Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1892 — SECRETARY OF STATE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SECRETARY OF STATE.

John W. Foster, of Indiana; ‘'"-Named by the President. Jhe nomination Immediately Confirmed #i_ by tlie Senate and the Commit don Signed. Tlie President on tlie 28th sent to the Senate the fallowing nomination: John W. Foster,.of Indiana, to bo Sew" retarycf State. , > • Tfio Senate, in o.xecutivesession, shortly afternoon confirmed tlie nomination. The President signed the commission of tlie new Secretary of State in a short time after recoivlng word of the confirmation of the apjpojntment by tlie Senate. John Watson Foster was born in Pike county, Indiana, March 2. 1336. lie graduated at the State University in 1855, and after one year at Harvard Law School \v as admitted to 1110 bar and began practice at

Evansville. He entered tlie national service in 1861 as a major of the Twentyfifth Indiana Infantry. the capture of Ft. Donelson he was promoted to a lieutenant colonelcy, and was subsequently made Colonel of the Sixty-fifth Indiana (mounted) Infantry.. Laterjhe was appointed colonel of the One-Hundred-and-Thirty-sixtli Indiana Regiment. During his entire service he was connected with the Western army of Grant and Sherman. He was commander of the advance brigade of cavalry in Burnside’s expedition to East Tennessee, and was the first to occupy Knoxyille in 1863. After the war liq became editor of the Evansville Daily Journal, and in 1869 he was appointed postmaster of that city. He was sent as United States Minister to Mexico by President Grant in 1873, and was reappointed by President Hays in 1890. In March of that year he was transferred to Russia, and held that mission until November, 1881, when he resigned to attend to private business. Gfchii retnlrn To this country Col. Foster established himself in practice In international cases at Washington, acting as counsel for foreign legations, before courts of commission, in arbitration, etc. President Arthur appointed him minister to Spain, and he served from February 1883, to March 17, 1885, when he resigned and returned to the United States, having negotiated an important commercial treaty wi th the Spanish Government! This treaty elicited general discussion, and Was StrongAy opposed in the Senate. That body failed to confirm it, and it was afterward withdrawn by President Cleveland for reconsideration, Some Greeks later Col. Foster was instructed to return to Spain to reopen negotiations for a modified treaty. Tii is miss[ou.:ho.we.ver,.was ,uns«eeessfuU gml CrEFos ter remained nbruatPhnt a law months. Since Col. Foster's retirement from the diplomatic service he has from time to time represensed the Interests of Mexico in the united States, ana has been connected fb a semi-official way with tho -State • Department. He was recently appointed to represent the interests of the United States before the Bering Sea board of arbitration.

HON. JOHN W. FOSTER.