Benjamin Harrison, Maintains He Is More Heart-broken by the Death of His Wife Than by Losing the 1892 Presidential Election, Says He Might Not Have Been Able to Stand the Stress of Reelection

Benjamin Harrison, the sitting president, did not enjoy the Republican Party’s unified backing at the convention in 1892. The president had offended the political bosses by his forays into cicil service reform, as well as a large segment of the general public by his staunch support of the McKinley Tariff. But Harrison managed to secure renomination on the first ballot. The Democrats turned again to Grover Cleveland, victor in 1884 and loser in 1888. A third party, the Populists (or People’s) Party, gave its nomination to General James B. Weaver. Its platform called for free and unlimited coinage of silver and government ownership of the railroads. Both of those positions were crafted to appeal to the miners and farmers. The campaign in 1892 was subdued, due largely to Cleveland’s insistence. He respected the fact that Harrison’s wife was seriously ill and made a minimum of appearances. Mrs. Harrison died two weeks before the election on October 25th. Cleveland won the election.

Autograph Letter Signed, 2 pages on black-bordered Executive Mansion letterhead, November 14, 1892, to Cornelius Bliss, New York Republican Chairman remarking on his feelings about the election and the loss of his wife. “Thank you for your kind letter. I know how hard & in many respects how distasteful to you, the work you have done has been, and that only your personal friendship could have induced you to undertake it. The result is more surprising to the victors than to me. For me there is no sting, in if.

“Indeed, after the heavy blow of the death of my wife dealt me, I do not think I would have stood the strains a reelection would have brought. After a summer’s rest I must find some work & hope to see you often and to enjoy my real friends more than has been possible since I have been here. Very sincerely your friend.”

The recipient, Cornelius N. Bliss, was a partner in one of the largest wholesale dry-goods firms in the country. He was also chairman of the Republican committee in New York in 1887 and 1888, and contributed much to the success of the Benjamin Harrison ticket in his state in the 1888 election. He served as treasurer of the Republican National Committee from 1892 to 1904. He turned down the offer of becoming Secretary of the Treasury under President McKinley, but accepted the post of Secretary of the Interior, maintaining that position until February 1899. While in office, Bliss focused on forestry and Indian affairs. Offered by McKinley the vice presidential slot in his 1900 reelection campaign, he declined, so the nod went instead to Theodore Roosevelt. In 1904, Bliss was Roosevelt’s campaign manager.