USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of contemporary biography of Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 12
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Mr. Frederick Fraley and Mr. Thomas Cochran, he persistently renewed the struggle until success was at last achieved. One and a half million dollars were borrowed from the United States Government, and Mr. Welsh became one of the principal sureties on the bond for the return of this money, which was paid back to the Government in the settling of the affairs of the Board of Finance. On July 4, 1876, the Directors of the Exhibition, desiring to exhibit their appreciation of his great services, presented to Mr. Welsh a fine gold medal. Immediately after the close of the Exhibition a number of prominent citizens, at an informal meeting held on November 15, 1876, united in starting a subscription for the purpose of presenting a suitable testimonial to Mr. Welsh. Their call met with a hearty response, and in a few weeks a list of five hundred and thirty- nine subscribers had made up a fond of $50,000 for this purpose. The following correspondence in re- gard to the matter took place :
FROM THE COMMITTEE TO MR. WELSH.
" Philadelphia, January 25, 1877. Mr. John Welsh :
DEAR SIR-The citizens of Philadelphia, while they can offer to yon no return for what you have done for them and for your conntry by your zealons and unselfish labors in promoting the suc- cess of the Centennial International Exhibition, feel that it is eminently right and proper that some enduring memorial of their gratitude should be pre- served among us.
"For this purpose a considerable number of them have subscribed to a fond of fifty thousand dollars, and have requested the nndersigned, a committee of their number, to ask yon to designate such an ap- propriation of this fund as may seem to yon best calculated to insure a perpetnal commemoration of the sincere gratitude felt by all your fellow citizens in yonr connection with the Centennial International Exhibition. We are, dear sir, very respectfully and truly,
"Your obedient servants,
GEORGE W. CHILDS, THOMAS A. SCOTT,
Jos. PATTERSON,
G. B. ROBERTS,
D. B. CUMMINS, FRANKLIN B. GOWEN.
A. J. DREXEL,
HENRY LEWIS,
E. C. KNIGHT,
LEMUEL COFFIN,
JAMES A. WRIGHT,
HENRY D. WELSH,
M. BAIRD,
GEORGE N. ALLEN,
CHARLES PLATT,
THOS. C. HAND,
JAMES C. HAND, JAOOB RIEGEL,
N. PARKER SHORTRIDGE,
JOHN P. WETHERILL."
FROM MR. WELSH TO THE COMMITTEE.
" Philadelphia, January 26, 1877.
GENTLEMEN-One is seldom called on to acknowl- edge a letter so agreeable in its tenor as that of the 25tlı inst. received from yon, to which I now have the honor to reply. Although I am not sensible that anything which I have done has given me a claim upon my fellow-citizens, let me assure yon that their kindness as expressed through you is very gratifying
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CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
to me. Their approbation of my services in conuec- tion with the International Exhibition adds to the satisfaction which I derive from the consciousness of having faithfully discharged my duty, but they exceed my greatest desire when, in their lavish kindness, they propose to honor me by 'au endur- ing memorial of their gratitude.'
" Knowing full well the sincerity with which this proposal has been made, and valning the friendship which has prompted it, in obedience to their re- quest, I will not hesitate to express my wish in re- gard to it, and therefore respectfully suggest that the fund to which you have alluded shall be given to 'The Trustees of the University of Pennsyl- vania,' as an endowment for 'the Professorship of History and English Literature,' in that venerable institution. Such a memorial, whilst it honors me, will, throngh successive ages, cause those who en- joy its advantages to revere the memory of those men from whom those advantages have been de- rived.
" With a renewed expression of my high appre- ciation for the motives which have induced this ex- traordinary act of kindness, I am, with very great respect,
" Your obedient servant, "JOHN WELSH,"
The committee made their arrangements in ac- cordance with Mr. Welsh's wish, stipnlatiug that the professorship should be known as "The John Welsh Centennial Professorship," and that permis- sion should be given to erect in the chapel of the University a marble tablet commemorating the cir- cumstances of the endowment. On February 22, 1877, the occasion of this endowment was publicly celebrated in the Chapel Hall of the University, in the presence of a large assemblage of well-known citizens. Addresses were made by ex-Mayor Morton McMichael, Governor John F. Hartranft, Provost Charles J. Stille and Mr. Welsh. Bishop Stevens opened the proceedings with a prayer, in which he said :
" We thank Thee for raising up sucli a man to be a tower of moral strength and a landmark of probity in our midst; one who finds his highest honor in ad- vancing Thy honor, and his best reward in promot- ing the welfare of his fellow men. Endue him plen- teously with heavenly gifts, grant him in health and prosperity long to live, and finally, after this life, to attain everlasting joy and felicity."
