Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02
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Cleveland's message has been very care
fully guarded. He has written the most Of
1t with his own pen. and he does more and
more Of his own writing every day. The
White House has never been SO close and
exclusive as 1t is now, and news has never
been more carefully watched. President
Cleveland seldom uses stenographer,
though there are several good shorthand
writer's at the White House. and there is
one who draws a salary on the executive
pay roll such. The President prefers to
write his own letters. and his message has
been written almost entirely with his own
hand He uses pad and pen. and he has
written the message in piecemeal, taking up
the different subjects one by one and fittin g
the pieces into the mosaic, which is now in
the hands Of the government printers. He
Is a remarkably ready writer. His hand Is
small and cramped. but he writes rapidly
and he revises little. He has a good COM
mand of language and he likes out-of- the
way expressions. During his last admins
tration he penned the longest message which
was ever submitted to Congress, and the
probability is that the present message will
equal this in length
Great Care Used.
So far none OF President Cleveland's
messages have been published in advance
Of their submission to Congress. He has
been exceedingly careful to keep them from
the newspapers. and it is interesting to
know how this is done. The matter is given
out only to the most trusty compositors, and
the proofs and the galleys are locked I'D
when not in in a burglar-proof safe
This was the method which was adopted
when Cleveland was in the White House
before. and at this time the government
printer read the proofs himself and made
the corrections He brought the CODY to the
White House and carried the proofs TO Presi-
Dent Cleveland in his own hand. Then the
news was not half SO valuable as it is now
Advance information as to the financial
question is now being greedily asked for.
The whole country wants to know what
Cleveland IS going TO say on the tariff and
MS exact statement as to the Hawaiian
matter would be worth s. a line If IL conid
be published now. The employees about the
Executive Mansion appreciate this and thev
are as silent the sphinx. Secretary Thur
Der looks wise and says nothing Assistant
Secretary Pruden is more dumb and owl-lilxe
than ever, and the whole White House
seems to have suddenly become tongue tied
one OF President Arthur's messages was
stolen and published day or SO before in
was delivered in the House OF Representa-
tves. and Grants first message was read
BY the whole country day before Congress
had it. One Of the most striking thefts of
Presidents messages was one OF Lincoln's
which was gotten by Chevalier WykOff for
the New York Herald, and it is believed
that this man obtained a sight OF the mes
sage through Mrs. Lincoln. He was living
here at Washington as Il gentleman of So
cleJy. rdthe- than a newspaper man, and
when his dispatch was published he was
CIl-C1 before committee of the House of
Representatives and commanded to state
Ns.Gce he mad gotten the message. He re-
pied That he was bound under u promise
or secrecy not To reveal this matter. and
Il EaS ,IrrcnJly reported that Mrs. Lincoln
Lid shown him the message while he was
CIT riding with her in her carriage Presi-
CENT Lincoln was greatly annoyed over the
mater. and NykOn finally said that the
gardener at the White House had gotten
tne manuscript and showed it to him. His
Abatement vas evidently disbelieved. for
toaEr-Ss did nothing with the gardener
and NJ s.fterward received an appointment
E. second lieutenant in the. army.
President Harrison spent fully as much
time upon his messages, as does President
Cleveland re wrote them in sections and
HANDED the rrst draft over 10 Miss Sanger
" no transcribed them with the typewriter
ana han1td the copy back to the President
FOR re.i>lon- President Harrison then went
over this copy. changing it here and there
and sometimes rewriting an entire para
trdpn- After he mad finished il was given
l. Hiss Sllise 10 be again copied and again
r-FlSed. Until II exactly suited President
Harrison 5 IDEAS. He was very particular
a 70 his messages and his state papers
viii RANK AlSA Tor their diction and thought.
None % his messages We're ever published
IN advance. though they We're set UP at the
government printing office. President Harri-
Bon save positive instructions as to the care
TO be taken In regard to them and at one
Line No thought OF having the printers