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Perilous—
William F. Buckley, Jr.:
Intimate Glimpses of a
Dogmatic Timocrat and His
Family
I
have before me on my desk three items Northamerican conservatism, but I found
—three mementos of my obstreperous none. The book is a well-documented, well-
adolescent days—which serve to remind written (very well-written—especially if you
me also of a stint of work I performed for like, as I do, the classical rhetorical style)
William F. Buckley, Jr. and his National piece which does little to enliven the
Review magazine after I left (1962) morbidity of conservative beliefs. Will
preparatory school and before I entered Power Willie chugs along relieving himself,
(1962) St. Bonaventure University to study he is the Master Debater, of pent-up political
Scholastic Philosophy. frustrations with leftist conceptions of
behavior in government. The best—and it is
Exhibit A not so good—Will Power Will, Jr. comes up
with against liberalism, is this cute bit, on
A “To Whom It May Concern” letter of page 155:
recommendation, dated 7 August 1962,
testifying to the fact that I “worked for over “What is the Liberal millennium? So far as I
a year for National Review and did so can make out, it is the state in which a
diligently, good-humoredly, and creatively. I citizen divides his day equally between
heartily recommend him to any prospective pulling levers in voting booths (Voting for
employer, and will be glad to elaborate on what? It does not matter; what matters is
his qualities over the telephone. Yours that he vote); writing dissenting letters to
faithfully, Wm. F. Buckley, Jr., President.” the newspapers (Dissenting from what? It
does not matter; just so he dissents); and
Exhibit B eating (Eating what? It does not matter,
though one should wash the food down with
An autographed copy of William F. Buckley, fluoridated water).”
Jr.’s Up from Liberalism with the following
dedication to me: “For Tony—With regards All liberals should go to the Buckley home
from the father of your greatest admirer— and try to wash down their food while James
William F. Buckley, Jr.” L. masticates and utters shrill clear sounds
I met Christopher Buckley at a National by drawing air through his puckered lips and
Review Christmas party (December, 1961) spaced teeth. (See Exhibit C.)
at William F. Buckley, Jr.’s home on Wallack’s We get to the heart of Will Power Willie’s
Point, Stamford, Connecticut. I never saw delicate conservative sensibilities—and his
him or heard from him again in my life, and I authoritative, dogmatic, and power-driven
am curious to know why I certified—on the special inclinations, when he toots off in the
autograph page of my copy of Up from last two paragraphs of the book, where he
Liberalism—to be his “greatest admirer.” comments on his Supreme Conservative
(Will Power Willie [see Exhibit C] has always Proposition, pages 202-03:
had a weakness for publicity: His family was
forever sinking money into National Review “Is that a programme? Call it a No-Program,
to keep it afloat when no one cared to buy if you will, but adopt it for your very own. I
the journal, and he needed all the friends he will not cede more power to the state. I will
could summon up.) I befriended the young not willingly cede more power to anyone,
lad for the night because he and I were not to the state, not to General Motors, not
awash on a sea of blowhard conservative to the CIO. I will hoard my power like a
bigwigs, and it was time for us to adjourn to miser, resisting every effort to drain it away
a quiet, calm place to speak about baseball from me. I will then use my power, as I see
and rock n’ roll. fit. I mean to live my life an obedient man,
but obedient to God, subservient to the
In preparing the writing of this essay, I wisdom of my ancestors; never to the
reread Up from Liberalism hoping to find authority of political truths arrived at
substantive argumentation on behalf of
yesterday at the voting booth. That is a Exhibit C
program of sorts, is it not?
It is certainly program enough to keep A copy of W. F. B.—An Appreciation (By his
conservatives busy, and Liberals at bay. Family and Friends), New York; Privately
And the nation free.” Printed, 1959. Edited by Priscilla L. Buckley
and William F. Buckley, Jr.; Illustrated by A.
All right, already. It is a program. But a Derso.
program of languor and nihilism for all but
priggish Willie and his conservative Further…
noodlebrains. Father would have been
proud. No-Program Will Power Will! (The “This volume is privately published by the
Gambling Man!) No-Program Will Power ten children of William F. Buckley for
Willie!! No-Program Obdurate Ronald themselves, their children, and friends of
Reagan!!! the family, and is not intended for general
distribution.
Let us observe a man who does not want to However, as long as the supply lasts, a copy
yield to anyone or anything, who wants to of the book will be sent to anyone who
amass his power for himself, and wants to wants it; with the compliments of the family.
do what he cares regardless of political Write to Miss Edna MacKenzie, 103 East 37th
truths reached yesterday at the voting Street, New York 16, New York.”
booth. (EX-LAX has been known to relieve
abnormally delayed or infrequent passage of And…
dry, hardened feces.)
