Evening journal., 1912-12-23
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
An Interruption Which Was
Of Service to ThurIOW
Weed
BY Holland.

"In the first week in November of
1861 1 took charge of the custom
house business necessary to be done
before the steamship Arego could
leave the port Of New York said
Thomas L. James to me at a time
when he was calling to mind some of
his early experiences as an officer in
the New York custom house.
II had just come ashore from the
steamer and had delayed my depart
ure from the boat long enough to
have a brief chat with General Win
field S. Scott and Thurlow Weed,
both of whom were passengers for
Europe upon the AregO. General
Scott was going in the hope that an
ocean trip would be OF benefit to his
health. Thurlow Weed was going as
special representative of President
Lincoln to Great Britain and France.
lie, with Bishop Charles r. Mcllvaine
Of Ohio and Archbishop John Hughes
OF New York, was appointed by Pres
ident Lincoln on a special embassy
authorized 10 develop secret negotia-
tions in Great Britain and in France
and to do other confidential business.
Just as | stepped upon the pier I
was met by a man of small physical
stature, very graceful in his move
ments, faultessly dressed, who ap-
parenty was laboring under great
excitement. He asked me If / were
the custom house officer of the pier.
When | told him that / was he urged
me to take him aboard the steamer
and to introduce him to Thurlow
Weed He said that he had very
important message to give to Mr..
Weed
"I was persuaded by the mans ap-
parent sincerity and earnestness and
returned to the steamship with him.
I told him to wait in the main saloon
while | spoke with Mr. Weed / found
Mr. Weed still engaged in animated
conversation with General Scott.
From what I heard I inferred that
the great general was detailing to
Mr. Weed the plan of the military
campaign which he thought would be
effective in bringing, the Civil War
speedily to an end
"Air Weed was somewhat impa-
tient when ] told him that "A stranger
wanted to see him lie was. in fact
not little irritated and he asked
me TO say to the stranger that he was
very busy and could not spare a mo-
ment
81 went back to the stranger. who
introduced himself 20 me as Mr. Lou
bat He told me that it might be a
matter of vital importance to Mr.
Weed to receive the message So I
went back and gently advised Mr.
Weed to see the man for a minute.
Although he consented, Mr. Weed
was rather frigid in his demeanor
toward the stranger He looked at
him closely as though trying to
fathom the mans purpose in seeking
an interview.
"The stranger simply said: Mr.
Weed, 7 have been instructed to hand
you this envelope II contains moth
ing but a name and address in Paris
But I am instructed to say to you
that if you are in serious embarrass-
mont lin Paris, especially because OF
any difficulty about meeting the Em-
peror Napoleon or his representa-
tNes, you are to go to the address
which you will find inside the envel-
one. There you will ask for the man
whose name is given. l can assure
you that if YOU 90 that YOU Will be
relieved OF embarrassment
In very irigid and formal man
ner Mr. Weed received the envelope,
put il in to his pocket gave "A reluct-
ant hand to the stranger and then
left him.
81 walked along the pier with Mr..
Loubat after the steamer sailed. He
said to me that he did not take any
olfense at Mr. Weeds coldness OF
manner since the interview was en-
tirely unceremonious and very un.
conventional.
But, said he when I meet Mr..
Weed upon his return, / feel conf
dent that he will express friendship
and a sense OF great obligation.
Some months after that, when Mr..
Weed returned from Europe, | re-
minded him of the incident on tho
steamer and asked him if anything
ever came of it,
"He replied: Yes. The message
which the gentleman gave to me
made It possible for me to prevent
Louis Napoleon from issuing a proc
lamation declaring that he would no
longer recognize the blockade of the
Southern ports by the navy of the
United States because the French cot
ton manufacturers needed American
cotton. But for this message I should
have been unable to reach the Due de
Morny, Napoleon's prime minister.
and to persuade him that the en-
peror would make a fatal mistake If
he issued the proclamation.
Copyright, 1912, by b. j. Edwards.
All rights reseryed)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell OF
"An Tnnupnqp More poWorfou1 Than