For several weeks
prior to the adjournment of the General Assembly, the question of a candidate
for governor was generally discussed, and it was the opinion of all of the best
men that you were the only one who could carry us safely and triumphantly
through the campaign. It was unanimously conceded that if you would consent to
be a candidate you would be nominated without opposition, and so anxious were
our Western Reserve friends to bring this about, they announced in nearly all
their papers that you would receive their support. A few of your friends, and
among them myself, deprecated this movement because we could not think of
sparing you from Congress, and so through this influence, the thing was
checked. However, these men have waited on us to produce the candidate, and
they are becoming quite uneasy, especially as Washington schemers are involving
the gubernatorial question with that of a candidate for President. Only in this
way, on account of the uncertainty about yourself, has General Schenck's name
been mentioned. Therefore I feel justified in stating that, if it is known that
you will consent to be a candidate, General Schenck will not be.
I shall go down to
Cincinnati Monday night or Tuesday morning. This question must be settled by
the middle of next week, or we shall be inevitably lost.
SOURCE: Charles
Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard
Hayes, Volume 3, p. 43
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