Mr. McMichael's address so happily describes Mr. Welsh and his Centennial work that an ex- tract from his speech is here published. Mr. Mc- Michael said :
"Mr. Welsh was pre-eminently fitted for the place to which he was called. Accustomed to pub- lie affairs, he had the largeness of view needed to comprehend the vastness of the field which lay be- fore him, and the insight to appreciate its moral as well as its material significance. Trained in the school which has made the merchants of Phila- delphia proverbial for probity and sagacity, and constantly participant in important transactions,
he was skilled to cope wisely' and justly with the most intricate business problems. Cultivated in taste, his judgment matured by many years of varied and instructive experience, he was entirely competent to meet the æsthetic requirements of the position. Gifted with singular equanimity of temper and winning graciousness of manner, that softened, but did not impair, the authority of com- mand ; favored with uninterrupted health; always alert, always elastic, always buoyant, he possessed in a remarkable degree the mens sana in corpore sano, the sound mind iu a sound body that furnishes the master key to wholesome action. Equipped with these, and kindred intellectual and physical at- tribntes, he was quick to perccive and prompt to execute; shrewd in forecast and diligent in fulfill- ment; patient of labor and unremitting in its exer- cise ; persnasive in method and vigorous in con- dnet; neither rashly bold nor timidly cautious ; and, as he avoided no proper responsibility and as- snmed no nndue prominence, by conciliatory pre- cept and unspariug example he stimulated and util- ized the capabilities of his well-chosen and well-en- dowed associates. It has fallen to the lot of few leaders to be supported by a body combining so many qualities especially adapted to the service on which they were employed as that he held; it has fallen to the lot of still fewer bodies to be mar- shaled by a leader so capable of giving those qnali- ties their highest application as him they followed ; and to the traits here mentioned Mr. Welsh joined a faith in his undertaking that never failed him ; a bright belief in its ultimate success that no passing clouds of doubt or despondency were permitted to obscure; an unfaltering determination to press on- ward, no matter what obstacles might interpose, his earnestness communicated itself to all within its grasp, and inspired a confidence that if trinmph were possible he and his co-workers who shared his convictions and his enthusiasm would achieve it. And it was achieved. It would not profit to bear on the painful trials that had to be gone through with before that goal was reached. The antagon- isms produced by honestly conflicting opinions, the hostilities engendered by unworthy jealousies, the clamors raised by interested rivals, the bitter as- saults of misjudging journalists, the imputations of mercenary motives by heedless slanderers, the ab- sence outside of a limited sphere of popular sym- pathy, the denial of Government aid, the indiffer- ence of Government officials-these were among the difficulties to be overcome, and only the conr- age sprung from unselfish and patriotic impulses could have subdued them. Happily that conrage was not wanting; happily those difficulties were overcome; and now that the battle is over we who watched its course, and saw what they who bore its brnut had to encounter; who saw how manfully day after day they renewed the apparently hopeless coutest ; how eagerly they pursned every path that revealed a glimpse of promise; with what mission- ary fervor they labored to convert distant unbe- lievers ; with what tempting allurements they drew hitler those whose alliance they coveted; with what eloquent appeals they strove to inflame the eold and convince the doubting-now that the. vic- tory is assured, we, who while the battle lasted gave to those who waged it our warmest wishes, and helped them with what help we might, of voice
.
