The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-05
SECRETARY MANNING'S
RESIGNATION PLACED IN THE
PRESIDENTS HANDS.
Final Action in the Matter Postponed
Until October Ist-AR Interest
ing Correspondence.

ing explanatory correspondence is
made public this evening:
WASHINGTON, May 2, 1886.
My DEAR SIR have decided TO
place in your hands my resignation Of
the Office which you did me the honor
to ssk me to accept fifteen months
ago. My reasons for this are both
public and personal. Since the par
tial recovery Of my health has permit
ted me to reflect upon the demands of
the public SERVICE to which l had given
perhaps too free y all my strength,
aud npon the conditions OF resuming
my labors at your side, | have rot for
a moment questioned what must be
my present duty. The full recovery
Of my health is pronounced to be an
affair of weeks, and a longer period Of
rest, especial y during the hot months,
is prescribed, or a least advised, as a
prudent regimen thereafter. Compii.
ance with this advice would rot be
practicable were l to resume now the
gene al direction Cf the Treasury d.
pariment, even il sbating something
of the energy which it seemed
doubtful to expend in the first
year of my work. Supervision
at a distance would be more a
hindrance than a help to the acting
Secretary. But it is not BETTING that
a department Of the government so
difficult and 80 important should be
administered by a convale scent stuCi-
GUS Of psrrying its daily exactions, nor
that the watcSful control of its enor.
nous influence or the direction Of its
fiscal policy, 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 m linlained,
and which have been framed and COM
mende1 to the wisdom Of the legiila.
ii ve branch, are reforms necessary Ia
our safety, binding on honor, oblIga.
tory in the traditions Of the Democ'
racy, set down with promises in our
ttstute books. Our present tariff laws
are a needless oppression instead of an
easy burden. Our currency is a cba1E
into whicn we pour from forced pur.
chsses OF one OF the precious
metals a mechanical increment under
a coinage law 30 i'll judged
AID unIimely that it hIndefe
the opening of our minis to the natu
ral and unlimited coinage of both
metals, and the free expansion of oul
gold and silver coin slong with the
growing needs offs mighty people. AL
our needful customs revenue might bC
collected by strictly revenue duties
upon a few store srticles instead of bJ
extrsvagant or prohibitory duties upoI
more than 1900 articles. The mere
machinery Of administration, by ii
own mess and complexity, break
down and crushes out the enterprise i
assumes to protect. A better currency
than elsewhere exists might be haC
by a few laws of repeating and EN-
poweriDg legislation, followed by twt
or three years OF capable adminietra
ton of the Treasury, and Joined will
the present sagacious conduct OF tn
State Department. Under the opera
ton Of currency laws and tariff law
now in force, which you an,
the F%orty-ninth Congress were electe'
by the people to repeal and reform
the burdened indualries OF u couu
try are p'ungipg heavily along amir
road 10 yard foreseen danger. We tai
of arbitrating u respective share Q
dis lster, instead of k oeking off on
seif-imposed filters snd Ie!easing
general prosperity. This is not, il
my deliberate judgment, a time whel
toe President can delay to provide o
afford to dispense with en- actual Q
we'll as a titu'ar head of the TIeasur
Department. The fiscal policy Of tn
Federal Government in respect to
debt 30 large, taxation so pervasiv
and a currency which is universe
cannot fail of being a chief factor i
national and in individual we'll being
Your own duty, to which you hav
addressed yourself with such clear an
u flinching purpose, the duty OF Coz
gre s in the premises and the law
which may yet be enacted for tn
guidance OF the Treasury DepaItmeI
will require that you be assisted ]
their administration by an officer csl
atls of full efficiency and unweaTle
c'rcumspection. Permit me, Their
fore, without hesitation to accept m
temporary disability IS a summons
stand aside and make way for one in
medistely capable OF iu FILLING evei
requirement OF the public servic
Very respectfully yours.
DANIEL MANNING.
To the President.