The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-14

 allowed to spend one more summer in the old Manor.
 Something of the history of the Fifth avenue hotel. which Is to be razed to make way for a modern office building, has been told in this cores podence, but there Is much more that is interesting. With the passing of this hotel will disappear not only the most famous of the old caravansaries of New York, but in the dust and debris of de- molishment will vanish the halls and rooms and corridors of a building which for half century has been celebrated as the trysting place of politicians and where statesmen and men of affairs fore gathered and largely influenced, if they did not altogether settle. the immediate destines of the land. If the walls of its rooms could speak the stories they would reveal of political endeavor intrigue, am btion and deals" the tales they would narrate of disappointed hopes, of baffled plans, of successful coups, and strategic strokes would make a volume far more interesting in its political and personal history than any that has yet been writ ten.
 In one of these rooms the movement for the nomination of Grant received its first impetus at the first Peabody dinner in 1867. This was a dinner given in honor of George Peabody, and among the many guests were Admiral Farragut, John Jacob Astor, George Bancroft Judge Edward Pierrepont. William M Evarts, Thurlow Weed, Henry J. Raymond, Hamilton Fish and Gen. Robert Anderson. In an adjoining corridor the candidacy Of James G. Blaine got it's death blow from the Rev. Dr. Burchard's famous alliter- ation of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion. '
 1t was in 1859 that the hotel began its career as the gathering place of statesmen and politicians and the home oi men and women eminent in the world s affairs. Just q year after it's opening the Prince of Wales came to this country and stopped there with his suite About the same time the brilliant wedding recep- ton of General and Mrs. Mcclellan was Gen. Winfield Scott, then commander-in- chief of the United States army, took up his residence there.
 Since those old dayse the corridors have echoed to the tread of the most famous of the land. Under its roof most all of the presidents of. the United States since Lincoin's time have slept and lived. The grand reception and dinner to General Grant at the close of the war was given here. Here also Hayes, Garfield and Arthur made their homes while visiting New York, and here Is was that the latter named president received the Corean embassy Within It's walls Cleveland and his cabinet frequently gathered. Through it's corridors strode frequently the figure of James c. Blaine and here his formid- able rival, Roscoe Conllling. ofttimes made his ome Here Dom Pedro, em- peror of Brazil, once held court, and here "Plon plon," heir apparent to the crown of France, discussed his chances and prospects, as later did rPince Victor Ma poleon If Engla and's heir apparent found the Fifth avenue suited to his demand, so, too, did the picturesque crown Prince Of Siam, and that little grop of royal sons of Slams King, who invaded New York in 1887.
 For years Thomas C. Platt the we'll known leader of the republican forces in New York state, had his permanent city home at this hotel. No figure was so well known in the hotel corridors s his and no guest was so consistently and eagerly sought for as he. His rooms were the scene of constant conferences, and in them he received the information which enabled him to discern the trend Of senti- ment through the state and to direct hls campaign in accordance with existing con ditions
 It was the meeting place of the wise men Of the south who, deeply interested in that slavery which was surely be- coming a vital commercial question of the country, met In 1859 soon after the hotel was opened and discussed with the leaders of certain financial interests of the north how to deal with the ques- ton that later was thrashed out with cannons and blood, and 1t Is recorded that:
 MT. Webster Clay. of Tennessee, a fine. military looking man. left the meet ing in high anger and chagrin, and in the magnificent lobby he declared that the northern people were cold fiapjacks and weren't worth molasses.'
 President Andrew Johnson while there, barely escaped an unpleasant experience through an accident. A woman who later made her escape, had planned to attack him. She learned the number of the room he was to occupy, and lay in wait for han in the hallway, nursing a grievance over the loss of her husbands position