The herald., 1895-05-28

When congress finally maze known 1ts
views, the secretary accepted them for his
government, but it cannot be discovered
that he ever changed his views as orig in
ally announced, as to the justice OF the
action he had proposed.
While he was deep in the Hawaiian ne
gostiatiohs, Secretary Gresham was
obliged to suddenly give immediate at.
tention to the Bering sea seal fisherles
The arbitration arranged by his prede-
cessor wss in full swing. Here was an
other matter with which he was not IN
harmony. He di' not believe that the
arbitration would be successful in the OBJ
ject aimed at by the United States
| namely, the protection of the seals, but
| regardless OF the outcome he was forced
to bring the British government to re-
newal of the modus vivendi. or quick ac-
tion to carry out the award when 1T was
announced, in order to guard against the
| annihlation of the seals. The British
were unwilling to do the first OF these
things, and it was only by an exhibition
OF all the strength of his character
| and purpos he succeeded in hurrylng
| through the British parliament an act to
| give effect to the arbitration and then
| securing .the adoption of regulations to
! keep off the poachers. By clause III
the Wilson tariff act congress had swept
away in q line all the carefully construct
ed reciprocity treaties negotiated by the
preceding administration. This caused
| great anger among the nations with
! which the United States had such
treaties, and the storm fell on Secretary
| Gresham $ head. Immediately there was
| talk of retaliation and tariff wars and IN
| some cases this was rea lied % certain
extent. Mr.. Gresham's task so placate
the European powers and how skilfrlly
| he did so the printed correspondence
| tells. He fairly amazed the Germans and
Austrians, used Jas they were to the de-
| vious ways of diplomacy, by frankly ad-
| mitting that they were right i'll claiming
a remission of the differential duties
| upon beet sugars; that justice seemed to
| require this remission and he would do
! all he could to make reparation. prom
ise which he faithfully endeavored to re-
| deem to the last. and thereby strengthen
| ed his own hands in the veXatlous nego-
tiatons looking to the removal of the un-
| Just and onerous restrictions placed upon
| the importation of American cattle and
| meats.
Another legacy from his predecessor
which Mr.. Gresham found very little to
! his liking was the necessity for caring
| for the Samoan king, held imprisoned on
the Sunday island by the Germans. lie
| wanted to repudiate the whole arrange
ment by which the United Staes assumed
a part of the tri partite protectorate over
! Samoa, and he worked hard to this end,
! and finally succeeded in inducing Presl-
| dent Cleveland to recommend to congress
| that the United States withdraw from all
| further participation IN Samoan affairs.
| Then in the constructive tide OF diplo-
macy Mr.. Gresham had much to his
| ciedt. He did all that foreign officer
| could do properly to prevent the atrocities
of the Japanese war; lost no opportunity
at any stage TO bring it to Il close and
| ultimately when peace was restored it
was through the good offices Of the
American ministers in China and Japan,
| acting under Mr. Gresham 5 Instructions.
| that the peace negotiations were institu-
| ted. All this was done in II way that was
| clear to the world that he acted absolutely
| without self interest and with motives
| of humanity, Notwithstanding the
temptations held uut by some OF the
| European powers to act jointly with them
| for less worthy motives that might have
| broaght safe return. While he was
| doing tins Secretary Gresham was also
| using his good offices to prevent war
between Mexico and Guatemala, both
| full of fighting spirit and difficult to re-
| strain, and in this he succeeded COM
pietely although he was obliged to use
very strong representations TO do so.
While the amount of money involved was
| insignificant in the case of the claims OF
| United States citizens against Nene-
zueia, Secretary Gresham managed
| through a joint commission to secure
| judicial enuuciation of a doctrine that
| is of The greatest importance to the civil
| lied world, namely, that the government
| of that country is responsible for the
| abuse or i'll treatment for financial redress
| of foreigners committed by insurgents.
| But the Americanism of the secretary
| was shown in its brightest light IN three
, incidents that occurred during his admin
| istration, and the fact in two of the three
| that he had to contend with great powers
| indicates that be made no distinction
when the time came to claim rights for
! his own country. The first of these
| cases, while attracting little attention ut
the time, was really OF great importance,
| for it amounted TO a declaration to
| Europe that the United States would not
| permit private claims to be collected from
American republics where our citizens
| had pecuniary interests. This was the
case at San Domingo when the French
warship which had come there to enforce
the collection of private claim was
| withdrawn after very strong hint from
| Secretary Gresham. conveyed through
Ambassador Eustis, that the United
States would regard such course as an
unfriendly manifestation. Again at
Bluelields when the British marines oc-
cuped the bluffs they were promptly
withdrawn when Secretary Gresham
called upon Great Britain for an explana-
tion of their landing and securing dis
| Claimer OF any wrong purpose.
And again when the Spanish govern
ment undertook to stop an American
| steamer by q cannon SnOt Mr. gresham
called for and secured a very prompt
apology.
Almost the last official act done before
he fell mortally i'll was to open cores
pondence with France intended to secure
Justice for eX-United States Consul Wal
Ter, whom he believed to have been i'll
treated by the summary French court in
Madagascar. and in whose interests he no
| titled Minister Eustis to interfere.
| The secretary was q hard worker. He
was thorough IN all things and insisted
in reading up everything OF a case which
came before him. This involved long
hours spent in study, and it is now clear
that Secretary Gresham was brought to
his last illness by the great exertions he
was Obliged to put forth to discharge his
official duties to his own satisfaction.
During his career on the bench Judge
| Gresham heard and decided many note
worthy cases. His greatest decision was
in the Wabash case, when he went be-
meath technicalities and placed all the
rines of the system under receiver, thus
giving Jay Gould direct blow.
In 1858 Mr.. Gresham married Miss
Matilda McGrain, the daughter of Thomas
| McGrain, man of Scotch-Irish descent
A son and daughter were born to them,
who live in Chicago. He was devoted to
wife and children. This side OF his life
the public knew nothing OF, but it
furishes the best key to his nature and
character.
Cake can he made lipht and sweet with