Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-16
PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGES.
How Lincoln. Johnson and Grant Prepared
Their Official Documents-The Rivalry to
Secure Messages in Former Days.
Washington Post.

Washington Post.
The capacity of President Cleveland
for hard work says q correspondent, is
perhaps best illustrated by the fact that
he is writing every word of his ne ssage.
His experience last year, when he wrote
with his own hand the longest message
ever submitted by president to congress
does not seem to have dismayed him in
the least. This year, although the mes
sage will be brIefer, it will be of sufficient
length to make the physical task of writ
ing it somewhat laborous. Thoroughly
engrossed in his work, the president sees
as few callers as he possibly can. He
takes no recreation except a drive in the
afternoon, and even Thanksgiving day
was devoted to work. From morning to
night he bends over his desk-a histori-
cal piece of furniture, made from the
timbers of the ship Rescue and presented
to this government by Queen Victoria
of England. He writes small
cramped hand, but his pen moves over
the paper with considerable ease, and he
rarely has occasion to revise his matter.
All the phrases in his writings which
have become famous were first thoughts.
Very few persons have any idea of the
great amount of detail which the presi-
u6uJ dCCOu pll5HG5. AL Ills N6IO ulG5-
sages were written by him personally,
and that too, in the longest possible way.
In returning house bill No. 1868, for in
stance, he wrote. ''House bill number
five thousand nine hundred and sixty
eight" He penned his Thanksgiving
proclamation, Many of the letters which
other presidents turned over to their
secretaries are answered by him in per-
son. He even addressed with his own
hand the envelope which informed Dis
trict Attorney Benton of his reinstate-
ment.
In personally writing his messages
President Cleveland differs from any of
his predecessors. Lincoln wrote compar-
atively little of his messages, but he paid
close attention to the phraseolOgy. In
those days the "buts" and the ''ifs''
counted. He wrote a small, even hand,
easily read, and his manuscript was not
often marred by erasures.
Johnson, who followed him, wrote still
less. His right arm was crippled and he
could not raise it to his head. He used
pen and ink but rarely, finding lead
pencil less tiresome. It is said that he
did not write letter in ink after he be-
came president. He signed his name
frequently, of course, but an entire letter
in his handwriting is now worth almost
it's weight in gold. He dictated his mes
sages to Col. William G. Moore, who was
then his private secretary. He thought
quickly, for the impossibility of writing
developed the faculty of dictation to it's
highest degree.
President Grant sent eight messages to
congress. They were in the main con-
tributions from his cabinet offers, writ
ten in the first person and then dove
tailed together. They were not finally
submitted, however, without careful CON
sideratiOn. Grant was cautious and CON
servative and carefully modified and re-
vised the recommendations of his cabinet
officers. He loved to write, and all the
additions and emendations of the mes
sages were in his own handwriting. He
wrote many autograph letters, and his
vetOes were also in his own hand. He
could dictate, but not easily, and when
ever he wanted to be particularly sorcible
he shut himself in his room and, free
from interruption, wrote out in full what
he desired to say.
Mr.. Hayes wrote a sprawley irregular
hand, hard to resd by those who were I'M
accustomed to it, His message was
largely the work of Mr.. Rodgers, his
private secretary, man of considerable
scholarship. Whatever polish they con-
tanned was due entirely to Mr. Rodgers.
and many portions, indeed, were written
by the latter in the first instance. The
cabinet officers aided largely in the work
and their contributions were used with
out revision. President Arthur's hand
writing was bold and large, showing con-
siderable force, and tho words and let
tiers were Joined in an easy running style
DC 4hn i
clerical duty. Surrogate Rollins, of New
York, it is not generally known, was Mr.
Arthur's right-hand man in the prepare
ton of the messages. Together they ar
ranged the topics to be treated upon
and many of the ideas contained in the
documents emanated directly from Mr.
Rollins.
In former days the messages were Dup
Heated on manifold paper, and when the
private secretary was supposed to have
reached the capitol-for there was no
telegraph or telephone connection with
the white house then-cOpies were dis
trIbuted to the anxious correspondents
and reporters. Then there was grand
rush for the telegraph and newspaper
offices: 81 have seen them nearly break
their necks in getting downstairs" said
veteran employe of the white house,
in describing the scene. Many of the
newspaper men did not hesitate to 90
through the lower and private part of
the building, and make short cuts to
Pennsylvania avenue, through the
grounds. Others, who had carriages and
the feetest horses the city could afford
standing at the front entrance, at a speed
far beyond the limits of the law. At the
newspaper offices an extra force of com
positors hurried the message into type.
The public entered into the spirit of riv-
airy and large crowds surrounded the
offices, all ready to cheer the first news
boy who appeared with bundle of papers
under his arm. Nowadays it is different.
The persons who, in these peaceful times,
take even sufficient interest in a message
to stauggls through its long array of
commonplace sentences are in large
minority.
presidents message has always been
regarded as the most important piece of
news correspondent could secure. In
the days of fluctuations in gold it had its
value TO Wall street also. Indeed, it is
asserted at the white house that once dur