The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-22

DETROIT, Nov. 21.-GeneraI r. "A.
Alger has written a lengthy letter to-
/ the Detroit Tribune in reply to Senator
John Shermans charges against the
| generals friends, as contained in the
second volume of Sherman's recoIlec-
tions.
The writer quotes Senator Sherman's
language, in which Sherman, in refer
ring to the circumstances attending
the contest in the Republican national
convention of 1885, wrote:
Il believe and had. as 1 thought, con-
elusive proof that the friends of Gem
eral AIger substantially purchased the
votes of many of the delegates from
the southern states, who had been in
/ structed by their conventions to vote
for me-"
He also quotes Senator sherman's as
sertion to the effect that although he
/ had learned with complaisance
of the desertion of delega-
tions from his (Sherman's) sup
port that the only feeling of resent
ment 1 entertained was in regard to-
! the action of the friends of General
AIger in tempting with money poor ne
| groeS to violate the instructions of
( their constituents"
In reply to these quotations, General
| Alger says that he should not have in
/ truded this matter upon the public
/ were it not for the fact that it appeared
/ that Senator Sherman had gone out of
/ his way to insult his (Alger'9 friends
as we'll as himself.
What he writes says General AL
ger, would be less Objectionable were
it not that the second word in the first
paragraph is written in the present
/ tense"
General AIger says that Senator
/ ShermanS charges were first made i'm
mediately after the convention. He was
especially distressed. because of the
warm friendship existing between him
self and family and General W. T.
/ 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 re-
piled to them on account: First, of the
I age of the senator; second, of his great
name, and third. because of the INJURY
such talk would do the party.
sherman's Reply.
General Sherman, in reply. wrote:
81 assure you that I entertain for
YOU the sentiment of respect and af-
lection always If anything ever
shook my faith in you it was that
! you stopped to the level of a politician.
A soldier of repute, a gentleman, and
one who has such family and bust
ness as General Alger ought to hold
/ himself above that level But this is
eminently g. free country, and you
| had as good a right to enter the race
| as had John Sherman. You made a
| good show of votes, and if you bought
some. according to universal usage.
surely L don't blame you. 1 laughed
at John for trying to throw off on
anybody. He was fairly beaten at that
convention and I congratulated him
on his escape. I frankly answer your
inquiry by saying that my friendship
to you has not been shaken in the
least; that I wish you all honor and
happiness, and that during my short
remainder we may often meet here
and on the Pacific. With great re-
spect, etc. W. T. SHERMAN"
''P. S.-Best love to the family"
Now it is Different.
Continuing. General Alger says that
during the excitement of 'SS ne paid
little attention to the report in ques-
ton, as nothing had appeared over
Senator Sherman'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 Chi
cago convention. According to this
showing Senator Sherman on the fifth
ballot Ghe one in which A1ger re-
ceived the highest number of votes)
received 100 votes from southern
states, against Ayers so, not fncluI-
ing, however, % votes from Arkansas
and Missouri, which came voluntarily
pledged to Alger under the leadership
! respectively of General Powell CLAYTON
and Chauncey I. Filley. OF the other
sixty General Alger writes that no
more than one-half of them chad
served either in the Union or southern
armies during the war, and it was
not unnatural that they would prefer
a soldier to a civilian. Many of these
people I knew personally
The general mentions a. list of SOL
diers and other friends of his, among
these delegates whom, he concludes.
naturally used their utmost endeavors
with their respective delegates in his
behalf, and adds: mo delegate or
friend who went to Chicago in my be-
half, or voted for me at the conven-
ton, ever asked for or received a sim
gle pledge from me for money or any
Office
That Friendship.
General Alger relates instances of the
friendship between himself and the
senator of late years. and of assur-
ances given him by Sherman that while
his disappointment had been great, ne
did not believe that Alger had any
part in the scramble for votes. ETC.. in
1888 Alger also quotes an autograph
letter written him by Sherman in 1892,
in which the senator reasserts: at
cherish no prejudice or unkindness for
the incident of the national coaven-
ton of 1885,
I'm conclusion" writes General Al
ger, 81 will only add that if Senator
Sherman is willing to leave a record
made up largely of adverse criticisms
of the public men of his day, many of
whom have passed from eartn, ne is
welcome to the task. I am sure he
stands alone among our public men,
| who 1un1IId he willing hv hia own ACT