Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-01

came TO aspire 10 tine Presidency, NJ
once the goal of American ambition
and the will-o'- the-wisp Of politics.
None knew better than he how emil
nent was his fitness for this place,
both by nature and training. Ii he
had not known this he would never
have consented for moment to con-
slider himself in relation to it, as he
carried conscience into his personal
ambitious no less than into his private
life, profession, or public service. He |
would have scorned as much to seek u |
place without fitness for it as to take
u professional fee without earning it. |
The party conditions of tho time
made attainment Of this impossible,
but the failure to command it in
creased rather than diminished his
influence over his countrymen, and
gave him new zest for devoting him
self to the public service in the places
which came to him.
His service as Secretary of State
was the eliminating point in his home
career. 1t was once a tradition in
American politics lone now generally
departed from--that the candidate
who had received the second highest
number of votes in the nominating
convention was to be asked to accept
this office. Mr.. Bayard and Mr.. Cleve
land were until then strangers, but
l have often heard each of them ex-
press astonishment that he could have
been candidate against the other.
Mr.. Bayard brought to the duties of
his new place that high devotion to
the public interest which was always
his distinguishing characteristics. The
foreign relations of the United States
were never conducted with greater
dignity and firmness. Running through
his State papers, which were admir-
able in temper and form, was that
attachment, always uppermost in his
mind, to fixed principles. During his
four years of service as, secretary the
foundation was laid for that better
| understanding with England which
has developed so many important con-
sequences, and has brought to its sup
port, on both sides of the ocean, many
men who might otherwise have been
| indifferent or hostile.
1t is less necessary to give enlarged
attention to Mr.. Bayard's diplomatic
service than to any other. 1t was
passed under the eyes of the people of
two great countries. The spectacle pre-
sented was that Of a man of courage and
character bringing them to bear in the
discharge of his duties mainly those
of an unofficial kind. He was nearly
65 when he entered upon this work.
He had declined the rendered honour
of his old place at the head of the
cabinet, but consented to accept the
newly created position of Ambassador
to the Court of st. James. He felt
that it gave him an opportunity to
do good work for mankind, and, at the
same time, to serve his country. He
had not the least trace of the old
fashioned diplomatist In him. 1t could
never have entered into his mind to
conceive the truth or the policy OF
the dictum that speech was given to
man to conceal his thoughts. y He
firmly believed that in telling the
people of the country to which he
was accredited what his own country
meant, and what were its genius, its
duties, and its hopes, he was doing
the greatest good to mankind. While
he spoke often and with perfect free
dom, he never spoke idly, nor in any
!. way compromised the dignity either
. of his own country or its representa-
tive. If there were at home persona
who never forgave him for making
his country and theirs known as j
had never been known before, and
for becoming the most popular man il
England, it is scarcely necessary, wher
estimating his work, to stop lon.
enough to give them Importance.
1t was a pleasure to see how h
9 enjoyed it all, how eagerly he Learned
new things or revived the memory o
a old ones! He went into every ranl
= and order of society, seeking in eacl
! to do his chosen work as best he could
a His keepest enjoyment, however, cam
! from those meetings with strong, self
reliant. skilled workers in the varie
7, trades. l can recall, for instance
: that the pleasure he derived from
j. that of boy seeing new sight.
He greatly priced, too, the privileg
d of seeing so many types of individual
u and classes. He was equally at HON
It with body of bishops OF, the woi
% shippers in the chapel Of some humbl
10 religious denomination. He was pei
IS fectly free from bigotry or intolerance
'r His charity comprehended all hone,
N opinions. Although he held his ow
70 with a firm grasp, he not only ga,
D others the same privilege, but liked
r. meet those who knew how to max
a themselves felt in their own way. Fl
r. religious convictions were strong IN
in firmly grounded. have never know
he man who better illustrated the trut
is that it is those of greatest an
w strongest mind who believe the mo
rs and are, at the same time, the mo
IS humble and tolerant. Sentiment WI
id strongly developed in him; but &c
w men have less of mere sentimentaiisr
ne This accounts for tho fact that, spea
ok ing as freely as he might, his ute
nd ances we're devoid of those defects
ne taste so common with public mon ever
As where.
IS, He knew the elements which ent
IS. into the character of a great peopl
mt Simplicity, tenderness, love of trut
e. justice and fairness, must, in his vie
r. lie at the foundation. He was j
he terested in what Lincoln has felici
in ously termed the 'plain people of t
en- land" Neither did he exact tn
sss rigid uniformity of institutions so de
TO precisians. AS human nature "
of varied so he did not expect aotu
lot practical individuals or communit
m created by them to be cast in the sal
ssy mould. Better than any of his &C
~, Temperatures he recognized the oh;
tie acter of the people in the South a
he West, seeing those distinctions a
es, differences which were hid from mo
m His geographical situation, no i
the than the cast of his mind gave b
his this power: and yet he was far IN
ted likely to tell these people, and
ese others, the Things they needed to
ce, told rather than those they wanted
ng, hear. He could not comprehend ms
OF certify. He knew his own duty to pull
| l.. = - II q -.