Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 4.djvu/477

Rh at what is going on. I should have done so ere this but for two reasons: one that I apprehend, if I were seen much with the President and members of the Cabinet the cry would be raised again by jealous partisans about the Mugwumps exerting an influence, etc., which might be disagreeable to all of you; and the other, that I do not know whether such opinions and suggestions as I have to offer will be at all welcome or acceptable to the President, since the occasional expression of them by letter has of late remained not only without response but without notice. It was principally for this reason that I asked you to mention to him what I had written to you, or to show him my letter. I think it is desirable that about the relations between him and the Independents there should be no misapprehension. While I should regret and wish to prevent any misconstruction on his part of our attitude, I should be equally sorry to draw any mistaken conclusions from his.

Having been in Executive office myself I understand perfectly what work you have to do and what difficulties to overcome in order to make a good Administration. I know also that fighting the thieves is one of the important tasks—a very meritorious and in a certain sense an ungrateful one, because it makes bitter enemies while the best things you do will sometimes never become known and never be put to your credit. On the other hand every lapse in this respect, however slight, is counted against you and made prominent. For instance, the injury done to the Administration by the Pan-Electric business is great, while its faithful struggle against jobbery remains, in great part at least, unknown to the multitude. In this way great injustice is done,—but it is always so and nobody can count upon being made an exception to the rule. I think I understand perfectly how it happened that the opportune moment for relieving the Administration of this