The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-01

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out his speeches, and his best thoughts
and expressions often came to him on the
floor"
How about his speech at the Chicago
convention which nominated him!'
"The greater part of the speech" said
Governor Foster, twas written before hand,
and was shown by him to Senator Sherman
before he came to Chicago, and Sherman
approved of it, But the beautiful intro
duction to IL Garfield composed as he stood
there before that great convention, and
this was from the inspiration Of the occa-
sion. | was with Garfield during that
whole convention. We had rooms adjoin-
ing each other and we were together nearly
all the time"
''You went there to nominate Sherman,
! Did you notice anything that led you to be-
lieve that Garfield was false to ShermauW
mo did not" replied Secretary Foster.
and until after Garfield's death L had
! faith whatever in any Of the statements
made that be was not true 1t has shaken
my faith, however. to find that he knew
Rusk, and those sixteen Wisconsin votes
were ready to come to him at any time,
and l understand that he had some talk
with the Wisconsin men while he was in
| Chicago. He certainly seemed to be doing
all he could for John Sherman"
''phose sixteen votes started the boom,
did they not!'
Eyes, they did; but Garfield is dead and
! think in this he should have the benefit
OF the doubt"
Il have heard, governor President Car
field intended to make you his postmaster
general. Is that true, and what can you
tell me as to how his cabinet was made?n
president Garfield altered his cabinet
several times before he reached the one
which he finally announced to the people.
lie changed the whole slate after he came
10 Washington. and OF all the names he had
down for the various departments when he
was in Ohio only two remained after he
came on here. These were James @.
Blaine, his secretary of state, and Robert
Lincoln, his secretary of war. l had reason
to expect that | was 10 be made postmas-
ter-general, and | think there is no doubt
but that be intended 10 appoint me to that
position. But the complications were such
that he had to make changes, and the chief
ones were made by Roscoe Conklin, OF
were due 10 his influence. During the
summer Conklin came to Ohio and de-
manded that the treasury departmen,
should be given to New York and
that Levi p. Morton should
be appointed. Conkling was rather tyranni
cal in his way, but his influence was very
great, you know, and Garfield at first sac
he would make this appointment. He found
it, however, hard to arrange matters and he
asked Morton il he would not take some
other place in the cabinet and that he would
give him the navy. Mr.. Morton said at frs
that he would take the navy and that or
the whole he rather preferred It, as there
was less work about 1t than in the treasury
and the fact WIS that he cared more for The
position on account of the social advantage.
it would give him than anything else. Gar
field then supposed that New York was ar
ranged for, but when Morton went to Conk
ling and told him what he had done, Conk
ling set his foot down ard told him he N as
not take the navy, and Morton thereupoI
went to Garfield and told him he would no
have it. Garfield then chose Hunt, o
: louisiana for the navy. He put Windon
into the treasury, and as he thought h
. must have New York man in his cabine
he put Thomas L. James in as postmaster
!, general, and at the same time he sent Nor
, ton to Paris as minister to France"
, "Did Blnine have much influence in Gar
i fields administration"
Yes, think he had" replied G overno
Foster. Blaine did not seem to affec
things but he was influencing GARFIELD
, more or less all the time. He is grea
+ personality and at that time when he wa
in the prime of life and health he could no
help influencing all with whom he came il
, contact"
.Do you think Garfield would have mad
, great President if he had lived?n
asked.
81 don't know" replied the secretary
3 s.He was great man in some respects an
i a weak one IN others. Some people sa
that he died just at the right time to fill
great place liz history. l doubt this. H
might have made great President. II
was you know, Just at the beginning of hi
] prime and he bad great deal of growth i
i,o loro