Evening journal., 1914-03-20
NEW MEMS sF YESTERDAY
A Popular Minister to the
Court Of st. James
~ Holland.

was chatting one day in the early
part of the administration OF Chester
A. Arthur with the late Daniel G..
Rollins. who, If Arthur could have
had his way, would have been attor-
noy-gencral in the cabinet, succeed
ing Wayne Macveagh, who retired
from Garneld's cabinet almost inn
mediately after the death Of Presi-
dent Garfield
Mr. Rollins was "a very able lawyer
and perhaps as intimate a personal
and political friend as President Ar
thur had. He was a wise counsellor,
unon whom the President relied when
he was seeking advice.
Judge Rollins said to me that IL
was General Arthurs opinion that
President Grant always felt that II
he had retained Reyerdy Johnson as
minister 10 the Court OF St. James
he would have been spared not only
great annoyance, which he shared
with the secretary OF state, Hamil-
ton Chase. while John LOthrop Motley
was minister 10 the Court OF ST.
James. but furthermore, the organi-
zatiOn of the Liberal Republican
party IN 1872 would not have been
thought OF.
Andrew Johnson, when President
nominated Reyerdy Johnson, then a
Senator from Maryland, as the sue
cessor of Charles Francis Adams,
who In 1868 resigned the post he had
held from 1861 as minister 10 the
Court of 81 James, said Mr. Rollins
"Reverdy Johnson was not Ia Great
Britain three months before he gained
a popularity unsurpassed by that Sc
cured by any of his predecessors In
that Office. Everybody Ia Great Brit
ain, from the prime minister down
10 the plain citizen, conceived a sud-
den and great fondneas for the
American minister. have heard that
that was IN part due TO the extra
ordinary physical resemblance, es-
necially IN his features aud the shape
OF his head, of Reyerdy Johnson to
the typical highbred man, whether
peer or oommOner, of Great Britain.
lie certainly did look like a true
hngliahman.
"At an events, Johnson's popular
icy made Il possible for him speedily
10 negotiate draft of treaty which
has passed into history as the John
son-ClnrendOn treaty. Had this
treaty been ratified by our Senate,
the Alabama claims commission
would not have met. The misunder-
standing between the United States
and Great Britain, due 10 our claims
for damages ON account of the depra.
dations OF the Confederate privaieera
upon American commerce would have
been easily adjusted had the treaty
which Mr., Johnson prepared been
ratified
"1ut it was not ratified There
was feeling that some of the Sen-
atore who voted to reject this treaty
had conceived intense iealously Tor
Royerdy Johnson and. furthermore
feared that, We're the treaty rauhed
Mr.. Johnson's party would set Me
glory
General Grant. who was Ia Wash
ington at the time. greatly admired
the draft of the treaty, as prepared
by Johnson, and after Grant wa.
elected President the purpose was tC
retain Johnson as minister 10 tho
Court of ST. James, But when he be.
came President he found party pres
sure too strong 20 resist. lie was told
that Il would not be good politics Z,
keep Reyerdy Johnson In oilcc al
minister to the Court of st. James
lie. therefore, reluctantly determine,
20 make new appointment and, OF
the advice of Hamilton Fish. theI
secretary of State, he named the his
torian, John Lothrop Motley,
"l never knew what the real rea
son was which compelled presiden
Grant TO recall Motley about a yea
later. | have heard that Secretar.
Fish found Mr.. Motley insuhordinats
or al least unwilling to heed his re
quests that renewed attempt be mad
10 secure a new treaty by which th
Alabama claims could be adjusted
The removal of Motley gave YER
great ofiense 10 influential Repuhii
cans who were In public life, an
especially 10 Charles Sumner an,
Carl Schurz. Il paved the way TO
bringing together all of those dis
grunned or idealistic Republican
who organized, two years later. a
the Liberal Republican party, wit
Horace Greeley as the candidate TO
President
president Grant always felt tina
if Revendy Johnson had been retaine
as minister he could have negotiate
new treaty which would have bee
satisfactory, and then all OF the an
fortunate complications which fo
lowed his recall and the appointmer
OF John Lothrop Motley as his sue
cessor would have been avoided"
(Copyright 1914. by E j. Edward
All rights reseryedl
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