Part 28

"It also adopts the action of the general term which was at least improvident and unjustifiable in face of its later action in the cable case. The appointment of commissioners, and the confirmation of their report, was a substituted consent in behalf of the property-owners. The direct consent of the property-owners could probably not have been obtained.

"The substituted consent was obtained only by the abusive action of the general term.

"Again, the effect of this bill is to deny to the people, to the local authorities, and the property-owners interested any opportunity to pass fairly upon the question, whether or not Broadway should be occupied by a surface railroad; it practically determines that there shall be a surface railroad in Broadway.

"The only question which it leaves open is, Who shall own and operate that railroad?

"In my judgment, this bill ought to be held under advisement, after the two former bills have been acted upon.

"You will thus have opportunity for mature consideration, and for manifesting your vigilance in protecting the public interest.

"It is very possible that you will come to the conclusion to withhold from it your approval.

"That is my judgment of what ought to be done.

"I have dictated this letter, after reading, this evening, the newspapers, and finding out as well as I could what has been done to-day. I will endeavor to write about the remaining bill to-morrow.

Very truly yours, "S. J. TILDEN."

TILDEN TO BIGELOW

"GREYSTONE, _May 2, 1885_.

"DEAR MR. BIGELOW,--I send you the two addresses. Do not cut them. Carefully preserve them. If lost, I probably could not replace them.

"1. The address to which I referred in the account, I gave of it to you, is entitled 'Address of the Democratic Members of the Legislature of the State of New York.'

"The first part of it contained on the first and second pages, and a part of the third page was, I think, drawn by John Van Buren, and prefixed after the preparation of the main body of the document.

"One of the passages written in by me while revising a part of the address will be found on pages 11 and 12. It is marked.

"2. On the subject of adapting a colonial system, or entering into a partnership with mixed races, you will find a declaration in the address of February 16, 1848, pp. 8 and 9, and also in a resolution on p. 16. They are marked.

"I should like to know of exactly what use you propose to make of them. After you have read both papers, I should like it if you could run up here for half an hour and talk it over.

"Very truly yours."

TILDEN TO DANIEL MANNING

"GREYSTONE, YONKERS, N. Y., _June 9, 1885_.

"DEAR MR. MANNING,--I am sorry to hear that the President has been unwell. Having invoked Mrs. Manning's influence in favor, in your case, of a reform of the excessive and destructive sway of the 'interview' evil, I regret that there is no Mrs. Cleveland to co-operate in this reform in the case of the President. He starts with an admirable constitution, but there is a limit to what even he can endure.

"Paper recommendations are a poor reliance at best. A regular trial on a paper basis, of fourth-class postmasters, is beyond the strength of any one man.

"It is necessary that the appointing power should find out friends in every locality, who can be trusted to give accurate information and conscientious advice, and put the responsibility on them, and then accept their judgment.

"It is a mistake to suppose that the party leaders are not capable of being extremely useful as means of intelligence. A party is a living being, having all the organs of eyes, ears, and feeling. No man can rise to leadership without having some qualities of value. The appointing power should not be governed absolutely by local leaders; but should hear them in important cases, cross-examine them, derive all the benefits they are capable of rendering, and not be ambitious of displaying a disregard of them. Distrust of one's friends will generally result in misplaced confidence in inferior persons or in ill-advised action.

"The importance of the little postmasters is very great. In many of the purely rural districts there is one to every hundred voters. They are centres of political activity. They act as agents and canvassers for the newspapers of their party, and as local organizers.

"The immense power of this influence is now wholly on the side of the Republicans. To allow this state of things to continue is infidelity to the principles and cause of the administration. The wrong should be gradually corrected.

"I send herewith some extracts from the letters of Mr. Jefferson, both because the view taken by him is sound, and because he had a felicitous mode of statement, which is a good example to his successors when they have occasion to discuss the same subject.

Very truly yours."

FRANK McCOPPIN TO S. J. TILDEN

"THE PACIFIC CLUB, SAN FRANCISCO, _June 9, 1885_.

"DEAR SIR,--The Chinese question has again disturbed the people, or some of them, upon this coast; but this time it came to us in a new form, as the printed matter enclosed will explain.

"At one time the President intended to appoint a Californian Minister to China (he offered it to Mr. S. M. Wilson of this city), but changed his mind later; hence the present disturbance.

