CHAPTER XLVII The Administration of Grover Cleveland. Mr. Cleveland's Early Life-Governor of New York-Elected President-Inauguration Ceremonies--Civil Service and Revenue Reform-The New Cabinet-Death of General Grant-Imposing Obsequies-Honors to the Illustrious Dead-Death of General George B. McClellan-Free Trade Conference at Chicago-Death of Vice-President Thomas B. Hendricks-Pension Granted to the Widow of President Grant-President Cleveland's Message-Bill Regulating the Presidential Succession-Labor Agitations-Riot at Chicago Instigated by "Anarchists"-Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World-President Cleveland's Marriage-Soldiers' Pensions-Capital and Labor-Centennial Anniversary of the Adoption of the Constitution-Nomination of President Cleveland-Nomination of Benjamin Harrison -Harrison's Election. T HE twenty-second President of the United States was Hon. Grover Cleveland. Mr. Cleveland was a native of New Jersey, and was born in Caldwell, Essex County, March 18, 1837. He came from sturdy New England stock, many of his ancestors having held honorable positions in their respective localties. President Cleveland, after teaching two or three years, studied law in Buffalo, was admitted to the bar, became sheriff of the county, mayor of the city, and, having received the nomination for governor of New York, was elected by a large majority. This was followed by his nomination in the Democratic Convention of 1884, and his election in the following November to the Presidency. Naturally the departure of the Republican administration and the return of the Democratic party to power after twenty-four years of exile from the highest seats in the councils of the Republic awakened a profound interest. As the fourth of March, 1885, approached, eyes were turned toward Washington, and multitudes went up to the Capital as to a Mecca. Washington itself, accustomed to civic displays, exciting events and magnificent parades, was more than usually awakened, and an interest was exhibited in the inauguration which overshadowed all other concerns. The representatives of the press throughout the country were there in full force to record the event and depict the scene in its imposing aspects. The ceremonies incident upon the inauguration presented a pageant exceeding in civic and military display any such preceding occasion in the history of the government. There were in attendance more than one hundred thousand visitors, and the city in its profuse decorations was a bewildering maze of bright colors. Among the significant allegorical designs was a great floral ladder reaching to the roof of a business house on Pennsylvania Avenue, which bore upon its rungs the words, "Sheriff," "Mayor," "Governor," "President," thus graphically symbolizing the life-work of the President elect. The inaugural of President Cleveland began as follows: "In the presence of this vast assemblage of my countrymen I am about to supplement and seal by the oath which I shall take the manifestation of the will of a great and free people. In the exercise of their power and right of self-government they have committed to one of their fellow-citizens a supreme and sacred trust, and he here consecrates himself to their service. "This impressive ceremony adds little to purpose by which he would be guided in the the solemn sense of responsibility with which administration of the affairs of the government: I contemplate the duty I owe to all the people "In the discharge of my official duty I of the land. Nothing can relieve me from shall endeavor to be guided by a just and anxiety lest by any act of mine their in- unstrained construction of the Constitution, a terests may suffer, and nothing is needed to careful observance of the distinction between strengthen my resolution to engage every | the powers granted to the Federal governfaculty and effort in the promotion of their welfare." Having stated his sense of the importance and sacredness of the trust confided in him, President Cleveland gave expression to the ment and those reserved to the States or to the people, and by a cautious appreciation of those functions which, by the Constitution and laws, have been especially assigned to the executive branch of the government." Upon the question of civil service reform | influence of those who promise and the President Cleveland expressed himself in accordance with the sentiments enunciated in the platform of his party, adopted at the convention of 1884: "The people demand reform in the administration of the government and the vicious methods of those who expect such rewards. And those who worthily seek public employment have the right to insist that merit and competency shall be recognized instead of party subserviency, or the surrender of honest political belief." CHIEF-JUSTICE WAITE ADMINISTERING THE OATH OF OFFICE TO PRESIDENT CLEVELAND. 'application of business principles to public affairs. As a means to this end civil service reform should be in good faith enforced. Our citizens have the right to protection from the incompetency of public employees who hold their places solely as the reward of partisan service, and from the corrupting Revenue reform was another topic referred to in President Cleveland's inaugural address. Thus early in his administration he presented a matter which was very fully discussed in his subsequent messages to Congress, and, became the subject of contention between the two great parties. Interior; Augustus H. Garland, of Arkansas, Attorney-General; William Crowninshield Endicott, of Massachusetts, Secretary of War; William F. Vilas, of Wisconsin, Postmaster-General; William Collins Whitney, of New York, Secretary of the Navy. "A due regard," he says, " for the interests and prosperity of all the people demand that our finances shall be established upon such a sound and sensible basis as shall secure the safety and confidence of business interests and make the wage of labor sure and steady, and that our system of revenue shall be so adjusted On the fourth of March, the day of Presi-, as to relieve the people from unnecessary dent Cleveland's inauguration, ex-President taxation, having a due regard to the interests Grant was placed on the retired list of the of capital invested and workingmen employed | army. For some months previous to this in American industries, and preventing the accumulation of a surplus in the treasury to tempt extravagance and waste." The new cabinet was composed as follows: Thomas Francis Bayard, of Delaware, Secretary of State; Daniel Manning, of New York, Secretary of the Treasury; Lucius Q. C. Lamar, of Mississippi, Secretary of the there were ominous rumors respecting the state of his health. The great general who had led the Federal forces in the last part of the civil war, and who had gained a military reputation second to that of no commander of modern times; who had also been lifted to the highest position in the gift of a grateful people, and had served eight years in the |