The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-22
EX-PRESIDENT ARTHUR.
His Illness Very cal--Despondent and
Afflicted with Bright's Disease.

Frank A. Burr, in Chicago News.
Some wise friend of General Arthurs has
finally acknowledged to the New York papers
that the ex presidents days are practically
numbered. 1t is semi-officially stated that
General Arthur is suffering from Bright's dis.
ease of the kidneys. For some unaccountable
reason the real physical condition of this emf
nent man has been kept so carefully guarded
that the exact truth cannot even now be
reached. The very few friends admitted to
his bedside and the inmates of his house have
studiousiy misled every anxious inquirer after
his health His physician has answered CURLY
and even angri!y wheH asked about his dis,
tinguished patient. Dr. Peters has taken the
ground that the health of the ex-Presdent is
none of the public's business, and refuses to
give any information whatever as to his disease
or the prospects of his recovery. Whenever
approached upon the subject he has lost his tenn
per and said all sorts of unpleasant things about
the press and the curiosity of the people. This
doctor has proclaimed that the American people
have no sympathy whatever with the sufferings
of the ex-President. and. therefore, no right to
know anything about his prospects for life
1t is taken tor granted here that IN making
such an assumption the physician reflects the
feelings Of General Arthur, his household and
that of some of his closest friends This attitude
points Enthusiastically to the terrible disappoint-
ment which his failure to secure denomination
brought to the stricken executive. The physician
naturally gets his cue from the distinguished
sufferer, or else does him a great injustice when
he becomes white with rage at times when the
desire of sixty million people to know the true
condition of the man who was once great and
good President of this Republic is made known
to him.
Whether General Arthur would have been sick
nigh unto death at tbs moment if he had
been renominated for the presidency or made
Senator from this State no one can say, but
that his return to private life has had very
much to do with his present condition there is
no cause for dispute. The change from
The gay life of the national capital. the
freedom from its care and responsible
tiles, the absence of power, and the loss
of public acclaim or criticism, all this was hard
blow to the Vice president who succeeded to the
executive chair upon the death of General Gar
field. The manner of his reception on his re-
turn to New York was not calculated to lift him
out of his disappointment. To be sure he had
plenty Of frlends-hs life, indeed, might have
been continued round OF idle pleasure-but the
man who had for quarter of century been the
target for abuse or applause by turns was i'll
satisfied with the stupid position of a society
pet
Life here is too busy and cruel even to pay
any heed to an. ex President; for that matters,
very little to live one. Therefore, untitled
from long political career to reenter the active
life of law firm. there was little or nothing left
for him except to sit down and review his past
1t is true he made arrangements to enter min
pon the practice of his profession but v,nen he
returned to the chilly atmosphere of t. metropo-
lis and saw his power gone md other names
honored and sung or men re driftedin into thought
full repose, and the lemon of disease seized him
Not that Genera Arthur is not very popular
still IN New York; probably man in or out of
position has wider circle of personal friends
than the ex-President. Yet some of his best
companies were alenated by the eccentricities
,r politics, and the very manner of his life when
he returned here took others away. Conse.
quentlv he soon settled down to the belief that
his day was gone.
His case is very SAD one It is another illus
tration of our injustice toward our ruieiss When
man has left the presidency there is really
nothing open to him save a career of idleness
When citizen has once been the chief execu-
tive of the Nation his connection at any time
with business schemes is looked upon with sus-
plclon and the manner OF his life has been such
that he is always liable to be imposed upon.
General Arthur has studied history, and looked
over several examples. General Grants bitter
experience stared him in the face. He saw that
no President had ever gone out into the active
affairs Of life, after his term Of Office ended,
without getting into difficulty So it seemed to
be settled tiat their life must be spent in the
seclusion of their homes, surrounded by a small
circle of friends. if they expect to maintain their
position without criticism and without perplexi-
ties
You will find any number Of people here and
elsewhere who say that General Arthur should
have entered actively into business pursuits
when he returned here and that he could have
made money from his profession if he had.
Very true, but he could not stand the misrepre-
sensations that would have crowded upon him
had he kept himself ready to be hired as any
common lawyer. Yet he was comparatively
poor, and what else was there open to him? 1t
was said by General Arthur's friends that his in
come does not reach $4,000 year, a very small
in the higher life Of this expensive city The ex-
President naturally felt all these things The
delicacy of his position was clear to him as to
other men. All of these facts now acknowl-
edged and he weakened under the burden.
Then, too, lack of exercise and other incidents
OF such mental condition brought on the
disease-first of the stomach, and then of the
liver, finally Of the kidneys
Altogether, few eminent men have lived who
should have the active sympathy of the people
to a greater extent than Chester A. Arthur. The
ignorance in which the public has been kept as
to his sufferings by the mistaken Judgment of his
physician and friends has given them no chance
whatever to show their respect for a man who
left the presidency with the good will Of almost
everyone But the sad facts can be no longer
concealable. The ex-Presidents condition should
appeal to the hearts of all the people of this
land. He is groat sufferer. His days may be
WY Ae"t yoL sheIo 10 d possioiilty tndL ne may
get better. The disease from which he is suffer
ing has been cured but the cases are so rare that
the chances OF his recovery may be easily calcu-
lated. Words of cheer and expressions of kindly
sympathy would greatly ease the ex-President If
they could be got to him through the Gordon of
guards and friends with which mistaken iudg.
ment has surrounded him. They are taking a
mighty responsibility. If the American people
shond wake up some morning and find one OF
their rulers called to the great unseen, DR.. Pc
tiers and those who keeping the real facts
from the public would be apt to observe that it
was something more than curiosity that impelled
them to seek information about his health.
You Takes Your Choice.
New York Special to Chicago Times