The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-07

The Requirements Of Diplomacy-Queer Let
tiers hat Come in the Mall.

The Requirements Of Diplomacy-Queer Let
tiers That Come in the Mail.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April 6-Some humorous
letters and some amusing incidents occur at
the White House frequently. The other
day. during the excitement over the disas-
ter in Samoa by which three of our men-of-
wal were dashed to pieces and many lives
were lost, the President and Mr.. Blaine
were in. the formers room holding q con-
sultation over the outlook. Naturally there
was q very serious atmosphere around the
White House, as the sad incident had cast
q gloom over all who knew of it. Queen
Victoria sent a eablegram extending her
coincidence to the people of the United
States through the President, and it was
! transmitted to the chief executive through
the charge d'affaires. The diplomatic Off
Ger was ushered into the presence of the
President while the latter was consulting
with his Secretary Ct State. Both the
president and Mr.. Blaine arose to their feet
as the British ambassador entered, and TAX
ing off his hat in the most formal way, he
handed a message to the first man of the
land. After the message was read by the
President, there was a formal interchange
of regrets and sympathy which lasted sew
eral minutes. Then the charge d'affaires
babe the gentlemen good afternoon and de-
parted. When the door was closed. Secre-
tary Blaine turned to President Harrison
and observed:
Funny, isn't it, how differently we re-
ceive people in this room and receive them
out West or In our own houses. Now, II
If that man had come into your house out
at n~dianauolis with such q message you
would have invited him to sit down and
make himself comfortable. Then you would
have addressed him by his name and
thanked him for his message. But it would
not be diplomacy to do that thing here. 1t
was necessary to treat the whole matter in
the most formal business way. What great
changes come over us through an electiOnp
IN last Sunday al extraordinarily large
bundle of letters was received at the ex-
ecutive mansion, and while the President
was asserting them over for the purpose of
which appeared to be for himself individ-
Hally, he ran across one addressed as fol-
lows:
Ben,
President of the United States.
Washington, ID. G.
Another letter, written by an ardent
Hoosier who wanted a position in the diplo-
matte or consular service, was inclOsed In
a iarge-sized envelope and addressed to:
General Ben Harrison,
EXECUTIVE ManSlOns WdSnlngtOu,
A sheet of fooPs-cap writing paper was
ing the campaign there were photolitho-
graph copies of a picture of General Harri-
son circulated. They were about six by
ten inches in size. and. were printed on
seeker had taken one of these photographs.
and, cutting it in two at the breast, had
pasted the head and bust on the upper p0r-
ton of the sheet of paper. Under this he
wrote the following letter:
His Excellency Is kindly requested to recon-
mend and support the undersigned as envoy ex-
traordinary and minister PIeniRotentiary or con
sm uaEeni Bolivia. paraguay. UraSaa SSa'e Colombia
and South and Central America generally. : = :
This win take the place of a single-hle hand
buzzing in your ear, as now practiced by Office
applicants.
A short time after the disaster in Samoa
had been verified at the Department of
State and copies of the cablegrams were
sent to President Harrison, and while the
chief executive was working through tears
upon his piles of applications for office, q
delegation of friends of a naval officer
called upon him, and asked for the promo
tion which will naturally take place by the
death of the unfortunate men on board the
Nipsic and Vandalia. The President did
not say anything, but received the officers
kindly. He thought, however, it was a
very remarkable proceeding. A few min
utes afterward another delegation came in
and insisted upon the recognition of some
other naval officer for promotion by reason
of the death of these men. Then followed
some more people who wanted their friends
in the navy promoted. This was the straw
that broke the cameps back, and the Presi-
dent informed his callers that he thought
it was q burning shame that there should
be such an unseemly scramble for dead
mems shoes. He said the friends of men in
the navy should wait until the bodies of
the un~fortunates had been recovered and
laid at rest before there was any feeling
over who should secure promotion.