ST. LOUIS, May 7, 1884.
Dear Brother: . . .
The more I reflect, the more convinced I am that I was wise and prudent in
taking the exact course I have, and that it would be the height of folly to
allow any false ambition to allow the use of my name for any political office.
John B. Henderson is
my neighbor here, is a delegate at large to the Chicago Convention, and will,
if need be, announce my unalterable purpose. . . . Why should I, at sixty-five
years of age, with a reasonable provision for life, not a dollar of debt, and
with the universal respect of my neighbors and countrymen, embark in the
questionable game of politics? The country is in a state of absolute peace, and
it would be a farce to declare that any man should sacrifice himself to a mere
party necessity. Surely you do not rate Hayes or Arthur as great men, yet each
gave the country a good administration. . . .
If you count
yourself out, I will be absolutely neutral, and honestly believe we are
approaching that epoch in our history when King Log is about as good as King
Stork. Queen Victoria has proven about the best executive a nation has ever
had, and we shall be lucky in securing a man of moderate ability and reasonable
presence.
SOURCE: Rachel
Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between
General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 360
