The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
COZ. FELLOWs's sTARTIyNEW YORK
Story OF the Speech That Secured Gov.
Seymour's Friendship for Him.

A'
LOUISVILLE, Dec. 1s.-When Col. John r.
Fellows was making Louisville his headquarters
during his canvass Of Kentucky and Tennessee.
he told some friends one evening OF his first
visit to New York and the circumstances that
led him to make his home in the metropolis.
1T WAS in 1858. and l had been put on as q
delegate to the Presidential Convention no
said. 81 was pretty anxious to get back to New
York once more. and ! concluded to 60 there a
week ahead of time. / had no money. but l
managed to borrow $500. and ! started out to
have q good time. or course. l went to one of
the best hotels. as Southerners usually do; and
as | was a delegate / received some attention
from the politicians A day or two after my
arrival there was a meeting. which Gov. Sey-
mour addressed. ! had been invited. and had
q seat on the platform because ] was a
delegate. but nobody paid me any particular at
tention. Gov. Seymour made a short speech
it was one on honest money. too-and when he
sat down there was no one else to follow. The
Chairman did not like to adjourn the meeting
in half an hour. and there was some whispering
and looking at me. Finally n man got up and
said he understood there Wac n delegate there
from the South and the people OF New York
would like TO hear from him.
"Scared? Well, / reckon l was. for I hadn't
thought OF opening my mouth. / got up. think
Ing to make some excuse, but when | stepped
forward there were so many cheers and such a
warn clapping OF hands that | recovered my
self possession and was inspired in a moment.
| knew that an ex-Contederate on a Northern
platform was a rarity in those days. ! knew /
was certain to be well. treated. and 1t struck me
that l could make n hit by telling that crowd
some OF our reconstruction experiences. The
theme WAS enough TO fire any man. and as
soon as ! got started the way was clear. don't
know how good that speech WAS. hut now,
thirty years afterwnrd. ! don't mind saying 1t
I fall yntt uni thu anhIanRn Gfnn1 To IL. 49,
that, they cheered ms so enthusiastically that
1t was clear 10 me was making a hit.
Gov. seymour did me tho honor to ot ask for ann an
introdpction. That very night he told me he
was merely "A pleasant compliment. butthe next
day a friend OF his came for me. took me to see
the as GeyfFn1 or w MAKE had ,no,n long talk AID
two before the convention. They hap
R pen dov to pls" fr,.n and I | got to know an
mated, and was thinking Of starting back to
Arkansas, he sent for mc again, told me that he
expenses. tod the Governor that a Southern
s''posed I'd have to have a little money Down
IN arkansas we didn't have any. and really
aud gave our notes but up here IL was
different. Gov. seymour said that was ali
night and Mat they were bound to have me.
came to me, said they had arranged n lot of
speaking appointments, and wound up with the
'hh ftsfh 5000 INV lib ~ 1t HAGA AM
81 1000 a month during the campaign,
You may be sure | was Rstonished. had
never made 81 900 In my life outside of Con-
federate money, Still. | WAS an Arkansas Gan
tleman, and bound not to be nstonishrd SO
gravcly accepted. ! did the best s-~.I during
the canvass. and managed to please tis.. sew
mOur. After the election he sent for me aratn
and said that he had consulted with his friends
and that ! must come TO New York 10
live. The end OF. 1t was that re-
ceiyed u promise OF a place at So. 900 n
year more money fhnn any body was makinn
In Arkansas. OF course ] accepted. and after
meant that got my wife went on back M
once. Rota place ms Assistant District AttorS
ney under ltichard O'Gorman, and have been
in New YORK politics ever since.n
The campaign Col. Fellows cond durIno
the last summer endeared him to the hearts ~
the SounG-Money Democrats here and in IndI
ana. his speeches were admired, used as tna
krntuckialIs are to nratory of the loriI tvne In
which h" eaceiled. Wherever he smoke ba
made q nj, and he was quickly the most popu.
lar man u l.oulsVl!is; Whenever he entered a
theatre he was greeted with applause. PLAINLY he
appreciated these attentions, esnecinllv hIa 2ato
tering treatment at the hands OF eS. ION f az
officers, such AS Gen. Simon bolivar RncGnar
Gen. Basil Duke and Gen. John "A t,astI.man'
What CnptIvated them, however fnr mo thAi
his charm OF manner and eloauencO WAS Ills
evident sincerity in the cnnsa a. VOC ms
deeply Interested that he went IN cnun|r 20
lagos. not conlning himself To- stnrrimn y, NJ
meetings IN the cities. He was even iicn tUE
fering greatly from The disease from which he
died. ana occasionally spoke with great dim
Guilty, but, ne missed only one or two nnnoint-
ments. He 'd much To hold Kentucky In line.