The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-21


Affair-As Usual Lays Blame on the
Reporters-Tbe President Indicates He
Deems No Action Necessary.
Washington, January 20.-The Presi-
dents reply to the House resolution, call
ing for the correspondence in the State
Department. relative to the speeches de-
livered in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Bos-
ton, England, by Ambassador Bayard,
was delivered by one Of the Presidents
secretaries, Mr.. Pruden.
The message is as follows:
In response to the resolution of the
House of REPRESENTATIVES of December %,
1895, I transmit herewith report from
the Secretary of State and accom- panylng
papers relating to certain speeches made
by Thomas F. Bayard, ambassador of the
United States to Great Britain.
In response to that part of that resolu-
tion which requests information as to
the action taken by the President con-
cerning the speeches therein referred to,
l reply taht no action has heen taken
by the President, except such as is in
dicated in the report and correspondence
herewith submitted.
(Signed) GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive mansion, Washington, Janu-
airy 90, 1896.
MIR. Bay ard, to Secretary Olney, dated
London, December IL, in which he OBJ
serves from the newspapers in England
the action of the House of Representa-
tiyes looking to his impeachment and in
closes printed copy OF the Edinburgh
address.
Mr. Bayard calls attention to the fact
that the address was delivered before an
| institution purely, literary and scientific
| in it's character, and wholly unconneoted
with political parties-which had honored
| two of his official predecessors with silni-
| lar invitations, which IN both cases had
been accepted; subjects political in their
nature Democracy" and Tine Law of
Land,'' having been respectively selected
and treated with distinguished ability
! No political canvass was pending or
approaching in this country when the
auuress was made-and no Interference
or participation in local or party political
concerns in this country was, therefore
possible
The address, he says, consisted of his
personal opinions upon governmental in
and the tendencies which underlie them
and the governmental policies which
assist in the conservation of the freedom
OF the individual as an essential integer
of human progress-and of the perma-
nenee Of civilization.
& The judgements so delivered, were
| formed by me after careful elaboration,
and, in their presentation, sundry histor
| ios.l facts and arguments tending to
sustain them were advanced.
"When the Congress" he says, "shall
have concluded its action on the subject
it is possible that I may desire to submit
further statement, but, meanwhile oon-
slider it proper to place before you the ad-
dress itself in full, and the facts connect
ed with its delivery"
MIR. Bayard adds to the postscript:
81 find, upon reading over this note that
Mr.. Lowell's address on Democracry was
| delivered by him before the Midland in
stitute at Birmingham-an association
| similar in it's character and purposes to
the Edinburgh philosophical Institution.
Secretary Olney Immediately on receipt
of this, cabled the ambassador on Janu
ary that the House resolution asked not
only whether the Edinburgh speech was
made, but also whether in the Boston
speech he used the words: 1.-THE Presi-
dent stood in the midst of strong, self
confident and oftentimes violent people
men who sought to have their own
way. 1t took a real man to govern the
people of the United States"
Mr.. Olney's despatch also asked Mr..
Bayard to send any additional statement
regarding hisiEdinburgh speech,he desired
to make and said the resolution asked
what If any, action the President had
taken on the speeches.
| Mr.. Bayard cabled the following day
that he would comply, and under the
same date wrote confirming the cable
| gram. In this letter, dated January 4, he
said that the Boston grammar school is
and he adds: "My function wasein graf
ification of head master and those inter-
ested in the welfare of the school, to. de-
liver the prizes :to thel graduatinglstu-
dents. At some personal Inconvenience
and hoping to strengthen the ties Of
friendly good will between the people Of
this country and my own, / made the
London byfmidnight...
| The exercises wers Of very simple and
| informal nature; and without note of
prepared words of any kind / made a
short PREDATORY speech. and handed over
the prizes to the successful competitors.
In the afternoon we adjourned to a
public hall or hotel. where dinner was
served, and, as Is customary here, there
| were toasts and responses, and respond
ed to the health of the President of the
United Estates, and subsequently to "a
toast to. myself So far as / was concern
ed. everything was impromptu, and a
kindly, humorous, post prandial tone
prevailed. 1t seems a reporter was pres
ent, but did not see him, nor did I
know that any report had been made un :
til the local newspaper was sent to me q
few days afterward in London.
1 sent copy to Mr.. Cleveland because
the report contained a kindly reference
to the family circle OF the President.
And as have grandchildren in Boston,
Mass, sent copy into that household.
This was the extent of "publication
in the United States Of which have any
knowledge.
The occurrence, he said. had passed out
of his memory until 1t was made the
basis of resolution Of impeachment by
the United States House of Representa-
tives as a "high crime and misdemeanor'
under the constitution.
He thanks Mr.. Olney for his prompt
information Of the nature of the House
resolution, in regard to which. as to
every other matter, he desires and In
tends should be free from any misconoep-
tion and be perfectly transparent to the
President and to his fellow -countrymen.