"GREYSTONE, YONKERS, N. Y., _June 9, 1885_.
"DEAR MR. MANNING,--I am sorry to hear that the President
has been unwell. Having invoked Mrs. Manning's influence in favor,
in your case, of a reform of the excessive and destructive sway of
the 'interview' evil, I regret that there is no Mrs. Cleveland to
co-operate in this reform in the case of the President. He starts
with an admirable constitution, but there is a limit to what even he
can endure.
"Paper recommendations are a poor reliance at best. A regular
trial on a paper basis, of fourth-class postmasters, is beyond the
strength of any one man.
"It is necessary that the appointing power should find out friends
in every locality, who can be trusted to give accurate information
and conscientious advice, and put the responsibility on them, and
then accept their judgment.
"It is a mistake to suppose that the party leaders are not capable
of being extremely useful as means of intelligence. A party is a
living being, having all the organs of eyes, ears, and feeling. No
man can rise to leadership without having some qualities of value.
The appointing power should not be governed absolutely by local
leaders; but should hear them in important cases, cross-examine
them, derive all the benefits they are capable of rendering, and not
be ambitious of displaying a disregard of them. Distrust of one's
friends will generally result in misplaced confidence in inferior
persons or in ill-advised action.
"The importance of the little postmasters is very great. In many
of the purely rural districts there is one to every hundred
voters. They are centres of political activity. They act as agents
and canvassers for the newspapers of their party, and as local
organizers.
"The immense power of this influence is now wholly on the side
of the Republicans. To allow this state of things to continue is
infidelity to the principles and cause of the administration. The
wrong should be gradually corrected.
"I send herewith some extracts from the letters of Mr. Jefferson,
both because the view taken by him is sound, and because he had
a felicitous mode of statement, which is a good example to his
successors when they have occasion to discuss the same subject.