Year: 1879

Baltimore Sun, 2d,l


A few days before Secretary Schurz
left for Ohio a prominent man in poll
tics, a warm admirer of Grant for
third term and a personal friend of
the secretary, had occasion to visit
him. After they had talked on busi-
ness for some time the secretary was
asked what he thought of the political
outlook from the Republican point of
view. Schurz replied very frankly
and very fully, giving his feelings,
hopes and fears. He said that he felt
he was what was known as a stalwart
Republican in everything except prob
ably in his choice of the man who
should be the next Republican candi-
date for the Presidency. He would
have to oppose Grant, should he be
nominated. Should the nominee be
Blaine, while he would probably not
oppose him, he never could support
him. His choice was Sherman not
that he believed Sherman the best
man for the Republicans to nominate,
but he was just now the most availa-
Bile man for those Republicans who,
for instance, would rather vote
for a Democrat like Bayard than a
Republican like Grant.


While in the senate with Sherman
he did not particularly admire that
gentleman, because Sherman was
strongly pro.Grant in all their CON
tests in that body, but since they have
been together in the cabinet he has
had an opportunity to study him, and
he believes him entitled to have as
pirations for the Presidency When
the administration first began
its career he was shy Of Sherman Tor
the reason that he looked upon him
as an extreme radical as a representa-.
tive Of Grantism. When he and
Evarts made it the ultimatum of their
remaining in the cabinet that Packard
in Louisiana and Chamberlain in
South Carolina should be allowed tC
go by the board, and that military
interference in the local affairs of the
Southern States should cease, hC
(Schurz) expected to encounter bit
ter hostility from Sherman and in the
cabinet meetings, but to his astonish.
ment he found that Sherman agreed
with him fully. This gave a majority
Of the Cabinet over to the peace and
Cancellation policy, and made it an
easy matter to bring over Messrs
Deyens, Thompson and McCrary SC
as to have the administration act with
unanimity.


After the downfall of Packard and
Chamberlain, Sherman continued as
the strong supporter of all of the
Presidents conservative measures
He never once fiinched, and when he
followed up the Packard and Cham
berlain business with his fight against
Conkling and the New York custom
house ring, Secretary Schurg says he
concluded that here was the man for
the Republican emergency - the
emergency being the killing off of the
Grant boom" He Immediately
urged on Sherman the Importance Of
his entering the field against Grant,
otherwise that gentleman would have
walk over for the nomination, par
ticularly as Blaine, Conkling and the
other standing candidates showed a
disposition to step aside for Grant
Sherman consented and Immediately
wrote the Haskin letter, announcing
his intention of being candidate
Since then Schurz says he has beer
working for Sherman in every way
possible for him to do so. He does
not know that Sherman will succeed


but he feels that he has at least gained
his object, which is the defeating Of
GEapil ~'''''''S