The Portland daily press., 1899-02-04
YoUNG's INFORMAL DINNERS.
Two Quiet Gatherings where Men of
widely Differing Views Met ut His
Genial Bidding.
philadelphia Times.)

dlyiduality back Of John Russell Young
gentleness and modesty Is to be seen In
the fact that The great men of the earth
found In him such oongenial companion
ship that they affiliated with him natur-
ally. There are many illustrations of
this trait Of his character that are worth
the telling and with which the narrator
happens to be personally familiar. For
instance, when Gen. Roger A. Pryor, In
October, 1880, was elevated to the bench
by Gov. Hill, OF New York, Mr.. Young
invited forty gentlemen to meet him In n
qeuit dinner at the Aston House, where
hts journalist was then living. Each one
was summoned In written note In the
hosts microscopic handwriting, and In
the lower left hand corner of each OF these
informal missives were the two words;
'No speeches. There were three I'M
avoidable declinations, those OF the Duke
OF Marlborough, Edwin Booth and Robert
u. Ingersoll. The remaining thirty seven
made u gathering which A. h Mcclure,
in the course of the evening said: "Such
an assemblage was impossible prior to
the rebellion, and there has been none
such since, and 1t is not likely that any
man at this tabls will ever look upon its
like again."
quiet-voiced host represented the most
eminent men in nearly every walk of
American life, but the gathering was
most remarkable by the past lives of those
who were brought into social contact.
Chsuncey NJ. Depew, not only exchanged
badinage with Henry George, the social
ist, but In warmly glowing terms-for. of
course. the admonition as to mo speeches
was not observed-presented Grover Cleve-
land as "the typical American. John
5. Wise, then of Virginia, who, when
still in his teens, carried the last dis
patch from Jefferson Davis to Robert f.
Lee, introduced to the gathering Gen.
W. I. Sherman, then the General OF the
United States Army, who was present
to do honor to one of the fiercest spirits
OF the Confederate Army in the person OF
Roger A. Pryor.
These situations alone would be sutfi.
cient to make any dinner memorable, but
in addition to those mentioned there
were present Senator Arthur p. Gormsn,
who, but for his smiling face and suave
manner might be termed the Bismark
of the democratic party; Senator George
Heurst, of California. whose wealth at
that time would make the Dumas fable
of "Monts Cristo'' pale into insignih-
cance and which Is now being employed
by his son in rattling the dry bones Of
New York journalism; Gen. Daniel (.
Sickles, who left one OF his legs upon the
field of Gettysburg. and Is 80 proud of the
fact that he has never called upon an
artiflcer to supply the place of the.missing
limb; Mark Twain. who has made count
less thousands better for the laughing;
Joseph Jefferson and the lats William J.
Florence. whose achievements in the high
profession of mummers are an integral
part of the histrionic history of this ooun-
try; George Jones. thea the proprietor of
the New York "Times"; Daniel Dough-
erty Philadelphia silver-ton2ued orator.
who was then winning new fame In the
METROPOLIS; John Il. Haskins. one OF the
most renowned mem ers of Congress in
ante bellum days, and u man with mil
lions to burn; Thomas Mast, whose car
toons inspired Union hearts during the
rebellion, who made Boss Tweed's nose
household etiigy, who localized his idol,
Grant and whose pencil fell from his
grasp when the editor of "Harper's Week
ly" commanded him TO picture the charms
and beauties of the mugwump; Murat
Halsted, then the field marshal OF West.
ern journalism; Daniel Lamont. who had
been not only tha secretary. but friend
and adviser of President Clevlaud, and
destined In the latter's second term of
Office TO become Secretary of War; DR.. A.
+. Martin. the president Of the University
of Picking, and the most distinguished
OF Chinese scholars; r. b Carpenter, the
artist, who painted the famous picture OF
Lincoln and his Cabinet engravings OF
which are familiar throughout the land !;
Augustin DAILY whose genius has made a
company OF American comedians COM
Inand the commendation of the most
prominent capitals of Europe-these and
many more of almost equal mark were
brought together in "a quiet, private gath
iering at the simple request of the modest
hammered man who sat at the head of
| the table, saying little above the whis-
pered intonations that distinguished his
conversation. Who else could have had
such "a response made to his simple invi-
tanonf
In April, 1883 he brought together on
the battlefield of Gettysburg a truly
Homeric gathering, meeting of heroes
who fought their battles over again thirty
years after the tide of blood had deluged
the fair fields of one OF Pennsylvania s
garden spots. As the result of John Rus
sci Young's Invitations, the scene Of that
famous carnage seemed for two days to
throb with new strife when Longstreet
and Howard and Malone and Alexander
standing side by side in fraternal amity,
pointed out with swelling forms and
kindling eyes the various scenes whose
struggles they had directed. Mr.. Young
at that time was the president of the
Union League, and in private oar he
took to the historic spot in the Susque-
hanna Valley tarty that comprised,
among others, Lieut-Gen. James Long
street, tho ranking surviving officer OF the
Confederacy and Lees chief of staff dur
ing the memorable three days fight;
Gen. Il p. Alexander, the artillery leader
of the lost cause and the man who upon
the part OF the Confederates directed the
most famous and consanguinary artillery
duel known In the history of the world;
Gen. and ex-senator William Malone,
tLen the famous tire-eater from Virginia;
"a. N