Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 4.djvu/391

Rh long been wishing and working for, is recklessly thrown away. You can imagine how I feel when I think of this after the struggles I have gone through.

When I saw Mr. Cleveland I gave the best interpretation to what passed between us. What has since happened makes that interview appear in a different light. When speaking of Mr. Manning I said that it was a mistake to take into a Cabinet a personal friend for the purpose of having a confidential man there; that thus jealousy and ill-feeling were created; that he would soon find all high-minded men in his Cabinet deserving of equal confidence, and that no arrangement should be made indicating that such was not his expectation. He disclaimed this with regard to Mr. Manning. But not a word was said by him of his intention of appointing Mr. Whitney. Had that name been mentioned I should have told him frankly all the objections that I have written you of, and I should have added that, such selections left the regard due to the men of national standing in the Cabinet somewhat out of view, that, had there been such a combination of confidential home-politicians, such a germ of clique-business and intrigue in the Hayes Cabinet when I was invited into it I should have considered it due to my self-respect to decline the invitation. Indeed, you will vainly look for just such a couple of appointments from the President's own State in the history of Cabinets.

I have reason to believe that the selection of Mr. Whitney was contemplated, if not resolved upon, by Mr. Cleveland when I saw him, and that he withheld the information from me because he did not want to discuss it. But Mr. Whitney's selection had been warmly protested against by Independents when his name was mentioned before, and Mr. Cleveland was well aware how distasteful that selection would be to them. Immediately after the election expressions of Democratic gratitude to the