Description:

Cleveland Grover



President Grover Cleveland ALS Re: Panic of 1893: "'Here I stand - God help me'"

 

4pp ALS inscribed overall and signed by sitting 24th U.S. President Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) as "Grover Cleveland" on the fourth page at lower right. Written at Woodley, Cleveland's summer home, in Washington, D.C. on October 14, 1893. On watermarked cream bifold stationery with cobalt blue embossed letterhead "Executive Mansion / Washington," the first part struck out and inscribed in Cleveland's hand as "Woodley." With expected paper folds--some well-creased--and a few closed tears, else near fine. Two stray red pencil marks found in the margins mentioned just for accuracy. 4.75" x 7.875".

 

Letters signed by Cleveland as President are scarce. This letter, which is not only one of the lengthiest that we have ever seen, is packed with incredible references to Cleveland's personal and professional life. Cleveland mentions his health after jaw cancer surgery, the First Lady's recuperation after the birth of their second daughter, and his views on God and faith. On matters professional, Cleveland weighs in on diplomatic appointments and the Panic of 1893.

 

This tremendously important letter has been reproduced in full, with unaltered spelling and punctuation:

 

"[inscribed]    Woodley

 [printed]        Executive Mansion

                     Washington

 [inscribed]    Oct 14. 1893

 

My dear Mr Davis

 

I received a letter from Mr Bayard to=day. He writes in the kindest and most cordial way concerning the matter you have at hand and goes over the entire ground. It is his opinion in view of the change to be made in the first Secretaryship and the absolute necessity of having some one connected with the Embassy who has a little experience there and has a little acquaintance

 

[page break]

 

with what has gone before there, that it is not advisable to now change the Second Secretary. Without going more into the detail of his reasoning, I assure you that his friendliness and a disposition to suit your wishes is apparent throughout; and I confess that much as I would like to see Charlie in the place I am convinced now, as I was such before, that Mr Bayard's views on the subject are correct. I doubt very much if Charley [sic] would like to be there in the conditions that will exist for a time after Mr

 

[page break]

 

Whites departure.

 

I should be glad to know if Charley still sticks to Florence and whether his name in full is Charles B. Davis.

 

I am growing very tired physically and if I did not believe in God I should be sick at heart.

 

I wonder if the good people of the country will see before it is too late the dangers that threaten, not only their financial well being, but the very foundations upon which their institutions rest.

 

I suppose it is wrong but sometimes I feel very despondent and very much

 

[page break]

 

deserted. I believe in the people so fully, and things are often so forlorn here, that I want to feel and hear my fellow countrymen all the time. Are they still about me? I think so often of Martin Luther's 'Here I stand - God help me.'

 

With affectionate solicitations to your [illegible] and in which Mrs Cleveland would join if she were not abed and asleep I am

 

Yours very sincerely

 

Grover Cleveland

 

L. Clarke Davis Esq

Philadelphia

Pa."

 

A lot was happening in President Cleveland's personal life, as we can see. He had successfully undergone jaw cancer surgery just three months earlier, in July 1893, aboard a friend's yacht secreted away in Long Island Sound. The procedure was described in the newspapers as a routine tooth extraction so as not to spook already frazzled investors. On September 9, 1893, the presidential couple's second daughter Esther (1893-1980) was born; this explains Cleveland's note about the First Lady's being in bed. During this difficult and hectic time, Cleveland relied heavily on his faith. He garnered much emotional support from his belief in a benevolent and all-seeing God.

 

On the national stage, President Cleveland and the United States continued to grapple with the effects of the Panic of 1893. This economic crisis, prompted by failed business speculations in South America, South Africa, and Australia, caused a species shortage and a run on banks. Indeed, the aftereffects of the Panic would linger throughout Cleveland's second term, until 1897.

 

The letter provides fascinating insights into President Cleveland's controversial dismissal of Henry "Harry" White (1850-1927), a diplomat who had served as First Secretary at the American embassy in London since 1886. White was wealthy, socially influential, multi-lingual, and extremely competent, but he was suspected of criticizing Cleveland. Therefore, Ambassador Thomas F. Bayard (1828-1898) was instructed to ask for White's resignation in the fall of 1893. Bayard was a former Delaware Senator, and had served as Cleveland's Secretary of State during the latter's first term. White would be replaced by a Democrat, just not by the person desired by Cleveland's correspondent.

 

Cleveland addressed this heartfelt letter to L. (Lemuel) Clarke Davis (1835-1904) of Philadelphia. David had given up practicing law to pursue journalism; he was eventually promoted to editor of Philadelphia's most popular daily newspaper, the Public Ledger (1836-1942). Davis had wanted the London embassy job for his second youngest son, Charles Belmont Davis (1866-1926), a writer.

 

Grover Cleveland is the only U.S. President to have served non-consecutive presidential terms, the first between 1885 and 1889, and the second between 1893-1897. A Democrat, Cleveland first became involved in politics in his early 30s, while serving as Sheriff of Erie County, New York, Mayor of Buffalo, and later Governor of New York. Cleveland's presidential administrations focused mainly on domestic issues, like corruption, the gold standard, tariff reform, and subduing labor unrest.

 



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