, 1888-01-10
LAMAR RESIGNS.
Correspondence Between the
President and Lamar.
The Reading Strike--N Settle
ment in Sight.
The Company Not Willing to
Arbitrate.
Secretary Lamar Resigns.

WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-Secretary La
mar yesterday rendered to the president
his resignation as secretary of the interior
and it was accepted by the president. The
formal resignation, it is understood, will
not go into effect until noon of Tuesday
next. The following is a copy of the
letter of resignation and the presidents
reply.
WARRINGTON, Jan. To the Iresi-
dent: When, some months ago, you in
vited me to accept the vacant judgeship
in the supreme court, you expressed a
wish that, as the court was not in session,
L should postpone the resignation of my
present office until the meeting of con
gress allowed you to send my nomination
to the senate, and there were certain mat
tiers before the department i~naugurated
by me which it was therefore desirable
that | should close before leaving, As |
would have been very reluctant to take a
place upon the bench until your nominal
ton had been confirmed by the senate, [
cheerfully consented to your request. My
nomination has now been submitted to
the senate, and recognizing both their
right and duty to subject its fitness to a
most critical examination, | would still
wait In my present position their decision,
but | think [ am warranted in %supposing
that the final decision may be delayed
some time. As you have at the same
time nominated my successor in this de-
partment and his successor in the post
office department, this delay may to some
extent at least embarrass the administra-
ton of public business in the department
mentioned. To avoid such emparrass-
ment and to leave before the senate in its
final judgment upon my nomination
the sole question of my fitness for the posi-
ton disassociated from any other nominal
ton and unaffected by any other consid-
orators, l now respectfully ask you TO
accept my resignation as secretary of the
interior, which | hereby tender. In ter
minating my relations with you as a mem
Der of you official family, | desire to ex-
press the gratefulness and obligation | am
under TO you personally for the consldera-
ton and kindness which have always
characterized your treatment of me, and
for the generous confidence and support
which you have steadily given me in the
trying and arduous administration of this
department. [ shall always be proud to
have been associated with the honorable
record you will leave upon the page of
your country's history. Sincerely,
Signed L. Q. G. LAMAR.
PRESIDENTS REPLY.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
Jan. I, lSSS.-MY DEAR Mr.. LAMAR:
When | determined to nominate you to a
position upon the bench of the supreme
court, the personal qualification afforded
by the tender to you of so honorable and
suitable a place and the satisfactory con-
vIction that an important executive duty
would be performed well, led me almost
to forget that my action involved the loss
of your conscientious and valuable aid and
service in cabinet councils which for nearly
three years | have so much enjoyed and
appreciated. Your note of to-day forces
me to contemplate this severance with
most profound and sincere regret, but
since that l know the separation you now
insist upon arises from that conception of
public duty which has always 50 entirely
guided our conduct in our official rela-
tions, | am constrained to accept the res
ignation you tender, hoping it only antic-
pates your entrance upon the discharge of
higher and more congenial functions han
those now relinquished. What | have
thus far written seems very formal indeed.
| intended this, because | am sure the
close confidence and relations of positive
affection which have grown up between us
need no expression or Interpretation, and
yet | find it utterly impossible for me to
finish this note without assuring you that
the things which have characterized your
conduct and bearing in the position from
which you now rctire-all your devotion
to your country, and solicitation for the
public interests-all the benefit which
your official services have conferred upon
your fellow countrymen, and all the atfec-
ton and kindness so often exhibited
toward inc personally, | shall constantly
remember with tenderness and gratitude.
Yours very sincerely.
(Signcd) GROVER CLEVELAND.