The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-04
VAN ALIEN DECLINES.
He Refuses to Serve as Ambassa-
dor to Italy.
GIVES HIS REASONS AT LENGTH.
The Fact that Many OF His Fellow Citi-
zcns Honestly Believe the False Report
ofCorruptlon Makes Him Insist. Against
the Presidents Kindly Protest.


zcns Honestly Believe the False Report
ofCorruptlon Makes Him Insist. Against
the Presidents Kindly Protest.
New YORK, Dec. A. Mr. j. j. Van .\len,
who was recently confirmed as United
States ambassador to Italy, declines to
serve. The correspondence in the case is
Just made public.
The first letter, dated Newport r. l.,
Nov. %, is from Mr.. Van Man to Secretary
Gresham, and is in substance at follows.
81 have the honor to acknowledge re.
ceipt of your letter OF the asth of October,
in which you officially notify me thai the
president, by and with the advice and con
sent of the senate, has appointed INC am
baSaador to Italy
"Sincc the receipt of your letter 7 have
given the matter my most serious and
careful attention, and, as the result of
my reflections, have concluded to ask you
to express 10 the president my decision not
to accept the office rendered me.
II must beg that you will not infer
from this action any lack Of appreciation
on my part Of the honor conferred. On
the contrary | fully comprehend the dig
nifty, inn orianoe and responsibility of the
position, and having this realization, |
may frankly ndd that the nomination was
extremely gratifying to mc-nOt in per-
sonal sense merely, but more particularly
because Of the opportunity afforded me of
representing my country in such man
ncr as | hoped might be satisfactory to
the American people and creditnblt TO the
administration.
Among the comments upon my nOmi-
nation which appeared in the public press
one charge only merits attention, not be
=.
suppose still is, believed by many per-
sons unfamiliar with the individuals con
cprncd and the facts essential TO the for
nation of an accurate Judgment. The
charge was that ! received the appoint
| mrnt in return for n contribution OF S50,-
900 To the Democratic national campaign
fund. While my nomination was pend
ing in the senate II did not seem fitting
aud proper for me to offer more than an
explicit denial. | was aware that as an in
| etpd party statement would have lit
| tie effect beyond the limits of my personal
| acqItaintunCeS. Now, however, when my
action cannot be fairly attributed to
| purely selfish motives, it seems TO me hat
repetition of that denial, which | make
| without qualification, should be sufficient
| for nny honorable man
II have never den led. and do not now
deny, that | contributed to he campaign
fund, not fifty Thousand dollars, but yet
considerable sum of money Sincerely be-
| lieNinB, Hs ! did, that Il continuation of
| Republican supremacy would he not only
hindrance to national progress but in
time II positive menace 10 the success of
! popular government, and ing large in-
tcreSts ut stake | WHs imprllcd by both
| patriotic and selfish reasons to aid the
| Democratic cause.
'lt was by no means the first time had
assisted the party since Mr.. Cleveland's
aggressive leadership aroused my admrl-
I tiun. aud do not hesitate To say that If it
Z shall again seem to he my duty a4 n citi-
! zen dcsirous of the bea government it will
not be- the last. SO fur from attaching un-
| due Importance 10 il. was fully aware
| that the contribution meant far less to mo
| than the time and effort devoted by thon-
| snnds Of unsellish citizens to the same
| campaign. Nor did believe that il should
entitle me to any more consideration.
"N hatever may lie the correct conclusion
I regarding the ethics of Che case, the fact
remains that a large number of my fcl-
| l3# citizens have been led, either by coin
! ciaence or circumstances, Or by false re-
! port, to look upon my appointment AS in
| Soma way inconsistent with the Dro-
frssiuns of the Democratic party aud thu
i
do moi think that ! could now remove
| this impression from the minds of many
| right minded and thoughtful people,
whose judgment, | frankly admit, lnay
| possibly lie correct. II therefore seems to
| me sufficient TO uAd that self respect coin
| peis me to decliue The high Office To which
| have been appointed, j j. NAN Ais
Then follows the presidents letter to
| MIR. Van Allen, under date of Nov. %. 1t
! is as follows
My DEAR SIR-Fhe secretary of state
ha submitted to me your letter of the
| 20 inst, in which you tender your
! resignation rs ambassador to Italy.
Il hnsten TO express my earnest wish
| that you will reconsider this conclusion
Tie sentiments contained in your letter
do credit 20 your conscience and AmeFi-
calism but you must allow me to dissent
from their application in this cnSe.
u did not select you for nomination to
the Italian mission without satisfying my
self of your entire fitness for the place
| am now better convinced OF your fitness
than ever You know and | know, that
| all tho malignant criticism that has been
indHiged in regarding this appointment
has no Justification, and that the decent
people who have doubted it's propriety
have been mi-lea, or have missed the ac.
tual considerations upon which it rests
| Wa should not yield to the noise and
clamor which has arisen from those CON
| ditians.
My personal preference should enter
very slightly into your final dctcrmina-
tion; but 70 far as have such preference
1t is emphatically that you accept the hon
orabla Office conferred upon you aud vim
dictate by the discharge of its duues the
wisdom and propriety of your selection