Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-03-06
The Other Sherman and Another Core
spondent,

The Shermans seem doomed to differ
ences with the correspondents. The
General has been for some time in
heated controversy with the CORE
spondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, and
now the Secretary has raised an issue
of veracity with the correspondent of
the New York Times. The similarity
between the two cases is in the appar-
ent advantage of the correspondent in
each. With the general aspect of the
frst-named controversy the readers of
the Free Press have already been made
familiar. The Presidential aspirations
of the official party to the other give it
q public interest which it would not
otherwise have.
The origin of the controversy was the
statement, made by the correspondent
referred to, that Sherman was using his
official position to further his prospects
for Presidential nomination. AS evi-
appointed number of special Treasury
Agents and Inspectors, who, though
nominally in the service of the Govern
ment, were expected to give their time,
and actually did give it, to the manipu-
lation of the political machinery in the
Southern States, with view to secur-
ing delegations to the National Conven-
ton favoring Sherman's nomination.
This statement and the evidence Secre-
tary Sherman stoutly and publicly de-
MED, declaring the statement ttabso-
lutely false' that he had promised
offices to secure delegates, and that he
had never mentioned the subject of his
nomination to anyone who had not first
mentioned it to him.
Meeting this denial the correspondent
gives connected account of the course
pursued by one Fitzpatrick, recently
appointedspecial Agent of the Treasury,
in securing a delegation from North
Carolina for Sherman. He shows that
Fitzpatrick had personal letters of in
PRODUCTION from Sherman; that he went
to North Carolina for the express pur-
pose of encouraging Sherman's can
vass, and that in Sherman's name, he
offered Colonel Keogh, the Chairman of
the North Carolina Republican Com
mittee, who is now Secretary of the
National Committee, good Office,
without work, aud with good pay, if he
would throw his influence on Sherman's 8
side. The correspondents shows, further,
that Sherman himself, having been as
sured that the North Carolina Republi-
cans were in favor of Grant, asked
Keogh to divide the delegation in the
Sherman interest, holding out as an in
Keogh's would be provided for at Gov
ernment expense. And lastly, the cor
respondent shows that the Collector of
Customs at Wilmington and other
Treasury appointees in North Carolina
abandoned their duties in that State
and came to Washington to consult with
Sherman respecting his canvass.
The story of the correspondent puts
Sherman in very awkward position.
The issue of veracity is of compare
lively small importance, for the Secre-
tary's conscience has always been a
trife elastic in such matters. He never
had any hatchet or cherry trees, and if
he were perfectly frank he would un-
doubtedly express profound contempt
for the intellectual or moral weakness
which made it impossible for the Father
of His Country to give his father an
evasive answer. But the being de-
tected in a misuse of Government pat
| ronage is matter of importance. II
implies lack of foresight and shrewd.
ness and an inability to judge fairly as
| to the secretive powers of men en-
| ployed on delicate missions. Knowing
what he does of the temper of the Re.
publican party. Sherman must feel that
he had better have been caught sheep.
stealing than detected in bungling sc
plain a piece of political work as thai
of buying up convention without pay
ing for it out of his own pocket. NJ
Republican Convention that can posi-
bly, be convened will forgive him fol
such a blunder, and the Hamlins ani
Camerons will ridicule him unmerci
fully.
his predicament. and it is by no mean