_"Confidential._
"_Feby. 16, 1885._
"MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--I had but a moment to write you from
A. (Albany). C. (Cleveland), as you know, had offered the (State
Department) to Bayard, and he had become convinced that it was wise
to offer a place to Lamar. We relied upon him and upon Manning until
we got that fixed with both--that left three places. We all agreed
that Frank Jones was our best man in New England, and we got that
to a practical point, the only question being, where would he go?
I wanted him to have the Navy, but C. seemed disposed to give him
the P. O. That left two places open. Scott and Gorman both agreed
with me that, on the free-trade question, Vilas was not a good
appointment. Cleveland, on the other hand, wants him, and I think,
in the end, will select him for War or P. O. Then came McD. (as he
would not appoint Dr. Miller, for reasons that I will tell you when
I see you, and which are personal to M., and in no way show any
indisposition to go back on his backers), and Scott, G. (Gorman),
M. (Manning), and myself all urged Converse for a place instead of
McD. He almost consented to it. I did it upon the ground that if
Vilas went in, he had to put in some one who stood with Randall
on the tariff, or the consequences would be bad in this State and
New Jersey and Connecticut. When we left him last night, he was
apparently of our mind. This A.M. he wanted to know of me if I did
not think that Whitney, in McDonald's or Converse's places, would be
a good change. I told him that W. was infinitely preferable to McD.,
but I thought W. and C. were much better than V. and McD., as all
the rest were inclined to free trade except Manning. He has an idea
that he should not put any M. C. in who has taken strong grounds on
tariff either way; but I told him Lamar had, and Vilas was an out
and out free-trader, and Bayard was like Lamar.
"Gorman, who really wants Jones instead of Lamar, says that there
will be no trouble with Lamar; that it is his nature to go with his
chief, and he will be loyal. That Bayard is so constituted that he
will not try to influence Lamar, and that he will not set up for
himself, while Garland will always be true to you and your friends.
As I wrote you, Cleveland wants Whitney, and I think it will be a
good thing for your friends that he should go in with Manning.
"This is just as the matter stands to-day. I told him this A.M. that
I will, if desired, come down again, etc., and as he did not ask me
to stay, I am going home. I would have gone to New York had not Mrs.
Weed been quite ill and really needs me; and, again, I did not care
to have C. (Cleveland) get the idea that I was taking the result
of the conference to you. He has, by our advice, gone seriously
into the preparation of his Inaugural Address. I am delighted that
M. (Manning) has consented to go in. Some able, bright man should
be selected for his solicitor, and at least two others for his
assistants. I infer you will see M. (Manning) ere long.
"I am writing on the train to send back by to-day's mail.
"Very truly yours,
"SMITH M. WEED."