"In this so-called interview I mention the names of all the members of the cabinet save one, and that one I do not admire. A very witty friend of mine, the late John B. Fetton, once said, in regard to very old case cited by opposite counsel, that it was like ox-tail soup--it came from too far back. And so it appears to be with Mr. Secretary, judging by his late performance in Kansas; he comes from too far back. You will, I hope, pardon me for addressing you in this apparently flippant manner; but, though new to you as a correspondent, I am a very old friend of yours, and served on the national committee (Democratic) from 1872 until 1879, when I resigned in consequence of having to go to the Sandwich Islands. Therefore, I served through the campaign of 1876, when this State was lost to us, and the Presidency to you, by a stupendous fraud committed in this city.

"Mrs. McCoppin is a New-Yorker, was a Van Ness, and a niece of the late Mrs. Roosevelt, 836 Broadway.

"Before leaving Washington, I wrote Mr. Manning, who, I suppose, will pay no heed to me, pointing to the fact that our Southern friends in California are pressing forward, to the exclusion of all other classes, for _all_ the Federal patronage upon this coast. In this city we have 51,000 registered voters, 2400 of whom are from the South; and yet the 2400 want _all_ the offices, and I suppose they will get them.

"The Gwin clique alone have more than enough to fill every place.

Very respectfully yours, "FRANK MCCOPPIN."

MANNING TO GEORGE W. SMITH

"MR. GEORGE W. SMITH, GREYSTONE, YONKERS.

"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July 2nd, 1885_.

"DEAR SIR,--I made inquiry, to-day, as to the appointment of Mr. Noyes as government director of the Union Pacific Railway Company,[34] and received the copy, which I append.

[34] As Mr. Noyes had been one of the conspicuous Republican emissaries from Washington to corrupt the electoral vote in the South in 1876, Mr. Tilden regarded his appointment by Mr. Cleveland to any public office as not only a personal indignity to him but as an outrage to the country.

"I had previously advised the appointment of Mr. Canda.

"Faithfully yours, "DANIEL MANNING."

* * * * *

"_Tuesday, 2._

"DEAR MR. MANNING,--Noyes was appointed at the suggestion of Governor Hoadley, who was here when the President and Secretary of the Interior were considering the matter.

"D. S. LAMONT."

G. W. SMITH TO MR. MANNING

"_July 3, 1885._

"HON. DANIEL MANNING, WASHINGTON, D. C.--Letter received. Such an appointment would be the greatest possible mistake. If commission is not issued, better defer its issue until we can communicate.

"G. W. SMITH."

MANNING TO G. W. SMITH

"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July 3rd, 1885_.

"DEAR MR. SMITH,--Immediately upon receipt of your telegram this morning, I made the necessary inquiry, and received the reply, which I append.

"Faithfully yours, "DANIEL MANNING."

* * * * *

"EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, _July 3, 1885_.

"DEAR MR. MANNING,--The commissions for the appointment of Union Pacific Railroad directors were issued on the 1st, and are now beyond recall.

"Sincerely yours, "D. S. LAMONT."

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."

C. A. DANA TO A. H. GREEN

"'THE SUN,' NEW YORK, _Aug. 28, 1885_.

"MY DEAR MR. GREEN,--If Mr. Tilden would add to the papers you gave me, the other day, some memoranda on the following questions, it would help me out a great deal.

"1. Would not the expense of deepening the canal, so as to add two feet to the depth of water, be very great? I understand that now, for a great part of its course, the bottom of the canal is composed, for about a foot depth, of clay and hydraulic cement packed closely, so as to prevent leakage; and would not the expense of taking this up and replacing it, after the bottom was dug up, be more serious than any calculation has yet allowed?

"2. How far does the fact that the lake transportation has almost entirely passed into the hands of railroad people, affect the probability of increasing the business of the canal, in case it should be deepened?

"3. Can the canal be maintained in the face of the increasing railroad competition?

"I do not want to trouble Mr. Tilden for any elaborate answers to these questions, but only for hints, such as his knowledge and experience can easily supply, and that I can make useful in discussing the points.

"Yours sincerely, "C. A. DANA."

D. MANNING TO GEORGE W. SMITH

"215 STATE STREET, ALBANY, N. Y., _Aug. 30, 1885_.

