Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-11-14

litioal endeavor, Of intrigue, ambition and
( "deaIs, 4" the tales they could narrate Of
disappointed hopes, OF haflled plans, Of sue
| cessful coups, and Of strategic strokes
would make a volume far more interesting
I in its political and personal history than
any that has yet been written.
In one Of these rooms, at the first Pea
body dinner, In 1867, the movemcnt for
the nomination of Grant received its first
impetus. 1t was in another room that the
/ candidacy OF James G. Blaine received its
deathblow In the famous ALTERATION Of
ssRum. Romanism and Rebellion.
In this hotel have met the men who
make and unmake presidents and govern
ors and who decide political questions Of
the highest Importance. For years it has
been the rendezvous of politicians from all
parts of the country, north south. east
and west, and the most Significant feature
/ of this phase of the Fifth Avenues attrac-
tivencss is the fact that it is eagerly sought
by the men of all parties-nalnes % prom
/ inence too numerous to nontion--Domo-
Gratis and Populists as we'll as Republicans
and Prohibitionists helping to make up
| the throng.
| This year IS no exception to the record
4 which previous years have made. Politi-
]
days gone by Enjoying its hospitality dur
| ing the campaign were the various men,
bers of the executive committee of the Re-
publican national committee who are con-
| nected with the New York headquarters
/ General w. M. Osborne the committed s sec
rotary; Senator Quay, Joseph Fl. Manley,
/ General Powell Clayton, and n. b. Scott
| In its corridors and rooms these gentlemen
meet daily with scores of prominent poll
ticans and the work which was begun at
the headquarters, / Madison avenue in
| the morning is completed at the Fifth
| Avenue during the hours of the night.
| Other prominent and effective party
workers may also be found there Located
] in commodious quarters in the Motel arc
the state committee, with G. w. Haekett
| in charge and Congressman Odell direct
| ing the executive committee; the county
committee, of which Cornelius Van Colt
/ is the chairman; the Commercial Travel
! ers' league, which has made this its up
town headquarters, and the organization
which prepared for the parade of over
/ 100 600 business men on Oct 81. All
! these committees, with the prominent men
| identified with them, make tho Fifth Ave-
nue. the busiest political hive in the city,
with the exception of the Republican ma
tional headquarters In the Metropolitan
building across the way
The National Democrats selected the
Fifth Avenue as their temporary head
quarters soon after the Indianapolis con
vention, and General Palmer and General
Buckner were guests of the hotel when
| they came ON to New York to attend the
notification ceremonies at the Madison
| Square Garden During their stay in this
IA. ~ ~ xi,,.,,
sound money Democrats at the hotel, and
daily sessions of the committee were held
in one of the rooms.
1t was in this hotel that Chairman
Jones, leader of the Bryan forces sum
moned the members of the national COM
mittee for organization. Mr.. Bryan and
Mr.. Sewall were there, together with a
large number of prominent Democrats
from all over the country.
For years Thomas G. Platt, the well
known leader of the Republican forces in
New York state, has had his permanent
city home at this hotel. No figure is SO
well known in the hotel corridor as his,
and ndguest is SO persistently and eagerly
sought as he His rooms are the scene of
constant conferences, and in them he re-
! ceives the information which enables him
| to discern the trend of sentiment through
out the state and to direct his campaign in
accordance with existing conditions.
Perhaps the most famous apartment in
this famous hotel is parlor DR.. No 9th
or single room in the country is the Gus
todian of so many political, financial, So
| cial and literary secrets. Eminent Repub-
licans and eminent Democrats have met
there, but the story of what they said and
what they did will not be divulged by
them, and it cannot be disclosed by the
dumb and silent walls. Year after year
election returns have been received in this
historic room, bearing their message of
| triumph and defeat.
| Year after year famous men have gath
cred there in social intercourse, but to
enumerate the banquets and meetings that
have been held there would be to compile
a list of the most important gatherings
held in the metropolis within the last four
decades. Banquets of all sorts-literary,
clerical, social, commercial and political
have been held in this parlor. In this room
the we'll known citizens composing the
! Peabody Educational fund have met in
annual session for many years for their
! business meetings and banquets- The
last meeting was held few days ago. OF
those who attended the first meeting only
ex- Senator william NJ. Evarts remains.
His original companions - Robert @.
Winthrop, Admiral Farragut and others
| equally distinguished-hav gone forever.
! His associates now include Bishop Mhippie
of Minnesota, President Gilman of Johns
Hopkins university William Writ Henry
of Virginia, J. Picrpont Morgan and
Joseph II. Choate, all of whom dined there
a few days ago
! In this room the trustees of the Slater
fund meet from time to time. In 1878 it's
walls listened to the memorable financial
conference which was held during the
panic. 1t was the headquarters of the
tariff commission appointed during Presi
don't Arthur's administration Ia its
spacious chamber the house of bishops of
the Protestant Episcopal church once as
sembled, and many meetings of the clergy
have been held there Here the famous
breakfast was given to Canon Farrar, and
clubs, associations, organizations and So
cieties of every description have gathered
in DIR for hours of social intercourse. AS
regular as the year comes around the New
England society summons its members In
\