Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/288

 CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND

In his message to congress the President urged a revision of the McKinley tariff. The tariff bill introduced Dec. 19. 1S93. became known as the Wilson bill, and after various amendments and radical changes in the senate, was passed. The President declared it to justify the suspicion of '■ perfidy anei dishonor. " but allowed it to become a law without his signature, for reasons ex- pressed August 27, in a letter to Representative Catchings. He vetoed the Bland seigniorage substitute for the silver bill on March 30. 1S95, and it failed to pass over the veto. On March 17,

1894. the President concluded a treaty with China embodying the immigration restriction acts passed by congress. On Sept. 27 189-1. he pro- claimed amnesty to certain persons accused of practising polygamy under the teachings of the Mormon church. A boundary dispute between Brazil and the Argentine Republic was decided by the President, as arbitrator, Feb. 6, 1895, in favor of Brazil. He also arbitrated disputes be- tween Colombia and Italy and between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. On June 10, 1895, the President appointed Attorney -general Olney to the va- cancy in the department of state, caused by the death of Secretary Gresham, and Judson Harmon of Ohio, to the head of the department of justice thus made vacant. On March 1. 1895. Postmaster- general Bissell resigned and William L. Wilson of West Virginia was appointed as his successor. Mr. Cleveland published his Venezuelan message Dec. 17, 1895, and was accujsed of "jingoism." The supreme court, on May 20, 1895, declared the income tax unconstitutional and the tax already collected was refunded. President Cleveland's foreign policy included the recognition of the in- dependence of the Republic of Hawaii, Aug. 8, 189-1; a new treaty made with Japan, Nov. 23, 1894. and the treaty with China, ratified Dec. 7, 1894. On March 1. 1895. the American minis- ters at Pekin and Tokio brought China and Japan together in a peace conference, and on June 7,

1895, China thanked the President for promoting peace in the Orient. On Aug. 22, 1896, Secretary Smith of the interior having resigned. David R. Francis of 3Iissouri took his place. These consti- tuted aU the changes in the cabinet during iLr. Cleveland's second term. The first bond issue of $50,000,000, to supply gold for the needs of the treasury department, was made Jan. 14, 1894: the second of $50,000,000. Nov. 13, 1894: the third of $62,400,000, Feb. 8, 1895. and the fourth of -$100,- 000,000, Jan. 6, 1896. Mr. Cleveland applied the civil service rules to the internal revenue depart- ment, Dec. 12, 1895 ; to the pension department, July 19, 1895; to the consvdar service where sal- aries did not reach $2500 per year, Sept. 23, 1895, and on ^lay 6, 1S96. practically all subordinates in the civil service of the government were

brought under the rules of the civU service. His diplomatic services to the country were marked by the satisfactory conclusion of the Venezuela arbitration with Great Britain, Feb. 2, 1897, and by a treaty of permanent arbitration between Great Britain and the L'nited States so far as ex- ecutive authority could extend, by submitting it to the L'.S senate, Jan. 11, 1897. In the presi- dential campaign of 1896, Mr. Cleveland an- nounced his poKtical preference for Pahner and Buckner. and in April, 1897. supported his pre- vious policy as an advocate of tariff reform and of a single gold standard in a speech before the Reform club of New York city. Mr. Cleveland was married, June 2, 18S6, to Frances, daugh- ter of Oscar Folsom, his former la'w partner, and Mrs. Cleveland contributed in no small degree to the personal popularity of the President. L'pon

retiring from the presidency he made his home in Princeton, N.J. On Dec. 17, 1901, he was ap- pointed one of twelve citizens to represent the public on the boar.l of arbitration of the Indus- trial Department of the National Civic Federation. CLEVELAND, Henry Russell, author, was born in Lancaster, Mass.. Oct. 3, 1808: son of Richard Jeffry and Dorcas C. (Hiller) Cleveland ; grandson of Capt. Stephen Cleveland, L'.S.N. ; great-grandson of the Rev. Aaron and Susannah. (Porter), great- grandson of Capt. Aaron and Abigail (Waters), great ^ grandson of Aaron and Dorcas (Wilson) Cleveland, and great* grandson of Moses Cleaveland, pioneer. His father was U.S. vice-consul at Havana. Cuba, 1829-34, and the author of '"A Narrative of Voyages and Com- mercial Enterprises "" (2 vols., 1842) ; and his grandfather received the commission of captain in the U.S. navy, probably the first commission granted in the new department by the U.S. government. Henry RusseU received a careful preliminary education from private tutors and was graduated from Harvard in 1827, receiving the degree of A.M. in 1830. After teaching school for one year, he went to Cuba for the l>ene- fi.t of his health. He then travelled through