"DEAR MR. SMITH,--I am just back from Watch Hill. I want to see you, and will take the early train Wednesday morning, stopping off at Yonkers at 10.30 A.M. I expect to return to Washington next Thursday evening or Friday morning, and as I do not think I can come over again for some months, I will be glad of a chance for a long 'talk' with you. Please advise me by telegraph if it will be agreeable to see me about the hour named; or if some other hour on Wednesday or Thursday will be more convenient.

"Faithfully yours, "DANIEL MANNING.

"_Geo. W. Smith, Esq._

"How the papers do lie!"

GEORGE W. SMITH TO DANIEL MANNING

"_Telegram._

"The time you name will be agreeable.

"G. W. SMITH.

"Aug. 30/85. (Sat. 2.36 P.M.)."

S. J. TILDEN, JR., TO S. J. TILDEN

"NEW LEBANON, N. Y., _Sept. 2nd, 1885_.

"DEAR UNCLE SAMUEL,--Yours of yesterday received this morning. In reply, would say that I am sorry you had gained the impression that I was intending to seek a position on the State ticket this fall, for such a thing was far from any intention of mine. When this matter was first brought to my notice, by an article which appeared in the N. Y. _Graphic_, some time since, I immediately requested a friend of mine, who is connected with that paper, not to refer to the matter again, as I was not a candidate, and would not accept a place upon the State ticket. This same answer I have always given whether spoken to upon the subject, and had so thoroughly dismissed it from my mind that it did not occur to me to speak of it when I saw you two weeks ago. I have always made our business here of first importance and politics secondary, working at the latter when time would permit. I appreciate only too fully the position in which one is placed who has only a political life before him with all its uncertainties to desire such a one, having seen so many in this position.

"Had I thought of such a step I certainly should not for one moment have entertained it until I had spoken to you upon the subject, for I have appreciated and can easily understand the complications which would arise. Will come up to Greystone the first opportunity I have, and explain more fully than I can write. With many kind regards, I remain,

Yours very truly, "S. J. TILDEN, JR."

NOTES ON THE CANAL

[_Written by Mr. Tilden on September 4-5, 1885, in Answer to Queries on the Subject by Mr. Dana._]

"_Q. 1._ Would not the expense of deepening the canal, so as to add two feet to the depth of water, be very great? I understand that now, for a great part of its course, the bottom of the canal is composed, for about a foot depth, of clay and hydraulic cement packed closely, so as to prevent leakage; and would not the expense of taking this up and replacing it, after the bottom was dug up, be more serious than any calculation has yet allowed?

"_A._ The idea of increasing the depth of the canal two feet is a gross exaggeration of what is possible or proper to do.

"To build up the banks two feet would necessitate building up the locks. To excavate the bottom two feet would be impracticable.

"At page 23 of my Message for 1873 it was stated: 'The waterway was practically never excavated in every part to its proper dimensions. Time, the action of the elements, and neglect of administration all tend to fill it by deposits.' There is no doubt that the sides of the waterway have been changed, and the slope filled in with silt, narrowing the bottom of the canal, so that it is only in the middle that the proper depth is approached, and inconvenience is felt in one boat passing another.

"My suggestion was to bring up the canal to an honest seven feet. All the structures of the canal were adapted to that. 'Bring it up to seven feet--honest seven feet--and on all the levels, wherever you can, bottom it out; throw the excavation upon the banks; increase that seven feet toward eight feet, as you can do so progressively and economically. You may also take out the bench-walls.'

"This suggestion looked to gaining on the long levels, when it was found practicable, some inches increasing seven feet '_toward_' eight feet. The suggestion was carefully limited, because in many places you cannot change the bottom without interfering with culverts, or carrying the excavation below the mitre sills of the locks."

_As to the Capacity of the Erie_

"The lockages at Frankfort, during the season of 1884, were 20,800.

"The lockages in 1873 were stated on page 22 of my Message of 1875 to have been 24,960.

"'The theoretical capacity of the canal will be three or four times the largest tonnage it has ever reached. There is no doubt it can conveniently and easily do double the business which has ever existed, even though the locks be not manned and worked with the highest efficiency.'

"If that was true when the lockages were 25,000, how much more so is it when the lockages have fallen to 20,800 as in 1884?

"_Q. 2._ How far does the fact that the lake transportation has almost entirely passed into the hands of railroad people, affect the probability of increasing the business of the canal, in case it should be deepened?

"_Q. 3._ Can the canal be maintained in the face of the increasing railroad competition?

"_A._ Total tons of each class of articles which came to the Hudson River from Erie and Champlain Canal: