The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-25
AROUND THE WORLD WITH GRANT
John Russell Young Chats of His
Grant at Home Abroad

Copyrighted, 1897, by Frank G. Carpenter)
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 22.-I
spent an afternoon this week in chat
ting with John Russell Young about
his experiences with Gen. Grant and
with some of the other famous men
whom he has known. MI Young is
| the most eminent newspaper CORE
spondent OF the day. He is one OF our
| pest writers Of pure English, and he
| has for years been one of our chief
molders of public opinion For the
past generation his relations with the
leading men of the time have been very
close. AS boy he knew President
Lincoln, Seward and Stanton While
he was correspondent for the New
York Herald in London he saw murh
OF Gladstone, Salisbury and Peacons-
held, and also came into contact with
Prince Bismarck, Gambetta and other
famou1 men Of that time. AS our min
lister to China he made a strong friend
Of Ii Hung Chang, and when the great
viceroy made a visit to this country
last year he came to Philadelphia and
spent a day with Mr.. Young's family
1t was during his tour around the
world with Gen. Grant that John Rus
and today there is no man living, cut
side of Gen. Grants own family, who
has sustained such close relations to
our greatest military hero. Mr.. Young
is now fifty-six years of age, but his
blue eyes are as bright as they were
when he began his newspaper career
as copy holder at the age Of fifteen
in the office Of the Philadelphia Press,
and his brain is as active as it was
when he rode out to the battle fields
to report the occurrences of the late
Civil war. Mr.. Young is a delightful
talker. His words flow as smoothly in
his conversation as in his writing, ard
his talk is full of striking comparisons.
HAY IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Our conversation opened with a word
about John Hay, who has just some 10
England to take Bayard's place as
ambassador to Great Britain. Mr..
Young said:
Il have known Col. Hay since he
came to Washington, now about thirty
six years ago. l had been sent here
10y the Philadelphia Press John w
Forney was then the editor He was
also secretary of the senate, and 1 was
here as his assistant to write for the
paper and to do whatever he asked
me to do. One of my duties was to
carry the papers fPom@the senate to
the White house. John Hay had been
brought to Washington by President
Lincoln On account of his friendship
for Hays father. Mr.. Lincoln wanted
to give John the educational advan-
tages of the position, and he had him
made one of his private secretaries. l
remember we'll how Col Hay looked
in the early sixties. He had cheeks
as rosy as those of an Irish milkmaid
and he was a rather girIish-l looking fell
low. President Lincoln who was
quick to- discover what there was in,
men, $ had seen that Hay had con-
siderable literary ability, and he gave
him the answering of such letters and
notes as needed especial good wording.
lie would tell Hay what to say and
would generally sign the letters with
out changing them. Even in those
| days John Hay was fond of writing
poetry. He often Showed me verses
| which he had written. and now and
| then he would read them over to me-
CHAT WITH LINCOLN.
How did President Lincoln impress
you, Mr.. Young?" 1 asked.
He did not seem as great a man
to me then as he does now. The