The Indianapolis Journal

Among the rumors with which Democrats are trying to comfort themselves over the prospect of Judge Gresham becoming Mr. Cleveland's Secretary of State is that the appointment will be made with a definite understanding that the patronage of the State Department, namely, the appointment of ministers and consuls, is to be left to the President, and that the function of Judge Gresham as Secretary of State will be to give advice as to the important questions which are apt to arise in connection with that department during the next four years. Again, it is stated on the authority of "a prominent Democrat" that Judge Gresham will hold the office of Secretary of State only until there shall be a vacancy on the United States Supreme Bench, and that when he shall retire from the State Department he will be succeeded by E. J. Phelps, of Vermont, when the latter shall have finished his service as counsel for the Behring sea arbitration. These and other like rumors show the Democrats are clinging to the hope that they may be happy yet, notwithstanding the leading place in the Cleveland administration is to be given to the very latest convert from the Republican party.