The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03
ONE CONSUL At MANILA.
Editor stebbins Got There, Mot an Earth quake
nnd Cnme strnIEht Home Again.


Editor stcLbins go There, Mot an Earthquake,
aud Came straight Home Again.
BOLIVAR, n. Y, July 1.-The present interest
In the Philippines recalls how Frank G. Stcb-
bins, for many years editor OF the Cuba Patriot.
in this county. was Consul at Manila for the
shortest time on record. Mr.. Stobbins was less
than . feet tall and never weighed moro than
81 pounds. He was slight, sandy compleNioncd
and predisposed to consumption. He made a
good fight for Hayes. and in the fall OF 1870
started out TO get the appointment OF Consul at
Manila. d.. p. Richardson of Angelica was Con-
gresham from the old Twenty.ninth district,
then composed OF AllegRny, Steuben and Che
mung counties, and with the aid OF ex.Gov. Fen
ton OF jamestown helped him to secure II.
Stchbins wanted a consulship in n warm climate
in the hope of improving his health. William
NJ. Evarts was Secretary of State and John
Hay was his assistant. Both were friends of
Fenton and took n personal interest in getting
n place that would please Stcbbins. While they
were locating him Stobbins became involved in
n political row in his home town, and his
enemies went to work TO beat him out in bis
contest for the consulship. Secretary Evarts, in
searching for vacant consulships, found n very
desirable one on an English possession in the
Indian Ocean, which offered double tho salary
of Manila and n more suitable climate, and so
Informed Mr.. Richardson. Richardson wirod
the facts TO S%tebbins, and warned him that
earthquakes were frequent in the Philippines.
that the English population at Manila was
small, and that the heat was excessive at GER
tain seasons. Stcbbins thought that his enemies
were trying to head him Off. and decided that
he would go to Manila and nowhere else, no
matter what the inducements werc. He sent
this reply to Richardson:
II prefer Manila. You know l like hot
weather and don't care n damn for earthquakes"
That settled it, and his nomination was prompt
ly confirmed.
Consul Stebbins and his wife left Cuba for the
Philippines in the first week of the following
May. They tarried n few days in California,
and tho Dalmy air and blue skies of the coast
region charmed them. They also stopped at
Honolulu, and were delighted with the city and
its environs. Their steamer reached Manila on
July IL. On the same day an earthquake ar
rived. too, and wrought tremendous damage on
the island of Luzon. The Governors palace
and hundreds OF other buildings in Ma
Mia were wrecked and many natives
were killed. 1t was stobbinsis first
enough for him. He went ashore and remained
a day or two. but did not allow his baggage 10
DC transferred from the steamer. The gentle
man who had charge Of the American consulate
was told to remain at his post. and when the
his wife were among the passengers. The sea
voyage was of some benefit to tebbins. and he
reached home in October, When asked by
stebbins only said: "Holy smoke! There rc0N Was
nothing left Of the city after that shake. II
earthquake route"
AS soon as the term of his office expired he
reference he made to his absence was this short
salutatory: II take my pen in hand to inform
y wiII t thSt vd ! am z. well; and hope these few lines
Stebbins was a clever wood engraver, and
illustrated many Of his articles with original
humorous cuts. Half a dozen cuts would some-
times appear in one issue OF his paper. and dur
ing the time he edited the Patriot he made more
than a thousand wood cuts. He was a tireless
worker. He was careless about his personal APP
pearance. 1t is related of him that he once went
alls and a SLOUGH hat and was minus n collar.
DC wrote his account of the hanging with a stub
or lead pencil less than two inches long. but 1t
stebbins established the Patriot in 1862.
Shortly a%fterward he tried TO enlist in the army,
but the recruiting officer only laughed at him.
Later he, was drafted, and was then certain that
he would have = chance TO fight for the old flag.
!Marshals office at Elmira this poem appeared
in his paper:
Why should we mourn conscripted friends,
Nor quake at drafts alarms?
It's but the voice Abraham brings
To make us shoulder arms.
We are anxious to take the part
That our patriot fathers bore,
And are coming, Father Abraham,
NineIy-seven pounds more.
But tho army surgeons poked fun at the
nlnety-seven pound editor and sent him home,
and the editor was ripping mad about 1t. What
he said might melt type. To show his position
on the negro question Stebbins did an odd thing
about that time. An old, friendless negro died
at Cuba and Stebblns took charge of the funeral
arrangements. lie selected the pRllbearers
from among the leading citiZons of the village,
purchased u fine casket, ordered out the hearse
and had IL profusely decorated. arranged for
appropriate music and ofticiatcd as master of
ceremonies in person. Hundreds of people at.
tended the funeral. He was an ardent ltepub-
party can't be wrong" he would often say. 1T
is always right" And it was the same with his
friends.
Two years after his return from Manila fail
ing health compelled him to give up his news
paper work.
Near the foot OF the editorial page OF the last
issue of the paper no got out no published this
apology. IF, during the long series OF years
IN which we have published and edited the
Patriot. we have tread on tho corns' oil any
onc-many OF which we undoubtedly have-wo
hereby extend an apology. and do so by saying
served it."
He died on Friday. March .. 1888. at the age
OF 16. 4 few days before he sent for his friend,
Judge Harlan Swift, and made all arrangements
for his funeral. He requested Judge Swift to
make a few remarks, and left strict orders that
no minister be allowed In the house. Tho ar
ranRemcnts included the hiring OF n brass band
to march ut the head OF the procession from the
house to the station. and the band was to play
Marching Through, Georgia." One OF the
stories told Of Stebbins was thnt he left in
structiOns for the band to play THE Girl ] Left
Behind Me" on the return from the station.
but that WAS not true.