COLUMBUS, May 6,
1869.
DEAR S——:— The use
of the phrase, "the man you dislike," in my note to you, was
unfortunate. I am sorry for it. No meaning containing an imputation on your
motives was in my mind—none whatever. Your letter shows a dislike for one of
the gentlemen named, as I thought, but it did not, and does not occur to me
that therefore you opposed him. You named another and a solid reason—a reason
which deserves to be considered. The part of your letter enclosed in brackets
contains what I refer to as showing "dislike." The last sentence in
your letter of the 5th will, I trust, on reflection be reconsidered.*
*Mr. Smith had
written: — "I am not in the habit of letting my personal dislikes enter
into the consideration of public matters, and I am not aware of having
indicated to you any dislike for any one among the candidates for school
commissioner. . . . I endeavored to answer your inquiry as a friend who is not
afraid to speak the truth at all times, and to give you the inside view among
the best of the teachers. As this effort has been construed as an expression of
my likes and dislikes, I would suggest that hereafter you apply elsewhere for
information."
SOURCE: Charles
Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard
Hayes, Volume 3, p. 62
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