The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-24
GENERAL wICKHAM'S LETTER.
RICHMOND, VA, June 16, 1880.

John ". WOttz, Esq:
Dear Sir,-Going TO the Chicago Conven-
tion AS a friend OF General Grant, and hav-
ing. as chairman OF toe Virginia state Re
nublic.n Convention, signed the creden-
| ti,ls OF the twenty-five Virginia delegates
| 10 Chicago, with the instructions or the
Convention embodied in the credentials TO
vote for General Grant, | was, OF course,
surprised TO find that there was any hesta-
lion on the part Of any member OF the dele
cation TO carry out these instructions.
! Finding that you were one OF tue number,
and knowing YOUR attachment to Mr.. Sher-
man, | approached you, urged upon you
the propriety or carrying out instructions,
which at least regarded as absolutely COLI
trolling, and impressed upon you the iact' IN
nv Judgment, that it was to Mr.. sherman
interest that you and his other eSpeciaI
| friends in the delegation Shouid carry OUT
the instructions and thus make a iavoraDie
impression upon the frenGs OF General
Grant. which composed majority OF our del-
ecation: that thus il it was iound that Gene-
raj Grant could not be nomlnated-the appa-
| rent contest being between Mr.. Blaine anu
| General Graut--we would unquestlonaDly
return the kindness by throwing our iinu-
once FOR Mr.. Sherman at any time at which
it would appear that General Grant was out
~ the contest: and added that ! was per-
fectly satisfied in my own NINA lhat IL was
the noljcv OF the friends of Mr.. Sherman in
the Convention to adopt the most cOncilia-
tory action toward the friends OF General
Grant. and thus incline them to go as a
body TO bis support when the occasion
arose. and feel confident that bad not Ar.
| Sherman's friends abandoned him at the
particular crisis that they did, negotiations
and combinations could in all probability
have been made which would have resulted
in the nomination OF Mr.. Sherman.
Upon this presentation OF the case you de-
termined 10 act in accord with the Gram
mon ca long as General Grant occupied
such position before the Convention al
gave fair ground to suppose that the nomi
nation might be within his reach, ana die
ca oct and certain | am that II was In ne
w,v detrimental to the interests OF Mr
sherman. as SO long as the bslloting contin
nod nm TO the last ballot, the contest wa
entirely between General Grant ana Mr
Blaine. -. an
7 should certainly, il there had been OPP
nortnnitv TO have controlled the action o
he convention when the break took place
ca as IN secure the nomination for Mr.. Sher
mon-General Grant being out OF tue ques
tion-baye carried out my promise 10 yO'
and underworld to have the solid vote
Virginia cast for Mr.. sherman. The othe
friends Of Mr.. Sherman in the delegaIioi
saw the matter in Just the same llSnt ah'
acted IN accord with you.
myself yield to no man IN admiral1Dl
Tor Mr.. sherman, personally and politically
and certainly cannot suppose that he can 10
moment question the fealty OF his friend
here, who believed that with me snow 0
hands which we had before ballot was n i;I
at Chicago, it was wiser to conclila'c IN
friends OF the leading candidate, WIN
view. should be fall out OF the line, to brln
/ his strength to Mr.. sherman's support ina pa
70 to- cast mere complimentary votes for hin
which would in no way affect the ullimat
result. .u ,,oooss,u, 4
vour canvass in the First district
'''' am truly yours.
W. &. WICKHAM.