Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-16
John Russell Young Writes Of the
FwoNotable Figures That Passed
Away the Past Week.
GEN. GRANTS VISIT TO SPAIN,
The Ex-President's Republican Ideas That
Made the Minister'S Life Misera-
Bile for q Few Days.
POLITICS OF THE DIPL0MATIST
Career Of the Great Editor Whose Personality Built
Up Great Newspaper
rwnrrrEN FOR THE D1srArcH.y

twRrTTEN FOR THE DIsrNroH.y
Much has been written, much remains to
be written, of James Russell Lowell. The
estimate of the man and his character to
which I look forward with the most pleas
ure will be that of George W. Smalley. Mr..
Smalley, more than any American, had the
opportunity of studying the poet and
diplomatist in his later years. Mr.. Lowells
latest work was inscribed to that distin-
guished journalist. 1t was my privilege to
know Mr.. Lowell, and at one time to see
much of him under circumstances that gave
me an insight into high and original char
acter. And now, as the shadows have fallen,
let us gather together some memories of the
man as 1 saw him.
had hardly more than an acquaintance
ship with Lowell until we met in Spain.
He was Minister to that country when Gen.
eral Grant visited Madrid. There was moth
ing of the anxiety which Bayard Taylor had
shown when Grant was coming to Berlin, as
Lowell had no Tribune responsibilities to
explain. At the same time his interest In
Mr.. Sumner, the resentment he showed at
Relations Committee, had. far removed him
from political sympathy with the General.
GRANT WAS AFRAID OF LOWELL.
1 have an impression that Grant OWNED
the feeling, because when he received in
Bordeaux a most cordial letter from Mr..
Lowell to be his personal guest at Madrid,
it embarrassed him. 'T feel" he said,
with smile, ''as if were rather afraid of
d. ,o&a &c
as reason his party was larger than he
could expect to take to private house, and
he would remain at the hotel, glad of some
reason that would deprive his refusal of
semblance of discourtesy. When we ar
rived at Madrid in the early morning Mr..
Lowell was at the depot to receive the Gen
eral Nothing could have surpassed his at
tentions and courtesies during the stay. L
know that General Grant formed high
opinion of Lowell, as under circumstances
somewhat similar he had formed of Bayard
Taylor. These were of the type of men,
who had only to know one an
other to be friends.
When met Lowell he was coming upon
his Goth year-in the ripeness of his time
and fame. He had an easy, nimble, New
England way with him, rather slouchy than
with singularly fine face, eyes
that seemed to have their moods-gray
blended with blue; countenance that in
youth might have been extremely beautiful
A woMAN's NOVEL DESCRIPTION,
"hfight have been a model for the &C.
cepted portraits of Christ when the hair
was chestnut and long" This was the criti-
cism of gifted woman who knew and ad-
mired Lowell With the Bohemian touch
in him, the slight ignoring of the extreme
which only the most con-
ventional men-dukes, admirals and opera
afford, and generally in a
cloud of tobacco, it was impossible to be
long in his society without receiving the
that he was man of genius,
with the waywsrdness, the caprice Of genius,
disposed to dogmatize, to criticise at times;
his mind ever rejecting and refining; appa-
rently in state of evolution, until you felt
about it as when the dove had flown from
that it had some place where
it could rest its feet
Out of mood of caprice Lowell would
blaze into radiant humors, become
Is attractive as the sunshine on a waterfall,
the wittiest, the most serene, the most
genial of men. I have seen him when he
any man 1 have ever known in
exquisite courtesy and appreciation. 1 have
seen him when the clouds of indifference
and contradiction rolled him into night. +
saw him beaming with joy and honor, and
likewise when sorrow came heavily upon
him. Out of this contrast came the love
attained for Lowell, and much of the tender
reverence in which 1 shall ever hold his
name.
RIGHT HAND CORNER OF A CARRIAGE.
He was alive to the amenities and oere-
monies of the Madrid circle in which he
moved, the most aristocratic in the world.
The science of etiquette he had mastered
ike votary. He knew the right thing
always to do, not what he should do him
elf, but what people expected of him. Once
le was troubled about riding in the car
.iage with Grant. 81 cannot" he said,
give the General the right hand corner,
because that belongs to me as Minister, and
could never explain to the people here
Why surrendered it even to an ex-Presi-
lent" 1 relieved him. so far as Grant was
concerned, by the remark that the General
would not notice what seat was assigned
lin, and if he did would be instant to
that Minister, even in 80 small
matter, should not forget what was due to
lis place.
This is trife, flicker as it were, but it |
hrew so much light upon what to me at |
east were the picturesque qualities of |
u.
business of aristocracy have long been re-
luced to the formula, that I am rejoiced |
'ver the blessed heritage that has fallen to |
ne as Republican, and at the same time |
ather sorry that I was not born q duke, |
he aristocratic touch in Lowell was q |
harm. Moreover, it was, with his bl ood |
hat insensible something which belongs to |
lood and race, which we repudiste and at |
he same time believe, which has no more |
xpress popular acceptance than the fact |
hat out of the 19 gentlemen who have been |
lected from the many millions to the |
Presidency four came from two families, |
Iowen embodied
GRANTS MEETING WITH CASTELAR,.
General Grant had taken a special interest
D the Republican movement in Spain, with
special admiration for CASTELAR,. The bril-
liant Span;ard had been for time President
f the young Republic, had shown special
interest in the United States, and notably in
ne or two speeches an extraordinary knowl-
dge of the country. The hope of meeting
jastelar had largely drawn Grant to Spain.
hey met at Hendaye, the frontier town be-
ween France and Spain, and journeyed on
he same train as far as Vittoria, where the .
ieneral remained as the guest of the king
o witness some maneuvers, while CASTELAR,
rent on to the capital When General
rant reached Madrid, one of his first visits
7as to CASTELAR,, then living, as remember,
D a modest apartment near the Bull Ring.
The visit was an object of some commenl
n Madrid. In the first place an ex-Presi-
ent, having in the social courtesies to
-hich his former place entitled him re-
eiyed semi-royal attentions, made first
ais on no one but ambassadors and princes
the blood. There were many of the
sc ~ |