Evening journal., 1913-02-13
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Daniel LamOnt'S Prediction
in an Albany Oyster
Cellar
Nv H0aToud
By HOLLAND.

On the evening before the organi-
cation of the Legislature Of New York
state in January, 1880, caucus OF
the Republicans nominated the late
General George H. Sharpe for Speak
er, One of those who attended this
caucus as spectator was General
Chester A. Arthur, who the year fol-
lowing was to become President of the
United States.
AT midnight after the caucus. a
little company of Republican leaders
visited an humble oyster house in the
vicinity. They had knowledge of the
expert skill Of the keeper OF that cell
lar-like restaurant in the cooking Of
oysters in various styles.
Whenever General Arthur visited
Albany he made it a point to treat
himself 70 one of the oyster stews for
which this proprietor, who was also
his own cook, was locally famous
The little group Of Republican lead
ers consisted of General Chester A.
Arthur, who, three years earlier, mad
been removed from the Office Of col
lector of the port of New York by
President Rutherford B. Hayes Gen
eral Sharpe, who had been removed
at the same time from the office OF
surveyor of the port. and General
Hamilton Ward who was a staunch
friend of Senator Roscoe Conkling
and of General Arthur There were
some lesser Republican lights in the
company. They were all very happy.
The Governor of the State. Alonzo ,.
Cornell, who had been inaugurated a
few hours earlier, was removed from
the post of Naval Officer at the Gus
tom house of New York at the time
General Arthur and General Sharpe
had been removed.
The reason why these Republican
leaders We're rejoicing was, ! thought,
as | sat with that company, due en-
tirely to the fact that although Pres
ident Hayes had removed these men
from conspicuous public Offices, one
OF them had been elected Governor
Of New York. another had been nomi-
mated for Speaker OF the Assembly,
while it was the understanding that
at the meeting OF the Legislature the
following year General Arthur would
be elected United States Senator All
OF these Republicans looked upon
General Arthur as their real leader,
second only to Senator Conkling.
Just as the company was finishing
the oysters a young man came into
the little restaurant. His overcoat
collar was turned up so as to protect
his ears and face, for the night was
Of zero temperature. He stood at the
counter while the proprietor prepar-
ed to open some oysters in response
to his order-a plate Of oysters on
the half she'll While he was watt
ing for the oysters, he turned down
his overcoat collar. lifted a woolen
cap from his head, and then there
stood revealed Daniel S. Lamont. He
had just finished his work in the edi
torial Office of the Albany Argus. Cen
eral Arthur called out to him saying:
"HellO, Danl You come just in tins
to give little SAVIOR to this improptu
feast. for you are the only Democrat
in the room"
Lamont replied. Il suppose you are
celebrating your triumphss but you
ought to have Governor Cornell and
Senator Conkling here to complete
the circle"
A few minutes later Lamont beck
oned to me cautiously and | went
with him to the dor of the oyster
room.
Il suppose you think that General
Arthurs and the others are congrat-
ulating themselves that they have at
last got even with President Hayes
for removing them from office" he
said.
confessed that that was precisely
/ what had occurred to me.
"Well, those men are not thinking
about Hayes at all. I'll tell you what
they have in mind. They have at last
got control of the Republican organ
ization of the State They have got
the Governor and the Speaker OF the
Assembly and the Attorney General
and all the other influences excepting
one. and they think they have got him.
What those men intend to do is TO
give the solid delegation from New
York state to the Republican national
convention at Chicago next June TO
General Grant for the Presidential
nomination.
"They are going to give to Grant
great majority of these delegates.
but they are not going to have a unit
ed delegation, although they don't
know It, Judge Robertson, who Is
very powerful in the eastern part OF
New York state, intends to swing
away at least one-third Of the dele
gates, and he can control as many as
that, from Grant to Blaine, All my
friends think that this will defeat
Grants nomination. Those men In
there" Lamont continued, nodding
his head toward the restaurant. don {
know that they have Judge Robert
son to reckon with
Il turned out as Lamont predicted.
Judge William c. Robertson (appoint-
ed the next year by President Gar
field Collector Of the Port of New
York; controlled a minority of the
New York delegation which supported
Blaine. This broke Grants strength
at Chicago.
year and a half later General
Chester A. Arthur was President OF
the United States, and four years later
Lamont himseilf was Presidents
right-hand, since he was the highly
esteemed private secretary Of President
Grover Cleveland
Copyright. 1918. by E. j. Edwards.
All rights reserved)