Whitney, William C. (William Collins), 1841-1904

Chronology January 1884 to December 1891

Chronology of the daily life of Theodore Roosevelt from January 1884 to December 1891. Notable events include the deaths of Alice Lee Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, Roosevelt’s time on his ranch, the completion of Sagamore Hill, Roosevelt’s engagement and marriage to Edith Kermit Carow, Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt’s birth, the “Great-Dieup” of cattle in North Dakota, and the founding of the Boone and Crockett Club.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1985

Letter from Henry White to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador White discusses Sir Cecil Spring Rice’s plans to travel to the United States and the issues related to the trip. He also shares information and various updates with President Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-13

Payable to Richard Croker

Checks donated to Tammany Hall for the election of the organization’s candidates are made payable to Richard Croker, who has been the finance committee chairman for several years. Croker admitted to not having any records for the money donated to Tammany. Croker appears to have a large income and has extensive real estate and expensive racehorses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10

The “press view” at the candidate show

Presidential candidates are on display in a gallery for the press. Among the candidates are Jerry Simpson, William A. Peffer, Robert E. Pattison, David B. Hill, James E. Campbell, William C. Whitney, William E. Russell, Adlai E. Stevenson, Levi P. Morton, Robert T. Lincoln, William B. Allison, Thomas B. Reed, William McKinley, and Benjamin Harrison who is standing next to a stack of books and a sign that states, “My Friends Say I Am Not A Candidate.” Down the center of the gallery are several newspaper editors, some with magnifying glasses and telescopes. Among them are Joseph Pulitzer, Charles A. Dana, Whitelaw Reid, Henry Watterson, Joseph R. Hawley, Murat Halstead, and Evan P. Howell, and an unidentified reporter for the Chicago Inter Ocean newspaper.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-11-20

No party lines when the national honor is in peril

The combined forces of the gold standard supporters, including some newspaper editors, and a reluctant William McKinley, march under the standard “The Nation’s Credit Must Be Upheld,” toward a fort labeled “Fort 16 to 1” flying the banner “Repudiation,” and manned by soldiers armed with pitchforks and scythes. The newspaper editors are staffing the big guns labeled “Sound Money Press.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-07-22

A desperate case of political dipsomania

A drunken man sits in a chair with jugs and bottles labeled “Repudiation Gin, Free Silver Rum, Tillman’s Firewater, Populist Whiskey, [and] Altgeld’s Fizz” on the floor next to him. His rumpled hat labeled “Democratic Party” hangs off the back of the chair. “Dr. Puck” has approached from the left and recommends that he take the “Gold Cure.” Standing on the left is a group of “eminent physicians” labeled “Harrity, Carlisle, Vilas, Whitney, [and] Russell,” and one unidentified man. Caption: Dr. Puck–My unfortunate friend, we eminent physicians have held a consultation, and have decided that nothing will save you but an immediate and thorough application of the Gold Cure.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-07-01

The circus has come!

William C. “Whitney” is the ringmaster at a circus where “D. B. Hill” is performing a horse riding trick by trying to ride two horses at once, a small horse labeled “Gold Standard” and a larger horse labeled “Free Silver.” Also in the ring is a clown labeled “Harvey.” Among those in the audience are William McKinley, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas B. Reed, John Sherman, George F. Hoar, William B. Allison, William E. Chandler, William F. Peffer, Whitelaw Reid, Grover Cleveland, and Joseph J. C. Blackburn or Charles A. Boutelle. Caption: The New Ringmaster–Gentlemen of the audience, the great equestrian, “The Senator,” will perform his thrilling feat of riding two horses simultaneously! – Brace up, Dave, everybody’s looking at you!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-06-26

John Roach’s little miscalculation

Secretary of the Navy William C. Whitney hands a boat labeled “Dolphin” to James G. Blaine who shies away, refusing to accept it. In the background, John Roach, a contractor, who built the ship “Dolphin,” is crying because the Cleveland administration has voided his contract. Caption: Secretary Whitney – “Here, Mr. Blaine, this was evidently built in the expectation of your election. We have no use for it.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-05-20

