The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-18

another room back of the drawing-room to
see If Mr.. Arthur had retired. We found
him sitting at an open window looking out
upon the city bathed in soft July moon
light.
He turned, and Senator Jones told him
what DIR. Bliss had said. Mr.. Arthur was
shocked. 1t was no pretense of distress,
although the wounded president was no
friend of his. The responsibility of the
situation weighed with crushing force
upon Mr.. Arthur. He felt in advance the
savagery of the abuse that would be
heaped upon his head as the member of
the faction of his party which had engaged
IN political broil with the president ard
which had led indirectly to his DEATH As
he faced the angry and trying future he
broke down completely and wept like
schoolboy.. Such paroxysm of griefupon
the part OF strong man had never seen
before. When | left the house Senator
Jones was seated near the weeping vice.
president urging him to regain his self
control. Yet this senatorial friend, who
stood by Mr.. Arthur in this most trying of
times and who placed his home at his dis
posal, was one of the first to be forgotten.
influence counted for but little when once
Mr.. Arthur became president.
never had the pleasure of having an
interview with President Arthur for news
paper publication. He always received
me when l sought for an audience and al
ways talked with great freedom, especi-
ally If the subject was a New York one.
But he would never consent to have any
of his utterances printed. | do not now
recall any formal interviews ever being
printed during his occupancy of the White
House.
Mr.. Arthur was most interesting study
for the newspapers at the time he took
formal possession of the White House. He
was much more interesting then than af-
farr nr1 No
sought from the first to control his cab-
net appointments soon got him out with
the stalwart members of this party. The
White House was made over into a ladies'
boudoir, and the atmosphere of artificial
elegance so studiously sought to be main-
tanned there made it a place of interest
perhaps to the fashionable world, but Mr.
Arthur, after the first few weeks of office,
ceased to be figure in politics.
Mr.. Arthur used to have the credit of
being an adroit politician, but in national
politics do not think he ever exhibited
any especial adroitness. He was one of
the few men consulted by Senator Roscoe
Conkling before tho latter resigned his
seat IN the Senate.
! know that he opposed the step, because
heard Mr.. Arthur say SO the day the
designations were read in the Senate. |
came upon the Senate floor just after the
adjournment which had followed the SEN
sdtApH pi the TeSignatlOUs, 10 speak TO Sem
ator Logan. General Logan at that time
had maintained most intimate relations
with Senator Conkling, and was supposed
to be one OF his warmeSt admirers. Yet
Conkling had not said one v ord TO Logan
upon the subject of his resignation. As
Arthur descended from the chair of pre-
siding officer to the Senate, he advanced
to Logan and said to him in my hearing:
''Oh. 1t Is all right, Logan. Don't look so
put out. They will be back here In q few
days. Reelection, triumphant return,
and all that sort of thing" said Arthur in
an easy, hippant tone, as il the Western
senator needed a little lesson in the mys-
ferrous methods of New York politics.
Like hill they will" blurted out
General Logan. you will never live long
enough to see the day when your retiring
friends will ever be returned to the
Senate, or can be elected to the smallest
office"
Arthur smiled in a superior, condescend-
ing way, paying no heed to- the prophecy
OF the vigorous Western senator, who en-
phasized his prediction by saying: ''Conk-
ing started ont for war with Garfield,
Garfield was intrenched In the White
House and Conkling was in good fortified
position IN the Senate chamber. But
suddenly Conktng strips himself naked.
throws away his arms and running out
from his fort places himself bare under
the reach OF the enemy's guns. 1t NAV be
brave, but II IS not war, and | have pity
for the infantile minds who think after he
has thus without reason given up every
advantage he can escape destruction"
It G. CpawEnpn