Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1893-12-04
NOT FOR VAN ALIEN.
Declines the Office of Ambassa.
dor to Italy.
THAT ALLEGED $4,000 DONATION

Throw Up tEe Ofiic. That Has Given the
President, Senate aud the Fre>s "Heap
of Troubie''-What the Accused Man
Says About tine Matter.
NEW York. Dec 4-The following ccr-
respondence between the Hon. J. J. Van
Allen and the president and department
of state is made public and is self.explan.
atcry. 1t is dated ut Newport. II. l.. Nov.
% 1893, and addressed 10 the Hon. Walter
q. Gresham, secretary of state:
SIR have the houor to acknowledge
receipt of YOUR letter OF the 2S,h OF Octo.
Der i'll which you officially notify me that
the president, by and with the advice and
consent cf the senate, has appointed me
Ambassador TO Italy.
"Siucc the receipt Of your letter have
given the matter my most serious and
careful! attention and as the result OF my
reflections have concluded to ask yuE to
express 10 the president my decision not
TO :,ccep, the Office rendered me
No Lack of Appreciation.
81 must bee that you will not infer from
this action any lack of appreciation on my
part of the honor conferred. On the CON
trary fully comprehend the dignity, i'm
po:tance and responsibility of the position,
and having this realization may frankly
add that the nomination was extremely
gratifying to me-not in a personal sense
merely, but mere particularly because of
the opportunity afforded me of represent
ing my country in srcll a manner As |
hoped might be satisfactory to the An.eri.
can people and creditablc to the admins
t,ation. Among the comments upon my
nomination which appeared in the public
press one charge only merits attention,
not because it was true. bat because il
.was-and l suppose still is-bclieved by
many persons unfamiliar with the iudi-
viduais concerned and the facts essential
10 the formation OF an accurate Judgment.
a DeEiai without Qualification.
"The charge was that | received the an.
pointmeBt in return for Il contribution OF
$50, GOO to the Democratic national cam.
paicn fund. While riy nomination was
pending IN the senate it did not seem fit.
ting and proper for me TO offer Ia ore than
an explicit denial. 1 WAS aware that rs
an interested party my statement would
have little effect beyond The limits OF my
personal acuuainiances. Now, however,
when my action cannot be fairly attrib.
uted TO purely selfish motives it seems 10
me that Il repetition of that denial. which
/ make without qualification, should be
sufficient for any honorable man.
Contributed "A Large Sum.
~ have never denied and do not now
deny that 1 contributed TO the campaign
fund-not S5o,0Oo. bat yet considerable
sum of money, sincerely believing, as
did. that Il continuation of Republican
supremacy would be not only :, hinderance
TO national progress, but in time positive
menace to the Success CT popular govern.
ment and having large interests at stake
was impe,ie'i 10y both patriotic and sci
fish reasons to aid the Democratic cause.
Never Thought of Az Obi cation.
SSu far from attaching undue import
ance to it WIS fully aware that the con
,r;bution meant far less TO me than the
, time and effort devoted 10y thousands o,
unselfish citizens to the same campaign
Nor did / be!ieve that it should entitl,
me 10 any more consideration. On the
contrary have not only admitted. but
have positively insisted at all times That
!, created no obligation to me whatever
and l feel confident that the president
who. in fact. was kind enough 10 say e
the Democrats of Rhode Island that hi.
personal acquaintance with me enabled
/ him to consider INV candidacy solely upor
its merits, will lear me out in tLi. asser
tion.
| "Oa the other hand frankly admit tha
until after the Ippoin; nient had been mad,
/ it never once occurred to my mind thai
| my contribution could be used to my in
/ jury. II therefore seems TO me sufficient
to add that self-respect corpe!s me {,
adopt the only alternative and to declin,
/ tine high Office to which / have beca ap
/ pointed
Il have :he Lonor to be, sir, your obedi
ent servant,
! tSignedl j. ). VAN ALIEN"