I was sorry to see in the New York papers of yesterday, under Washington date line, that I had accepted the embassy. It has placed me in a most embarrassing position, and has caused general comment of vacillation. I cannot imagine how the fact that I was re-considering became public. The press clippings I get in the matter are most annoying to me, and must be to you. I suppose the only thing to say in the matter is that my position is the same as it was when my statement was given out in Washington.
Let me again thank you very deeply for the great honor you have
conferred upon me. I sincerely wish it were within my power to accept.
It is such a thing as rarely comes in a man's lifetime.
Believe me as ever,
Always yours to command,
WM. F. MCCOMBS.
HON. WOODROW WILSON,
The White House,
Washington, D. C.
[Illustration: A letter from the man who could not make up his mind [Transcriber's note: the illustration contains a reproduction of the above-quoted letter.]
Even after McCombs had declined the French post, as recited in the above letter to the President, he continued to vacillate, and addressed the following telegrams and cables to me in regard to the French Ambassadorship:
New York, April 4, 1913.
HON. JOS. P. TUMULTY,
Washington, D. C.
Confidentially, expect to come tomorrow. Please suspend on matter
until I see you.