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CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
and pen and purse and person, have come together to express afresh our commendation of what they did, and to bestow on their chief, their guide, their counsellor, their companion, a testimonial of our respect and gratitude. It would, however, fall far short of what the occasion means to suppose that it is alone for the services he rendered to the Exposi- tion this testimonial is preferred. That those ser- vices were abundant-most abundant-no one could dispute; that they compelled continual mental strain and frequent sacrifice of bodily ease and comfort many of us know; that they led to mag- nificent results all the world agrees. Of themselves they would justify any recognition, and certainly they were the motive to the demonstration we are here to make. But great as they were, and greatly as we prize and esteem them, they were only the final act of a long career of such-the crown of a life devoted to noble purposes. It was because Mr. Welsh had been conspicuous in good works in min- istering to those who suffered, and raising those who had fallen; in founding hospitals; in promot- ing education; in expanding the industries, and en- larging the commerce of his native city; in per- forming satisfactorily grave municipal functions ; in directing and managing stupendous enterprises ; and because in all things he had been true and up- right and steadfast, that when the crisis demanded superior qualifications in connection with the Ex- position, all thoughts were instinctively turned to- wards him. It is because in this, as in all besides, he 'hath borne his faculties so meek; hath been so clear in his great office,' that, speaking for you who hear me, for the various classes you typify, for the eminent meu and women from our own and sister States, and the distinguished represen- tatives from abroad who were with us during our Centennial period, and for the countless throngs who were gratified and instructed by the superb spectacle which he so largely assisted to create- speaking, though not with the sanction, yet with the sincerity they were spoken of old, I say to him, in the pregnant words of Holy Writ: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.' "
Professor Stillé then said :
"I cannot allow these impressive ceremonies to be brought to a close without expressing, on behalf of the two faculties of the University more especial- ly concerned with the instruction in history and English literature, our profound sense of the value of the encouragement which you and Mr. Welsh have this day given to our work. I need not, per- haps, say to you that Mr. Welsh's name has long been with us here a household word. The walls of the University buildings, could they speak, would be vocal with their praises ; and, if you need any further proofs of his public spirit and his devotion to the public good than those which have been laid before you to-day, let me ask you to wander through these halls, and gaze upon the unsurpassed means of illustrating our teachings which have been placed at our disposal; and then consider what the liberality and example of one man may do to promote that great interest of society, that which underlies all others, the cducation of all others,- the education of the people."
The tablet of black marble over the main door of
the University chapel contains the following in- scription :
" IN GRATEFUL COMMEMORATION OF THE ZEALOUS AND UNSELFISH LABORS OF JOHN WELSH IN PROMOTING THE SUOOESS OF
THE CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, THE CITIZENS OF PHILADELPHIA HAVE ENDOWED THE JOHN WELSH CENTENNIAL PROFESSORSHIP OF HISTORY AND ENGLISH LITERATURE IN THIS UNIVERSITY. 1876."
On October 30, 1877, President Hayes appointed Mr. Welsh Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni- potentiary to the Court of St. James. This appoint- ment met with universal approval, not only in Philadelphia where he was so well known, but in New York and other great trade centres, where his long and honorable career as a merchant and as President of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, as well as by his broadly recognized services during the Centennial, had made his character and ability well known. On the evening of November 27, 1877, a farewell dinner was given to Mr. Welsh at the Aldine Hotel in Philadelphia, a large number of distinguished citizens being present. General George Cadwalader was the chairman of the com- mittee of arrangements, and Hon. Morton McMichael presided. Addresses were made by Mr. McMichael, Mr. Welsh, Mr. Joseph Patterson, Hon. Daniel J. Morrell, Mr. Frederic Fraley, Dr. William Pepper, Hon. Craig Biddle, Col. John W. Forney and Daniel Dougherty. On the following evening at the Academy of the Fine Arts a public reception was given to Mr. Welsh, tickets admitting twenty thou- sand people being issued, and for two hours a steady stream of people poured through the building, pay- ing their respects to the guest of the occasion. During the evening the Hon. Morton McMichael presented to Mr. Welsh, on behalf of the women of Philadelphia, a pair of elegantly embroidered silk fiags-one English and one American. Mr. Welsh sailed from New York on December 1st, having been escorted from Philadelphia on a special train by a committee of citizens. He had previously re- ceived congratulatory addresses from many public bodies, and on the steamship dock he was given a reception by a committee of New York bankers and merchants. The steamship " Adriatic," on which he sailed, arrived in Liverpool on December 11, and at the Town Hall of that city he was given a public welcome, while the various commercial organizations united in doing him honor. An inci- dent which occurred at one of these occasions is
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CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
