The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-17
Hay to England and Horace
Porter to France.
SKETCHES OF NOMINEES
HAY HAS BEEN A CONSTANT
GRINDER AT PUBLIC CRIB.
AND GOT RIGA ON BOSWELL LisM
Porter Has Been Active in War and
Peace, Cutting His Way UP from
GaIlantry in War to Successful
Business Life

Washington, ID. c., March 16.-The
President to-day sent to the Senate the
following nominations:
To be Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotcntiary of the United States
John Hay, of the District of Columbia.
to Great Britain.
Horace Porter, of New York 10
France.
Henry White, of Rhode Island, to be
Secretary of the Embassy of the United
States to Great Britain.
John Hay is a native of Indiana, 80
years of age He graduated at Brown
University in 1858, and began the prac-
tice of lawoi in Illinois in 1861. President
Lincoln appointed him Assistant Secre-
tary and kept him in that capacity
throughout his administration. He also
acted as Lincoln's adjutant and aid de
camp, and was brevetted Lieutenant
Colonel and Colonel Entering the di-
plomatic service in the sixties, he was at
various times in charge of affairs at vi
emma, first as assistant at Paris, and Sec
retary of Legation at Madrid. In 1870
Mr.. Hay connected himself with the
press and for nearly six years devoted
himself to editorial work on the New
York Tribune. In 1875 he entered poll
tics, taking an active part in the presi-
Dental campaigns of 1876. 1880 and
1884, being then resident of Cleveland,
Ohio. President Hayes appointed him
First Assistant Secretary of State, which
post he filled for nearly three years.
Since his retirement from office, Colonel
Hay has resided chiefly in this city
where he occupied palatial home on La
Fayette Park, and has devoted himself
to literature with the greatest success,
some of his best known works being
pike County Ballads" "Castilian
Days." and a history of Lincoln. written
in collaboration with John Nicolay. Col
Hay has also been a frequent contributor
to the highest class of periodicals and
to him has been ascribed the authorship
of the anonymous novel; "The Bread
winners" which caused such agitation in
la Dor circles.
General Horace Porter ,comes OF Re
volutionary stock, his grandfather, An
drew Porter, being one of Washington's
most valued officers. General Porter's
father was David Rittenhouse Porter, at
one time Governor of Pennsylvania, and
a prosperous manufacturer. Horace
Porter was born sixty years ago in Hun
tington. Pa. He was we'll educated in
his own State, at Harvard and finally at
West Point. Soon after his graduation
from the Military Academy, he was as
signed to duty in the South, then in Sc
cession. He was an ordnance expert,
so most of his services were in the artl
lery branch, on the staffs of Mcclellan.
Rosecrans and Grant, where he earned a
reputation as a gallant and fearless fight
er Las shown by his brevets. He served
in the Chickamaugua and Wilderness
campaigns, and the first assault on Char
lesion, where he was wounded
General Grant was greatly attached to
General Porter, and made him Assistant
Secretary of War. He surrendered his
army commission in 1873, and plunged at
once into active business, being first
president of the West Shore railroad,
vice-president of the Pullman Car Com
pany, and associating himself with other
great corporations in directive capacity.
He is we'll known also in the field Of lit
eratire, being an author Of repute and a
much sought after public speaker.
The appointment of Mr.. Henry White
to be secretary Of the American Embassy
in Great Britain is practically a reap
pointment, as Mr.. White had held this Of
fee for eight years previous to the be-
ginning Of Mr.. Cleveland's last admins
tration.