The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-24
SOME BLEMISHES
In Great Career " sherman's In.
tcllcctual Condition. When no En-.
tered President McKin1cy's Cabinet.

In Great Career ~ Sherman's In.
tclicctual Condition. When no En-.
tered President NJ Kin1cy's Cabinet.
A Peculiar Experiences. III.
Washington correspondence OF the
Chicago Record: Since he left the cab
,ne, Mr.. Sherman has been enjoying the
very best of health. APPEARED to be in
excellent spirits and started upon the
excursion to the West indies with as
much eagerness as boy OF fifteen
years OF age might have shown. He
was the guest OF Colgate Hoyt. of New
York, whose wife wass a daughter 0:
his brother, the late Charles Sherman,
who lived In Cleveland and was also
the father OF the wife Of General Miles
and the wife OF Don Cameron.
Mr.. Sherman's moods and disposition
appear TO have undergone a radical
change within the last year or SO. He
was formerly noted for his retIcence, his
GOODNESS OF temperament and his lack
OF sympathy with Others Recently he
has become garrulous. genial and inter-
ested in verybody. He was considered
selfish ard narrow, and George Butler
once said hat II q knife. were plunged
into his heart 1t would come out covered
with frost. This disposition did not in
terfere with his success as n politician,
although 1t probably prevented his
nomination for the presidency. His
force OF character. hts comprehensive
abilities. his power OF statement and
his skill In the management OF politic-
a! affairs were sufficient to accomplish
all his ambitions, exceptsthe presi-
dencF, without the aid OF the genial and
sunshiny disposition Mr.. Blaine pos
sesscd, fs,E-5 .-L
For ycnrs Mr.. Sherman has been con-
sidered the ablest Of American states
men. He probably accomplished more
during his career and had greater In
fluence upon the politics and the policy
OF this country and upon public events
than any other man OF his time. 1t was
pity that his career should have ended
as Il did In failure to grasp the Of
fairs of the state department. but the
president was not aware OF the extent
OF his mental weakness, and 1t was a
long time before others OF the cabinet
realized how lnflrm Mr.. Sherman's In
tcllect had become. His forgetfulness,
his querulousness and his almost child
lsh simplicity were not apparent at all
times. There would be days wherein
his mental vigor reappeared in a man.
ner that was phenomenal then. with
out warning, he would lapse into a
senl!e disability that was pltiful.
The president-elect sent his cousin,
William Mckinley Osborne, now con-
sul-general at London to Washington,
to ascertain whether Mr.. Sherman
might oe induced to consider PROPOSE
ton 10 transfer his sphere Of usefulness
from the senate 20 the department OF
state. He arrived at o'clock one af-
tesnoon In January, 1897. took 4 room
nj the Arlington hotel, got his dinner,
and then called at Mr.. Sherman's house,
The latter had an unhappy faculty OF
forgetting people. Some OF his oldest
friends were never. surprised II he did
not recognize them. one.day when he
found Justice Mckenna. one OF his
cabinet colleagues, sitting in the
presidents room he wentees up to him,
shook hands cordially andFasked him II
ne was not member OF Congress. As
NJ. Mchenna had been sitting beside
Nj. sherman a. the cabinet table twice
surprised at the question. ~ -.''.
Mr.. Sherman had met Mr.. Osborne
many times. but did not remember him.
Whe. his Identity was fully establish
ed Mr.. Osborne explained, ,asSdelicateIy
as possible. that the president:was con-
s!GSrins his cabinet desired 70 know
whether Mr.. Sherman nigh: be re-
sarded as possible choiceiiH case mat
ters saaped themselves SO that his ap-
Foiatment was advisable. He explain
ed explicitly that he was not authorized
20 tender aim position that the Presi-
uehI hau not yet reached point
"Hete ne could Invite any. ore-into his
oillcial family. but he would like TO
Know II Mr.. Sherman, under any cir
cumstances. would consider an invita-
lion II 1t were rendered him. Mr., SAer-
man thanked Mr.. Osborne for the hon.
or OF being mentioned in connection
with so high an office and asked for a
little time to consider. The subjec, was
discussed az length the entire evening.
and when Mr.. Osborne left the house II
was understood that he should have an
answer the next morning In time TO
take the 10 O'Clock train for Canton. Al
$50 promptly he appeared at the Sher-
man mansion, and to his utter amaze
Hient ne was compelled 10 again intro
ducc himself and explain to NJ. Sher-
man who he was and what lie had
come for. The venerable statesman did
not remember anything abou, the con-
EeFsat!0n held only twelve hours pre.
Fious. The whole subject was gone over
again, however. and Mr.. Sherman
again asked time to consider.
When Mr.. Osborne arrived In Canton
the Presideat-elect was at luncheon and
greeted him with the inquiry: well.
"has did Uncle John have to say?"
Look here, William" exclaimed os-
horne. the next time You send me ia
rec man about going into your cabi-
net hope you will select one who will
remember me over night"
Is ne SO bad as that?" inquired the
President-elect.
Yes" replied Osborne, and he related
his experience.
II that Is the situation" remarked
the Preslden,-elect. III Uncle John is as
PAD as that we had better NOT crowd
him" n.y. @to"u
borne.
Although he had been distinctly told
IN the evening and then again in the
morning that Mr.. Osborne was not an
lhorized TO tender him position In the
Saoihet. Mr.. Sherman assumed that he
!'ha done so. wrote Mr.. Mckinley aslet-
ger OF thanks and acceptance and fol-
loWed 1t By personal visit to Canton.
WAere he discussed affairs NJ; .ipta,,i-