Evening journal., 1910-10-15
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
An UnSOIVed Cabinet
Mystery.
By "HoUand."

In 1873. Marshall Jewell. who had
been twice governor OF Connecticut,
was sent by President Grant as Min
lister TO Russia. The following year
be was recalled and given the post
of postmaster general. Two years
later he resigned that portfolio, and
popular rumor had it that he was
forced TO do so because he had dis
agreed with the President over the
action of Secretary of the Treasury
Benjamin II. Bristow in uncOvering
and prosecuting the internal revenue
collectors and the distillers who were
implicated In the whisky ring
frauds which cost the government
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars dur
Ing the Grant administration. That
Is the reason given to-day for Mr.
JEWELS resignation in his biogra-
phies. yet Mr. Jewell himself once as
sured me that he did not know why
he had been forced to resign from
the cabinet. and that he believed no
man living knew except Geperal
Grant.
Right up to the moment that /
was asked TO resign as postmaster
general" said Mr.. Jewell. - was
most happy in my relations with the
President and the cabinet. Especially
was this true as regards the Presi-
dent himself 1t was utterly without
my knowledge that he nominated me
as Minister to Russia. 1t was also
without my knowledge that he de-
cided to call me to his cabinet. So,
you see, / had every reason to be-
lieve that the President felt very
kindly towards me, and I am most
positive that l entertained only the
most cordial feelings for him.
We'll, one day when the last cabi
net meeting ! was destined to take
part I'm, had just closed and we we're
on the point of leaving the cabinet
room, the President turned to me.
I would like to see you a moment
after the other members Of the cab
met have gone he said
II bowed, and, standing, the Presi-
dent and ] saw the rest of the cabi-
net out of the room. Then. with the
door closed on the last man, the
President stepped determinedly in
front OF me.
Jewell he said. with a snap OF
his Jaws, 1 want your resignation as
postmaster general
Il was nonplussed. and l daresay
looked IT, / opened my mouth TO
say something--I don't know what
But the President blocked me.
"'I don't want any questions asked,
he cautioned, for l shall answer none.
! want your resignation. and l want
you to write It here and now
s"I was nonplussed before; ! was
dazed now. Here / was being asked
to resign as postmaster general and
told that no reason would be given
me for forcing me to take this action.
What a situation! I believe il is
unique in the history of the cabinet.
And there was only one thing for me
to dol saw that clearly. That was
to comply with the Presidents wishes.
and as speedily as possible. So then
and there, / took the paper and pen
that he proffered me and sat down at
the cabinet table and wrote out my
resignation. Then 7 handed it TO the
President, who vouchsafed not a
word, and / turned on my heel and
departed"
"And you don't know to this day
why the President demanded your res
ignation." asked.
mo. ] do not" Mr.. Jewell replied.
"and / believe / never sshall. For
some time following my resignation,
some OF my friends tried to learn the
reason, but we're met with silence.
Since then / have tried many a time
to explain Grants action to myself,
but always without success. I know
for a certainty, however, that I was
not forced out of the cabinet because
OF any disagreement with the Presi-
dent over the manner of the prosecu-
tion Of the whisky ring frauds. There
never was any such disagreement be-
/ tween us, nor any other disagreement
up to the time that left the cabinet
| So far as I know, only Grant himself
! knows why he made me resign. and
have a feeling that ! shall 80 to my
grave with the mystery unsolved."
My talk with Mr. Jewell took place
little while before he, as chairman
Of the Republican national committee
led his parry TO victory in the cam
paign Of 1850. Three years later he
died, and to the best Of my knowledge
and belief. and that OF some of his
closest friends. he never learned why
he was so peremptorily ousted from
the postmaster generalship.
Copyright, 1910, by F.. ]. Edwards
All Rights Reserved)
On Monday Mr.. Edwards Will tell Oi
~The Negro Who Convinced President