The record-union., 1895-05-28

In 1883 Judge Gresham was made q
prominent candidate for the Republican
nomination for the Presidency at the
Chicago convention. His liberal views on
the tariff created against him the antago-
nism OF the extreme protectionists at
Chicago. Judge Gresham openly dis
sented from the Mckinley iaw,and IN 1892,
after the nomination of Mr.. Cleveland by
the Democrats, ne, once Repu ublicau. re-
nounced his allegiance TO the Republican
party and advocated Mr.. ClevelandS
election. After Mr.. Cleveland was
elected, in February. 1898. he sum moned
Judge Gresham to Lakewood. \. j.,
where, after consultation, be rendered
him the position of premier of the Cabl-
net he was forming. Judge Gresham ac-
cepted the trust March 7th.
AS Secretary of State in the present
Administration MIR. Gresham has had to
deal with perhaps more veXatlOus, lntrl-
cate and delicate diplomatic affairs than
has fallen to the share OF most Secretaries
of State. From his long Judicial expert
ence he was disposed 10 view every ques-
ton from the standpoint OF exact and
equal justice, and the first consideration
with him was always absolute fairness; ii
his own country occupied false position
ill the matter, lie thought 1t was his duty
to set 1t right, even at the sacrlflce OF ma
terial interests as 1t might appear st the
time. Such d course was certain to sub
ject him to public criticism, and he fully
realized this in advance, but was in no
respect deferred from doing what he
thought was right. This brought him
face to face with the great question of the
hour at that time the annexation OF Ha-
waii. He had decided views on this mat
ter. even before he came into the Cabinet,
and it was upon his recommendation that
President Cleveland performed almost
his first official action by Withdrawing
from the Senate, in which it was pending.
the annex alton treaty negotiated by Sec
retary Foster. Then Mr.. Blount was
sent TO the islands to make an original
investigation, and upon his report the
Secretary made his now celebrated re-
commentator that the Queen be sre-
stored, inasmuch as she had been depoeed
by the action Of the officers of the United
States.
While he was deep in the Hawaiian
negotiations, Secretary Gresham was
obliged to suddenly give immediate at
tentlon to the Behring Sea seal fisheries.
tho arbitration arranged by his prede-
cessor was in full swing. Here was an
other matter with which he was not IN
harmony. He did not believe that the
arbitration would be successful In the
object aimed at by the United States,
namely, the protection OF the seals, Dut
regardless of the outcome. he was forced
to bring the British Government 10 re-
newal OF the neoduS UiDendS or quick ac-
ton to carry out the award when it was
announced, in order to guard against the
annlhilation OF the seals. The British
were unwilling to do the first OF these
things. aud it was only by an exhibition
of ali the strength of his character and
purpose he succeeded in hurry1ng
through the British Parliament an act TO
give effect TO the arbitration, and then
securing the adoption of resolutions to
keep of the poachers.
by clause in the Wilson Tariff Act,
Congress had swept away in a line all
the carefully constructed reciprocity
treaties negotiated by the preceding ad-
ministration. This caused great anger
among the nations with which the
United States had such treaties, and the
storm fell upon Secretary Gresham's
head. Immediately there was talk Of
retaliation and tariff wars, and in some
cases this was realized to a certain extent.
Mr.. Gresham's task to placate the Euro
pean powers, and how skillfully ne did
SO, the printed correspondence tells.