New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE DEMOCRATIC PLOT TO DEFEAT sHER
MAN.
HOW 1T WAS DISCOVERED AND DEFEAIEp'

| MAN.
HOW 1T WAS DISCOVERED AND DEFEATED
! To the Edftor Of The Trtonne
SIR. Although had kept the secret OF the
matter pretty closely and supposed that not 70 eAe
four or five persons at the outside knew about H. yet
find tho following with reference to 1t In the washington
correspondence OF Tho Cincinnati OonmercIa' OF 'no
18th inst referring TO the Democratic conspnacs ~
defeat Sherman for the Senate, and the manner oi Ito
| exposure and defeat,
| DEMOCRATIC PLOT THwARTED.
| THE NEw-YoRK TRIBUNE to-day has tho foIowlng
valuable Information Letters wef recently sent Ooth
to Judge Taft and the Hon. STANLEY MattheWs ~ M, 90
bers of the Ohio Legislature asking them individually II
they would accept the nomination TO the senate II
rendered by n fusion OF Democrats and Repuoheahs:
Judge TAFT made no reply, but MT Matlhe repeu t
he would not accept such nomination, but would accept
one from the Republicans Letters have been received
here by Ohio statesmen bringing the ineiIgehco tns
these proposals the result OF Democratic piot 10
defeat Secretary sherman The whole OF tae
BY the AID dissatisfied Republicans to carry the
refusal of Judge Taft entertain the PROPOSE ION de
feated the project and Secretary Sherman election 10
believed to be certain.
may not be uuin .eresng to your readers 10 nave
brief account this all came about because the
above paragraph from The Commercial is inaccurate III
some OF the details, though in the main correct Inc
letters were written by members OF the Legislature
but by myself ana the letters from Judges Iat ana
Matthews in the plot were botn addressed to
me- nclosed for your Inspection ana TO corroD
orate my statements The paragraph in question does
great Injustice to Judge Taft in stating that he made no
| reply.
As early as the 81 Of December learned from Dem
ocratic Editor connected with The ono Statesman
fhat there was purpose well understood and agreed
upon AMONG tho Democrats to unite on any man VINO
should with their solid help in the Legislature, be able
10 overcome the Sherman in that tody and so run
in either Taft or Matthews by the help OF the Foster
men, II Foster should prove too weak to defeat sherman
the scnatorship He gave me detailed account OF
the whole plot with such particularly OF Names places
dates and conversations left doubt in my mind
to the rulhfuness Of his statements. Immediately In
formed Judge Lawrence First Controller OF the Treas
ury, by telegraph, in order that he might Mr.
shermans friends OF this secret danger and the same
day wrote long letters to Judges Tart and Matthews
asking II they would suffer their names to be used
in that way and inquirIng they would accept cleo
ton 10 the United Senate upon any such terms
adding had heard from private that they
both decided not to be candidates against Secretary
sherman. Their answers which brief and could not
be understood ut all without this explanation fol-
lows, verbatim:
n,, co,,,..u CI HaH1S "a J D2e 7, 1880.
DEAR SIR; You have been correctly Informed that
am not I'm the Senatorial race Thanking you for your
kind expressions in your letter of inquiry am respect
fully and truly yours A. TAFT.
YOUNGSTOWN Dec. T, 1880.
III DEAR SIR; Your letter OF the 3D. instant found
here to-day, where am engaged in the discharge OF
q professional duty Yon inquire II am candidate
understand you to use the word have that
If the position, however should he rendered me by
Republican members OF the Legislature would not
decline to accept It
For your good Offices heretofore you have my grateful
Acknowledgements Yours truly,
STANLEY MATTHEWS.
Hon. j. NJ DALzELL, Caldwell, ONO.
And thus ended the shor-ved plot Of the Democrats
to procure fusion candidate strong enough by their
votes in the General Assembly to defeat Secretary sher
man.
/ may add that have every TO believe that
Democratic overtures made to Messrs Taft and
Matthews directly in to induce them to become
parties TO this conspiracy, and that all such overtures
were instantly repealed WITH deserved contempt both by
Judge Matthews and Judge Taft.
PRIVATE DALZELL.
Oo,,,ubus ObiO Dec. 1890