The Washington herald., 1909-03-10
WASHINGTON CHAT.



mas become quite as important as that OF
a cabinet officer. Formerly It was mere
clerical position. hardly more than sine
cure, which was given TO some relative or
! Irlend Of the President, but as the coun-
Try has grown and the duties and respOn-
siDilities OF the President have increased
MS need for careful. well-infOrmed. and
loyal adviser near at hand is Hmitless-
Congress made the first appropriation for
a secretary 10 the President in Pierces
administration, and the Office has been
maintained uninterruptedly ever since. It's
] designation being changed when its sal
ary was increased from private secretary
TO secretary to the President.
This position is more exacting and In
| iuential than its title implies. Its incum-
bent Is the most Overworked employe OF
| the government, and his Office Is singu-
larly difficult since he must act as a buf-
fer between the President and importun-
ing seekers after everything under the
sun-ofice, influence social favors, what
not? To be really useful he must have
the manners Of a Chesterfield. the accom-
plishments OF Crichton. the power OF a
Mesmer.
While the position OF secretary 20 the
/ President has always been difficult one.
It was not until President Lincoln's ad-
ministratiOn that this Official began 70
play an important role. With the clear
foresight which was one OF his most noted
characteristics, Mr.. Lincoln recognized
the possibilities OF this Office and sought
to find a man equal to the demands that
would be made upon him. Andrew Jack
J son DOneisOn. Of Tennessee. who had
I been United States Minister 10 Prussia.
from 1876 20 1873 and the unsuccessful
/ candidate for the Vice Presidency IN lS5s,
had been Andrew Jackson's secretary
through both his terms as President. and
had 50 impressed his personality on all
the public men who knew him that. al
/ though he was a strong Southern parti-
san, and had been arrested. tried and &C
Quilted for treason. President Lincoln en-
deavored TO persuade him TO become his
secretary, but 10 no purpose. His sym
pathy with the confederacy debarred him
| from working under a Republican Presl-
dent, and he refused the Office. Mr.. Lin
coin accordingly appointed John c. Mich
olay, with whom was associated John
Hay. Both OF these men. then in the
hey day OF their youth. served their chief
faithfully and Loyalty. and subsequently
| collaborated IN writing a life or him
that viii always remain a standard
/ When the assassination OF President
Lincoln made Andrew johnson President.
\. A. Browning was appointed private
secretary. but he died before he had
been a year in Office ard was succeeded
oy the Presidents son. Col. Robert John
son, the former colonel OF a Tennessee
| regiment Col Johnson was succeeded
/ By Robert II. Douglas, a son OF Stephen
A Douglas. who was a colonel Of militia
IN the civil war. and IN later years a
member OF the Supreme Court OF North
Carolina, and potent factor in the
/ politics Of that State. Afr. Douglas was
only twenty when he accepted the post
Of secretary 10 the President, but he was
a brilliant and talented young man and
fully equal 10 all that was expected OF
him, for while Il IS recorded that young
Douglas was President Grants secretary.
he was. as matter OF fact. only an un-
derstUdy. the Presidents most dependable
aid being Horace Porter. his warm and
/ loyal friend and companion IN arms
whose Official designation was executive
secretary. and who was the Pooh Bah OF
/ President Grants first administration.
In President Grants second term Mr..
Douglas was succeeded by Levi p. Lsuckey
who had formally been private secretary
20 Senator Washburn, Of Illinois, a COM
petent man who enjoyed the confidence
and regard OF his employers and whose
tragic and untimely death by drowning
was much regretted. The last year OF
his fathers term Ulysses s. Grant II
acted as his fathers secretary. who. on
/ the accession OF Mr.. Hayes 10 the Presi-
dency. was succeeded by " X. Rogers
Mr- Rogers successor was joseph stan
ley Brown, who subsequently married
President Garheld's oaly daughter. n
the Garfield campaign Mr.. Brown then
a clerk IN the Geological Survey, was de-
tailed as special aid TO Mr. Garfield al
Mentor He was a young man OF great
ability. steaGfastness OF purpose. wonder
ful tact, and proved himself SO efficient
that when he became President Mr.. Car
Held offered him the position OF secretary.
which he held. OF course. only a short
while. the Presidents assassination oc-
curing within & few months OF his fnau-
1 guration. Mr.. Arthur's secretary was an
entirely different sort OF a man from any
/ OF his predecessOrS-unlille the energetic
/ young scientist who had preceded him.
and quite as unlike the staid scholar who
had been Mr.. Hayes right-hand man: but
no secretary was ever more useful 70 his
chief whose Ftdus Achates he had been
long before the latter was made Vice
President. Fred Phillips was q society
man, club man. and a bon viyant Vet
he knew the inside OF New York politics
Ike book, and was so Thoroughly in
accord with his chief that he anticipated
his wishes and saved him from many an
nOyances.
Mr.. Phillips successor was Daniel 6.
Lamont. considered by many the clever
est man who ever held this desk. Mr..
I Lamont was a person OF few words,
\ never spoke unless ne had something 10
\ say. and when he did speak ir was with
! directness and accuracy. It IS said that
/ he was never forced TO recall Or modify
a statement. AS a newspaper reporter.
and as the friend and cOfident OF Tilden.
he had an unusual training for the post.
SO acceptable was Mr.. Lamont's service
/ to Mr.. Cleveland that IN his second ad-
ministration he made him his Secretary
I Of War.
Elijah HalfOrd, who was secretary 70
/ President Harrison. was also trained IN
/ the newspaper field, and IN politics. He
/ was not so clever as his predecessor. Mr..
! Lamont. nor as popular as Mr.. Phillips.
nor as energetic and literary as Stanley
man, and upon President HarrisOn's re-
tirement was appointed TO a paymaster-
] ship in the army.