“Fifteen hundred copies of this book have
been issued. Typesetting is in Linotype
Here is an individual who has chosen two Janson with printing by lithography on
objects of worship: his earthly conservatism Warren’s Olde Style. White Wove covers are
and his divine God. Both of these objects of in DuPont PX-1 with impression by silk
veneration are absolute, and Will Power screening. Graphic design was executed by
Willie is prepared, obviously, to submit to Harvey Satenstein and complete
them using despotic means. He is rigid, manufacturing by Book Craftsmen
incapable of tolerating ambiguity, closed- Associates, Inc., New York, December,
minded. He is not open to ideas, he does 1959.”
not wish to examine new opinions critically,
and he does not give care to thought
analysis. His mind is made up already and it * * *
is impossible for him to entertain novel
conceptions. Hardly the one to propose
dynamic political theory. But without a I have always been pleased that William F.
doubt the one to do business with the Buckley, Jr. thought well of my performance
Securities and Exchange Commission: at National Review where, as a young man, I
hobnobbed with conservative
“SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES: “intellectuals,” went out for sandwiches for
Washington, 2 November 1981… the office, changed addresses for
subscribers, answered letters of complaint,
Some members of the family of the late brought packages to Ayn Rand’s office,
William F. Buckley, Sr., who made a fortune delivered messages to people at the United
in foreign oil exploration, were ordered Nations, worked on Saturdays—overtime—to
today to make payments and relinquish “put out the mag,” and carried out a host of
royalties totalling nearly $800,000. other innocuous duties which I thought—at
The action was a result of Securities and the time—were making a small but
Exchange Commission charges of financial important contribution to instil in the hearts
irregularities by a family-held company. and minds of all Northamericans the
The payments were ordered in a consent precious idea of Conservatism. I worked
agreement entered into by the Buckley with dedicated, talented people, and when I
interests and the S. E. C. The agreement left reluctantly to continue my studies at the
grew out of charges and investigations into university, I went away wishing, foolishly, to
the conduct from 1969 to 1980 of the return once again and continue the uphill
Buckley business interests. Under the terms march to achieve honor and glory for
of the agreement, the Buckley interests Conservatism. My political notions were
neither admitted nor denied the charges.” passionate, and I rallied round the
Conservative flagpole loyal to William F.
Is not the greatest contempt of the law Buckley, Jr.’s conviction to hoist the
one’s prerogative not to have to answer to distinctive design of a disposition in politics
it? to preserve what is established—a
philosophy based on tradition and social
I am delighted that Will Power Willie has had stability, stressing established institutions,
success in writing spy thrillers. He is great and preferring gradual development to
at it! Better than writing novels than he is abrupt change.
at penning his political postulates which
reflect a torpor which can only appeal to I have long considered W. F. B.—An
men of limited wit. (Ronald Reagan?) His Appreciation to be an important document.
spy novels are full of zip. I am happy he has It records the personal life of a famous and
found, finally, a healthy way to deal with his rich conservative, it shows how a man
inherited traits of authoritativeness and endowed with great wealth would use his
dogmatism. I prefer that he play out his power to enhance his conservative political
license to kill on the pages of invented prose sentiments, and very importantly, it serves
narrative rather than in the written records to give us insight into the personality of the
of National Review. Let us take heart that a enigmatic William F. Buckley, Jr. whose
Buckley family member acts out his father, elegised in the book, played so
aggressiveness by pounding on the pages of potent an influence in the development of
novel chapters and not on the heads or jaws whom is perhaps Northamerica’s most
—with ploughshares or fast fist strokes—of popular political reactionary.
opponents and unbelievers (see Exhibit C).
In this essay, I wish to detail sixty one direct were great baseball rivals and at this time
quotations from W. F. B.—An Appreciation the ball game was being played in the St.
with the hope of introducing to the reader Edward ball park. When the game was very
facets of the personality of William F. hot and close a priest called “safe” what
Buckley, Jr.’s father which surge beyond the appeared to someone to be a foul ball. One
dominant tendency in the book to pay of the big-mouthed Texas students yelled:
homage to a man “…so gay and gallant, one “That damn priest is lying.” With lightning
of God’s noblemen, a man of pleasing speed Will (Buckley, Sr.) knocked him down
personality, a gracious host, a churchman with a fast fist stroke.”
given to wide charity without ostentation, a
loyal member of the Catholic Church, and Excerpt 5
the founder and architect of the Buckley
family as it exists today.” Ibid., 18:
Excerpt 22 Excerpt 24
“…and several wild stories about wild train “But—as we got older—we started asking
rides. Did both these incidents happen at ourselves, Are all these stories true?”
the same time? Or was Father on two
different trains between Mexico City and Excerpt 25
Tampico that were held up by bandits? In
Ibid., 141-42: States’ Charge D’Affaires, and the Foreign
Office for his departure from the country.”
