Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-12
TILE c1gvyL4ND-DANA FEUD.
Col. Alexander X. Mcclure Tell for the
First Time How 1t Began.


Col. Alexander X. Mcclure Tell for the
First Time How II Began.
In series of articles in the Satur-
day Evening Post ON "How We Make
Presidents, Col. Alexander X. Nc
Clure, whom Lincoln called the ablest
man he ever knew and who has been
actively in national politics for half
century, says: =.
"Charles A. Dana, then editor OF
the New York Sun, became estranged
from Mr.. Cleveland the year before the
Presidential election of 1884. He had
earnestly supported Cleveland for Gov.
ernor In 1852. but when a movement
was made by Mr.. Manning to organize
the State for Cleveland in 1854, Dana
was impacable in his opposition. |
met him several times before Cleveland
was nominated, and he always discussed
the question with an unusual degree OF
acrimony.
''Soon after Cleveland's nomination
was spending q few days at Saratoga,
and was watching Dana's paper with
much interest. for he was very much
disgruntled. He did not mt first de
Glars himself aggrossiyely against
Cleveland's election, but one morning
at Saratoga in taking up the Sun l
found one of Dana's terrible deliver
ances against Cleveland that left no
possible chance for reconciliation. !
telegraphed to Mr.. Dana and asked
him to meet me at his office at )
o'clock that afternoon, and called there
on my way home. Mr.. Dana had gone
too far to recede, hut tried to temper
his bitterness, MS thought it would
do great harm, not only to Cleveland
but to his own newspaper as well, then
| one CT the most prosperous in the coun-
| try
"Mr. Dana was petulant and vio-
lent in his expressions against Glove
land, and said that he had decided to
support Gen. Butler.
"Charles A. LANA was the ablest
editor ever developed by American
journalism Horace Greeley was more
pungent and telling in his political
articles, and Henry Watterson is more
brilliant, hut Charles A. Dana was the
strongest editorial writer this country
has ever produced.
cit was not until met Cleveland al
| Albany, soon after his election, that
learned the cause of the estrangemen
between Cleveland and Dana, and thu
statement given by Mar. Cleveland wa'
subsequently confirmed by Mr.. Dana
Dana had very earnestly supported
Cleyeland's nomination and election
for governor in 1882, and after thu
election he wrote personal letter tt
Cleveland asking the appointment of ,
friend to the position of adiutant
general. Cleveland received that lette
rs he received thousands Of other letter
recommending appointments, instead o
recognizing the claim MIR. Dana ha,
uron him for the courtesy of an answer
Beecher had a candidate for the sam
position, and Cleveland gave it t
Beecher's man without any explanation
whatever to Dana, who felt that he ha,
been discourteously treated by Cleve
land.
"Mr. Dana gave no open sign of hi
disappointment, but some time afte
Cleveland s Inauguration, when it be
came known that Dana felt griered a
the governor, some mutual friend
interviewed and proposed to Cleyelan
that he should invite Dana to joi
with some acquaintance to dine at tn
Executive Mansion 10 this Cievelan
readily assented Dana was informe
that Cleveland would tender such a
invitation if it would be accepted, an
he promptly assented. Cleveland the
became involved in the pressing dutie
of the Legislature, ard allowed tn
session to close without extending th
promised and expected Invitation t
Dana. Mr.. Cleveland told me that h
was entirely to blame for neglect j
both instances, as Dana would doub
less have been satisfied if he ha
oourteously informed him OF his cor
yictions which required him to appolr
another for Adjutant-General; and b
had 90 excuse to offer but that {
neglect for not inviting Dana to dinne
. Dana naturally assumed that Clev,
land had given him deliberate affron
and Cleveland could make no sati
factory explanation. AS Governor an
as President he was first of all devote
, to his official duties, which he di
charged with rare fidelity. and he ga,
little time even to the common cou
!, tesies which most Governors an
Presidents would recognize as Just
belonging to their friends. Etior
were made to conciliate Dana, but /
, never would discuss the question
When Cleveland's election was al
] nounced, and the Republicans we
disposed 10 dispute the vote of Ne
YORK, Dana came out boldly and d
. clai ed that Cleveland was elected az
that no violent measure should
tolerated to deprive him Of the hon
conferred upon him. -