New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-19
JOHN RUSSELL YOUNG.


Henry wattcrson has an extended and touching
tribute In n recent issue OF 1.-THE Courier Journal"
TO his lifelong friend the late John Russell Young
from which few extracts are appended that will
be pleasant reading for malny Of The Tribune's
constituency:
It was In the Presidents mind to give Young one
OF the leading European missions. But II Is quite
certain that his appointment 10 be Librarian or
Congress was IN the nature OF an iuspira tiOn He
had lived in the Old library and loved H. He was
both man Of books and man Of business The
transfer Of the vast collection from the cribDed
ahd GAINED nome IL mad occupied IN me taPito
building 70 gorgeous palace u its own marked
an epoch. meant new world both OF labor ana
suggestion and invention and Young was on
count both Of his breadth OF worldly knowledge
and especially suited 10 the place The President
boOksh man himself, he wanted 10 keep IN close
touch with the Library perhaps ne had ideas OF his
own he wished carried out and in selecting John
Russell Young he chose q upon whose prac-
IDEAL good sense and sympathy ne could rely whilst
naming bookman and litterateur O, the most
I quote the following words from a letter received
from him few DAYS after ne entered upon his
new post Of duty; The Library means anshoI-
we take fate II is a palace Behind II Is a
Pnposc and 70 into II kin e mt 5s n15e day
in hummlng. wakeful moment
To do your work Then DO f..
In sorrow Yes-in pain
In Time youn never 1t
Nor eternity undo It.
The doing IS the gain.
Tho President said to me Just after his death
tina, he had come to love him" But Mr. Mckinley
only knew the one SIDE OF John Youngs character
with him in New-IO when We were wait
ing the issue OK General Grants urging upon Pres
dent Arthur 20 name him Minister 10 China. we
had apartmonts AT the Aston House Finally. the
telegram came that his nomination would Toe sent
next day 20 the Senate. and ! took the tram fOr
home he accompanying me 10 the Jersey City
station. ! arrived in Louisville 70 read a most
abusive notice Of his appointment In The Courier
Journal" Il had been written by young gentle
ing has the faculty 20 make himself exceedingly
dsagreeabe when he tries. There was but one
thing for NE TO do. and that was 10 diso%n the
paragraph In some way mat would reaIiy d'so o,
and not reinforce IL. by no means an easy thlhs
10 do ! think ] succeeded, because the author or
the offending article was not offended BENZ.
however, an honorable. spirited man, he pIompu{
sent me his resignation. aid not accept II.
SAID Emmet am not g9ing 10 accept s yCur ,bnss
about you do not personally know ana
boy? You have courage and integrity. but you
have Yet 10 learn much In journal SIN ilt ho.nl n
In print Of any man which you DO not Know 10 pe
true. and would not say 10 his face. Inc ony
reference which John Young ever made 70 tnls
some time have the pleasure OF meeting M Logan.
and OF dsabusng his mind and ne SAID TINS nor az
polite man Of the world, out as man ol s''"P'e'
When the Union League Club Of Philadelphia
made John Young it's President it conferred upon
him the highest social distinction which citizen
attain TO in our country. for Fhlace pna eNef.
and the resource. Of aristocracy in America ard
the Union League club sets me pace LOT Mn.
ieter 10 China was public official, poltical recoe-
milton OF his character and talents. But the othtt
IN the CITY where he had been born and reared was
bee" most grateful to him though he never men
toned the circumstance 70 me IN any OF MS re
queut letters and 7 only knew II when was py
chance "a guest q. The club. quite year latsr.
Mr. Bennett the Younger an eAce4eHl Juuse "a
men. was warm friend OF Mr. 1ouie anu nau 80
thorough appreciation OF MS trustWorthiness, anu
talents After the failure OF Tho Stanoard ne
was placed bv Mr. Bennett upon 'Ihr tterdV' ~
q post OF responsibility and 20 the last ne retained
his connection with that great journal soinelLies
as an editorial writer. sometimes as Washington
or foreign correspondent, and sometimes as
casual contributor He was equally deft WIN a..
kinds OF newspaper work. His account OF the
Commune printed IN The London Times lnmess
dlaely after the fan Of Paris. was naSerpe OF
GHscrintive writing His editorial leaders inVarl-
ably had beginning a middle ana an enc pos
sessed q wide range OF subject matter, ano "ete
both relevant and readable He was prosy IN
nothing There is no newspaper In the woTId upon
whose editorial page he would not nave ma rb- ID
distinct Impression If given a free rem; Iht mr.,
was nothing stilted I'm his style, or aruncal n MS
treatment. still less did he strain Tor ms enects
He wrote from a mind richly stored Win hlofndf
ton and from a well OF simple tnSush uIloells 80
Good sense and good feeling were esael., u. ~
~ his nature and do not believe tnat N MS whols
ilfe he was guilty OF Intentional dlscouItesy
either IN he own person or in print - ~,
In the Geographic preface contlD uteu ny ~
ritrbio 70 me edition Of The Nrginans" just IS
ie.tsr written by Thackeray 20 Or. john Brown OF
Edinburgh. 81 send no condoeMrH,s aoouI AZ AZ
dCnarture OF your good old father. he was reeu!'
/ sfinn0se and his passports MADE out for MS youl
nov Next comes our little TURN 70 paLLk, ur az" ~
de1ar, The stav is vel enough. but shall we ne
very so'ty 80, 80 fried Il W.
''i NIrsanssaid' Jererstown jefferson County. Ky.