Details
HARRISON, Benjamin. Autograph letter signed ("Benj Harrison") as President, to Person Colby Cheney (1828-1901), former Governor of New Hampshire, Washington, 26 November 1892. 1½ pages, 8vo (6 15/16 x 4½ in.), on rectos only of two sheets black-bordered mourning stationery, one imprinted "Executive Mansion Washington," original envelope, the two leaves separated.
DEFEATED IN HIS BID FOR A SECOND TERM, HARRISON ADMITS THAT HE IS "ANXIOUSLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MY DISCHARGE"
A fine, outspoken presidential letter, written one month after the death of his wife and only three weeks after his election-day defeat, in which Harrison somberly reflects upon both losses. At about the same time Harrison launched his re-election campaign, his wife was diagnosed with tuberculosis and her health quickly deteriorated. His political prospects too began to falter due to public reaction to the recently passed protective tariff. Mrs. Harrison finally succumbed to her illness on 25 October 1892 and two weeks later Harrison was soundly defeated at the polls by Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland.
Here, Harrison thanks Cheney for a recent letter, acknowledging the stress he has endured: "I...am very grateful for your sympathy and interest & am much worn by the anxiety and watching which filled the Spring, Summer & Fall - but am trying to brace myself for the work of the winter, while anxiously looking forward to my discharge & am very much in need of rest." He remorsefully explains that he did very little campaigning; "As to the Campaign, I was a leader in prison...I neither saw nor heard anything of it," and he admits that his defeat was largely due to the failure to gain the support of labor for the tariff: "Protection failed because the workingman refused to share its shelter with his employer - he would not walk under the same umbrella. There was a very large amount of secret work done by our adversaries through the labor unions."
DEFEATED IN HIS BID FOR A SECOND TERM, HARRISON ADMITS THAT HE IS "ANXIOUSLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MY DISCHARGE"
A fine, outspoken presidential letter, written one month after the death of his wife and only three weeks after his election-day defeat, in which Harrison somberly reflects upon both losses. At about the same time Harrison launched his re-election campaign, his wife was diagnosed with tuberculosis and her health quickly deteriorated. His political prospects too began to falter due to public reaction to the recently passed protective tariff. Mrs. Harrison finally succumbed to her illness on 25 October 1892 and two weeks later Harrison was soundly defeated at the polls by Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland.
Here, Harrison thanks Cheney for a recent letter, acknowledging the stress he has endured: "I...am very grateful for your sympathy and interest & am much worn by the anxiety and watching which filled the Spring, Summer & Fall - but am trying to brace myself for the work of the winter, while anxiously looking forward to my discharge & am very much in need of rest." He remorsefully explains that he did very little campaigning; "As to the Campaign, I was a leader in prison...I neither saw nor heard anything of it," and he admits that his defeat was largely due to the failure to gain the support of labor for the tariff: "Protection failed because the workingman refused to share its shelter with his employer - he would not walk under the same umbrella. There was a very large amount of secret work done by our adversaries through the labor unions."
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