The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03

and interesting contributions to tho political
history OF this country during tho last sixty
years in 4 Memoir of Robert c. Uinthrop. pre-
pared for the Massachusetts, Historical Society
by ROBERT G. WINTHROP, JR., little. Brown &
COY. It 10 we'll known that the subject OF tho
memoir during a political career which began
as far back as 1888 had accumulated n mass OF
correspondence with public mon. selections
from which, II properly annotated. could not
fail to edify students OF Now England's history.
He, himself. however. had no desire that his
correspondence should be printed for a long
timo to come. His wish has been respect
cd by the author Of the present narrative.
Tho latter has furnished n succinct ac-
count Of facts and dates containing compare.
lively little OF personal vindication and
stin less Of glowing pancGyric. 1t would
be difficult to praise too highly the tact,
the moderation. the discretion, and the self.
restraint evinced by the compiler OF this me.
moir. He has told us enough to enable
us to appreciate tho distinguished place
long occupied by his subject in the history
Of Massachusetts and OF tho nation, and he has
withheld nearly everything which might reflect
unpleasantly upon some OF his subjects con-
temporaries. He has admirably discharged tho
duties of q biographer, and he has, at the
Same time. rendered an indispensable service to
those who would understand the attitude of the
Whie party in the New England states toward
the slavery question during tho fourth. ffth,
and sixth decades Of this century. He has made.
at the same time. q book with which few Of tho
current novels can vie In respect Of readableness
and charm.
Unlike some biographers. who have i'm.
measurably less reason to enlarge upon such
topics. the author OF this memoir dcvotes only .
page and Q half to his subjects ancestry. He
deems 1t enough to say that the great Puritan
leader. Gov. John winthrop Of Massachusetts,,
had seven sons who lived to manhood, six Of
whom left issue; but, the male lines Of the five
younger ones having gradually become extinct,
all descendants OF tho Governor bearing the
name Of Winthrop now spring from his eldest
son, John Winthrop the younger, who after hav-
ing helped to found the Massachusetts colony.
was long Governor Of Connecticut, an early Fell
low OF tho Royal Society, and one Of
the most accomplished scholars of his time.
At the close Of tho Revolutionary war. this
line was represented by six brothers, three of
whom preferred to live chiefly in New York.
one settled in South Carolina, another cast in
his lot with the mother country, while one only
saw 1T to maintain the hereditary correction OF
his family with Boston, where he lived and
died. This was Thomas Lindall Winthrop, for
many years Governor Of Massachu-
sets, who married Elizabeth Bowdoin, daugh.
tor Of Sir John Temple. and granddaughter of
Gov. James Bowdoin Of Revolutionary memory.
This lady died in her ~ffty.frst year. having had
fourteen children, of whom the subject of this
memoir was the youngest: but he survived his
brothers and sisters for so long a period that in
his old age few people remembered that he ever
had any.
Robert Charles winthrop was born in Milk
street, Boston, May IL, 1909. In the house Of his
great-uncle.J James Bowdoin, then United States
Minister to Spain and Associate Minister to
Franco. His mother was his only teacher until
he was nearly 2. after which he successfully at
tended two private schools. His final prepare
ton for college was at the Boston Latin
School,, the head master of which was then
Benjamin Apthorp Gould. Of whom young
Winthrop was the favorite pupil. He en-
tered Harvard at the age of Is. and grad
uated in 1923 with the third honors of . class
whose foremost scholar was his chum. tho
shortlived Charles Chauncy Emerson. younger
brother of Ralph Waldo Emerson. In college
Mr.. Winthrop played the many-sided role of an
Alcibiades. In mathematics he excelled all his
classmates. He presided over the c%onvivial
reunions of the PORCELAIN Club and tho
Knights of the Square Table. He COM
manded the military company Of tho college.
the famous but long extinct Harvard ash
ington Corps. He was the orator Of the Hasty
Pudding Club. and was enrolled alike among
the notorious Med. Fac. and the exemplary Phi
Beta Kappa; he sang bass in the chapel choir.
played Q subordinate musical instrument in tho
concerts of tho Pierian Sodality, and not infre-
quently stole away to Boston to attend some
theatrical performance or social gathering. The
only wonder was that, with all this. he managed
70 secure the Third Part. which he signslized by
commencement grafton entitled Public Sta.
kta- av{n- ahtai1Ad . he ~ alor'a lanraa -
the age of 10, he soon after entered the law Office
Of Daniel Webster, where he remained until his
admission to the Suffolk Bar in 1881. His
bioRrapher will not affirm that he consumed
any appreciable amount Of midnight oil in the
study of the law. After dark, and even before
dark. he cultivated fashionable society with
some degree of ingenuity. and became a man
ager of subscription balls. He exhibited. too,
. martial ardor on receiving . commission in
the State militia, serving first as ensign
and then AZ Lieutenant in the Boston Light In
fantry, . corp which he afterward commanded.
10 contributed now and then to periodical
literature, the first sum OF money he ever earned
having been SO for an article in tho North
american RepieD. When tho time came fol-
putting up O sign In Court street, as was the
custom Of young councillors in those days. he
met with the average success OF q beginner. but
did not regret being soon drawn into politics
and. though no kept his Office open until no en-
tered Congress, 1t grew moro and moro to be fire.
quented by place hunters rather than by clients
For o part OF the time, moreover. his attention
wasdistracted by an attachment which resulted
In his marriage In March, 1882. to Miss Elizl
Blanchard. q young lady who had been brough
mp in the family Of her great.uncle and guar
dian. Mr.. Samuel Pickering Gardiner. to who's,
widow Rebecca Russell Lowell) many of Mr.
Winthrop's descriptions OF Congressional If
were subsequently addressed.
The accident OF Henry Clay's decision to visi
Boston In the autumn OF 1888 first drew marke,
attention to Mr.. Winthrop's gifts as a publ
speaker. Mr.. Winthrop was made Chairman O
acommittee to escort Clay to his hotel. where b
made him an address of welcome, and, before hi
departure. presided at a banquet given to tn
distinguished guest. The felicity of Mr.. Wiz
tbrop's utterances ON these two occasions CAV
rise to SO much comment that. q few weeks Later
ha Maa invited To make the nrIncinal addraas q