News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-06-23
WhiteIaW Reid.

The first and only political office
Whitelaw Reid ever held was that of
United States minister to France,
post which he filled with signal abili-
ty and which he but few weeks ago
resigned. 1t is a singular coincidence
that Vice-President Morton, the
candidate on the ticket with Presi-
dent Harrison, had also but short
time previous to his nomination for
the president quilted the post of
minister to the French Republic.
Mr. Reid's entire life previous to his
going abroad to represent his coun-
try has been devoted to actual jour
nalism. For 20 years he has been
the editor of the Tribune, having
succeeded Horace Greeley upon the
latter's death in 1872, and prior to
his assuming the editorial charge of
the Tribune he had been war CORE
spondent and editorial writer Mr..
Reid was born at Xenia in October,
1887. His father, Robert Carlton
Reid, had married Marian Whitelaw
Ronalds, defendant in direct line
from the small Clan Ronald of the
highlands of Scotland.
An uncle, Hugh Mcmillan, D. D., a
Scotch Covenanter and conscientious
man, took the task upon himself for
fitting Whitelaw for college. DR.. Nc
MILAN was a trustee of Miami uni
versity and principal of the old and
long noted Xenia academy, which
was then reckoned by the officers of
Miami the best preparatory schOolin
the state Under his instruction his
nephew was able, at the age of 10
years, to enter Miami as a sophomore
within a Latinist rank equal to that
of scholars in the upper classes. This
was in 1858, and in 1856 he gradu-
ated with the scientific honCrs, 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 an edit
or. He identified himself with the Re
publican party and took the stump
for Fremont in 1856. In 1860 he
advocated the nomination of MIR
Lincoln, the News being the first
Western newspaper outside of Illinois
to do so; and it's influence caused the
election of Lincoln delegate to the
Republican convention from the
Xenia district. The following winter
he represented the Cincinnati Times
at Columbus as legislative CORE
spondent. He nextconnected himself
with the staff of the Cincinnati Ga
zette and the Cleveland Herald, and
afterward became city editor of the
Gazette. At the outbreak of the war
he was sent to the front as the war
correspondent of the Gazette Mr.
Reid was assigned to duty as vOlun-
teer aid-de-camp, with the rank of
captain. He wrote over the sigma
ture of agate" and his war letters
were among the most brilliant ever
written
In 1862 he bought an interest in
the Gazette. He went to Washing
ton as correspondent of the paper.
Here he met Horace Greeley, who APP
pointed him on the political staff of
the Tribune. When Chas. A. Dana
left the Tribune Mr.. Reid became it's
managing editor.
President Hayes and President Gar
field offered him the position of Ameri-
can minister to Germany, but on
occasions he declined it. Mr.. Reid's
memorable from the fact that he Sc
cured the repeal of the French decree
prohibiting Interpretation of Ameri-
can meats and negotiated reciprocity
and extradition treaties.