The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-22


the American people to understand how General
Arthur felt when he found that, through horri-
BILE assassination, he was to become President.
He had his friends, warm personal and political
friends, especially in New York. Many of them
had been somewhat in antagonism with the fac
ton of the Republicans which was not called
stalwart General Arthur determined after he
became President that his first duty was to for
get that he was a Republican, In other words, L
mean that it was his duty to be the President Of
the whole country. But he also determined that
if it lay in his power he would do what he could
to harmonic the factions of the Republican
party Probably nobody will ever know how
difficult this latter task the President setfor him
self was his old time friends in New York seem
ing not to realize that General Arthur one
man and the President of the United States
other. With some exceptions they expected that
he was going to take an ak and do what
they desired should be done in the way of pun
ishment Whatever the Presidents personal
feelings may have been, he decided that that
was thing which he as President Of the United
States could not do. He further decided that
it was moral obligation on him to carry out,
so far as he could, all of the promises that had
been made by his predecessor. In that respect
the President feels that he has done exactly what
his Judgment dictated he should do, but in
doing it, he found that his friends were disposed
to take issue with him. and while his policy
has, as he believes. resulted in harmonizing the
party so that there are such rancorous
divisions as there were four years ago, he him
self is made the victim of his own work in that
respect. 1 tell you that who used to be
warm friends Of the President and men for
whom he did more than one man ought to ask
of another, forgetting that he had become Presi-
dent of the United States, expected him to take
advantage of the opportunities his office offered
and crafty their own resentment. That is some
thing which the President declined to do, and
the result is now seen in New York State"
WAS there not great pressure brought to bear
on the President to remove Collector Robert
son?"
Very great indeed; and if you recall the fact
that the President when he was collector, de-
clined to go to a convention a delegate, or to
serve on a committee, and couple that with the
fact that the present collector has not only done
both these things but in published interview
announced that he favored some other man than
General Arthur for the nomination, you per
haps can see how inconsistent some of the re
formers are who claim that Mr.. Robertson is
civil-service reformef and that the President is
not. ~ 'ar'r
'"The very. fact that the President has de
clined, although pressure of the strongest sort
has been brought to bear on him, to remove
either Collector Robertson or Postmaster
Pearson, who together control some 1000
offceholders and who could control the
entire machine in New York, shows that
he has been actuated by no desire for
his own preferment, but simply by the desire
to allay all the rancor in the party in
New York State, which has been growing since
Grants nomination in 1872 / know that it has
cost the President the friendship of men whose
friendship he hated to lose because he has re-
fused to listen to their opportunities in regard to
these two men. There is no politician in the
country who does not realize that if the Presi
dent had decided SO to do he could have removed
these two officers and appointed two men in their
places who could have been of great service to
IIrofr cfNra hot
would have been of avail to him at this time"
HAS the President had any reason to believe
that his policy has been satisfactory to the
people2"
ooh, yes: the President, know. feels that
when his administration is impartially looked
upon the verdict of the country will be that it
has been wise judiciOus and patriotic. There
has been no great crisis during his administra
ton where there would be an opportunity to
make great noise and great stir
BLAINE.
1.-THE President could not perhaps create such
opportunities as man who is Secretary of State
can do, Shortly after General Arthur became
President he discovered that line oflpolicy was
being pursued in the State Department which
would have inevitably resulted in trouble with
Chill and in the protectorate by the United
States over Peru 1t was the first serious ques-
ton that the President had to meet outside of
and not party matter He acted on his own
Judgment, as know, and upon that of nobody
else He reversed the policy of the gentleman
who was then his Secretary of State, and did so
because he realized first, that it was absurd for
the United States government to put itself into a
position whereby it would have to assume the
protectorate of Peru, because that involved the
sending of an army there, and involved also the
violation of the traditional principles of the gov
eminent. Second, because he realized that
Chill for the time being, could hlmiliate us.
The President had no doubt that if it came to
question of force with Chill the government of
the United States would protect its honor and
maintain its prestige. AT the same time he did
not desire, and he did not believe the people of
the country desired, any disturbance of that
sort. He thereupon peremptorily reversed the
policy of the State Department, and he believes
that in so doing he met the cordial approval of
the people
ident was the river and harbOr bill that was
passed by Republican Congress two years ago
Probably nobody will ever know the amount of
pressure that was brought upon him to sign
that bill. He devoted days and nights to a study
of it; he examined the maps and the engineers
reports, and he made up his mind that it was a
piece of ill-timed extravaganza on the part of
Congress-, and one which it was his
duty to prevent. In spite of the political
and personal pressure that was brought to bear
upon him he vetoed the bill He did so not be-
cause he believed that an honest appropriation
for the improvement Of navigation was i'm
proper, but because he believed that many of
the items in the bill were improperly placed
there. While the bill was passed over his veto
on account Of the great personal interest many
members held in it, the President recalls with
pleasure the fact that the veto has had its effect
on subsequent legislation, and he doubts whether
for some time bill of that sort will be brought
in which does not contain proper items for ap-
preparations"
"'The President takes some pleasure, does
he not in the passage of the twocent postage
billlD
Eyes, sir; he does. He had given great deal
of study to that subject, and was satisfied that
the time had come when the rate of postage
could be reduced. You will recollect that while
he recommended it the late Postmaster gen
eral Howe not only refused to recon-
that he was right. and in his social and personal
conversation with maInherS told tham so The