Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1885 — Some Interesting Stories About Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania. [ARTICLE]

Some Interesting Stories About Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania.

I know of few statesmen who have had th -ir gait unsteadied as little by the shifting, treacherous sands of politics as Andrew Gregg Curtin. the war the idol of the masses, the worshipped father of the volunteer militia, the leader of the Republican party in the State of Pennsylvania, and referred to at this late day in reverential tones as “the great War Governor,” yet now when the Democratic party is atop the heap we find him among its supreme counsellors, directing Presidential appointments and disputing even with Mr. Randall the right of wielding th power of patronage. The most singular thing, however, in connection with this change of base, is that it has not brought him vituperative criticism. You may find many Republicans who will say: “I’m sorry old Andy has not stood by us. I think he has made a mistake, but I can never say unkind things of the man who acted as he did during the rebellion. — Andy is a solid fellow, no matter what he does.” But you will meet none who will accuse him of having left the Republican ranks thro’ base motives of gain or pol tical preferment. He was in town only a few days ago and he was run after by office seeking Democrats as much as Mr. andall is when he comes down frmi Berwynd, and his mail at Bellefonte has become so heavy that it consumes all of the time of a secretary to attend to it.

* It was during the five years he spent in St. Petersburg as United States Minister to Russia that Mr. Curtin gained his greatest knowledge of statesmanship. The experience thus gained exceeded even that he had in the executive chair at Harrisburg, because his mission abroad was during the troublous period of the Franco-Prussian war. He cut a prominent figure in St. P tersburg society, expending each year $12,000 more than his salary, and consequently his fund of reminiscences of those days is most interesting and important. One of the earlier incidents of his career n the great Russian city occurred at a dinner where Gortschakoff, the Chancellor of the Empire sat ippoaite to him. Mr. Curtin was unknown to most of the guests. Gortschakoff began talking to him in a very abrupt, brusque fashion about the Alabama Claims Commission, which had just been established. “It will never succeed,” said he. “You Americans are always getting up some new things. The principle of it is opposed to every tradition of European diplomacy. Have you read the English press upon this project?” “Yes,” said the Governor, “I have read what they have to say, lut it is barely possible that they are mistaken.” Gortschakoff did not drop the subject. “Have you seen,” said he, “the speech of Lord John Russell in which he denounces the commission as a humbug?” Curtin had been list ning with a very mild air to all this talk. He now turned upon the Chance llor. He said with great abruptness and dignity: “Yes, I have read his speech. I also remember his speech denouncing your plan for suppressing the Polish insurrection. Your reply to him then was so overwhelming that it took away from him completely the little sens 2 that

he ever had.” Can you imagine a more diplomatic reply ? Of cour e, it ended the conversation on that subject. * # * There is a story told of Curtin during his stay in Russia that well exemplifies a trait of the War Governor’s character that I can best describe as a combination of dignity and magnanimity. The most gorgeous member of the Diplomatic Corps in St. Petersburg was General Fleury, the French Minister, then the nearest supporter of Napoleon 111. Besides his salary of $75,000 a year he was allowed $50,000 a year for entertaining. His place of residence was a magnificent palace, and to this Minister Curtin was invited on the occasion of an evening reception. He found himself in a resplendently u iformed assemblage amief which his plain apparel—he was attired in what we term full dress —looked strangely out of place. When he was presented to his distinguished host a d hostess the former made a slight inclination of his head, but said not a word, and Mme. Fleury bowed as frigidly as a woman can, and did not move her lips. You can readily imagine the embarrassing position in which our diplomat was placed. After standing in this awkward position for a moment he « id what he had never done before —turned his back on the foe and marched back into the general salon. In an assemblage of people where social forms guide almost every action of life the marked coolness.of the American Minister’s reception was at once noticed, and became the matter of general comment. One of his associates asked Mr. Curtin what the trouble was, to which he replied that he did not know, but that he certainly would not again enter the French Minister’s doorway; and, ordering his carriage, he drove away without making his adieux. The occurrence was noised about all St. Petersburg next morning in variously exaggerated forms. The Secretary of the French Legation called upon Mr. Curtin to tender an apology. Mr. Cur in, in a thoroughly diplomatic manner, declined to admit that there was any necessity f r an apology. When asked if he wo’d receive General Fleury he replied that he would be pleased to do so. Shortly afterward he was waited upon by the French Minister and t his wife. They frankly confessed,' in a most courteous manner, that he was unknown to them by sight, and when he entered the reception room in his plain evening dress they mistook him for an English iourist. This meeting ended very pleasantly. * * *

