The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-15
LErrEn-wRITrNG PRESIDENTS.
PecuIiarities of Four Chief Magistrates as
Seen by Secretary.

Washington Special.
The Presidents mail is very heavy. A num-
Der Of the letters contain applications for auto,
graphs. These requests are always complied
with when it lis possible to do so.
How does President Cleveland sign his LETT
tersl" was asked of Secretary Henley to day.
''As matter of fact the President has had so
little time TO write letters since his inauguration
that can hardly say, but | believe his usual
form is Yours truly Mr. Hayes usually wrote
Sincerely yours Garfield Very truly yours,
and Arthur Faithfully yours"
'sWho was the better penmanr
'All wrote WELL but Arthur probably made
the prettiest copy. 1t was very difficult, how
ever, to get him to write. L never saw any one
who disliked more to use pen, yet he wrote
rapidly and with apparent ease. Garfield pr1ded
himself upon his penmanship. You know ne
taught it in his younger days but grew careless
after entering public life, and his letters lost
some of their symmetry and grace :,
did Garfield write many OF his own letterss
He seldom put pen to paper. He dictated
everything to his stenographer. He dictated
easily and well. Mr.. Hayes. on the contrary.
seemingly enjoyed writing. 1t was nothing I'M
usual for him to write half a dozen letters be-
fore breakfast President Arthur never die
tated. He would tell us what he wanted to say,
and we would put it in our own words His
annual messages, however. he wrote himself"
WHO of the four Presidents you have served
under was the most popular with the clerical
force of the executive mansonW
mr.. Hayes. know the politicians did not
like him. but to the employees of the White
House he was always kind and courteous. We
were all very fond of Mrs. Hayes. Every
Thanksgiving she gave the clerks and secretaries
an elegant dinner in the state dining room
After the meal was concluded she would go
down to the East Room, play high-spy with the
children and enter into their frolics with as
much zest if we were all members of the
same family"
How were the Garfields9"
General Garfield was delightful man, gen.
erous, wholesouled, and affectionate. Of Mrs.
Garfield l can't say so much. She was very
General Garfield delighted in good game of
billiards. He liked the contest there was in it.
Before he was made President he used to play at
the Riggs house billiard-room with Rockwell,
SWAIN Corbin, and other of his dummies
"Did his political troubles bother him much?'
apparently not. The Office seekers worried
him the most. He used to say he had been
struggling with ideas all his life, and it very
tiresome to have to decide whether A or B
His Judgment may have been faulty at times,
hut his impulses were good The cast of his
mind was essentially literary. He ought never
to have entered politics. His perceptions were
wonderfully acute. He caught on readily, as
the boys say
did you like Arthur"
1--WE respected him. No one could be brought
into relationship with General Arthur and not
respect him. He was always courteous, but
cold and formal. He transacted his business
with us through his private secretary, Mr..
Phillips. He had the rare faculty of keeping
people at distance. There was something in
his manner that forbade the slightest approach
to familiarity. We all admired President
Arthur"