William Frank McCombs to Woodrow Wilson

Title

William Frank McCombs to Woodrow Wilson

Creator

McCombs, William F. (William Frank), 1876-1921

Identifier

WWP17668

Date

1913 April 13

Description

William Frank McCombs writes to Woodrow Wilson about a bill introduced by Senator Bacon regarding pay for ambassadors.

Source

Wilson Papers, Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, District of Columbia

Subject

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence

Text

My dear Mr President

I wrote a letter on Friday night to Tumulty to be turned over to you. It was among a mass of other correspondence & one of my secretaries in charge of the correspondence became ill & neglected to send out my mail.
I saw in the papers a few days ago that Senator Bacon had introduced a Bill adding x 10,000 to the regular salary of the ambassadors for house rent & etc. I inquired of Tumulty yesterday if the chances favored the passage of the bill. He replied in the affirmative. The passage of the Bill solves my difficulties and it will give me much pleasure to accept the great honor you have tendered me if that Bill becomes a law. In fact if the committees of the Senate & the House incline to look upon it with favor I am willing to take my chance upon its passage for I know a declaration from you in favor of that measure will insure its passage. At the same time it can be made the reason — as is the fact — why I accept & in my mind it should be so stated. I should prefer that no mention be made of my intention until the name is sent to the Senate so as to avoid comment which is distasteful to me & no doubt is to you.
I hope I have not embarrassed you in any way. The post is one of rare distinction & I shall make every effort to fulfil every requirement made or possible in connection with it.
I understand that you do not intend to send in your diplomatic appointments until the latter part of next week — of this Tumulty informed me. If consistent with your ideas that would suit me better. When the nomination is sent in perhaps it would be well to make some statement as to the Bacon bill as the reason why I have found it possible to accept. Meanwhile may I offer the suggestion that nothing should be said of the matter. I thank you profoundly for the great honor you have done me and for your great patience in allowing me time to work out my affairs in connection with this magnificent tender.
Permit me also to say that much of publicly stated friction between myself and a member of your cabinet¹ has been fomented by men about me & himself who thought they were befriending each of us repectively and I have remained absolutely silent.
Further, whatever feeling there might have been, I am quite willing to forget, and I sent a message to you and to him that in your interest as well as that of party harmony no one would be more willing than I to establish a complete entente.
I hope in some way the Bacon bill may be reported & adopted in the Senate prior to any public announcement. I hope more than that, I may be of value to your administration and always perform any function that you deem of value with honor as well as with satisfaction

Believe me,.
With affectionate regards
W

Original Format

Letter

To

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Temp00109.pdf

Tags

Citation

McCombs, William F. (William Frank), 1876-1921, “William Frank McCombs to Woodrow Wilson,” 1913 April 13, WWP17668, First Year Wilson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.