Dear Brother: Now
that the Convention at Chicago has nominated Blaine and Logan, I feel such a
sense of relief that I would approve of anything. My instructions to Henderson,
verbal, telegraphic, and written, were all short, emphatic, and clear, and, so
far as I am concerned, all may be published; viz. first, to do what was
possible to prevent even the mention of my name; and, second, that though there
should occur a break after
the first ballots,
and my name should be presented as a compromise, to decline; and, lastly, if in
spite of such declination I should be nominated, I would decline with an
emphasis which might be construed as disrespectful to the Convention itself,
which, of course, I do not want to do.
I would not for a
million of dollars subject myself and family to the ordeal of a political canvass
and afterwards to a four years' service in the White House. You and Blaine and
others have been trained in a different school,— quite different, and have a
perfect right to aim for the highest round of your ladder. . . . Here at this
point I must confide to you, in absolute confidence, that I was in possession
of a letter from Blaine,1 all in his own hand, marked
"Strictly, absolutely confidential," which I now possess, with a copy
of my answer, with others from various people, all to the same effect, that in
case of a break and deadlock between Blaine and Arthur it was inevitable that
my name would be used, and that I had no more right to decline than if I had
received an order as lieutenant of the army. When you come here sometime I will
show you these letters, but I must not part with them. I had expected that my
letters in answer, in case of a break—which all seemed to expect would compel
the Convention to turn to you, Edmunds, Hawley, or Gresham, and it may be that
my positive manner carried conviction of my sincerity and stubbornness, and
helped to bring about the nomination of Blaine and Logan. Anyhow, I escaped,
and that to me was salvation.
1 This letter was afterwards published in the
"North American Review" with Mr. Blaine's consent.
SOURCE: Rachel
Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between
General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 360-1
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