The rehabilitation of the Democratic party

Inside “Cleveland’s Clothing Establishment,” President Cleveland and Thomas F. Bayard are fitting a man labeled “Reform Democracy” with the “Thos. Jefferson Pattern,” while cabinet members Lucius Q. C. Lamar, William C. Whitney, Daniel Manning, [and] Augustus H. Garland measure, cut, and sew fabric labeled “Justice, Anti-Silver Swindle, New Navy, [and] Honest Administration, Interior Department” on the left side of the shop. A sign on the wall states “No Over-Charging nor Double-Dealing” and a poster shows the “Spring 1885 Styles.” Just outside the door is an old man reaching in to grab discarded rags labeled “Spoils System, Old Record, Fraud” and a shillelagh labeled “Rowdy Influence” to place in his cart labeled “G. O. Rep. Party. Highest Price Paid for Castoff Clo’s.” Caption: The new suit (on the Jeffersonian Pattern) doesn’t quite fit yet; but we hope he will grow up to it.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-04-15

The cruel secretary and the patriotic contractor

William C. Whitney, Secretary of the Navy, insists that John Roach, a contractor, accompany him on a test cruise before the Navy can sign off on the contract and accept delivery of the ship “Dolphin.” Roach, holding a piece of paper that states “Bill for Constructing the Dispatch Boat ‘Dolphin’ –J. Roach,” steps back in fear and does not accept Whitney’s offer. Caption: Secretary Whitney – “I can’t accept your ship until we have tried her again. Step on board, sir. ” / J. R. – “Step on board! No, sir, never! My life is entirely too valuable to the nation. Cut down the bill, and call it square!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-04-01

President Cleveland and his cabinet

President Cleveland sits at a desk between his cabinet members, from the left, “W. C. Whitney, Secretary of the Navy, Daniel Manning, Secretary of the Treasury, A. H. Garland, Attorney-General, T. F. Bayard, Secretary of State, W. C. Endicott, Secretary of War, W. F. Vilas, Postmaster-General, [and] L. Q. C. Lamar, Secretary of the Interior.” They are in a hall lined with statues labeled “Navy, War, Justice, State, Treasury, Interior, [and] Post.” On the wall at the back of the room is the following quote: “It is the duty of those serving the people in public places to closely limit public expenditures to the actual needs of the government economically administered. G. Cleveland.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-03-11

The Administration sawmill

President Cleveland stands next to a large “Reform Buzz-Saw” labeled “Pat. 1884 by G. Cleveland” at a sawmill, where three members of his cabinet “Manning, Whitney, [and] Bayard” are milling lumber labeled “For the Improvement of the Custom House” and “Props for the Navy.” A carpenter’s square labeled “Honesty” rests against some boards at Cleveland’s feet. A group of newspaper editors, congressmen, and a dog labeled “Blaine’s Pup” have entered on the left. Among them are “Dana, McLean, Vance, Eustis, Reid, Beck, Evarts, Sherman, Medill, [and] Edmunds.” They are standing just outside the “Secretarys Office” where Daniel S. Lamont is sitting. Through the open door is visible a wagon loaded with large logs labeled “Mormon Question, Silver Question, Tariff Ques, [and] Coast Defences.” Caption: Foreman Cleveland (kindly but firmly) “Boys, don’t monkey with the buzz-saw!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1886-02-03

Thanksgiving Day, 1885

President Cleveland stands at the head of a table with his cabinet officers around the table at placemats labeled “Bayard, Manning, Garland, Whitney, Lamar, Endicott, [and] Vilas,” as Puck delivers a large turkey on a platter labeled “With Compliments of all Good Citizens.” A notice on the wall in the background states “Public Office is a Public Trust.” The centerpiece on the table is labeled “Prosperity.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-11-25

Columbus Cleveland and his mutinous crew – “This ship shall not turn back!”

