The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-04
VOL. XII.
THE DORSEY LETTERS.

Correspondence between President
elect Garfield and ex-senator Dorsey
now affords the papers some of their
most interesting reading. We wish
there was space in these columns for
producing the entire correspondence.
One of the most notable letters of
Dorsey is that in which he deals in
frozen facts, and which it may now
be seen would have saved the ''sainted
president" from ever being sainted.
While he loved Dorsey and wanted
him to take place in his cabinet, he
was bent, in an underhanded style,
upon humbling the proud Conkling,
and upon showing Mr.. Arthur, to start
with, that being subordinate he must
he especially so. Mr.. Garfield was
really Il pawn in the hands OF Mr
Blaine, who was ready to sacridce
him that he might control the board
Dorsey had Garfeld's confidence, but
it is evident from this correspondence
that the willy gentleman fro II Maine
was determined to reign, and Dorsey,
no doubt, felt somewhat keenly that
there was greater than himself
who had already usurped the posi-
tion he had hoped to gain. But the
frozen facts presented by Dorsey
place him almost In the light of
a prophet. They were dealt out in the
following letter:
No. 24l, FIFTH AVENUE,
NEW YORK, Feb. z, 1881.
My DEAR GENERAL: Col. George
Bliss called on me recently and intro
duced a Mr.. Knox, who said he was a
classmate of yours at Williams college,
and further stated that he was about
leaving for Mentor TO visit you at
your request to discuss the question
of the proper person To place In your
cabinet from New York. 1t cannot
be possible that you would call upon
George Bliss, much less upon Mr..
Knox, to give advise respecting so i'm
pOrtant u question to you and TO the
people of this state. Both these gen.
tlemen may be honest, true, and 50 far
rs know they are; but men like Bliss
and Knox do not represent the people
or the leaders of the people OF New
York no more than l represent the
king of Siam. All such advice as this
is pretentious idiocy, and if you are
occupying your time in listening to
men like these, l wish to express in
the most emphatic way that you and
your administration will prove la
mentable failure. You should take
the bits in your teeth and decide
for yourself who you want in
your cabinet. What do you want
the advice of men for every one
of whom has an axe to grind or a
scheme to pushI If you want advice
in New York why don't you send for
COnkling or Arthur, the two men who
elected you, with the aid of Grant
Why don't you consult with some
body who has Il status, u name and a
following in New York; Now, L tell
you. and l tell you without a grain of
sellishnesS, that you can't afford to
have any friction arise between YOUR
self and Mr.. Conkling and Gen. Ar
thur. Whenever you determined TO
nail in your political coffin. You
can't ignore them to make peace with
Mr.. Curtis, Wayne MacVeagh and
Others Of that class. You can't dis
band I'm army to get recruits. We
now have great, well-OrganiZed, ac-
tive and aggressive army. If you
want to muster out that army, in or
der to pick up the sneaks, bummers,
and deserters in the rear, go ahead,
and l predict you will land in Il sur
rendered camp. l am tired of this
blathering talk about MacVeagh to
20 into the cabinet from Pennsylvania
aud James from New York. Such
detestable rot should be smoked
out at once, and you ought to
do it in some public way. AS 1
have repeatedly urged upon you, there
Is but one appointment you ought to
make fxom New York, and that is
Chief Justice Folger to be secretary
OF the treasury. You don't need any
Bliss or Knox to ascertain or to prove
his character, capacity and standing in
New York. Running for chief justice
tn the same ticket with you he re-
A'ived more than double the majority
81 II did. Now, take my advice about
e2.s. and 1 ask you to do that because
~ know | have no earthly interest
,{eept to see successful and honor
~ administration. And my advice
~ his:-When you get ready to select
@.1ltiZen of New \ ork for your cabi-
send for Senator Conkling, Gener-
y Arthur, Governor Cornell, j. ID
Barren, of Buffalo Ex-Governor Nor
In, Thomas Z. Platt and men of that
Yass and get their best Judgment.
Bliss and Knox What nonsense l
beg of you not to.permit Mr.. Knox to
run around this state inquiring about
men fitted for the cabinet and pretend
ing TO represent YOU. BY acts of this
kind YOU inlure yourself and cast an
reelection upon the men
who can and ought to be the
best judges. and who represent
the Republicans of this state.
| do not wish to be put in
y pos Zion OF being obliged to lecture
the president elect, and especially in
regard the formation of his cabinet.
You have repeatedly urged me tell
you whenever l should think you
were going wrong. ] write you when
| think you are about 10 make mis-
take, and have not and shall not
Inincs words IN pointing out Jour
errors. You drop all of this Stuff
about COnhling. He don't want to
light you or amy one else. He is not
pranclng around with chip On his
SHOULDER challerElug t'i mankind to
battle. Ali Mr.. ,un6lug wants, and
I'll that Gen. Arthur desires, is a fair
show aud an honest deal These two
men. with their friends. represent the
the progress We, and the
aggressive elements of New York Re
They possess that wis
aoiii, tossa .'Ild CEN that the peo-
pie of this countra9 all countries
always admire. know NV in
.erest and purpose solely to see a
consumEo 0ion of our great !
work. l have presented to YOU some
frozen facts, and sincerely hope YOU
will give them your candid and care
'ul consideration. Your friend.
:. w. DORSEY,
To Gen. James A. Garfield.
In another letter Dorsey gives
prominence to Blaine's car of iudg-
nent. He says:
Above all things 1 do not wish to |
)btrude my notions of men or of poli- |
,ics upon you. hear so many rumors.
as to what you are to do or |
what you have decided upon, some of |