“It was in 1916, when the Marines had
landed at Vera Cruz. The situation was Excerpt 28
tense, particularly for the Americans
stranded in Tampico up the river, with no Ibid., 147. In retrospection, 36 years later,
gunboats standing by to protect them. Most Father speaking to the children:
of them gathered together for safety in the
hotels and waited. On the balconies, by the “They had ordered me arrested in Vera Cruz
windows on the rooftops, lay Mexican three months before. But they had no
sharpshooters waiting, like the Americans in evidence of my being implicated in the
the hotel, for someone to drop the match. revolution—I was implicated up to my nose
The U. S. Government, having precipitated —so I wrote an article in the paper the next
the crisis, had made no arrangements to morning in which I dared them to prove
protect U. S. nationals whom it had left at anything. Declared my innocence of this
the mercy of an enraged and trigger-happy false charge.”
Mexican mob. One way or another, the
troops had to be brought in. Excerpt 29
But how to attract the attention of the
nearby German gunboat? ‘Your father,’ the In Part Three, New York, I. “Odyssey of an
man told Aloise and John, ‘went out into the Oil Man,” Douglas Reed speaks, page 153:
middle of the silent square and started
hurling obscenities in Spanish such as we “As I write this (1956) the net worth of the
never thought to hear from him and didn’t companies under Buckley’s guidance is
know he knew at the Mexicans and he around $110,000,000, having risen to that
deliberately provoked their fire….’ And an from $25,000,000 in the ten post-war years,
alarmed German naval captain made his and the Buckley group is ensconced in the
way to the plaza with his armed crew, and oil situations of Venezuela, Canada, Florida,
evacuated the Americans in his gunboat. the Philippines, Israel, Australia, and
When they asked Father about it later that Guatemala.”
day, he just laughed and changed the
subject.” Excerpt 30
“MEMORANDUM TO THE CHILDREN: “After Maureen and I had played two games
of Parchesi and I had read her one story and
As you probably know, Americans are she had read me one story, I mentioned the
famous for being the poorest fact that it was almost two hours past her
conversationalists in the world. Education bedtime. Your sister asked me pointedly
and cultivation of the mind do not seem to where her Mother and I habitually undressed
improve us. We can’t stay on a subject and for bed. I replied that your mother usually
we are constitutionally incapable of undressed in the bathroom while I read the
listening. As a people we are always evening paper, and when your Mother had
thinking of something we are going to tell come to bed, I took my turn in the
the ‘bore’ as soon as he stops talking. A bathroom. I added that, in view of her
political conversation is never a ‘give and superior sex, Maureen would be given
take,’ but leads to a monologue—usually by priority in the bathroom.
the least interesting and least informed Your maidenly sister gave vent to an
person present. enormous sigh and said: ‘Well, I’m glad to
I am enclosing an article from December’s know our main problem is solved!’
Reader’s Digest, which you should all read I hope you all appreciate the ladylike
again and again. It is the best thing I have delicacy of your sister’s instincts.”
ever seen written on this subject.
Father.” Excerpt 48
Ibid., 224. A letter to John just before his “Jane tells me that Reid has quite extensive
14th birthday: sideburns. When he started growing them I
mentioned them to him very casually and
“My dear John, he said that that was required of the Glee
Club—which sounds rather extraordinary. If
On Sunday you told me that you would see you could gently suggest to him that he
Mr. Tuttle Monday and would write me that remove them, it would be a great relief to
day the name of a book on saddle horses. the family. I would rather he would not
You did not do this Monday, Tuesday or belong to the Glee Club.
Wednesday. Father.”
My getting a letter from you about this
matter is not of great importance, but it is
very important that you do what you
promised to do. I have noticed invariably Excerpt 49
that those of my friends who keep their
slightest promise are successful and those Ibid., 230-33. A biography of Reid by Father
who don’t keep their small promises are not written for the family newspaper,
successful. Grelmschatka:
This is a very slovenly habit to get into and
one which promises to be a lifelong habit “To the Editor of GRELMSCHATKA:
with you and Aloise if you don’t correct it
right away. After this, when I ask you to do In connection with Reid’s wedding, you have
anything I wish you would think it over asked me to give you a short account of his
seriously and if you decide it is too much youthful career.
