The record-union., 1891-03-11
The Minister'S Death Announced
at Washington.
NO CAUSE YET GIVEN FOR HIS SUD-
DEN DEMISE.
Acting Secretary of the Treasury Net
tleton Denies the Report that tho
Government Intends Calling In tho
Deposits Now Held by the National
Banks.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oN.

oPSSitti ~ liie leEttJslp-ONlONs
WASHINGTON, March 10. - Secretary
Blaine tonight received cable message
from Toxic, Japan, announcing the death
of United States Minister John F. Swift.
[John F. Swift was born in Missouri i'll
1879. While he was Il mere lad his parents
removed to Illinois, where the family resided
for eight years. When 8 years of age young
Swift went to St. Louis and learned the trade
OF tlnsmlth. AT 22 fn 1850 he came across
the plains to San Francisco, where he engaged
in the produce business. He prudent,
energetic and ambitious, and prospered.
From early youth he was q reader and stu
dent When he had accumulated some means
through his business. he wisely invested it
law, reading with F. Nj. PiXiey and being adj
mitted to the bar in 1857. He soon built up
a good practice, was successful as an advocate,
and accumulated money, which he used lib
orally to crafty his literary tastes He mar
| ried daughter OF Colonel w. G.. Wood, who
was for many years Clerk of the Supreme
Court OF this State. His writings, his vigor-
Gus expression, his bold position on public
issues, drew attention to him and led to his
election TO the Legislature during the twen-
tieth and twenty-second sessions. Hc was de-
feated for Congress in 1875 by Piper, the
Democratic candidate in the First District.
Shortly before LincoIns death he appointed
Mr.. Swift Register of the san Francisco Land
Office, and served two years.
In 1866 he visited Europe and the Holy
Land, and his published letters while abroad
| attracted widespread attention. In 1877 he
was elected to the Assembly from San Fran
cisco, and in 1879 a prominent candi-
date for the nomination for Governor, but the
prize was secured by George c. Perkins.
In 1880 he was appointed by the President
as one of the Commissioners from the United
States to frame treaty with China, with q
view to checking the influx of Chinese into
this country. He then made another trip
around the world enlarging his store of in
formation. In the famous anti-Chinese Con-
vention he wrote the memorial to Congress,
which was adopted without dissent and was
received in the United States Senate with
marks of high consideration. 1t was the chief
attainment of that convention, and about all
that saved it from complete failure.
In 1886 Mr.. Swift was nominated for Gov
ernor by the Republican Convention but was
defeated by Washington Bartlett the Demo-
cratic nominee. In the summer of 1890 he
was appointed by President Harrison
Minister to Japan, and was discharging his
duty as such at the time of his death.
Mr.. Swift was a man of great force of char
acter, Yigor of thought, aggressive, and with
profound convictions OF the right. AS an all-
thor he attained an enyiable reputation,
many OF his works being regarded as stand
ard examples of literary excellence. His
views were broad and stateSmanlike, and his
grasp of public questions was that OF q man
of courage, depth OF thought, broad inteili-
gence and deep convictions. He was one of
the few public men that California can i'll
afford to loSe.-EDS.