The sun., 1886-11-28
ANECDOTES OF MIR. ARTHUR
Yyt9dCTgRIsrIC STORIES or THE
I.sr LIyISG EX-iRESIDENT.


-
u.n u- Was Itcccivrd In Washington Ancr
n.ra-Ia'. Denth-.Tss Flvht ror Uts Re-
nnui,r,,eu.-J"tn w. Mackny'. 100000
-rs. Veto "rth River and hnrb"r Biii.
lwill toll you curious story about Pres
tdsnt Arthur said n genilemnn who had long
le.n 10 n.lrnntc with him. recently. that illus
trntos h;s extraordinary caution. After Garfield
WIS shot. you know :hnrc was nc ono to net
yice.Presidont. as tho Senate had adjourned
without olecting President pro tom. Whom
Garfield nnai.y died aud Arthur was sworn In
by Judge Brady Mt midnight. tho first thing he
did was to prepare u proclamation calling the
Senate to::othor ut once. and that same night
before he went to bed he signed and sonled 1t
and sent 1t by mail. addressed to himself at
WASHINGTON. That was to provide for any
emergency shat might happen. 1fhe had been
assassinatod. which would not have beon
strange. or had been killed by accident on his
way to Washington. the clerks at tho White
House would have opened the matt and would
have found In proper form document that
would have prevented anarchy. for in tho event
OF Arthur's death thero would have been no
one with authority to summon Congress-"
Did tho General ever fear assassination 2"
mo. don't think he ever did. although there
Gim @ a, % the time tiarnsld diod. extending to ali
clnsses OF society. and no ono realized It more
sunday it G Wight after Garfield was shot. and he
s ,ss sseAo sss Of S s Drum % the
army. When he reached the Executive Man
sea pvas Sre
ali sho members Of the Garilold Cabinet and
many q haaTslas fris9ds As b, he ,' rn-
one came forward to greet him. and
yitntion to enter. He said they all stared at
him as II be was some wild beast or the assas.
Gen. Drum. who was talking In one OF the fur
ther corners of the. room. and had not seen
and and taking his hand. drew him Into the room.
That broke the ice. and then the rest came for,
that that the he few seconds he stood on the threshold
Of that door wore most painful"
HOW HE WAS NOMINATED FOR VICE. PRESIDENT.
Il see in one OF the papers" said one Of Gen.
story that ought to be corrected. 1t. says that
at the National Convention OF 1880 the General
s6 deney as his i vindcaton from m the party Of the
course he 2, took IN his Is fight M With With Hayes The
i was all over. After nominating Garfield the
Convention took a recess for two hours and q
meeting Of OHIO statemen was called, ut
wait sA upon the New York Delegation. and
who. it was thought. would pour out cam
paGnl funds liberally, =, After e consuting with
SOnklluR auu OtueTS nE. MOEtOu u6CllueU Lu6
honor. and Mr.. Conkline sent word to the
Ohio men that New York had no interest in the
sss Sne as to ths IT
was unanimously decided that a New York
man must go on the ticket. and the nearer they
could get TO Conkling the better. William +.
name. and it was unanimously approved. 1t
for drive. 80 as to Keep him out Of the way
This was not difficult TO do MS the General
bad lost al interest in the fight. and even
he w"u have ave withdraw hd Hrthurs nsme s1ss the
moment It was proposed. Congressman But
Kpatrsf seoonded @ 5 and the Shoio thns was Was
over before many minutes. When Arthur re-
Turned from on Ms drive % ana learned d GnaS was
urged him to. but he was man OF deliberation.
and decided to think the matter over It was
mind as you will see by the files o! your paper"
HE REFUSED TO PRESS HIMSELF FOR A RENoM-
NATION.
In the early spring OF 1884 Gen. Arthur was
power he had to counteract the effect OF the
efforts that were making In several places By
in Juuc. Some OF the most Influential Repub-
ieans OF New York; and one or two from other
asne to ake n his
Gen. Arthur peremD Dtorily declined. and 1t
Gould rsnas Whe
to undertake his nomination get from this
veteran aud most consumately skilful MANAGER
in previous canvasses for Others All that he
would say was that he stood or fell by his Adj
ministration. though no man knew better than
private. with his party. the office seeks him in
vain unless the politicians consent. He had
politicians would have matched at least those
who were at work for others. But he would
It was expected that that adroit and almost
nawless w political tic manager; william =: Chand-
h1 bs
subject OF his nomination was never referred
to BY Con- Arthur In any conversation he ever
Convention M. chander. while no 40. s over con- on
fidant tnat the nomination could be com passed.
II the President was willing to exercise his pre-
negatives Of patronage properly. Mr.: Chand-
caeo and take charge Of the canvass his plans
were we'll systematized. and his proposed COM
Cabinet meeting Gen. Arthur asked the Sacre-
tary to remain after the others had gone. When
Sns ss M
csgo. and intimated that he felt a deicacy
about per perpitting @ H member OF his Csbinetto
knew from that moment that the President
could not be nominated; for strong as he was
petent to meet combinations with counter com
binations were with u few exceptions In office.
were far from being astute politicians" It is a
fast that the Presidents canvass at Chicago
Ill the greater proof OF the hold he had on the
people that his strength was as great and per-
manent as II wnI.
THE RIVER AND HARBoR VETO.
The fact is. however. that Ger. Arthur covet-
ed nominnt2n thar sEouId seem to DO tho
Administration thai had begun in tho backost
OF clouds. What hs wished Was u popular
demonstration OF npDrovn! OF his work. and he
the writer that no could conceive Of % no Victory tu
OF arms nr OF ballots that would compare with
tnat which emphasized aud supported tho
Executive ot the nation In his frs. Adminis-
tra;ion. and there is no doubt that Gen. Arthur
contemplated an uEtorced nomination as q
victory SO magnificent and unparalleled. in
view of the circumstances under which he
came into ofilco. as TO be almost beyond the
possibility OF any man to achieve for himself.
He wanted The nomination but he did not want
IT through trade. bartor. manipulation or the |
coercion OF patronage, Yet this was tho man
who was once ressrded rs the ,personillcation |
cl sao oYii5 %. tho sNcn.lc6 svu!la e-gtom.
No man knew better than Gen. Arthur that |
he imparili"d very dangerously his chances for |
aromination by his veto OF the Riycr and Har- |
o9r oilI; i. Is said that President Cleysland |
signed the OleomarRarine bill because he was !
vi unable able t9 resist tho preSsure that was broulht
dOuhfa hnf "a m ha 90 alif a Itho