The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-05
His Nomination Will BE Announced
by President Mckinley Within a
Few Days, 1t Is Stated.
CONGRESS IN SESSION AGAIN
PEACE TREATY SENT TO THE SEN
ATE, BUT NOT MADE PUBLIC.
Promptly Referred to the Committee
on Foreign RelatiOns-Tribute to
the Late Mr.. morrill,.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-The announce
ment was made to-day on the highest au-
thority that Hon. Joseph H. Choate, of
New York, would be nominated ambassador
to Great Britain. The nomination will not
be sent to the Senate for few days, but
those near the President say this delay does
not indicate any possibility of a change in
his plans.
Joseph II. Choate is a New Englander by
birth and by reason of a long line of ances-
tors. His family home is in Massachusetts
in the town wnere long ago some of his peo-
pie took a hand in burning the witches. His
father was a companion of Daniel Webster.
1T is said there have been more great law
yers named Choate than from any other
two families combined. The name has been
on the registry of Harvard College almost
since the college was started. 1t is there the
Choate of to-day was educated. There
are monuments in Boston to other of the
Choate men-the fame of Judge Rufus
Choate being humbly preserved in a bronze
pile, while the history of the scholarship
and craftsmanship of all the middle years
of this country is spotted with mention of
things he did and sentiments he uttered 1t
was from stock like this that the present
generation of Choates came.
Mr.. Choate started in life independently
of any virtue or renown which his father,
DR.. Choate, might have earned. He was
sent to Harvard in the good old days when
the Eastern universities were making great
men instead of society leaders He was a
tall, raw boy, studying side by side with
another TALL raw boy-Phillips Brooks. He
graduated with all the honorS that could be
bestowed upon him. Then he took two
years course in law at the Dave School.
lie came out at the time when the country
filled with lawyers whose glory is yet
a matter of repute. He went to New York.
The metropolitan bar was one mass of
great men, He decided to try his lot in the
biggest puddle he could find AS a green
collegian he left the home town of Salem
and hung out his shingle in Gotham. lie
then waited for clients
Senator William EVarts seems to have
been the first man to discover that the
youngster mad all the qualities which ought
to attach to a man sprung from such royal
blood Mr.. Evarts had already earned his
own reputation, and accidentally he heard
the first plea that Choate made an advo-
cate The plea was amazing Mr.. Evarts
at once became interested, and very little
later made proposition to form a partner
friendship, besides one of shrewdest busi-
ness. The firm stood at the head The
practice became enormous. The income
grew so large that Mr.. Choate could sit
down now and write check for $1,000,000
and still leave enough in the bank to make
the ordinary lawyer rich the balance Of his
life.
1t is commonly known that Mr.. Choate's
time is worth more than anybodys in any
of the professions in America. A tale of the
reason for this would require the recital of
many of the greatest cases of the last twen-
ty years. 1t would involve the story of the
scattering of the Tweed gang, Mr. Choate
being largely responsible for the activity of
the committee of seventy which conducted
the investigation and prosecution. He made
the argument for General Fitz-John Porter
before the commission which President
Hayes appointed to sit on the generals case
at West Point. Mr.. Choate secured a
reversal of the order of the original court
martial. General Cesnola-the man who coll
lected the priceless treasures for the Metro
politan Museum by his archaeological re-
searches at Cyprus and then had his work
rewarded by charges that some Of the speci-
mems were not genuine-hired Mr.. Choate
to defend him in famous charge of GRIMM
al libel which was brought by Castor l..
Feuerdent. 1t goes without saying that the
general won his case. Mr.. Choate was a
leading spirit in the Tilden will dispute. He
argued the Stokes will case. His opinion
was sought in the Bering sea controversy.
This is only a sample of the litigation he |
has handled.
1t is in the after-dinner talk that Mr..
Choate is at his best, since him mind runs
a ripping stream of wit from an inexhaust-
abs spring. A while ago he was master of |
ceremonies at a dinner at which both
Chauncy NJ. Depew and Horace Porter
were twin stars. Mr.. Choate's face fair
ly beamed with delight as he arose to ex-
tend a greeting. Il am sure you would
not allow me to quote this pleasing |
programme if l did not felcitate you upon
the presence of two other gentemen-those
twin-rail fellows well met at every festive |
board, without whom no banquet is ever !
complete. 1 mean, of course, Mr. Depew
and General Porter. Their splendid efforts
thousand fields like this have fairly won |
their golden spurs. i forget whether il
was Pythagorus or Emerson who finally de- !
cided that the soul of mankind is located |
in the stomach. but these two gentlemen |
certainly, by their achievements on such |
arenas as this, have demonstrated that the |
pyloric orifice is the shortest cut to the
human brain. Their well-won title of the |
first Of dinner orators is the true survival |
of the fittest, for 1 assure you that would
long ago have laid all the rest of us under
the table, if not under the sod. And so / |
think in your names l may bid them well |
come, thrice welcome--due fulrnina bell"
Mr. Choate is now sixty-seven years old. /
He has the face of a classic, great fore
head that rises like a dome. He talks al
ways like q man who knew as much about