now
that I am not only your friend, but that I am a friend to the colored
people. I know you are a Republican. So am I; but I am a Cleveland man.
Cleveland is a better Republican than Harrison. In supporting Cleveland
against Harrison I am no less a Republican. As your friend I would not
advise you to do anything that would militate against your interests.
Knowing, as you do, that I am not only your friend but also a good
Republican, you can at least afford to follow where I lead. I want you,
then, to authorize me to say to the President that you are in sympathy
with the main purposes of his administration as explained to you by me,
and that his decision to retain you in your present position will be
fully and keenly appreciated by you."

In my reply I stated that while I was very grateful to the Judge for his
friendly interest in me, and while I highly appreciated the President's
good opinion of me, it would not be possible for me to consent to retain
the position I then occupied upon the conditions named.

"If," I said, "it is the desire of the President to have me remain in
charge of that office during his administration or any part thereof, I
would be perfectly willing to do so if I should be permitted to remain
free from any conditions, pledges, promises or obligations. The
conditions suggested mean nothing more nor less than that I shall
identify myself with the Democratic party. The President has no office
at his disposal the acceptance or retention of which could be a
sufficient inducement for me to take such a step as that. I agree with
what you have said about Mr. Cleveland, so far as he is personally
concerned. I have every reason to believe that he has a friendly
interest in the colored people and that he means to do the fair thing by
them so far as it may be in his power. But he was elected as a Democrat.
He is the head of a National Democratic Administration. No man can be
wholly independent of his party,--a fact recognized in the conditions
suggested in my own case. I don't think that Mr. Cleveland is what would
be called in my part of the country a good Democrat, because I believe
he is utterly devoid of race prejudice, and is not in harmony with those
who insist upon drawing the color line in the Democratic party. In my
opinion he is in harmony with the Democratic party only on one important
public question,--the tariff. On all others,--the so-called race
question not excepted,--he is in harmony with w