The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-11-22
ALGER AND SHERMAN.
The Michigan Soldier Answers the
Ohio Statesman,
SENATORS STATEMENTS DENIED.

General Algor Declares That No Money
Was Used at the Convention to Influence
Delegates in His Favor, AS Charged by
the Senator.
DETROIT, Nov. 22.--General r. A. Alger
has written alengthy letter to The Tribune
in reply to Senator John Sherman's
charges against the generals friends, as
contained in the second volume Of Sher-
mans recollections
The writer quotes Senator Sherman's
language in which Sherman, in referring
to the circumstances attending the contest
In the Republican national convention of
1888, wrote II believe, and had as thought,
conclusive proof that the friends of Gen
eral Alger substantially purchased the
votes of many of the delegates from the
southern states who had been instructed
by their conventions TO vote for me-"
He quotes Senator Sherman's assertion
to the effect that, although he had learned
with complaisance of the explanations of
the wayering of the Ohio and New York
delegation from his (Shermans) support
that the only feeling of resentment 1 en-
tertained was in regard to the action OF
the friC n Is of General Alger in tempting
with money poor negroes to violate the in
structions of their constituents"
In reply to these quotations, General AL
ger says that he should not have intruded
this matter upon the public were 1t not for
the fact that it appeared that Senator
Sherman had gone out of the way to in
suit his (Alger's) friends, as well as him
self
General Alger says that when the SEN
ator's charges were first made, immodi
ately after the convention, he was es-
pecially distressed because of the warm
friendship existing between himself and
family and General w. r. Sherman and
family. In view of this, he wrote General
Sherman, assuring him that there was no
foundation for the charges, and that he
had not replied to them on account of the
age of the senator, of his great name, and
because of the injury such talk would do
the party
General Sherman in reply wrote: 81 as
sure you that l entertain for you the same
sentiment of respect and affection as al
ways If anything ever shook my faith in
you, it was that you stopped to the level of
politician. A soldier of repute, gentle
man and one who has such Il family and
business as General Alger, ought to hold
himself above that level But this is
eminently free country and you had as
good right to enter the race as had John
Sherman. You made good show of votes,
and if you bought some, according to uni
versal usage, surely don't blame you.
laughed at John for trying to throw off on
anybody. He was fairly beaten at the CON
vention, and l congratulated him on his
escape
Continuing General Alger says that dur
ing the excitement of 'SS he paid little at
tention to the reports in question, as moth
ing had appeared over Senator Sherman's S
name, but that now the case is different
He then gives an analysis of the southern
votes received by Sherman and himself at
the Chicago convention. According to
this showing Sherman on the fifth ballot
(the one in which Alger received the high
! est number of votes) received 100 votes
from southern states, against Alger's 60,
/ notincluding however, twenty eight votes
from Arkansas and Missouri which came
voluntarily pledged to Alger, under the
leadership of General Howell Clayton and
Hon. Chauncey 1. Filley. OF the other
sixty General Alger states that more than
half of them "had served in the union or
southern armies during the war, and it
was not unnatural that they should prefer
a soldier to a civilian"
The general mentions list of soldiers
and other friends of his among these dele
| gates, whom he concludes naturally used
! their utmost endeavors with their re-
spective delegates in his behalf and adds
"No delegate or friend who went to Chi
cago in my behalf, or voted for me at the
convention, ever asked for or received O
single pledge from me, for money or for
any office.
| General Alger relates instances of the
! friendship between himself and the sena-
/ tor of late years, and of assurances given
! him by Sherman that while his disap-
pointment had been great he did not be-
| lieve that Alger had any part in the scram-
Bile for votes, etc, in SS.
"In conclusion" writes General Alger
II will only add, that if Senator Sherman
| is willing to leave record made up largely
of adverse criticisms of the public men OF
his day, many of whom have passed from
earth he is welcome to the task l am
| sure he stands alone among our public
| men who would be willing by his own act
| to blight the honorable record of the liv
| ing and the dead