The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-03-18
FRIEND AND ADVISER OF GROVER
CLEVELAND.

FRIEND AND ADVISER OF GROVER
CLEVELAND.
So conspicuous and valuable was
( the part taken by Mr. German in the
national campaign ot 1854, when
Grover Cleveland was first elected
I 10 the presidency. that il is difficult
! to understand how anything but cor
. dial relations should ever afterwards
I have existed between the two Mr..
. German. a. Chairman of the National
Executive Committee, was the guiding
/ head and hand OF that remarkable
campaign. so forcibly had the eNecu-
t tive ability and saEacity Of the Mary
f land Senator impressed itself upon
I the leading Democrats of the country
during his service in the two proceed
ing Congresses. that when the cam
pairn OF 1854 was organized. he was
by common consent selected as the
active leader. ladcrd. IL has been
said that Mr. Hendricks made his &C
( crptancr Of the nomination Of the
yice-presidcncy in a measure cundi-
iinual upon Mr.. Germans manage
mcut 81 the campaign
Hon. Daniel Manning, after his re
iirvmcut from the Treasury portfolio,
related an aueCdotc Of German and
Cleveland during that memorable
campaign. that went the round. %
E the press MIR Manning spoke Of the
Z first meeting between the tsya 90 she
beginning ~ the campaign, whcn he.
as Chairman OF the New York state
+ Committee, had brought Chairman
Gorman To Albany To talk over the
plan of campaign with Governor
Cleveland Cleveland insisted that he
knew nothing about management %
rarupaiau> and ttnrman must take en-
tire charge ard hear the undivided re.
spousimlits German. after some
show ~ hrsifancy. accepted the sstu-
alton. Subsequently. during the pro.
grrss Of the campaign, IL came 60 the
knowledge 81 Mr. Manning one day
that Cleveland had prepared for pub
q LEGATION and was about 20 give To the
press an article which Mr.. Manning
! thought might do serious injury. lie
Z immediately wired German ~ Nrsy
{ York. stating the fact and asking
him 20 come az once aud inspect the
paper. Gorman caught the fast cX-
press and came che same evening.
when the two Immediately repaired
. to the Governors Mansion aud tlcyr-
( land readily aSscutvd 20 have German
z inspect the proposed publication, say
( ing. What 80 you think Of thar pa
urr. German ~" German carefully
read the paper through. and then lie
T hbcratrly threw i; int" the blazing
CRATE. saving. That j. what I think
Of that paper, Governor. The ""N-
crnor hoped around for awhile IN a
7 tempest 81 ragr az What he cuusid-
cred thc great audaciiy uf his visitor,
hut after German. with his hahitnal
cooincss. bad politely reminded him
81 the undivided responsibility which
had been put upon the hartman
! Cleveland tiualiy accepted the s.ina-
ton with a loud laugh. and the meet
ing ended in the best Of humOr.
The series Of ovations 81 which Mr.,
German was recipient upon his re-
turn 20 Baltimore AZ the close Of that
great campaign. aud the many highly
complimentary things said 81 him by
leading Senators like Haysrd, Lamar,
Pepdleton aud others who came there
10 tbs. banquet rendered him. are still
rrfurrn tas-red by the citizens OF Ealti-
more.
With the prestige OF his campaign
service and with his friends, Manning
and Rayard and Garland and Lamar
in the Cabinet. IL j. not surprising
that Mr.. German had the confidence
of President Cleveland during his en-
tire first term. and. although the an
ti-Gorman element in his own party
in MARYLAND were not idle during
that period. they found themselves
poyyerless TO impair his influence Mr..
German was consulted by the Prr>i-
dent in regard to the adyiSan8lity OF
sending the noted tariff message 10
Congress in December. 1857 and
strongly advised against il, on the
ground that ii was unwiSc to make
any new agitation OF the tariff ques-
tion on the eve Of another presjdeu-
fial election. Mr.. Cleycland's endorse
ment of the Mills bill being sum
cient record in the matter. But Cor
mans advice was disregardcd, and
many of his political friends re-
GREETED that he did not have the same
authority in regard to that paper
which he so summarily exercised at
Albany in respect To another OF
Mr. Cleveland's productions. In the
T following year, however, when the
unfortunate effect of the untimely
( tariff message had been demonstrated,
{ Mr.. Cleveland again called Mr.. Cor
man in conference, with view OF
averting some of the threatened evil
effects. Mr. German was especially
requested to 90 70 the ST. Louis con
vention as the authorized representa-
| tive of the President to combat the
/ extreme theories of the free traders
and prevent their Incorporation into
I the platform. As already stated, he
was then provided with draft of a
platform made under the Presidents
/ direction, outlining a middle and con-
sentative course in dealing with the
! tariff. But it was only partially
| adopted, and came too late to repair
/ the irreparable injury already done.
In Cleveland's last Administration,
| however, il became manifest from
| the beginning that Mr.. Germans in
/ fuence with the President had
1 greatly suffered. Notwithstanding
1 the strong testimony furnished by
Chairman Harrity of the valuable
service rendered by the Maryland
! Senator in Cleveland's last campaign,
! that sturdy statesman declined to