Evening journal., 1910-02-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
show Arthur Produced His
Most Famous State
Paper"
BY "Holll ud."

This daily series OF anecdotes and incl
dents that throw new interesting and fire.
quently dramatic light on famous events
and personalities of the past have been
collected by Mr. Edwards during near
forty years Of more or less intimate ac-
quaintance with many Of the country s
leaders since the Civil War. Each an
ecdote or incident Is fresh from Mr.. Ed
wards notebook, and, either in whole OF
I'm part II constitutes NEW NEWS OF
YESTERDAY, garnered from the men
who made the news-the histOry-or from
equally authoritative sources. As i'm
portant contributions of the Human in
terest" sort to American history, these
articles have distinctive value all theiI
own.
Chester A. Arthur twice took the oath
of Office Of President Of the United
States. following the death OF James A.
Garfield. His first act of this sort oc-
CURED privately and Immediately upon
receipt Of official word by him that Gar
field had passed away. The second time
he took the oath I'm public and then read
to the country his most famous State
paper, his inaugural address. That pa
per quieted the countrys fear that the
bitter political quarrels which had CEN
tered about Garhelds brief tenure of
Office might be continued under Arthur
II was a paper, too, that was noted al
the time OF its publcatio .sfor the style
Of its English. But, so far as / know
the most interesting story in connection
with this message has hitherto re.
manned unpublished and that is how
General Arthur produced it.
From the time that &c conceived tho
plan of being sworn in publicly Genera
Arthur was never I'm doubt as to wha
he wanted to say in his inaugural ad
dress-that he would not allow factiona
disturbances to interfere with his fri
hllment of the duties of the office Of Pres
ident OF the United States But he wal
excessively critical as to the manner il
which his thought should Le expressed
and so for several days and far int
their nights he struggled at his desl
over the manuscript OF his address.
But redraft and revise it as he woul'
he could not get # into a shape to sui
him, and finally, IN a sort of literary de
spair. he bethought himself OF his ol,
personal and political friend. Daniel G
Rollins, and decided to call him into con
sultation on the form that the messag
should take. Rollins, who was a yer.
brilliant man and master Of a very fin
| English style, had been one OF Genera
Arthur's so-cahed triumvirate when II
former was running the Republican par
ty in New York city. and in him en'
his Judgment General Arthur had per
feet faith.
Without delay, when told that he wa
wanted. Rollins appeared before the
President. who wRs living i'm the so
called Ben Butler house while the White
House was undergoing extensive reno
vations. made necessary by the fact tha
Garfield had long been ill therein
Dan" said the President coming e
the point at once and showing his visito
a much worked over draft OF the address
81 don't seem to be able to put in salts
factory clothing the thoughts / want {,
express to the American people at my in
augural, and I want the benefit OF YOU
keen discrimination in the choice o
words, for 1 think that what 1 have t,
say TO the people should be conveyed
to them in appropriate phraseology an,
diction"
Rollins picked up the pages and rea'
them through "Why, Mr.. President h
exclaimed, enthusiastically. Il don't Sc
lwhy you have called me I'm. This is al
splendid-splendidg
But tho President was obdurate. IT
insisted that the phraseology did not sui
him i'm the least. confessed his discour
agement and proposed that they go owe
the address word by word phrase b
pharse and sentence by sentence. SO ia
into the night they two discussed tho ac
visibility Of using this or that word q
phrase, Arthur freely striking out her
and there what he had set down and sui
sututing therefore the suggestions mad
by his advisor. IL was state paper tina
for the style OF its English, was polishe
from A to u TO the best ability Of til
two masters of English working over i
and when finally the last sentence wa
reached. considered, and given its final r.
vision. the President turned gratefully
his co-laborer and heartily expressed hin
self as at last completely and happily sa
isned with the address in every partlcr
lar.
a little later, when the address was d
{ livered. the American people were not on
j pleased with the tone and thought of q
address. but probably also a little su
/ prised at the felicity Of It's language. b
8 how much of that felicity was origin
! with President Arthur, who had mu'
, more than average command of the la
& guage. or how much of # resulted fro
4 the suggestions of his friend Dan Rollir
- the American people doubtless will nev
S know.
Copyright, 1910, by E. ]. Edwards
n. s-ff