Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-06-17
WhitcIaW Reid.

The first and only political office White
law Reid has ever held was that of United
States minister to France. post which he
filled with signal ability and which he hut
a few weeks ago resigned. 1t is a singular
coincidence that Vice President Morton.
the candidate on the ticket with President
Harrison, had also but a short time previ-
Gus to his nomination for the vice presi-
dency quilted the post of minister to the
French republic
Mr. Reid'S entire life previous to his 90
ing abroad to represent his country has
been devoted to actual journalism. For 20
years he has been the editor of the Trib-
une, having succeeded Horace Greeley up
on the latter's death i'm 1872, and prior to
his assuming the editorial charge of the
Tribune he had been war correspondent
and editorial writer. Mr., Reid was born
at Nenia in October, 1887. His father.
Robert Charlton Reid, had married Mari
an Whitelaw Ronalds, descendant in di-
rect line from the small Clan Ronald of
| the highlands of Scotland.
An uncle, Hugh Mcmillan, ID. d.. a
Scotch COyenanter and conscientious man,
| took the task upon himself for fttin 6
! Whitelaw for college. DIR. Mcmillan was
a trustee of Miami university and principal
of the old and long noted Xenia academy,
which was then reckoned by the officers OF
Miami the best preparatory school in the
state. Under his instruction his nephew
was able, at the age of II years, to enter
| Miami as a sophmore, with Latinist rank
| equal to that of scholars in the upper
| classes. This was in 1858, and in 1856 he
| graduated with the scientific honors, the
classical honors having by his own request
been yielded to a classmate
Mr.. Reid bought the Xenia News and
| for two years led the life of a country edi-
| tor. He identified himself with the Re
! publican party and took the stump for Ere
mont in 1856. In 1860 he advocated the
nomination of Mr.. Lincoln, the News be
ing the first Western newspaper outside OF
Illinois to do so; and its influence caused
the election of a Lincoln delegate TO the
Republican convention from the Xenia
district. The following winter he repre-
scented the Cincinnati Times at Columbus
as legislative correspondent He next con
nected himself with the staff of the Gin,
cinnati Gazette and the Cleveland Herald
and afterward became city editor of tn,
Gazette. At the outbreak of the war he
was sent to the front as the war CORE
spOndent of the Gazette. Mr.. Reid wa
assigned to duty as volunteer aid de camp
with the rank of captain. He wrote ovel
the signature of agate" and his war let
ters were among the most brilliant evel
written.
In 1862 he bought an interest in the Ga
zette. He went to Washington as CORE
spOndent of the paper. Here he met Hor
ace Greeley who appointed him on the pc
litical staff of the Tribune. When Chas
A. Dana left the Tribune Mr.. Reid became
its managing editor
President Hayes and President CARTEL,
offered him the position of American min
lister to Germany, but on both occasions h
declined it. In 1878 the New York legis
lature elected him for life regent of tn
state university. Mr.. Reid's services a
minister to France are memorable froL
the fact that he secured the repeal of tn
French decree prohibiting the importation
of American meats and negotiated rec
procity and extradition treaties.