American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-03-06
The Other Sherman and Another
Correspondent.

Correspondent.
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 Gdzette, 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-
eut advantage of the correspondent in
each. With the general aspect of the
tirst-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
a 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 evil
dence of this it was urged that he had
appointed a 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 a 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 ''abso-
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
appointed special 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, 4 good office,
without work, and with good pay, if he
would throw his influence on Sherman
side. The correspondent 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
ducement an intimation that a friend of
Keogh's would be provided for at Gov
eminent 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 a very awkward position.
The issue of veracity is of compare
lively small importance, for the Secre-
tary's conscience has always been .
trifle elastic in such matters. He never
had any Ratchet or cherry trees, and if
he were perfectly frank he would I'M
doubleday 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. 1t
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 so
plain piece of political work as that
of buying up a convention without pay
ing for it out of his own pocket. No
Republican Convention that can posi-
bly, be convened will forgive him for
such blunder, and the Hamlins and
Camerons will ridicule him unmerci-
fully.
There is but one possible way out of
his predicament, and it is by no means
sure that even that can successfully be
made use of. 1t has been tried before
under somewhat similar circumstances,
but as the result has not yet been
reached it cannot be regarded as abso-
lutely certain. 1t is worth trying. how
ever, as a last resort. 1t is the method
adopted by Sherman, the General. Let
Sherman, the Secretary, proclaim that
the correspondent who has exposed him
would SANDER his mother for $1,000,
and he may possibly postpone the dis
cussion of his particular issue until
libel suit has been brought and tried.
Pending such a suit. perhaps, the dele
gates to the National Convention might
be induced to suspend judgment, and
by judicious appeal to the laws delays,
the case could be easily kept open until
after the Convention. 1t is not a very
hopeful prospect, because the cores
pendent may decline to bring libel
suit and insist upon making his charges
good. But it is the only hope Sherman
has.-Detrott Free Press.