The Writings of Carl Schurz/To George Fred. Williams, November 26th, 1884
TO GEORGE FRED. WILLIAMS
New York, Nov. 26, 1884.
Your letter of the 24th did not alarm me at all. I read it with great interest and thank you for it. Your first argument, that the address “reflects upon our constituency,” and that if there is any reason for apprehension as to some of our people, Mr. Cleveland should be cautioned privately, certainly deserves consideration—although I am not quite as sure as you seem to be, that the public would take it as a reflection. It is a very unfortunate circumstance that by the indiscretion of somebody in Wisconsin the thing got into the papers, and that, if there is any mischief, that mischief is already done. I did not know that Bowker was going to Boston and have not seen him since his return. No meeting of the Committee has been called since he got back, as far as I know.
The second branch of your argument referring to the question whether office should be accepted if Cleveland offers it, you seem to have pointed at me personally. I will give you my opinion quite frankly. You are aware that almost the whole Independent press is opposed to acceptance. You have probably seen the articles in the Evening Post, Nation and in the Boston Herald. I admit that the arguments produced there are not all correct and on the whole not conclusive. There is undoubtedly great force in what you say. It would perhaps be well to have the matter openly and thoroughly discussed. If Mr. Cleveland should tell the Independents that he needed one of them in his Cabinet to carry out his reform policy, and that he could not well get along without such help, it is questionable whether the Independents would have a right to say that it would be improper for any one of their number to respond to the summons. However, I do not think this is likely to be the case. But, as you have applied the argument to me personally, I am bound to add, that such a summons should not come to me. The reason is a very simple one. My circumstances do not permit me to go into official life again. However willing to do the work and to take the responsibility, I could not bear the expense incidental to official dignity. Public life has kept me poor, I am growing old and I have to think of my family. And as we are conversing here in friendly confidence, I may point out to you a lesson to be found in this circumstance. You are young, public spirited, ardent and full of talent. Do not go into public life in a manner seriously interfering with your private pursuits until you are, in the matter of fortune, measurably independent—of course, great emergencies always excepted. I have made that mistake and have to suffer from the consequences.
But my inability to accept office does not touch the general question which may present itself to somebody else to be decided upon its general merits. Of course, I cannot enter into the public discussion of it, because my name has already been drawn into the controversy in the papers—altogether too much.
If there should be any misunderstanding here as to what you have said about our National Committee, I shall take very great pleasure in rectifying it as soon as the first opportunity presents itself. And finally I want to assure you that I am always sincerely glad to hear from you, and that your letters will never be too long nor too many.—Your friend.