the yacht oneida has an place in presidential history and that is the yacht oneida was owned by a commodore who was a personal friend of president cleveland. but the yacht oneida is where president cleveland secret service, secret surgery. some of you may be aware that during his term one of his terms in office, there was real controversy whether the u.s. would have a gold or a silver standard to back our paper. well, to make a long story short, president was a long time cigar smoker. he noticed the growth on the hard palate of his mouth had it examined by a doctor said that really suspicious malignancy it needs to come out well this was in the summer just when congress was getting ready to adjourn but cleveland was scheduled give a major speech supporting the gold standard in august of that year. so any question about his health might which way congress was going to go. so what happened the yacht oneida was brought down on the east river of new york city behind bellevue hospital. president and his coterie of close physician friends got on the yacht. oneida and in secrecy going up the east