"I do hope, Mr. Secretary, that the matter may not annoy you or cause you any embarrassment, but I am fearful that it will. I did not write you on Friday, because I wanted to wait and see how it would turn out. It is proper that I should write you about it, now that the President has refused to have the matter explained to him by our officers, and that we have determined to disband." * * * * * Shortly before the receipt of the letter which follows, Mr. Manning, one day on leaving the cabinet, experienced an apoplectic attack which compelled him to be transported to his home, and was destined, I believe, to prevent his ever placing his feet again in the Treasury Department. As soon as he was able to travel, he repaired to Albany, where he was accustomed to find the comforts and consolations of home, and expected in seeking them again to be speedily restored to health. In this, however, both he and his friends were disappointed; and though he survived until December of '87, he early realized that his illness was incurable, and that his public career, so full of promise, was ended. In the latter part of July he was invited by Mr. Tilden to join him at the Kaaterskill House in the Catskills, where Mr. Tilden himself was temporarily sojourning. To this invitation the following was Mr. Manning's reply: DANIEL MANNING TO S. J. TILDEN "153 WASHINGTON AVENUE, "ALBANY, N. Y., _July 26th_ (_1885._) "MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--I have read and carefully thought over your letter of the 16th inst. Dr. Hun and Dr. Simons are agreed as to the heart, the examination of the urine, and the necessity for careful attention to diet. "I think that I should much like to go to the Catskill Mountains, but I doubt if I would be comfortable there without the company of some cheery friends. I am now under engagement to go to the Watch Hill House, Watch Hill, R. I., next Thursday. Chancellor Pierson, a gentleman of great good-humor, talkative, and a jolly disposition, undertakes to go along. We may spend a couple of weeks there, and then I shall be at the end of my rope. "I want to see you very much to talk about my proposed communication to the President. I feel more and more, daily, that I need your assistance. Have you thought over the matter? Have you prepared a form for me? Do you know when our friend will return from Europe? I should feel much more at ease if everything was ready in advance. I do not know when I can get to see you. It occupies a day to go from Watch Hill to New York or Yonkers, and for me the trip will be a long one. Kindly clear my mind on this point. I do so much want to decide on my action before the vacation closes. That done, I should feel comparatively free. "My health is improving daily. My physician talks encouragingly, and I feel that I am better, stronger, than I was when I left Greystone. "Faithfully yours, "DANIEL MANNING, "M. F. M." DANIEL MANNING TO TILDEN "_Personal._