The Wilmingtonian., 1885-01-17
CABINET GUESSING.
The ciaipas of william c. whitney for
Portfolio.

especially as identified with the discovery,
progress and eliminating success of Grover
Cleveland. Mr., Cleveland's law partner is
named Bisha9 fand when Mr.. Cleveland was
elected mayor of Buffalo, it occurred to Mr..
Bishops ambitious mind that it might be
good schenSto nominate him also for gov
ernor, and he came down to New York for
the purpose Of consulting three or four men
in respect of that laudabe desire. He re-
ceived very little encouragement. He saw
Whitney, among others, who said: Il am
much interested in what yeu tell me of Mr..
Cleveland, but tell you frankly think
there is no more chance of his being nomi-
mated for governor than there is in his being
struck by lightning. However, if l were
you, would go back to my part OF the
country and endeavor to secure sufficient
number of reputable delegates who will be
Cleveland men under any circumstances, and
with whom it might be possible for us, in
view of some utterly unexpected contin-
gency, to unite" Mr.. Cleveland's partner
did as he was advised. When the Conyen.
ton met it was found, that Mr.. Roswell! p.
Flower was the choice of large number of
delegates. Mr. Whitney bearing in mind
what haSAen said to him by Cleyeland's
partner, ssnd knowing that the same argu-
ments had been used with Mr.. Manning and
his friends in Albany, advised with his New
York friends, and concluded that the best
| thing would be to turn their thirty odd votes
over to Mr.. Cleveland, provided he had any
| such strength as his friends claimed for him,
and he started to Manning's room to make
that suggestion. On his way there lie was
intercepted by telegram from New York
informing him that his wife, who was i'll,
was in most critical condition and that he
must return at once. fastening his steps
he went to Manning's room. AS he entered
he saw gentleman sitting in the chair
Passing him with bow, he went at once to
Manning, told him that he was called home
| by an imperative necessity, laid before him
the situation as it seemed to him, and advised
him to unite with the County Democracy of
New York in defeating Flower by nominat-
ing that man Cleveland, from Buffalo"
de left at once, and the next morning CIeve-
|
lnaugurated governor circumstances brought
the two men together, and then, for the first
time, Whitney found that the gentleman
who had been sitting in Manning's room
when he announced his desire for Cleve-
lands nomination was Cleveland himself.
UNwRITTEN POLITICAL HISTORY.
1t is understood in Albany, where 1 hav.,
been number of times of late, that the Sc
lection of Mr. Lamonte as private secretary
| by Governor Cleveland was due entirely to
the recommendation of Mr.. Whitney, who
knew how necessary it was for Governor
Cleveland to have about him person whom
he could trust, and who knew every politi-
clan in the state, and could estimate in a
moment the value at which he should be
taken. The Presidential Convention of 1884
loomed up. What to do was a question.
MIR. Tilden, though mentally strong, was
physically out of the race. There was great
lnharmony in New York City aid in New
York State. Manning and his friends dis
trusteda Cleveland. They preferred and
favored the selection of some more trenehant
warrior as their leader In the fight and if
wasn't until MIR. Whitney secured request
from Mr.. Tfden that Manning and two or
three others should visit him in Greystone,
that the Albany crowd turned face and took
mold OF Cleveland as an ay liable candidate.
MIR. Whitney moved in a very quiet, but
most effective manner among the delegates
IN Chicago. For years he had been a dele
/ To oil 41o 4
conventions, and the people of the West,
especially the Northwest, had learned to
look upon him as one of the leaders of East
ern Democrats, and man apparently with
out personal ambition. He was in politics
apparently for the love of it.
Ohio men told me that Whitney did more
to turn their delegation into the Cleveland
line than all Others combined. II was evil
dent to all who watched the proceedings in
Chicago, and who were cognizant also of
the conferences held i'm the Palmer House
and in the Grand Pacific Hotel, day and
night, that Whitney had loomed far above
the horizon of ordinary politicians and was
fast taking rank among the few who really
lead their fellows.
FACT ABOUT THE LAST CAMPAIGN.
On two separate occasions the Chairman
of the National Committee Threatened to
close the rooms and go home They all
knew the battle was lost. They saw clearly
enough that Cleveland was defeated There
was no money to be had. They absolutely
did not have enough campaign funds to pay
their stenogTaphers, the telegraphers aud
their stationery bills In both of these crises
MIR. Whitney was appealed to. 1t is stated
from unimpeached authority, that his per-
sonal contributions were in the neighborhood
of $50, 900. He was not given to SAYING
go" but, rather, "come." In other words.
when desiring to raise money, he led the
list with handsome subscription, and in
duced Others to "come" to the front who
would very decidedly have objected to "go''
alone. BSamere fuke, by the incident of
an accident, this great state was lost to
Blaine, and Cleveland is elected
Does common sense suggest anythingP
Does common sense suggest the selection
of William @. Whitney for a position as
cabinet officer, it being conceded that be is
emnently fit for such position, and it being
known, also, that without him the National
Committee would have turned its face to the
wall, turned up its toes and died a natural
death-and where would Cleveland have
been then.
Common sense suggests that Mr.. Cleye-
land tender to Mr.. Whitney position in his
fla nd hut