When the war between France and Prussia was approaching an end, Minister Curtin gave a dinner at which, as a token of their intimate relations, General and Mme. Fleury were the honored guests. While seated at the table a dispatch was brought to the French Minister. He opened and read it and handed it to Mr. Curtin without a word. It was the dispatch announcing the surrender of Napoleon 111. at Sedan. Fleury at once left the house. He was obliged to leave St. Petersburg almost immediately. Notwithstanding his large income he was head over heels in debt. He was obliged to sell everything down to his wife’s furs to satisfy these debts. In St. Petersburg they have a custom, when a member of a diplomatic corps goes away, for his ass ciates to go down to the station with flowers and presents to give him a brilliant send off. The morning of the Fleury’s departure Governor Curtin and his wife purchased a huge boquet of flowers and drove to tie station. When they arrived there they found the once popular Minister and his wife alone. Not a single one of the people whom they had so lavishly entertained in St. Petersburg had come down to see them off. Mme. Fleury came up to Mr. Curtin with tears m hereys as she said: “You are the only one of our old associates who has had the kindness of heart to remember us this morning,

and you, of all others, who thd’t, when you first met us, that we were rude and insulting in our manner of greeting you.” * * * It was not long after this when Minister Curtin made a flying trip of recreation to London. Chevalier Wyckoff called upon him and asked him if he would not like to call upon Napoleon 111. who was then at Chiselhurst. He said he would do so if he received an intimation that the ex-Emperor desired to see him. The next day one of Napoleon’s aide-de-camp waited upon him and requested him to call at his earliest convenience. He went to Chiselhurst the very next dav and was received most cordially. Finally, after nearly two hours of talk, the ex-Em-peror came to the real point of his desire to see Curtin. He said to him: “You are on intimate terms with Gortschakoff. Have you any objection to telling what are his real views of the subject of the reestablishment of thoeinpire?” "I know what his sentiments upon this subject are,” said Mr. Curtin most guardedly, “but they are of such a nature tW I do not feel at liberty to communicate them to you.” “I understand you,” said the ex-Emperor, “and am much obliged to you for your civility iu calling.”

*** You will not wonder that Curtin was cautious concerning Gortschakoff’s opinion when I tell you that he Lad referred to the ex-Emperov as “that damned French scoundrel,” and had said further, “L>. never shall have any help from mo to rid him in getting bud ’ ' throne, as I look upon him as u man who continually menaces the peace of Europe.” When Curtin returned to St. Petersburg Gortschakoff invited him to dinner. Ihi ring the dinner he said to Cur: in “You have been away.” “Yes, in London.” “You saw many people there?” “Yes.” “A number of distinguished peopl ?” ' “Yes, I saw some prominent American friends of mine.” “I am told that you also saw the man who at one time seemed to hold in his hai'idu the destinies of Europe?”, “Yes, I saw him ” said Mr. Curtin.— “Have you any objections to telling me the nature of the conversation you had with him?” “It was not important,” was the reply. “It was mainly upon personal topics.” Here Gortschakoff said, with a very knowing look, “I know all the details of that conversation. lam very much obliged to you for your discretion in not communicating t< Louis Napoleon my views uponth# re-establishment of the French Empire.” There was no third person visible when Curtin talked with Napoleon, and to this day he wonders by what system of espionage the Russian Chancellor was advised of every act and word of the deposed Emperor. I wonder that Cleveland doesn’t select men of the Curtin stripe to represent the government abroad during Ins administration, * * *. —[Bystander in Philadelphia News.

Unfitted foh the Business.— “That boy of yours is not adapted for the undertaking business!” exclaimed an undertaker to the boy’s father, who inquired why he had been discharged. “What’s the trouble with him?” “He hasn’t a realizing sense of what is due the afflicted. Day before yesterday Mrs. B. buried her fourth husband. I sent the boy up to learn at what hour she wished the ceremony to take place, and he asked her what her regular time of day was for burying husbands. I expect to lose her trade entirely.” ■ * <•» ■ ■— That Representative in the Georgia Legislature w o objected to a resolution of sympathy for Grant is a carpet-bagger from Wisconsin, as might have been expected. Gen Fitz Hugh Lee was one of Gen. Hancock’s aids at the Grant obsequies, New York,last Saturday.