Connecticut western news., 1892-07-07
HE SUCCEEDS BLAINE.
HON. JOHN w. FOSTER MADE SECRE-
 TARY OF STATE.

The Appointment of Ex-Minister Foster
 Gives General Satisfaction at the Capitol.
 Transformed from a Private Citizen to
 Secretary in Less Than Three Hours.
 WASHINGTON June 3O.-It took two hours and thirty-five minutes only to transform private citizen into secretary of state of the United States Wednesday. At 1:40 the president sent to the senate the nomination of Hon. John w Foster, of Indiana. At 2:03 the senate confirmed the nomination. At 2:35 his commission was sent to the president and he signed it; at 2:45 1t was countersigned by Mir. Wharton, as acting secretary of state, and at 4:15 Mir. Foster took the oath of office of secretary of state before Mir Lewellon Brown, chief clerk and notary public of the state department It was the quickest work ever known at the state department.
 There was general satisfaction at the Cap itol over the appointment
 A Short Tenure of Once.
 It is said that MT. Fosters tenure of office will terminate on March next, when Presi- dent Harrison expects to again be inaugu- rated and announce his new cabinet. The appointment of Mir. Foster is, therefore, only a temporary one. The appointment IS especially desirable, not only because of the personal character and diplomatic accom- plishments of the appointee, but also be- cause o& his peculiarly intimate acquaint- ance with the business of the state depart ment in general, and especially with details of the most important question now be- fore that department, the settlement of the Behring sea controversy with England by arbitration.
 Sketch of Secretary Foster.
 John w. Foster has been for some years past practicing law in Washington. His chief work is in the domain of international law, in which he is conceded to be an ex- pert. He has been three times appointed envoy extraordinary and minister pleni- potentiary for the United States in foreign countries, being once accredited to Mexico again to Russia, and third time to Spain He was born in Pike county, Ind, March 2, 1886, was educated in the public schools of the state and afterward went through the state university of Indiana, where he gradu- ated in 1855. He then studied law at liar yard university, and began the practice of his profession at Evansville. He had all ready made his mark among the young lawyers of Indiana when the civil war broke out. He at once volunteered for ser vice and was appointed major of the Twen- ty-fifth Indiana infantry volunteers. After seeing some hard fighting he rose to the full rank of colonel.
 In General Burnside's expedition to East Tennessee Colonel Foster headed brigade of cavalry, and was the first to occupy Knox vile in 1868. At the end of the war he was @ brigadier general by brevet.
 Alleged Trouble with Blaine.
 After General Foster settled down to civil life again he edited the Evansville Daily Journal In 1863 he was made postmaster of that city. His first prominent political office was the chairmanship of the Repub- hcan state committee of Indiana in 1872 In 1873 General Foster was appointed by President Grant to be minister to Mexico. At the expiration of General Grants term of office MT. Hayes reappointed him. He went to Russia as minister in 1880, and held that office until late in the year 1881, when he resigned.
 In 1883 General Foster was appointed minister for the third time, on this occasion being sent to Spain. This nomination was made by President Arthur at the desire of Secretary Frelinghuysen. Since his return from Spain General Foster has resumed his practice in Washington.
 One story anent the appointment is that at a recent meeting between the Canadian delegates who wished to negotiate a reel procity treaty and several officers of the state department Mir. Blaine gave expres- sion to his views, and General Foster, who was present, said bluntly:
 "Those are not the views of the presi- dent"
 The meeting abruptly terminated, and MT. Blaine's resignation promptly followed upon the presidents unwillingness to dis avow General Fosters statement.