National Republican., 1888-06-03
ODDS AND ENDS.
Pen Sketches of Persons in Public and
Private Life.

The disinclnation Of Mr.. Thurman to ao-
ccpt the nomination for Vice President on
the ticket with Mr.. Cleveland recalls the
fact that there have not been many men Of
our time who have been averse to receiving
the nomination Of party for the Office Of
President or Vice President. There have
been two politicians who had the iirmness
TO resist the political preferment held out to
them. one was Daniel S. Dickinson, of
New York, and the other Sllas Wright, OF
the same state. When the Democratic con-
vention Of 1874 met in Baltimore IL WAS
supposed. Of course, that Martin Van Buren,
would receive the nomination for President.
BY the adoption of the two.thirds rule
James X. Polk was selected. To placute
the friends of Wm. J.. Marcy, Silas Wright
was nominated for Vice President Mr.
Wright, who was then a senator, thought
that loyalty to Mr. Marcy required him to
decline the honor, and he did SO in one Of
the first, If not the very first, message sent
over the wire from here to Baltimore. Mr.
Wright afterward, at the solicitation Of Mr..
Polk, ran for governor of New York, an |
carried I'm this way the Empire State for The
Tennessee statesman.
The case of Mr.. Dickinson was little
different lie was delegate to the Balti.
charged with the management of the canvass
of Gen. Cass. The convention balloted day
after day, the principal candidates being
tass, Buchanan, and Douglas. Finally
the Virginia delegation presented the name
Of Daniel s. Dickinson as compromise
At once there was o scene of the widest
enthusiasm. Delegates waved the flags of
their respective states and the spectators
Chccred the proposition IN the heartiest
manner, There could have been no doubt
of Mr. DickiusOn's immediate nomna.
tion. Amidst almost brcathless
silence, Mr.. Dickinson, who was n man of
striking appearance, in speech of singular
beauty, declared that he was in the conven.
tiOn as a friend of Gen. Cass, and his
conception Of his duty to that gentleman
would prevent him from acccptingthc nom
nation for even so high an Office as Prcsi-
dent of the United States. On the next bal
lot Virginia rendered the name of Gen.
Franklin Pierce, and he soon after was
nominated. Mr. Dickinson became district
attorney of New York under Mr.. Lincoln,
and died after the close of the war. The
reasons which controlled Mr.. Wright and
Mr. Dickinson do not exist In the case of
Mr. Thurman, and 1t remains to be seen if
he will decline the vice presidential nomi-
nation if rendered him by the st. Louis con-
rention.
@aH
E. KennH, of West Virginia, who was 40
years old last April. That Mr.. Kenna is n
gentleman Of ability all now admit, but he
owed his first political success more to
his genial manners aud the hold that he
had upon a certain portion of the people of
his state than to any recognized 'qualitica-
lions. Born upon farm, Mr. Kenna has
al his life been devoted to outdoor sports.
He is an enthusiastic hunter and fisher
man, and it has been his habit to spend
month or two each year in the mountains of
his state hunting and fishing. In this way
he became well acquainted with the inhab-
itants Of that portion of West Virginia
a people perfectly unsophistlcatcd, not
specially strong in their political afllia-
lions, but hospitable, brave, and true rs steel
10 their friends. To them "John Kenna,"
as he was termed, was not only friend,
hut companion in many an exciting
adventure. When, therefore, Mr.. Kenna
ran for commemorative attorney in 1872
for his county, they rallied to a man to his
support. In the same way they aided him
when lie became a candidate for Congress
in 1873, and materially assisted in securing
his election. Once In Congress Mr.. Kenna
showed his strong points, and became 50
inHuchtIui anu popular 'hut NC was eiccteu
the successor of Mr. Henry q. Davis IN the
Senate in 1888. 1t is safe to say
that none of Mr.. Kenna's friends
have been more gratifcd at the
distinction he has attained than his early
mountaineer supporters, aud 1t is to MI
kcnna's credit that lie does not allow his
professional or political engagements to
prevent him from spending portion of
each summer among them, just as he did in
early mDnhOO1
The British ministers to the United States
for many years have either been bachelors
or widowers. Sir Charles Vaughn, who
was the minister in the days of Andrew
jackson, lived in the old Decatur mansion,
which is now the residence of Gen. Beale.
Sir Charles was beau Of the olden style,
ccremonious and courtly in manner, and
delighting in the society of ladies. lie gave
the most charming breakfasts, to which
he was accustomed to invite the bellies of
that day and to have them chaperoned by
some married lady. His successor was Mr..
Fox, relative of the celebrated Charles
james Fox. Mr.. Fox lived in the house
| which is now St. AIMS infant asylum, on
Pennsylvania avenue, near the Washington
| Circle. lie possessed some of the traits of
| character of his illustrious ancestor. lie
was very fond OF games of chance,
aud as u whist player he could
not he eXcelled. His intlmates were such
men as Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Willie
Buchanan. Hundreds of games Of whist
were played by these distinguished person
| ages with Mr.. Fox, and the amount of
money won and lost would astound some
| of the statesmen Of the present day. Mr..
| Fox was followed by Mr.. Packenham, who
| lived in the Corcoran House. He was a
cautious diplomat, slow Of utterance, and
very mindful of the dignity of his position.
He gave great many splendid dinners and
negotiated some treaties in which the rights
of England were well protected. Lord
Napier was the minister just before the war
commenced. His wife was one of the most
| beautiful women ever seen In Washing
ton society. Al the beginning of the war
| Lord Lyons, bachelor, was sent here.
lie was man of rare gifts. He became the
intimate friend of Mr.. Seward, then Sec
rctary of state. 1t was very much due to
Mr.. Stewards influence with Lord Lyons
that England did not manifest in a more
marked degree its sympathy with the
southern cause. After Lord Lyons came
Sir Frederick Bruce, who had no family:
lie was very close to Mr. Sumner, and died
in Boston of fdiphtheria early in Gen. Grant :
administration. After Sir Frederick we
have had Sir. Edward Thornton and Sir
Lionel Sackyille West both Of whom had
families and who are so well known rs not
to call for any special mention.
| SEA-
So far as their lunches are concerned
there is very wide divergence in the habits
of senators. Senators may witha good deal
Of: propncty be divided into three classes
the fastidlous, the substantial, and the in
different. The most particular senator that
has pNtronized the restaurant for many years
was Mr., George ii. Pendleton, of Ohio, now