My dear Schurz, the struggle between the elements that save and those that destroy society will never cease, and no man with your heart or brain can ever look coolly on and witness the conflict without anxiety. I not only do not wonder at, but I expect from you, criticisms that betray your vexation with every indication of weakness or unwisdom in a party administration or management, to whom so much of importance has been entrusted. Only this—do not hold the President responsible for a condition of things he did not create, and with which he is honestly endeavoring to do the best he can, and that, too, without abandoning certain canons of political and personal integrity, which we agree are essentials. There are elements of passion and mercenary interest striving to mould party organizations to their own purposes, and dexterous politicians are seeking to place themselves in line and receive the propulsive power. They are——
May 17th. Here I was stopped in my letter, which I would destroy if I felt any confidence that I would get time to write another.
I feel quite sure that the movement which so awakened public conscience in 1884, and which had no advocate more potential than yourself, has not ceased—that it is still aroused [and] will, I trust, save the country from the fate which threatened it at the hands of mercenary organizations.
It is very difficult to get time for personal correspondence, but I am always glad to hear from you whether you shall praise or blame the work in which I am associated.
Suppose you come here and take a closer look at it! I will be most glad to give you a room in my house; although grief has clouded it of late, still I wish you would come.
This is a fearfully rambling answer, but it has been made amid many interruptions.
TO THOMAS F. BAYARD
Let me thank you for your kind letter, and also for your invitation to come to Washington and look more closely
