Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-31
Mr.. BAyARD'S LETTER.
The Tcrms in Which He Declined the Lon
don Telegraph's Proposed Gift.

the forms IN winch He Declined the Lon
don Teiegraph's Proposed Gift.
In the early part OF December the
London Telegraph started a public
subscription to purchase two rare and
exceedingly valuable books to be pre-
scented to Hon. Thomas f.. Bayard,
United States Ambassador to Great
Britain. as a Christmas gift. This
christmas gift was to be in recogni-
tion Of Mrs. Bayard's efforts to main
tain peace between England and the
United States as we'll as testimonial
Of personal friendship from the Eng
lish people. Subscriptions to the fund
came in rapidly, but as soon as Mr..
3ayard heard of the proposed present
he promptly and courteously declined
it in the following letter:
To the Editor of the Daily Tele-
graph. Sir: Early this morning tele-
graphed you praying that you would
proceed no further with your kind and
generous proposition for a testimonial
to ms from the people of this country,
in token of their appreciation of my
efforts to establish between the two
great Englisb.speaking countries rela-
tions Of unbroken harmony and good
will.
On the afternoon of Thursday / re-
turned to London and there first was
informed, and through the columns of
the Daily Telegraph, that such a testi-
monial in the form of two literary
treasures--the works OF Chaucer and
Shakespeare was proposed to be pre-
scented to me by general subscription.
in indication of good will and respect
to my country anu to me as its diplo-
matte representative. L was naturally
deeply touched and gratIiied by such a
PROPOSAL and the generous measure of
eulogy contained in the editorial that
announced it. Nor was my gratifica-
ton lessened when your issue of yester-
day and that of to-day contained SO
many spontaneous tributes of respect
aud kind feeling from men OF all
classes OF occupation and degrees of
fortune.
A few hours of reflection here
brought me 10 the sober Judgment that,
holding my present office. and in
vested with its discretion and duties,
l should scrupulousy respect and obey
the spirit as well as the letter of my
country's law-written and unwritten---
which inhihits anyone holding office of
trust or profit under the United States
of Congress, any present from any king,
prince or government.
Tho feasone for such inhibition apply
with special significance to this repre-
sentatives of the government at foreign
capitals, and nowhere is tine strict and
delicate obedience TO the meaning of
such law more plainly and Importantly
inculcated than under the popular
nj n Itn 3D.,
serve in. popular estimation confidence
in tho Observation-Disclosures of public ser-
vice and clearneHs in high office, 80
that not even the ''smell of smnke'' can
Turk in the folds of official garments.
The ermiue of the judge should not
be more stainless than the robe of the
lawgiver, nor that Of the legislator than
the executive officers. Tho patriotic
and admirable intent with which your
influential journal originated and adj
vocated the presentation of such a tes-.
timonial to mo as the Ambassador of
my country has surely been accom-
plished already, for it has evoked such
expressions of widespread sympathy
and approval as, like the breath OF
the ocean, will fill the sails of the two
great ships of State us they are
borne onward together by the irresisti-
BILE currents Of common civilization,
strengthened by the ties of common
mother tongue and a literature in
which the highest thoughts Of man
kind are embalmed.
am sincerely grateful for the OK
pressions OF individual, national and
international good will, in all of which
my personal share is ample and de-
ts.,ht Fail IL. n
to thank the people Of these islands for
the e-hearted, unstinted welcome
l have received at their hands and the
warm hospitalities showered upon me
and mine since j came among them,
amid which your most kind proposal
has its especial emphasis.
| am sure thatsI serve both countries
best when | decide, as an Am bassador
not to become tho recipient of the
valuable and most delightful present
proposed for my acceptance at your in
stance by the peoplo of the nation to
whose government l am accredited.
Believe me, sir, to 10 very grateful and
sincerely yours, 4. Il. Bayard.
Embassy OF the United States, Lon
don, December 9Th, 1896.
Commenting upon this letter the
Telegraph in it's leading editorial of
December 7th, says;
" Unhesitatingly--but not without
regret which we are sure will be widely
shared.we Withdraw this morning from
the prosecution OF our design to make
parting Christmas gift of good will
TO Mr.. Bayaid. the American Ambas-
sador. We take this step at the re-
quest OF his excellency himself, per-
honally and most courteously conveyed
by tho interesting letter to which we
give publicity this morning. 1t is not
necessary to inquire whether any high
official authority has influenced Mr.
Bayard in tho desire expressed by him
that abe friendly demonstration should
he stayed. We arc we'll assured that
he himself has not misunderstood or
failed to appreciate the proposal which
aimei at Offering to an envoy who
had honorably discharged his duties TO
both countries SO simple an English
tribute What we had in immediate
view, as national expression of the
general feeling. was first and foremost
that noble volume possessed at present
by Mr.. Quaritch. the we'll known book
seller, wherein the fist of English
printers has grandly produced in type
the first Of English poets. This
precious work put forth by Caxton
about l47S A. D., has no rivals in i'm
portance, except one in the British
Museum and ono at Merton College,
Oxford; and, highly priced as it stands,
must yet be. called cheap at that