Reid started life by being born in the D’Arcy told us later in the day, lost no time
American Hospital in Paris on Bastille Day, in getting acquainted with the spectators in
July 14, 1930, having in mind undoubtedly his section. He modestly asked them if they
the prospect of entering French politics and would like to hear him sing, and when they
becoming President, since the locale of his of course said ‘Yes,’ he again modestly
birth precluded his occupying a similar post asked them whether they wanted him to
in the United States. We had lived in Paris sing in English or Spanish or French, with
since 1929. In the fall of 1932 your Mother the result, as he may have planned, that he
took you all to England where we rented a was urged to sing in all these languages. He
house in Edward’s Square. Billie (William F. compiled with great dramatic fervor. After
Buckley, Jr.) and Patricia attended school for his repertoire was exhausted, and possibly
a year at Cavendish Square Convent, the spectators, he volunteered to dance and
Parkham Place, located very near our home, did some very intricate steps to the delight
and Reid and Maureen were of course at of these very nice and hospitable people.
home. He then gave them his views on a number
Reid by 1933 spoke Spanish fluently, but no of matters that seemed to be puzzling the
English. Being very fond of talking as a world. Among other things, he told them he
young man, and finding himself with no did not think very highly of English cooking;
audience, he proceeded to master the he also thought the English were not very
English language within a few weeks. It proficient in music, especially classical
seemed to be no problem at all. music. However, he was tremendously
Shortly after our arrival in London Reid told impressed with the English military display
me that he wanted to see Buckingham in the procession and when asked if America
Palace, thinking no doubt that he would had an Army, he said, ‘Oh, yes, a very fine
walk right in and have a chat with the King. Army.’ They asked how large an Army and
I took him to see the Palace from the he said that it was very large, that his guess
outside; Reid was greatly impressed at its would be that there were over 100 soldiers
size and its isolation. As we passed by the in our Army.
two guards in their magnificent uniforms In 1940, when Reid was about ten years of
standing in the small cupolas on either side age, we were at the Rhinebeck Horse Show
of the entrance, Reid became almost where Reid was displaying a large Willkie
speechless, a rare condition for him. Reid button. President Roosevelt came in to see
told me that he had thought there was only the show and sat in his car with a Swedish
one King and was surprised to find two, Princess, surrounded by secret service men.
thinking of course that each of the guards We were in the grandstand and Reid
was a king. decided to go over and call on the President.
Reid used to come into his Mother’s and my He first took the precaution of removing his
bedroom while in England dressed Willkie button. When he returned in about
sometimes as a Bishop (he skipped the an hour it was apparent that he was very
Priest stage) and sometimes as a Major disappointed that the secret service men
General and occasionally as a King. He had not questioned him as they did others,
would march past our beds and look into the and he reported that he had gone right up
mirror at the corner to see how much he to the car and looked at Mr. Roosevelt but
had impressed us, never suspecting that at that the latter evidently did not recognize
the same time we could see him through him because he did not speak. After this
the mirror. slight, he put on his Willkie button again and
I stayed in France on some business most of resumed his loyalty to this mountebank.
the time but came over to England very (Not meaning by this that President
often. On one occasion when I appeared Roosevelt was not one also.)
unannounced and to the surprise of Reid Reid (and I hope the rest of the children will
and Nana who were sitting on the stairway, pardon this statement) is the real
Reid exclaimed to Nana, ‘El Senor!’ Nana intellectual of the family. He reads nothing
was much embarrassed and asked Reid but good literature. There are few young
what he meant by El Senor, to which he men of his age that have as extensive a
replied, ‘Oh, that Senor that comes once in vocabulary. He was at one stage in his
a while and eats and sleeps here. They also youth so given to quotations that the rest of
call him mi papa.’” the children dared not mention at the table
While eating his meals in the children’s any play by Shakespeare, or the poetry of
dining room Reid entertained the servants Keats or Shelley or Milton without Reid
and others and continued this practice after standing up and delivering himself of
he got to Sharon. One time, after Dr. and quotations from these authors that
Mrs. Chaffee had had lunch with us, we sometimes occupied most of the mealtime.
asked Reid to perform, which he was always Reid graduated at the head of his class at
willing to do; he was about to start when he Millbrook School and distinguished himself
noticed that Mrs. Chaffee was talking. This at Yale. As a sophomore he was head of the
bothered him tremendously, and after debating team, with juniors and seniors
waiting a few seconds, he exclaimed ‘Jesùs, under him, and he won many important
Marià, José! Còmo habla esta senora’ to the debates including the one with Oxford. He
great amusement of Dr. Chaffee when we was highly thought of by the professors and
translated this for him and also for Mrs. especially in the English Department. He
Chaffee. also wrote a lot of poetry, and good poetry.
We returned to London in 1938, where we He was a member of the Fence Club, The
had an apartment on Portland Place. The Elizabethan Club, Torch Honor Society, Skull
President of France and his wife made a & Bones, and Vice-Chairman of The Yale
ceremonial visit that year to the King and Daily News.
Queen of England, who met their He had the good judgment to marry the
distinguished guests at the station, and very beautiful and gracious Elizabeth
proceeded from there in a regal procession (Betsy) Howell.
to Buckingham Palace. Father.”