He was pursued to the end of his public
career by active, ingenious, resourceful, personal spite and
steady malignity of political opposition from interests whose
enmity he had incurred while Governor of New York.
The situation which confronted Cleveland when he became President
was so complicated and embarrassing that perhaps even the most
sagacious and resourceful statesman could not have coped with it
successfully, though it is the characteristic of genius to
accomplish the impossible. But Cleveland was no genius; he was
not even a man of marked talent. He was stanch, plodding,
laborious, and dutiful; but he was lacking in ability to
penetrate to the heart of obscure political problems and to deal
with primary causes rather than with effects. The great successes
of his administration were gained in particular problems whose
significance had already been clearly defined. In this field,
Cleveland's resolute and energetic performance of duty had
splendid results.
At the time of Cleveland's inauguration as President, the Senate
claimed an extent of authority which, if allowed to go
unchallenged, would have turned the Presidency into an office
much like that of the doge of Venice, one of ceremonial dignity
without real power. "The Federalist"--that matchless collection
of constitutional essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and
Jay--laid down the doctrine that "against the enterprising
ambition" of the legislative department "the people ought to
indulge all their jealousy and exhaust all their precautions.
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