Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-05-27

Tho Columbus o. Dispatch of last Fri-
day made public letter alleged to have
been written by President Grant to
Senator Conkling twelve years ago.
It ia as follows:
'rNEw YORK, May, 1880.
Nv DEAR Mr.. CoyKLIyG-I am in re-
ceint of your last letter, and have very con-
siderately weighed the matter in all its
bearings. The tribute you pay my serv-
ices to the country / appreciate, but at the
same time fear you over estimate my
services and under estimate the indulgence
of our country. There have been exigencles
that warranted a second term, but don
believe that the best interests or the coun-
try's good ever demanded third term OF
ever will.
"I had nv doubts even as to advisable.
;tv Of a second term, and you know that L
have so expressed myself to you IN our
confidential talks. This is big country,
full of brainy and ambitious men, who can
serve the country eminently well as its
president, and I sincerely question the
policy of thwarting their noble ambition.
I'm a public. cosmopolitan country like ours
= mans fame is too frequently dependent
unon the status of public sentiment. Fame
in this country ebbs and flows. To-day
Won are the peer; tomorrow you may De
submerged beneath the wave of adverse
sentiment. This is another reason why the
noble ambition to be president should not
be restricted to one man. / feel that our
country has amply repaid me Tor all my
services by the honors it has bestowed up
ON me, and feel that to be candidate or
accept the nomination for q tnlro term
would be ingratitude, and would eventual-
ly affect me with the people VINO nave ioV-
ed me and whom love.
"I am still of the opinion that l snouIa
speak to the country, that should Dreak
the silence in letter declining emphati.
caIlv to accept nomination for a third
term. I sppl eciate your efforts, your
friendship and loyalty, but fear that your
zealousness for me is an error, not OF heart
but of mind. Knowing that with all your
nobleness YOU have highly sensitive ma
ture, and knowing your antipathy 10 tne
Maine statesman, / have always refarlned
from speaking of him to you, but L now
feel that / should speak on the matter, and
plainly. This arrangement between you
two. unless checked, must prove a mutual
disadvantage. It will hurt Mr.. Conkling.
II will hurt Mr.. Blaine. 1t will be stumb-
ling block in the way of the ambitions oil
both. believe that could the differences
existing be amicably adjusted the nomlna-
ton this year would 60 to one, leaving tne
honor four years hence more than proba-
bility for the other. 1t is not only necess-
ary for the good of each that an amicapie
adjustment be reached, but for the goo
of the party, and more for the good OF the
country.
II fear that the presentation OF my name
at the convention would not only assist IN
- 1r H. ploino bnt QprlOuRfv AZ
feet your future, besides warping my
career. Even should I be nominated II
could only come after spirited contest,
in which much bitterness would be inject
ed. and then doubt if / could be elected,
as 1 seriously doubt whether any man can
ever again be elected, even for q second
term, unless perchance there should ARISE
some extraordinary emergency, when now
appears improbable even in the dim future.
II am aware that this. matter has gone
on to an extent where an announcement
from me refusing to accept would be LOOK
ed upon by some as cowardice. But would
it not be far better to be considered
coward than usurperf also appreciate
your position as you say, 1.-The maj anu :,
supreme effort of your life for supremacy,
vet in face of all / still believe that my
name should not be presented. Ana
further, / believe that your anxiety about
the effect an announcement from me would
have on your future is an error.
s1 trust you will consider gravely and
carefully my wishes. l am generous
enough to suffer myself rather than to have
nv friends suffer, if | am convinced that
any act of mine would cause them to suf-
fer. Awaiting your reply before acting, l
US. GRANT"