uth. Still I yielded to the
earnest desire of the trustees to try to get a vote, but failed to
get the floor at 3 o'clock in the morning, the only moment it was
possible to submit even the motion to take it up. The bill to
abolish the duty of coal was taken up and was not acted on, nor
would the railroad bill, or any other contested bill, have passed
at that stage of the session.

"As to the base imputation you attribute to 'a gentleman who lately
filled a responsible office in this city,' I can only say that,
whether it originates with you or anyone else, it is utterly false.
Neither in this nor in any measure that has passed Congress, or is
pending, have I had any direct pecuniary interest. I respectfully
ask that you print this, and also the name of the 'gentleman' you
refer to.

"I intend, in the interests of the city of Cincinnati and of the
whole country, to press the Southern Railroad bill, and to secure
its passage as soon as possible, but it is rather poor encouragement
to read such libels in a prominent paper in your city.

"Yours etc.,
"John Sherman."

This was followed by an article in the "Enquirer" embodied in my
reply, as follows:

"Washington, March 20, 1871.
"Gentlemen:--In your editorial in the 'Enquirer' of March 17, in
commenting on my card to you as to my action on the Cincinnati
Southern Railroad bill, you repeat my statement that 'neither in
this nor in any measure that has passed Congress, or is pending,
have I any pecuniary interest,' and you say:

'If this is true, he has certainly been a very badly slandered
gentleman. Somehow or other there is a popular impression that
Mr. Sherman has contrived to make his connection with politics a
highly lucrative business, and that he has exhibited, since he has
been in Congress, a worldly thrift that is remarkable. There is
a further impression that he is now a very rich man, whereas, a
few years ago, before he was in public affairs, his circumstances
were decidedly moderate. Perhaps our senatorial friend may not be
aware of the existence of these derogatory reports, and will thank
us for giving him an opportunity, now that he knows of their
existence, to disprove them.'

"I have not been ignorant that there has been a studied effort--
ascribed by me to the common tactics of political warfare--to create
the impression, by vague innuendo, that I have used my official
position to make money for myself. I know that this charge or
im