The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-11-23

| would Not be Insulted, and that IL ths
Nomination were offered Him He would
PeremptoriIy Decline It-It All Cams
About over John sherman's Failure ts
! Hold His Own State-Garfield would
have Done the same If He had Beer
There.
New York; Nov. Pin a letter to
| the Tribune Richard Smith. formerly
editor Of the Cincinnati Commercial.
replies as follows to what Senator Sher-
man says in his book of Garfeld's NOM
nation
OF course II the Blaine men had gone
to Sherman he would have been NOM
mated, but whatever may have been
said In private there were no indEca-
tions in convention of any such ten
dency. had not been able to discov-
er any exhibition Of disloyalty to Sher-
man on the part Of mis- friends. These,
however. could not fail to discover that
the efforts to nominate Sherman were
hopeless. 1 think Foster frequently
gave expression to this feeling. While
doing what he could for his friend. he
did not claim everything. AS well
might one claim an election at the polls
when defeat was inevitable.
To show the effect of the division In
the Ohio delega ton and the coldness
that existed toward Sherman 1 will re-
late an incident.
I had letter Of Introduction 10 one
of the leading California delega tes, and
I presented It. At my request a con-
ference with that delegation was secur-
ed. William McKinlay. Benjamin But
terworth, Dr. W. r. Thrall, and my
self, all warm supporters Of Mr.. Sher-
man, rode down TO the headquarters of
the California delegation. A confer
ence was held. 1t may be stated that
the California delegation was solid and
enthusiastically for Blaine. but we
were heard kindly and patiently. though
not favorably.
OHIO DELEGATION DIVIDED.
One Of the delegates turned upon US
and said: Gentlemen, why should
YOU ask us to vote for Sherman when
ten of the forty-four delegates from
Ohio are voting against him, and when
two Of that delegation are freely spok-
en- Of as candidates themselves? Cen
eral Garfield is one of these, and you,
Major Mckinley, are another. Tt does
seem to us that Sherman should get
his own state first, and then he might
have ground for asking the other
staes." I shall never forget the indig-
nation expressed by Mckinley on that
occasion. Turning to the California
delegate, he said: "Sir, would suffer
my right erm to be amputated at the
shoulder rather than to permit my
name to be used as a candidate in that
If such a nomination
should be offered me 1 would perempto-
rily decline it. am for Sherman hon
estly and enthusiastically. without ifs
or butts" That was a, manly declara-
ton, and as sincere as 1t was unreserv-
ed. Had Garfield been present at that
interview I feel shure he would have
said as much as Mckinley did.
1t has been said that the nomination
Of Garfield was arranged in advance
II was talked about du-
ring the progress of the convention, but
that Garfield was consulted. OF that he |
was a party to it. and that he did not |
do his best to secure the nomination |
Of Sherman. I do not believe. He was |
however, placed in a position of great |
On the floor of the !
he antagonized Mr.. Conk- |
u
the unit rule, and efeated him. He |
was largely cheered. Had the unit !
rule been adopted think Grant would /
nave been nominated on the first or sec
md ballot, and its defeat was the de- |
eat of Grant. Thereafter as Garfield |
walked to his seat and as he rose to |
speak he was cheered, and these |
,heers kept on increasing until every
BODY could see that the tendency was /
.oward him. Early in this stage of the |
proceedings he came into my room. 1 |
aid to him there was a surprise in store !
or him and he might as we'll prepare
or ii. He said that ne could not con-
sent to it. That he would be charged !,
With disloyalty to Sherman, and he
would not do anything to justify such
/ charge for the nomination and cleo
ion. But in spite of himself he was
and it is not worth while
or any one to try to charge his elec-
ion or the defeat Of Sherman or Blaine
n Grant to disloyalty on the part Of
heir professed friends
MAN FOR EMERGENCY.
An emergency had arisen, as an en-
rgency arose in Cincinnati, which had
o be met.and in this case the solution !
vas sought through the nomination OF
WHO NdQ not Deen a Cdn0lOate l
md who, prior to the convention, had
rot been seriously thought Of
In nominating Sherman he made a
-reat speech. 1t was eloquent. 1t was
asy to see that his utterances proceed
d from the heart; he felt all that he
aid. and his deliverance electrified the
It was in striking con-
rast TO that OF Mr.. Conkling. TO which
have referred. and from that moment
fairfield was hooked upon, now by a
ew, then by a. greater number, and
light along by increasing numbers, as
possibility. To this circumstance and
0 the antagonisms Of Grant, Sherman
nd Blaine. then attributed. and stiu
tribute. Garfield's nomination.
The remark was frequently made at
hat time that OF Garfield had been the
andidate and Sherman had presented
i'm to the convention the latter would
ave been nominated.
Men who become candidates and con-
uct campaigns for a nominal ton nat
rally and inevitably create antagon-
;mS which make themselves felt when
convention assemblies. and under such |
ondiGons the outcome IS surrounded
y an atmosphere OF uncertainty. That
as the case at Cincinnati. and in 1850 !
was simply history repeating itself
As 10 the nomination for vice preSi-
= ,---N--