The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1888-12-21

o. The 26th, 1hAll c0nstrue It as absolutely con
ny family that i have heard from yon. and
though You may not expect on answer I hope
yo1 viii not construe one as unwarranted.
OF the compass to . similar effect, enc or two ol
which l have answered frankly, but the great
mass axo unanswered.
ought not to submit myself to the eheap
ridicule OF declining hi is not offered, but q
ts only fair to the many really able men who
rsghtfully aspirs 70 The high honor Of being Pres.
that I am not n must not be construed a. Q
rival IN svesy mans Me occurs an eroeh when
be must choose big own career and when he
plaoe his destiny IN tbs hands Of friends. Mime
Scesrrsd in Ieuisisna. when. in 1861. alone in
sns %ao I s. 81 o, : People e st.s s5tn Ss th BY u :nRpo's az
VIII to citing s.af ssacs then. through ssls' fsetio Sa
ny ismiiiy; and friends could ask. We are now
tn . god house Of our own choice, with reason.
able proyi.ions for Old age. surrounded by Kind
c eas haSlMiais,ng /. 1 he'd X re- ness s e%e, snd ysSsr whefe
e contact with a. Industrious and frugal peo-
bhefman nom childhood, have also known each
md ~ The members OF my family, ard can under
eSAnd without an explanation from mo how
to innueacs my 81 Tut i viii not not even even
throw Cd OF them the responsibility.
Twill not in any event entertain or accept Q
UO@1U8&1Ou - u C0uUIO0t0 IOr EI6SlOelt Nv tho
Chicago Republican Convention. or any other
convention, for lessons personal to myself. I
claim that the civil war. in which 1 sin:l " did
plished peace that nj itary men have an ALSO.
lutte right to rest, and to demand that the men
who have been schooled in the arts and practice
Any senator . can ass step nS from rom his SEM chair ra at ti.s c Capt.
toll into the Whit I. House aud flu ill the office
Of President with moe skill ind success than Q
Grant, sherman or Sheridan, who were sollicrs
b. education and nature, who filled well thsir
o@ce when the country was in danger, but were
not eehoolsd In the practice by which civil COM
that our experience since 1855 demonstrates the
ruth o. this my proposition. Therefore I say
that patriotism does not demnnd Of me what I
Hon, and Of ~sslf-interest.
! have my personal Affairs in q slate Of abso-
lutte safety and comfort. low no man a cent,
vce!th oe power. no complications or indirect
lahlfties. and would account myself q fool. a
mailman, m ass. to embark anew at sixty-tive
moment tempest-tossei by perhdy. the dcfalca-
tton. the dishone4ty or neglect Of any single one
q . hundred thousand subordinates utterly u
not to say the eterna! worriment by a vast host
g! tmpeountous friends and old military subor.
dtnAtee.. Even 81 IT lis 1 am tortured by the
srs. but az President thesc would be multiplied
beyond human endurance.
lremember we'll tho experience Of Generals
AayAo, Skkllt. IibSobs uuti
Garfield, ell elected because of their military
services, and am warned. not encouraged, by
thor sad experiences.
Tho civilians Of the United States should and
must buffet with this thankless Office. and leave
us old soldiers to sntoy the peace we fought for,
and think We earned. With profound respect,
your friend, w. 7. SHERMAN.
These letters prove absolutely that Mr..
Blaine. though qualified. w~aivedto me per-
eonally q nomination which the world still
believes hc coveted for himself.
For copies OF these letters Ibclieve i have
been tmportuned a thousand times. but as 1,
soldier I claim the privilege of unmusklng
my batteries when l please.
In giving to the North american RepieU
- this late day these letters. which thus far
have re9ained hidden In my private files. ]
eommit6o breach Of confidence. and TO put
at rest O matter OF constant In.
CURRY referred to in my letter of
Hay %. 1881. here record that my
Immediate family arc strongly Catholic. /
an not and can:sot be. That is all the
public hos a r'::,..c to know: nor do I wish
to be consil ued as departing from a resolve
made forty years ago never to embark in
politics. The brightest IN best youth OF
our land have been drawn into that mael-
strom. and their wrecked fortunes strew
the beach Of the ocean of time. My nom.
DRY even in its short time brings up names
ofVctims by the hundreds. II no~tthousands.