The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-06-12
sEcT,Y. MANNING RESIGNS.
But Agrees to Let the Resignation
Lie Over Until October.

On MAY Doth Hon. Daniel Manning offered
his resignation as Secretary of the Treasury
to President Cleveland. Mr.. Cleveland asked
that he let the matter lie over until October,
and granted him leave of absence until that
time, hoping that few months respite from
business would result in his complete restora-
ton to health.
The correspondence between Mr.. Manning
and Mr.. Cleveland contains more than mere
discussion of the matter of resignation. 1t
was made public on the 9Th instant, and we
quote below the whole of Mr.. Manning's let
ter and a portion of President Cleveland's:
MR.. MANNING's LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 20, 18S6.-My
Dear Sir: have decided to place in your
hands my resignation of the Office which you
did me the honor to ask me to accept fifteen
months ago. My reasons for this decision are
both public and personal. Since the partial
recovery of my health has permitted me to
reflect upon the demands of the public ser
vice, to which | had given, perhaps too freely,
all my strength, and upon the conditions OF
resuming my labors at your side, have not
for moment questioned what must be my
present duty. The full recovery of my health
is pronounced to be an affair of weeks, and
longer period of rest especially during. the
hot months, is prescribed, or at least advised,
as prudent regimen thereafter. Compliance
with this advice would not be practical
Bile were to resume now the general dIrec.
ton of the Treasury Department, even If
abating something of the energy which it
seems needful to expend in the first year OF
nv work Supervision at a distance would
be more a hindrance than help to the acting
secretary. But it is not BETTING that de-
partment of the government so difhcult and so
important should be administered by con-
IF re daIlV
actions, nor that the watchful control OF Its
enormous influence or the direction of its
fiscal policies, even under your wise lead,
should be attempted by any one concerned
about outstanding his strength. The reforms
in our fiscal policy which You have maintained,
and which has been framed and commended
to the wisdom of the legislative branch, are
reforms necessary to our safety, binding IN
honor, obligatory in the traditions OF the
Democracy, set down with promises In our
statute book.
Our present tariff laws are a needless op-
preston instead of an easy burden. Our cur
rency is chaos, into which we pour from
forced purchases of one of the precious metals
a mechanical increment, under a coinage law
so ill-judged and untimely that 1t hlnders the
opening of our minis to the natural and I'M
limited coinage of both metals, and the free
expansion of our gold and silver coin along
with the growing needs Of mighty people.
All our needfnl customs revenue might be
collected by strictly revenue duties upon
few score articles instead OF by extravagant
or prohibitory duties upon more than four
thousand articles. The mere machinery OF
administration, by its own mass and COM
plexity, breaks down and brushes out the en-
terprise it assumes to protect.
A better currency than elsewhere exists
might be had by few lines of repeating and
empowering legislation, followed by two or
three years of capable administration of the
treasury, and Joined with the present saga
cious conduct of our foreign policy by the
State Department. Under the operation of
currency laws and tariff laws now in force,
which you and the Forty ninth Congress
were elected by the people to repeal and re-
form, the burdened industries of our country
are plunging heavily along miry road toward
foreseen danger. We talk OF arbltrating our
respective share of disaster, instead of knock
| ing off our self.imposed letters and releasing
a general prosperity.
| This is not, IN my deliberate judgment, a
time when the President can delay to pro
vide, or afford to dispense with, an actual as
well as a titular head of the Treasury Depart
ment. The fiscal policy of the federal gov
eminent in respect to debt so large and a
currency which is universal cannot fail OF be-
| ing chief factor in national and individual
well-being. Your own duty, to which you
have addressed yourself with such clear and
unhinching purpose, the duty of Congress in
the premises, and the laws which may yet be
enacted for the guidance of the Treasury De-
partment, will require that you be assisted
| in their administration by an officer capable
of full efficiency and unwearied circumspec
ton. Permit me, therefore, without hesita
ton to accept my temporary disability as a
summons to stand aside and make way for
one Immediately capable Of fulfilling every
requirement of the public service. Very re-
| spectfully, yours, DANIEL MANNING.
MR.. CLEvELAND's LETTER.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, June l,
IS86.-My Dear Mr.. Manning: | have re-
ceived your letter, in which your resignation
| is rendered as Secretary of the Treasury.
The sentiments therein contained are entirely
in keeping with the devotion to public duty
and the loyalty to the interests of the govern
ment which have characterized your relations
to the present administration. | am not sur
prised, though much impressed, by the con-
| Germ which you evince for the correction of
the abuses and the inauguration of the re-
forms to which in your letter you allude, and
which have been so often topics of our
anxious consultations. | bave hoped that the
day was at hand when the party to which we
belong, influenced largely by faith and conf
dence in you and the wisdom of your views,
would be quickened in the sense Of response
bility and led to more harmonious action
upon the important questions with which you
have had to deal.
GRoyER CLEVELAND