The Portland daily press., 1892-03-07
NEW YORK LETTER.
Bright and NeWsy Sketches Of Gotham
Men and Things.
John Russell Young, His Residence and
Work-Thc Coming biography of Con.
Grapt-Interesting "reminiscences
of the Great Soldier.
TcoPYR1GHr, 1882. :

I occasionally see Mr.. John Russell
Young, the well-known journalist, on
a flying visit to New York. Sinoo he
retired from the service Of the Herald
the last time he has made his home in
Philadelphia-his birthplace. He has
an interest in the Evening Star there
along with his brother and brother-in-
law, and he is now doing considerable
writing for that journal. AT the same
time he keeps up his literary work, and
in all respects is leading a very pleasant
and satisfactory life. He tells me that
he is collecting and preparing his ma
terial for complete and thorough
biography of Gen. .. s. Grant. 1t is q
shame, really, that the history of the
great soldier has not been prepared be-
fore this time. Of course, we. have the
miserable and fraudulent biogra-
of trivial attempts to hand the
great soldier down to posterity, but
as yet nothing in any sense worthy of
the great subject. No man living to-
day is as well equipped for this work as
John Russell Young. His long training
as a journalist and his marvellous clear
ness ais a writer provide him with the
literary qualifications, while his close
and intimate relation with Gen. Grant,
during the years when he was conf
DENTAL and communicative, place him
far above all other aspirants. Mr..
Young had a true and genuine admira-
ton for Gen. Grant and he won the re-
gard and esteem of the great soldier on
his celebrated tour around the world.
The book which he printed some years.
ago containing a transcript of the prin-
cipal events of that marvellous pill
grimage gives us better insight into
Gen. Grants character than anything
that has ever yet been placed in type
outside of Grants own memoirs.
Mr.. Young always regarded Gen.
Grants wishes-never betrayed his
confdence-and in time he became
the depository of many important per-
sonal, political and military facts which
the general alone could impart. Of the
many confidential chats which they had
while on the trip around the world, Mr..
Young took careful shorthand notes.
Reading them over subsequently to the
general, his mood being somewhat
changed, he would say to Mr.. Young:
Don't use that remark about Mr.. So
fand-So. He is still living and his
friends would not like to have these
facts come to the public. / don't want
20 provoke controversy" Mr.. Young
espected his friends wishes and the
result was that many of the best fea-
lures of the interviews obtained from
him in those calm and thoughtful mo-
ments never reached the public. But
the material has all been retained and
as Mr.. Young was regarded by Gen.
art as his true literary executor there
reason why they should not now be
ICED in the work which Mr.. Young
| mplates Gen. Grant is growing
1. in esteem and future genera
lions will want to know more about
him. Every man who ever came in con-
tact with. Napoleon Bonaparte seemed
and they have all written and written
until the world has been flooded at one
time or another with matter relating to
that remarkable monster. That the
greatest soldier and the noblest victor
of civilization should be left without an
adequately written record is a reflec-
ton upon our times. was struck with
what Mr.. Young said to me not long
ago about the ideal existence which
Gen. Grant wanted to lead after he re-
turned from his circumnavigation of the
globe. For the first time then he felt
relieved from the cares and RESPONSE
bilities of office. He told Mr.. Young
one day. while on the trip, that he
wanted to buy nice little farm some
where near Washington city, where
he could settle down quietly and breed
some handsome horses. He wanted
to be near enough to the town
SO that he could drive in about
once week and have a chat with Gen.
Beale and some friends and far enough
away from the city to prevent the in
trusion of people whom he did not care
for. With occasional visits from his old
'chums he thought he would be able to
end his days in peace and comfort. He
afterward regretted in a conversation
with Mr.. Young his having come to the
city of New York. He never liked the
hustle and roar and social exactions of
this life here. He felt, however, that
something was due to his wife and
growing family and as they liked New
York city he yielded. He disliked dress
coats and formal dinners and social
functions of all kinds, and the last
years of his life here were passed in
anything but composure. In view of
the pathetic ending, how much better
it would have been could he have real
lied and enjoyed his ideal stock farm.
We shall never know the true nobility
4 of Gen. Grants character until Mr..
Young's book is written, and trust
that he will not hesitate to soon dis
charge the obligation which he owes to
the American republic.
The End of Long Branch.
It seems to me that the death O.
David Durham Withers puts an end to
Long Branch as a summer resort. Two
years ago, when I last visited that
place, it struck me that its days were
numbered. The beautiful driveway
along the bluff had been pretty thor