The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-22
ALGER AND SHERMAN
THE GENERAL REPLIES TO THE
SENATOR'S CHARGE OF
BRIBERY.
THE FAMOUS NOMINATION OF 1888


Before Paid ANY Attention TO the
Charga Of Buying Negro Votes is
That il Had Not ppeared over Sem
ator >hcr,nan'~ Name-AnaIysis OF
t0e Votes Received by yShermap-yhe
s., mator'~ rrolessed Friend hip.
DETROIT. Mich. Nov. 2I.-General
AIgcr has written "a lengthy letter TO
the Detroit Tribune in reply to Sen
ator John Shcrman's charges against
the generals friends, as contained in
the second volume of "Sherman's Re
collections"
The writer quotes Senator Sher-
mans language, in which Sherman, i'm
referring to the circumstances attend
ing the contest in the Republican@Na-
tiOnal Convention of 1888, wrote: II
believe, and had, as | thought, conclu-
sive proof that the friends of General
Alger 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
assertion to the effect that although
he had learned with complaisance of
the explanations of the wavering of
the Ohio and New York delegations
from his (Sherman's) support, that
''the only feeling of resentment enter
tanned was in regard to the action of
the friends of General Alger in tempt
ing with money poor negroes to violate
the instructions of their constituents"
In reply to these questions, General
Alger says that he should not have in
tFuded this matter upon the public
were ii not for the fact that it APP
peared that Senator Sherman had gone
out Of the way to insult his (Alger's)
friends. as well as himself.
What he writes, says Alger
would be less Objectionable were it
not that the second word in the first
paragraph is written in the present
tense.
Gen. Alger says that when the Sena-
tors charges were first made, imme-
diately after the convention he was
especially distressed because of the
warm friendship existing between
himself and family and General W. I.
Sherman and family. In view of this,
he wrote Gen. Sherman, assuring him
that there was no foundation for the
charges and that he had not replied
to them on account, first of the age Of
the Senator, second, of his great name,
and third because of the injury such
talk would do the party.
Gen. Sherman in reply wrote: Il
assure you that | entertain for YOU
the same sentiment Of respect and af-
lection as always. 1t anything ever
shook my faitn in you. it was that you
stopped to the level of politician. \
soldier of repute, a gentleman, and
one who has such family and busi-
ness as Gen. Alger ought to hold him
self above that level. But this is emf
nently a 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 usuage, sure
~ / don't blame you. / laughed at
John for trying to throw off on any
body. He was fairly beaten at the con-
yention. and | congratulated him on
mis- escape | frankly answer your in
quiry by saying that my friendship to
you has not been shaken in the least;
tnat | wIsh you all honor and happi-
ness and that during my short remain
der we may often meet here or on the
Pacific. With great respect, etc,
w. r. SHERMAN.
(P 81 Best love to the family.
Continuing Gen. Alger says that dur
ing the excitement of 1888 he paid lit
tie attention to the reports in question
as nothing had appeared over Senator
Sherman's name, but that now the
case is different. He then gave an am
alysis of the Southern votes received
by Sherman and himself at the Chica-
90 convention. According to this
showing Senator Sherman on the fifth
ballot (the one in which Alger receiv-
ed the highest number of vOteS) re-
ceived 109 votes from Southern States,
against Ayers so not including, how
ever, % votes from Arkansas and Mis-
souri, which came voluntarily pledged
to Alger. under the leadership respect
lively of Gen. Powell Clayton and Hon.
Chauncey /. Fi!lcy. Of the other six
tY Gen. Algcr writes that more than
half OF the men had served i'm the TN
ion or Southern armies during the war,
and it was not unnatural that they
should prefer Il soldier to a civilian.
Many of these people | knew personal
ly."
The General mentions 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 my
belalf or votes for me at the conven-
tion ever asked for, or received a sin
gle pledge from me for money or for
any office"
Gen. 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 appointment had been great |
he did not believe that Alger had any
part in the scramble for votes, etc, in
'S8. Alger also quotes an autograph |
letter written him by Senator Sher-
man in 1892, in which the latter re-
asserts, Il cherish no prejudice or un-
kindness for the incident of the ma
tional convention of 1885"
"In conclusion" writes Gen. Alger, |
"I viii only add, that if Senator Sher-