis no other European
capital where we are likelyto have so much
use ror an influential minister as at Madrid.
DR.. Curry is supposed to have some means,
but he is not wealthy, and his career
hardly seems to be one to make a man OF
the world OF a social leader of him. There
is some curiosity to know how Baptist
minister will affiliate with officials of the
most Catholic court in Europe, with the
possible exception of Vienna. 1t has al
ways been believed in certain circles that II
MIR. TILDEN HAD BECOME PRESIDENT
q Baptist minister of Chicago would have
been minister to Berlin, but the Inaugural
ton Of Mr.. Hayes deprived the country OF
the opportunity to test the diplomatic ca
pacity OF the Baptist clergy. DE- curry Is
known to be a man of large and strong
mind. and has been eminent in TWO profess
siOns-the law, before the war, and
the ministry since the war, and his
MANAGEMENT OF the Peabody fund for the
promotion Of education in the South has
given him national repute. Little is known
OF the influences which led to his appoint
ment. but the selection Of a Virsinian for
an important mission was understood to be
decided upon, as soon as Austria followed
the example of Italy in declining to receive
Mr. Kelley. Dr.. Curry is said to have been
Secretary Bayard's personal choice, and it
is reported that, although he has not taken
a conspicuous part in politics, he was intiu-
ential in the campaign last year, and that
in consequence of that the administration
has felt under obligations to him. There
was a Virginia delegation at the
White house to-day, but it
had nothing to do with the
appointment. Dr. Curry was decided on
several days ago, and Virginia delegation
would not have picked him out for the
states candidate for diplomatic hOnOrS.
Native VirginianS do not fully recognize
immigrants and Dr. Curry practiced law in
Georgia and represented an Alabama dis
trict i'll two congresses before the war.
Hon. Jabez L. NJ. Curry, L. L. D., was born
in Lincoln county, Georgia, but removed with
his father to Alabama when thirteen years of
age and grew to mans estate upon
Il cotton plantation. In 1S43 he
graduated at university of Georgia
and in 1915 at the Harvard Law School.
In 1916 he served in the Mexican war with
Hays Texan Rangers. Returning from
Mexico, he was elected for several years a
member of the legislature of Alabama, re-
presenting Talladega county. In this
capacity he advocated internal i'm
provements and, rs he has since done
with signal ability, public education.
In 1855 he fought the Know Nothing party,
carrying his county, which was the battle
ground of the cOntending parties in the state.
by 255 votes. In 1896 he was a presidential
elector on the Buchanan ticket, ard III 1857
and again in 1859 was elected TO
congress, serving through the XXXV.
and the XXXVI. congress. His term
OF service embraced, therefore, the four
years Immediately preceding the war. From
feeling and conviction, he was States-rights.
Calhoun Democrat. in August, 1861, Mr..
Curry was elected Il delegate to the first
permanent congress Of the Confederate
States from the Fourth congressional dis
trict of Alabama. Upon the adjournment
of congress, Mr.. Curry joined the
army of Gen. Joseph f. Johnston and
served in various capacities during that
troubled and disastrous period-for sew
eral months as tolonel OF the Fifth Alabama
cavalry-to the close Of the war, surrender
ing on parole, May l3. 1866. At the close of
the war DR.. Curry entered the ministry as Il
Baptist preacher, though he has never ac-
cepted the pastOrate of any church. In 1863
Dr. Curry was made president of Howard
college, Alabama, and, i'll 1868, was elected
professor of English in Richmond college.
Virginia, which position he still holds.
Though reconstructed, he still regards the
entranchisement of the negroes as the
most fragrant crime ever perpetrated on
any people. In February, 1881, he was ap-
pointed general agent of the Peabody Educa-
tonal fund. and since has devoted his whole
time to the cause of Southern education. He
has addressed every Southern legislature in
the interest of public schools and of normal
schools.
The appointment has local interest from the
fact that the appOintee is the father of Manly
j. Curry of the firm OF McClung, McMurran
& Curry. the real estate dealers. Mr.. Curry
left yesterday for New York to say farewell
to the new minister before he sails.