The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-01-28
SHERMAN ON THE PRESIDENCY.
lie Prefers Governor Hays-His Letter to state
senator Burns.
WASHINGTON Ian 81

SHERMAN ON THE PRESIDENCY.
lie Prefers Governor Hays-His Letter to state
Senator Burns.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81.
DEAR SIR.-Your lettersof the I'd and
18th inst. were duly received, and | de
.layed answering the first sooner partly
for personal reasons, but mainly that /
might fully consider the questions raised
by you as to the approaching Presiden
tial conest, the Importance of which
cannot be overstated. The election of
a Democratic President means a restora
ton to full power in the government of
the worst clements of the rebel Confed
eracy.
The Southern Sat IS are TO be organ
lied, by violence and intimidation, il to
a compact political power, only needing
a small fragment of Northern States TO
give it absolute control, where, by a
majority rule of the party, it will govern
the country as it did in the times of
Pierce and Buchanan.
If it should elect President, and both
Houses of Congress, the Constitutional
amendments would be disregarded, the
freedmen would be nominally citizens,
swollen by perjury, would be saddled
upon the Treasury; our public credit
would be impaired; the power OF the
General Government would be crippled.
and the honors won by our people in
subduing rebellion would be subjects of
reproach rather than of pride. The
only safeguard from these evils is the
election of Republican President, and
the adoption of liberal Republican
policy which should be fair and even
generous to the South, but firm in the
maintenance of all the rights won by the
war. Our election in Ohio last fall
shows that even under the most adverse
circumstances we can win on this basis.
Every movement made by this Demo
cratic House of Representatives is an ap-
peal to every man who ever voted with
the Republican party to rally to its sup
port again, and to every man who
fought in the Union army, to vote with
us to preserve the results of his victory.
All we need is such a Presidential
ticket as will give assurance that we
mean to stand by our principles. and
that will administer the government
honestly and economically.
AS to candidates, the drift of public |
opinion is rapidly reducing the list, and |
has already - tied adversely the chances
of many of them. Above all, it has pos
itively closed the question of third |
term. The conviction that it is not safe !
to continue in one man for too long a |
period the vast powers of President is !
based upon the strongest reasons, and |
this conviction is supported by so many !
precedents set by the voluntary retire /
ment at the end of second term of so |
many Presidents, that it would be Grim |
inal folly to disregard it. / do not be- |
lieve that Gen, Grant ever seriously en- |
tertained the thought Of third term, !
but even if he did, the established usage |
against it would make his nomination an |
act of suicide.
1t would disrupt our party in every
Republican State.
Happily for us, we do not need to look |
for the contingency of his nomination. !
Among the candidates now generally |
named. have no such preference that
1 could not heartily support either of /
them. They are men of marked ability, |
who have rendered important public /
services, but, considering all things, /
believe the nomination of Gov. Hayes /
would give us the more strength, taking
the whole country at large, than any
other man. He is better known in Ohio
than elsewhere, aud is stronger there
than elsewhere, but the qualities that
have made him strong in Ohio will, as
the canvas progresses, make him strong
CT i'm every State. He W As a good SOL 1
dier, and, though not greatly distinguish
ed as such, he performed his full duty,
and noticed when travelling with him
in Ohio, that the soldiers who served
under him loved and respected him. As
a member of Congress he was not lead
ing debater, or manager in party tactics,
but he was always sensible, industrious,
and true TO his conviotions, and the
principles and tendencies of his party. i
and commanded the sincere resp CO of
his colleagues. As Governor, thrice
elected, he has shown good executive Il
abilities. and gained great popularity,
not only with Republicans but with
our adversaries. On the currency ques
ton, which is likely to enter largely into
the canvass, he is thoroughly sound, but
is not committed to any particular
measure, so as to be disabled from co
operating with any plan that may prom
ise success on the main question; pro- :
lection for all in equal rights; and in
tho observance of the public faith he is
as trustworthy as any one named.
He is, fortunately, free from the per
sonal enmities and antagOnisms that
would weaken some of his competitors,
and he is unblemished in naIue, charae
ter, and conduct, AMI he is native-born 's
cit zen of our State.
| have thus, as you requested, given
you my view of ofthePresidential question,
taken as dispassionateiy as if | was ex- |
amining a proposition in geometry, and !
the result drawn from these facts not :
100 strongly stated, is that the Republi- i
,an party in Ohio ought, in their State y
to give Governor Hayes a :
United delegation instructed to support a
lin in the National Convention, not Z
hat we have any special claim to have a
he candidate taken from Ohio, but that o
n Gen. Hayes, we honestly believe, the I
Republican party of the United States s.
will have a candidate for President who "
an combine greater popular strength
nd greater assurances or success than G.
ther candidates, and with equal ability
o discharge the duties of President of
be United States, In case of election a.
.et this nomination be thus presented, U
Iithout any wire pulling or depreciation Il
( others, and as conviction upon es- Il
ablished facts, and | believe Governor h
Iayes can be, and ought to be, nomin- fc
ted. But if our State is divided. or is "
OF in earnest in this matter. it is far >
etter for Governor Hayes and the State &c
nat his name be not presented at ALL al
ve have never sufficiently cultivated ei
Or State pride, with every reason for b
,dulgiDg it, and thus our proper ihfiu- Il
nee has been wasted and lost. Now we al
ave a geod opportunity to crafty it, q
nd at the same time contribute to the v
,mmon good. -
Remember me kindly to personal d'
lends in The Senate liz
Very truly yoIrs. JOHN SHERMAN. iee
HoN. A. II. BURNS. Ith