Chapter D: Manning to George W. Smith

"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July 4, 1885_.

"MY DEAR MR. SMITH,--No one can regret much more than I do the composition of that railroad list of officers. I had supposed that in view of what I said as to Mr. Canda that I would hear more of the case before final action, but in this I was disappointed. Two, and possibly three, of the number certainly have no good qualification for the offices given them. Hoadley, it appears (I did not see him), was over here on some business of his own, just in the nick of time to be consulted, and the result was what might have been expected from so good a man--thoughtless and injudicious advice.

"It is not possible that there was any viciousness in the purposes of the two, who may be said to have been the appointing power. I shall have further conversation with them, but without expecting any practical result.

"I cannot, in a letter, write just as fully on this subject as I should like, and shall reserve this, and some other matters of more or less consequence themselves, for the conversation with you, that I promise myself later on in the summer.

"Faithfully yours,
"DANIEL MANNING."

DANIEL MANNING TO TILDEN

"ALBANY, _July 13th, 1885_.

"MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--I send you herewith a copy of a letter received to-day. I send it because it may serve to amuse, and because it enables one to measure the sizes of certain men who are playing their best on the Washington stage. My correspondent is a truthful writer, and is well entitled to my confidence.

"Faithfully yours,
"DANIEL MANNING,
"M. F. M."

* * * * *

The following is the letter mentioned in the above note:

---- TO DANIEL MANNING

"WASHINGTON, _July 12th, 1885_.

"DEAR MR. SECRETARY,--I have a piece of news for you, which I can only hope will not annoy you as much as it has some of us here. You will remember that on one of my visits to the Hot Springs, I told you that some of the gentlemen of the department had organized a social club, and out of respect and admiration for you had named it 'The Manning Club.' Well, the organization seemed to be a vigorous and thriving one, and we had in it almost every Democratic chief of bureau and chief of division in the department. We had rented a fine house for a year, had partly furnished it, and were rapidly getting into good shape when a bomb-shell fell among us in the shape of a notification of the displeasure of the President, and now the organization is completely disorganized and about ready to disband.

"So far as we can learn, the President was misinformed of the objects of the club; he was told that it was a political organization; but even when its real purpose, that of promoting good feeling and good fellowship among Democratic officers of the Treasury Department, was explained to him by Judge Maynard, he insisted upon continuing his disapproval; and intimated that if the organization were continued, he would write a letter for publication, denouncing it and kindred organizations. This I learn from persons who talked with him about it.

"Of course, under the circumstances, there is nothing for us to do but disband. The president of the club wrote Mr. Cleveland, asking for an interview at which he might explain to him its purposes. This was on Friday last. To-day (the 12th) he received a note from Colonel Lamont saying that the President referred the writer of the letter to Mr. Fairchild, to whom he (the President) had spoken on the subject.

"I had a talk with Mr. Fairchild the other day, and found that he had been misinformed as to the objects of the club; but even after I had explained its purpose to him, and while he acknowledged the legitimacy of that purpose, he expressed disapproval of it as liable to misconstruction, and apt to become a source of embarrassment to the administration because of the political qualification for membership.

"The matter is all the more annoying, because there is treachery at the bottom of it. Mr. Fairchild tells me that on Wednesday evening last he heard of it and went to the President about it, and that he found the President already knew of and disapproved of it, as he then understood it. Judge Maynard, who saw the President on Friday, and explained the real purposes of the club to him, tells me that on Wednesday morning he was informed by Colonel Youmans that the club was disapproved of by the President. Youmans thus appears to have been the first person in the Treasury to know that the club met with disfavor at the White House. He knew of it Wednesday morning. On Tuesday night his name was proposed for membership in the club, and the person who proposed his name said he had talked with the chief clerk about the organization that day (Tuesday). It is hard to think it possible, but almost every member of the club believes that Youmans carried the information he had concerning the club and his own impressions of its purposes to the White House.

"However, the club is now a thing of the past; or will be as soon as we can close up its affairs and dispose of our house and furniture, and that part of the incident is at an end; but what puzzles all of us is that a social club of Democratic officials should be vetoed, while State Democratic associations, with purposes assuredly partisan, continue to flourish in Washington.

"I do hope, Mr. Secretary, that the matter may not annoy you or cause you any embarrassment, but I am fearful that it will. I did not write you on Friday, because I wanted to wait and see how it would turn out. It is proper that I should write you about it, now that the President has refused to have the matter explained to him by our officers, and that we have determined to disband."

* * * * *

Shortly before the receipt of the letter which follows, Mr. Manning, one day on leaving the cabinet, experienced an apoplectic attack which compelled him to be transported to his home, and was destined, I believe, to prevent his ever placing his feet again in the Treasury Department. As soon as he was able to travel, he repaired to Albany, where he was accustomed to find the comforts and consolations of home, and expected in seeking them again to be speedily restored to health. In this, however, both he and his friends were disappointed; and though he survived until December of '87, he early realized that his illness was incurable, and that his public career, so full of promise, was ended. In the latter part of July he was invited by Mr. Tilden to join him at the Kaaterskill House in the Catskills, where Mr. Tilden himself was temporarily sojourning. To this invitation the following was Mr. Manning's reply:

DANIEL MANNING TO S. J. TILDEN

"153 WASHINGTON AVENUE,

"ALBANY, N. Y., _July 26th_ (_1885._)

"MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--I have read and carefully thought over your letter of the 16th inst. Dr. Hun and Dr. Simons are agreed as to the heart, the examination of the urine, and the necessity for careful attention to diet.

"I think that I should much like to go to the Catskill Mountains, but I doubt if I would be comfortable there without the company of some cheery friends. I am now under engagement to go to the Watch Hill House, Watch Hill, R. I., next Thursday. Chancellor Pierson, a gentleman of great good-humor, talkative, and a jolly disposition, undertakes to go along. We may spend a couple of weeks there, and then I shall be at the end of my rope.

"I want to see you very much to talk about my proposed communication to the President. I feel more and more, daily, that I need your assistance. Have you thought over the matter? Have you prepared a form for me? Do you know when our friend will return from Europe? I should feel much more at ease if everything was ready in advance. I do not know when I can get to see you. It occupies a day to go from Watch Hill to New York or Yonkers, and for me the trip will be a long one. Kindly clear my mind on this point. I do so much want to decide on my action before the vacation closes. That done, I should feel comparatively free.

"My health is improving daily. My physician talks encouragingly, and I feel that I am better, stronger, than I was when I left Greystone.

"Faithfully yours,
"DANIEL MANNING,
"M. F. M."

DANIEL MANNING TO TILDEN

"_Personal._

"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July 29, 1885_.

"MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--Will you be at Greystone on the 7th of August? I want to see you, and perhaps I cannot find a better time than that day. I expect to leave here with Mrs. Manning and Miss Mary on the 6th or 7th, and will be compelled to remain in New York over the 8th. I am booked for Watch Hill for the 10th, to remain there two or three weeks.

"I have many things to say, and I need your help and advice.

"Faithfully yours,
"DANIEL MANNING."