interesting as cxhibiting Mr. Welsh's quickness in appreciating a situation offering possible embarrass- ment, and his readiness in extricating himself from it. The President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, in the course of his address, made cer- tain remarks urging the English free trade policy on America. Mr. Welsh met the suggestion with the happy reply that England did what it considered beneficial for the English nation, and in like manner America looked to the interest of the American people. Both had a good common object, but differed in the mode of procedure. Mr. Welsh served as United States Minister with entire satis- faction, not only to his own country, but in such wise as to gain the respect and esteem of the public men of England. There were few diplomatic inci- dents of importance arising during his term of ser- vice, but his general course was beneficial to his country and to the cause of humanity. In particu- lar, he had warmly interested himself in securing the release of the Fenian prisoners, Condon, Melady and O'Meara, for whose liberation individual sym- pathizers and societies in the United States had for many years exerted their efforts unsuccessfully. In less than nine months after Minister Welsh en- tered upon his duties, and in response to the inter- cession made by him, for the United States Govern- ment, in their behalf, the three prisoners were (in August, 1878) granted a release. During Mr. Welsh's ministry occurred the payment to the British Government of the sum of $5,500,000 on the part of the United States, awarded by the Halifax Fishery Commission. Minister Welsh, under in- structions from the President, accompanied this payment with a protest, in which, after explaining that the United States Government was desirous of placing the maintenance of good faith in treaties and the security of the value of arbitration between nations above all question in its relations with Great Britain, he gave notice that in future like cases "Her Britannic Majesty's Government should be distinctly advised that the Government of the United States cannot accept the result of the Halifax Com- mission as furnishing any just measure of a partici- pation by our citizens in the inshorc fisheries of the British provinces. It protests against the actual payment now made being considered by her Majes- ty's Government as in any sense an acquiescence in such measure, and as warranting any inference to that effect." On May 10, 1879, Minister Welsh notified President Hayes of his intention to resign the mission to England, and return home, and in response he received a very complimentary letter urging him to reconsider his intention. This, how- ever, he declined, as the reasons which induced him
to retire were personal. During his brief absence from the United States Mr. Welsh had suffered severe losses in the deaths of his brother William Welsh and of his sisters Mrs. Anna Lapsley and Mrs. Elizabeth Horner. His departure from London gave occasion for the publication of highly compli- mentary cditorial articles in the leading English newspapers. Mr. Welsh arrived home on Sunday, August 31, 1879, on the steamer "Indiana." He was met at Newcastle by a committee, of which Mr. L. C. Madeira was chairman, and escorted to his Germantown residence. Because of the day a for- mal reception was not given him; but a few days later he was given a reception and home-welcoming in Independence Hall, which was attended by many thousands of people. In January, 1880, Mr. Welsh was invited by the most prominent business men of New York to attend a complimentary dinner at Delmonico's in that city. This invitation, however, he was obliged to decline. Mr. Welsh was one of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and was active in the movement for the enlargement of that institution over twenty years ago. Mr. Welsh headed the list with a $10,000 subscription, and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means became practically the manager of the movement. $150,000 were collected. Afterwards, when the University was pressed for money, Mr. Welsh never failed to respond to its need. In various ways he gave from $25,000 to $30,000, besides the $50,000 with which he founded the Professorship of History and English Literature already mentioned. Mr. Welsh was a member of the Select Council for two years; was President of the North Pennsylvania Railroad one year; Commissioner of the Sinking Fund of the city twenty years; President of the Board of Trade for about twenty years; and Director in various financial institutions, and Commissioner of Fairmount Park. He was also a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania for more than twenty years, and a Trustce of the Academy of Natural Sciences, towards whose new building he gave $5,000. Among the honors conferred upon Mr. Welsh are the following: the degree of LL.D., by the University of Pennsylvania and the Wash- ington and Lee University of Virginia; Knight Commander of the Order of St. Olaf, by the King of Sweden and Norway; Commander of the Order of the Rising Sun, by the Emperor of Japan; Grand Officer of the Order of Nizan Iftakan, by the Bey of Tunis, and Chevalier d'Honneur Ordre de Melusine, by Marie de Lusignan, Princess of Cyprus, Jeru- salem and Armenia. In addition to the specific duties heretofore mentioned, Mr. Welsh gave con- siderable attention to public affairs-National, State
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CONTEMPORARY. BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
and municipal-preparing and delivering many ad- dresses on trade and on economic and other subjects. After his returu in 1879 he took little part, however, in public matters, but was active in urging before the Pennsylvania Legislature the bill providing for a water loan of $3,000,000 for the extension and improvement of the water system of Philadelphia. On April 30, 1829, Mr. Welsh married Miss Rebecca B. Miller, a daughter of Alexander J. Miller, who died iu 1832, leaving two daughters. On February 6, 1838, he married Mary Lowber, a daughter of Edward Lowber. By her he had six sons and three daughters. He left four sons and four daughters- John Lowber Welsh, Samuel Welsh, Jr., William Lowber Welsh, Herbert Welsh, Mrs. J. Somers Smith, Mrs. J. B. Young, Mrs. George Strawbridge, and Mrs. Stokes, who, as Miss Ellen Welsh, pre- sided over her father's household at the Legation in London. For some time before his death Mr. Welsh was troubled with a weakuess in the action of the heart, but otherwise enjoyed good health. In spite of his age he was very active, and within ten days of his death took long walks and appeared to be as well as usual. A week before his death he was taken slightly ill, and the symptoms continued to grow worse until, on the fourth day, pneumonia set in. During the next three days he continued to fail, and while appearing perfectly rational when spoken to, it was noticed that he talked to himself a great deal about public affairs. He expressed eagerness to know something about Mr. Gladstone's movements in the House of Commons relative to the Home Rule Bill, and seemed interested iu occur- rences and news items. On the night before the morning of his death he asked to have the different members of his household brought to his room, and greeted and recognized. them all. His death was peaceful, and all but one of his children were with him at the time. The following splendid and just tribute to the memory of Johu Welsh appeared in the Philadelphia Public Ledger on the morning of April 12, 1886, the day before that assigued for his funeral, which took place at St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church :
IN MEMORY OF JOHN WELSHI.
