The Portland daily press., 1895-10-22
The Long Expected Book Of Ohie's
Senator.
HE TELLS SOME NEW POLITICAL
HISTORY.
It's a Lengthy Book and Very Interesting
The Senator Speaks Plainly OF HIM
self, Public Men and Public Matters.


tiOns of.. Forty Years in the House. Senate
and Cabinet The expectation that Mr.
Sherman would reveal, in this work,
secrets long kept from the public has been
to an extent realized. The book Is
evidently intended by the author as an
exposition of the financial policy OF the
Republican party which to great extent
is his own, and about the extensive
history OF American finances Is woven
anecdote and personal reminiscence OF
interest to every student of politics.
The author. while carefully avoiding
direct charge of treachery on the part OF
the ex-President, makes it plain that Mr..
Garfield was nominated at convention
to which he had gone as the trusted
leader of the Sherman forces.
The sting felt by Garfield's defectlon
in 1880 is shown by sentiment expressed
during the discussion of the national con-
vention of 1899, where the Senator re-
marks:
"From later developments, became
satisfied that Harrison could not be
elected, that Platt and a powerful New
York influence would defeat him II
nominated / therefore preferred the
nomination OF new man, such as
William Mckinley. but he had committed
himself to Harrison, and, according to
my code of honor could not accept
nomination even if rendered him.
When it was remembered that Blaine
was also a candidate for the presidency
before the convention that nominated
Garfield, the significance of the following
explanation by Senator Sherman why he
was not reappointed by President Garfield
as Secretary of the Treasury IS readily
understood:
esIn the latter part OF November, 1880.
Gen. Garfield came to Washington and
called upon Mr. Blaine, who, it is under
stood was to be Secretary of State. Gar
field came to my house directly from
Blaine's and informed me that he had
rendered that Office to Blaine, and that
it was accepted. He said that Blaine
thought it would not be politio to con-
tinue me as Secretary of the Treasury, as
it would be regarded as an unfriendly
discrimination by other members of
Hayes's cabinet. promptly replied that
agreed with the opinion of Blaine and
was candidate for the Senate. -
Again the author reyerts to the Chicago
! convention in discussing
THE CHARACTER OF PRESIDENT
UA INr LIZ LII
of his personality and eloquence he speaks
in the highest terms His will power, he
says, was not up to his personal mag
netism. His opinion changed easily.
HARRISON.
Concerning the result of the national
convention of 1888, which brought about
the nomination of ex-President Harrison,
Mr.. Sherman says that he became salts
fed that one delegate from New York
controlled the entire delegation from that
state, and between Saturday night when
the nomination seemed certain to go to
Sherman, and Monday morning, when
the tide turned in favor of Harrison, a
corrupt bargain was made in the interests
of the latter, which secured him the sup
port of New York, and gave him tne
nomination. The author states, however.
in fairness to the ex President: lit is
to the credit of Gen. Harrison to say that,
| if the reputed bargain was made, it was
without his consent at the time - Mr.
Sherman does not hesitate to state that IN
1892 he did not consider Harrison STRONG
candidate To his cold and abrupt man
ner he attributes his unpopularity at that
| time.
The severest criticism of Gen. Grant, is
| found in the following:
During the entire period OF Grant S
administration, | was chairman OF the
| committee on finance OF the Senate, and
had to act upon all questions Oh tax,
ations debt banking, or finance, and
had occasion to talk with the President
upon such measures, but he rarely ex-
pressed an opinion or took any interest in
| them.
Sentor Sherman recalls the affair over
the attempt to remove Chester A. Arthur
from the collectoIship of the port OF New
York with much feeling. The CORES
pondence bearing on the controversy,
never before published, is given in full,
and Mr.. Sherman's part as Secretary OF
the Treasury is stated in detail. Arthur
| Is shown up in an unenviable light, and
| the attitude of Ros coe Conkling towards
| the President is caustically commented
upon. The formers nomination as Vice
President, Mr.. Sherman says was tie
whim of Conkling to annoy President
Hayes.
MIR Sherman speaks in the highest
| terms of President Hayes.
sHERMAN'S WILD OATS.
| In writing about bimself Mr.. Sherman
| is candid to the Eoint of self criticism
He states that at the age OF nineteen
years he got into bad company, and was
! on several occasions conscious of being
intoxicated. In relating the incident
which influenced his whole life in this
respect. he says;
"On one occasion, the fall of 1880, l
went home very sick from drinking MY
mother received me with much surprise
and sorrow, but neither complained nor
scolded, and with the utmost Kindness
put me to bed and watched over ana =
cared for me- was not enough stupeneti
| to be unconscious of my degradation, and
her affection, and then and there resolved
never to be in such condition again.
AS showing the stinging criticism OF
which he is capable, the following state
ment made by Mr.. Sherm an, at the time
| the impeachment proceedings against
PRESIDENT JOHNSON
| were instituted, ID of interest:
ssThe truth is. he is slave to his
passions and resentments. No man can
confide in him. I regard him as foolish
and stubborn man, doing even right
things in wrong way, and in a position
where the evil that he does is immensely
t.-.1.:. ,x,anuor of 6OinO it ~