Grover Cleveland, as Christopher Columbus, holds a map labeled “Route to Reform,” aboard a ship surrounded by mutinous sailors labeled “Bayard, Whitney, Eustis, Sterling, Hedden, Pulitzer, Blackburn, Hill, McLaughlin, Jones, Thompson, Gorman, Grady.” Unidentified are Thomas A. Hendricks, John Kelly, Lucius Q. C. Lamar, and Charles A. Dana. A bird arrives from the left carrying a piece of paper that states “From Land of Reform.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-11-04

Our government farm — President Cleveland finds an effectual protection against the twenty-five-year locusts

President Cleveland stands directly behind a wall of flames labeled “Civil Service Reform.” Behind him, working on the “Government Farm,” are members of his cabinet: William C. Endicott with a hoe, Lucius Q. C. Lamar kneeling before a newly planted tree, Thomas F. Bayard working on a tree labeled “State Department,” Daniel Manning holding a pot labeled “Treasury,” Augustus H. Garland with a shovel, William C. Whitney adding supports to a tree labeled “Navy Department,” and William F. Vilas with a watering can. In the foreground, locusts driven back by the smoke and overcome by the fumes lie on the ground and are about to be consumed by the flames. The locusts include “Kelly, Dugro, Voorhees, Blackburn, McLean, Dana, Butler, H. O. Thompson, Chenowith, Higgins, [and] Aquila Jones.” Two that seem unaffected are labeled “Hendricks” carrying a banner that states “To the Victors belong the Spoils” and “McLoughlin” [sic].

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-09-02

The resistless march of reform – the “hostiles” must go!

A large group of politicians, newspaper editors, Tammany Hall bosses, and others are dressed as Native Americans. One carries a banner that shows a crude drawing of the Tammany tiger labeled “Flathead Tribe.” The group is on a long march in opposition to President Cleveland’s civil service reform agenda. In the upper left corner is the “Blainiac Reservation” and in the opposite corner is Cleveland and his cabinet laying tracks for the “Reform R. R.,” keeping ahead of the “Administration Construction Train.” In the foreground, Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks is leading the Democratic donkey labeled “Bourbonism,” carrying two baskets, one with “Old Ideas” and the other labeled “The Perennial Pappooses” holding Charles A. Dana and Benjamin F. Butler. Standing just to the right is John Kelly carrying Philip H. Dugro in a cradleboard.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-08-12

The administration’s hardest job

President Cleveland and his cabinet officers struggle to push and pull the Democratic donkey labeled “Bourbon Democracy” into a stable labeled “Reform Stables.” On the donkey’s hooves, acting as brakes, are the faces of John Kelly labeled “Spoils System,” Charles A. Dana labeled “Anti-Civil Service Reform,” “Mclaughlin”, [and] “J.R. M’Lean.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-07-22

A new declaration of independence in the year 1885

President Cleveland stands at a table, his right hand on a long document labeled “Declaration of Independence July 4th 1885” that trails off the table, stating “When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for a President to dissolve the political bands which the machinery of his party has imposed upon him, he must speak in unmistakable words…” He is facing a group of men, one labeled “Tammany” and others labeled “Boss” and “Rural Boss.” They are standing near a passageway labeled “Exit.” Behind Cleveland are members of his cabinet, William C. Whitney, Daniel Manning, Augustus H. Garland, William F. Vilas, L. Q. C. Lamar, and Thomas F. Bayard who is holding a paper that states “The Cabinet ‘Solid’ on Reform.” On the wall in the background is a painting showing the presentation of the “Declaration of Independence July 4th 1776”.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-07-01

There’s a new policeman on the beat

Two crooks labeled “Robeson” and “Roach” walk down a sidewalk, whistling. They are being trailed by William C. Whitney, Secretary of the Navy, as a policeman. Caption: “Cheese it!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-06-24

“Ship-building for repairs”

Secretary of the Navy William C. Whitney carries a large book labeled “Navy Yard Investigations,” and confronts George M. Robeson, William E. Chandler, and John Roach, who are cowering at his approach outside the “U.S. Navy Ya[rd] Office.” Whitney is gesturing toward sailing ships that are being repaired, among those identified are “Shenandoah: for Building – $463,866, Repairs – $906,481; Ossipee: for Building – $407,064, for Repairs – $1,197,391; Kearsarge: cost – $286.918, Repairs – $1,123,416; [and] Mohican: Repairs cost $900,000.” Caption: Secretary Whitney – “It seems to me, Gentlemen, that you have been repairing a damaged party out of a decaying navy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-06-03