"No private citizen's death within the preseut gen- cration has been mourned as widely aud as feelingly in Philadelphia as that of John Welsh, who passed away on Saturday. But few, if any, will be likely to say no to the declaration that he stood first in the front rank of the good citizenship of the city and State, with no one to outrank him in that respect anywhere. We have used the term 'private citi- zen,' for Mr. Welsh's incumbency of the distin- guished office of American Miuister to Great Britain could add nothing to the high position he already occupied; his holding of the office rather conferred
dignity upon it. Nearly all that make up the dis- tinction and elevation of his character come from the good and great work he voluntarily did in his capa- city of citizen-as citizen of Philadelphia, of Penn- sylvania, and of the United States.
"On another page of this day's issue there is a brief biographical sketch with instances of some of the noble work in which most of his time was employed; but these refer only to what had a broad public side, such as the promotion of the Episcopal Hospital; the rehabilitation of the University of Pennsylvania and its housing it its stately home iu West Philadel- phia; the Great Sanitary Fair in 1864, which cov- ered the whole of Logan Square with its roof and put a million of dollars into the fund for the com- fort and health of the soldiers and sailors of the Union, and the illustrious Centennial Exhibition of 1876. These with others are among his prominent contributions to the advantage and welfare of his fellow-citizens that reach the public eye and hear- ing because of their broad public character. But they are few in number compared with his other benevolent and beneficent works that were the labors of love of his every-day life-in looking after the financial interests of Philadelphia as the head of the important Sinking Fund Commission; the pleas- ure of the people as Commissioner for their un- equalled Park; the interests of manufactures and commerce as President of the Board of Trade; the promotion of education as Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania; the alleviation of suffering as the largest benefactor of the Episcopal Hospital; the time and study he gave to the numerous financial and fiduciary trusts with which he was connected; the mitigation of private misfortune, affliction and distress. To give any full account of these would require the publication of an itinerary of his daily life, for he was nearly always upon some errand of mercy or benefaction with kindly heart and most generous hand-no personal gain or selfish gratifica- tion ever entering into his labors, except the satis- faction of extendiug help where it was needed and in doing good. It would be easy to occupy large space in recitiug kindred facts; but we have yet to consider other qualities of Mr. Welsh's character. As a merchant and factor and as custodian of the funds of the commercial correspondents and con- siguors to his house, he, with his brothers, Samuel and William, achieved and maintained the highest position for personal probity and mercantile honor. His and their pledged word was good as any bond. No one who had that ever felt mistrust or misgiving. He was always in request as counsellor and adviser, and it was this that brought him to the foreground on many occasions when he would have preferred to be less prominent. He was one of that precious type of meu whose first thought is to extend the helping hand, and to that end to avoid controversy -to harmouize differences-and he was nearly always successful. While he seldom failed to bring those who differed from him round to his way of thinking on important poiuts, this was done, not ouly by his mastery of the subject, the clearness of his judgment and the force of his reasoning, but largely also by the gentleness of his persuasiou and the uniform amenity of his manners. We all know of well meaning aud, indeed, uscful meu with whom it is almost impossible to avoid quarrel, but, to the opposite of that, such was his equanimity of temper
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